Tied to a phone line with 72 calls in the queue the repetitive buzz of the call centre is unbearable. However when employed by a typically cash crazed Telesales organisation the volume of calls is often the least of your worries.

Like many nave employees that will join the Call Centre revolution at some point in their lives, I was naively lured to this position by empty promises. Work in a "Fun and Fresh Environment" offering a "lucrative commission's scheme" the advert read. It all sounded very appealing but as always it wasn't as simple as that

Now - two and a half years on, my mind is completely and utterly frazzled by the soul destroying routine. Being tied to a desk by a headset, having to deal with the rudest and most arrogant human beings in the world, being In a situation where the company even seems to have the monopoly on your own human rights and in the position that the commission scheme changes so frequently that it is impossible to achieve.

I have struggled to keep my head at the best of times, with the constant screech of the customers on a constant loop of calls. In fact I could compile a hefty list of the reasons why I despise this particular position so much. I have however managed to narrow it down - if not just to protect my own sanity.

Why is it that that just because you are employed to work in a sales environment, every second customer will speak to you in a tone that suggests that you are so cash crazed that you would sell your own grandma to make a profit?

I despise the fact that Call Centre bosses seem to think their line of business differs from every other sector - in the respect that they reserve the right to actually deny you permission to be ill or to even go to the toilet ( and they will actually try and enforce this - as ludicrous as it sounds!)

It infuriates me, that even after endless meetings and hours of training employees are still none the wiser of the complete sales procedure, or how the commission structure is worked out. Yet we are expected sell and achieve our targets nonetheless.

It humours me that crazed customers are so oblivious to the fact that having a rant at a call centre agent, about the irritation of cold calling and telesales, serves absolutely no purpose other than giving them a hefty phone bill.

It unnerves me that senior employee's regularly come up with new obscene sales targets and stats, whilst having absolutely no concept on how difficult the job is.

The list is endless, but each of the above are unfortunately part and parcel of a job in this sector. Please be aware that whatever moneymaking promises are splashed all over the adverts. When you sign up to work in a call centre you are basically giving up your right to be ill if you have to, go to the toilet when you need to and have any kind of opinion

Learn more about this author, Stacie Dexter.
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