ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the management practices and work processes in place at Call Direct and attempts to generate an understanding of some of the everyday issues that affect employees on the post-industrial assembly line. The chapter focuses on the use of electronic monitoring, call monitoring and the pursuit of targets and efficiency as central to management practice. Heavily reliant on the use of electronic surveillance and monitoring techniques, call centre managers and team leaders have the ability to track work rate and performance level over an entire shift. The key point this chapter makes is that subtle manipulation of strategies continues to benefit the employer over the employee whilst good ideas are often substituted for bad practices as Call Direct management cuts corners in order to satisfy clients. However, dealing with caller frustration was much more frequent at Call Direct than being able to take satisfaction from a customer interaction.
