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'I got paid for doing absolutely nothing': Call center worker unable to do their job due to technical error enjoys a paid day at home

Working in a call center is a pretty thankless gig. Constantly dealing with less-than-kind customers who are frustrated at your company's refusal to help them with their problem with your product—which to be fair, is a known issue that the company has deemed to be too expensive to resolve. So, now you're bearing the brunt of that frustration on a daily basis because your wage for 20 years still costs far less than paying R&D to fix the issue.

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Posted by Brad Dickson
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  • To add to that, you're constantly having to deal with the non-sensical beauracracy of your company yourself, in the form of frumpy middle managers who look like they're from any number of movies where the protagonist works a thankless job. 

    At least, with recent technological developments and changing attitudes toward remote employment, you can now do the job on a fully remote basis. Sure, you're still heavily monitored while you're working, but at least you get to suffer the daily torment from the comfort of your own home instead of in a sad, beige, and grey room with no natural light. Plus, when your work laptop stops working, you just might get paid for an entire 10-hour shift without having to do a darn thing.

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  • 1
    "I got paid for doing absolutely nothing..."
    Via Austin Distel
  • 2
    Posted by u/yayCSGO 1 hour ago Laptop not working? No problem. S OC I work at a call center as a CCR. We're a 3rd party vendor for this company so we have our own guidelines and policies when it comes technical issues. I work from home, so if I have say an internet issue, they'll give me about an hour or 2 to get it back up and running before they dock my pay and give me points for my absence.
    Via u/yayCSGO
  • 3
    If it's an issue with any of the systems or the laptop they provided is not working, it's a completely different story. We have a whole system put in place for when these things happen, and I think I hit the jackpot. I've been trying to work since 8am this morning, I called our contractors IT Dept. this morning and they guided me for about 20 minutes before determining I needed to put in a support ticket and have MY companies IT Dept. look into the issue. Okay, no biggie. Because none of my syst
    Via u/yayCSGO
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  • 4
    It has been 9 hours since this all started, and i have not received a single phone call. Now my immediate supervisor is out for the day, so we have a POC (Person of contact). She's done her best, and I've reached out via text as my supervisor was kind enough to send me our POC's # yesterday. But the only responses i've gotten to my "just reaching out, no one has contacted me yet, it's been hours" have been "oh no, i'll tell them" or "yeah np, i told them"
    Via u/yayCSGO
  • 5
    I was scheduled for a 10 hour shift today, I got paid for doing absolutely nothing but following policy waiting for our IT dept. to reach out. I've spent that time playing online poker with some friends, taking care of house hold chores, spending time with my son and wife, and most importantly waiting for that phone call that i don't think will ever come. god is good yall, thanks for reading :) edit: some of yall mf's keep busting my call center representative 'I CCR=
    Via u/yayCSGO
  • 6
    edit 2: as to seem not disingenuous to those who genuinely don't know what a CCR is, I honestly thought CCR was a universal term and I did not mean to insult anyone's intelligence, sorry yall lol
    Via u/yayCSGO
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  • 7
    daynewolf036. 33 min. ago You work as a Creedence Clearwater Revival? Vote Reply Share homme_chauve_souris 28 min. ago Vote · I think they're a California Code of Regulations. Vote ●●● yayCSGO OP 24 min. ago quite! Reply Share ●●● Reply Share
    Via u/yayCSGO
  • 8
    Tiredoldtrucker · 49 min. ago Sounds like a good pay for the day. If you have followed all policy for this event that you can then i see no issues. Reply Share Vote yayCSGO OP. 43 min. ago Absolutely! The only thing that could've been done differently is that I could've been instructed to go on site, which would have been 0 issue for me.
    Via u/yayCSGO
  • 9
    However, like I said we're a contracted call center by a bigger company. Bigger companies IT dept stated that my companies IT dept SHOULD have called me today to resolve this and going on site wouldn't be a concern. I may go in later this evening to get a temporary laptop, but even then that isn't seeming likely. this POC is really taking her time getting back to me. Reply Share Vote
    Via u/yayCSGO
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  • 10
    lostgravy 18 min. ago I never understood this as a middle manager. The cost of having someone down for more than a day is equal to or more than the cost of a laptop. Either find a different technological solution, or overnight replacement laptops Enjoy your time away from working. Of course, no good deeds ever go unpunished. I hope the work isn't merely piling up Vote Reply Share ●●●
    Via u/yayCSGO
  • 11
    yayCSGO OP 15 min. ago fortunately for me no, the work isn't piling up whatsoever. all I do is take phone calls and give information. the only downside to not having me in for the day is that they had 1 less person to answer the phones. Vote Reply Share Vote ●●● lostgravy 13 min. ago Good to hear! Of course, not good for those that need answers, but what the heck are you supposed to do. You're complying with the policy Reply Share
    Via u/yayCSGO
  • 12
    CrittendenWildcat 8 min. ago Take heart in the fact that you probably still did more work than the CEO of the company did today. Vote Reply Share Vote ●●● yayCSGO OP. 6 min. ago this was hilarious I had to tell my wife, but you are more than likely 100% correct LOL Reply Share
    Via u/yayCSGO

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customer support customer service workplace discussion workplace-stories call center jobs job malicious compliance work customers workplace employment in the workplace

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