Answer
Those Calls!
(The Time Police are
Watching)
Everyone has to justify his or her existence in our 'workaday world'.
The "Call Center Management" (CCM) group created the ‘Time Police’ or
bubblettes. The CCM function is to make sure there is not a wasted moment by
anyone in the BRC. The technology of ACD's allows for a virtual "Electronic
Sweatshop" and that is precisely what the evolution of technology has created
in the BRC!
The rules, like the daily, weekly and what were once monthly
schedule, change before the "ink dries'. It has gotten to the point where one
has to 'check the work schedule' (if it is up) after break or returning from
taking a leak! Here are some suggestions on how to deal with the 'evolution of
the electronic sweatshop'. These suggestions are based upon what I know the
'time police' are doing to 'justify their existence' as of (
).
The 'Time
Police' are monitoring telephone calls on each of the Generalists and
Specialists. If they detect a personal call (they are selectively reporting
recipients and/or initiators of calls) a report is generated and passed to a
supervisor who is supposed to "do something' about it'. My suggestion is to not
make personal calls from your "station in life, but if you do, get permission
first. If you receive a personal call notify a timecop first before they have a
chance to report you. Make sure you notify all timecops, temporary timecops,
timecop groupies or timecop wannabes.
Just because
you notify one does not mean another one won't 'drop the dime" on
you!
[Can they do this?] Yes but
only within certain parameters established by the Calif. State PUC. There can
be no documentation of any conversation, as it would violate the 'Secrecy of
Communication Act'. There is a signed memorandum of agreement between CWA and
General Telephone Company outlining the parameters of "supervisory monitoring"
(a euphemism for eavesdropping). If you would like a copy, please see
me!
The 'Time Police' are monitoring actual work times on various states
a Generalist or Specialist might be with respect to 'busy ' or 'closed key'
work! Any extension beyond the established time frames. If you are in a made
busy state for 5 minutes or more it is supposed to generate a call from a
timecop who will ask the 'specialist' or 'generalist' what they are doing or if
they are working on something! A correct answer would be yes, I am working on
something or yes I am busy. Nothing more and nothing less ... If you volunteer
information it could be documented.
Reports of these
instances are created and passed to supervisors for discussion and/or
documentation on 'worksheets'.
Since the BRC is rapidly becoming a
"police state' one must be careful about what one says.
What you THINK
is an exception so far. They haven't figured out how to monitor what we think
YET (key word YET). However, it might be sooner than you think. Some managers
have been looking in your trash to make sure you are using a 'burn box' for
company documents. If management is sifting thru your trash, be careful what
you put into your wastebaskets!
"Closed Key" time is for use when going
to break, lunch, bathroom travel to the copy machine, speaking to a supervisor,
asking to see an SME for temporary knowledge or any other mission that
management may decide to issue a new reason for use of the closed
key.
Before you leave for break or lunch make sure you start the 'clock'
over. Go back to ready then 'Close Key' to start the 'electronic timeclock' at
zero. If you have been in a 'close key' state for X amount of minutes prior to
break or lunch the report will show a continuous period of 'close key' time for
your lunch and break. This is bad, bad, bad!
You will
be reported by a 'time cop' and could be asked to explain why you took more
than your allotted 15 minute break or 30 minute lunch!
Make sure you
take your breaks and lunch period when scheduled. If you work thru them it
won't buy you anything other than management thanking you for donating time to
a "World Class Electronic Sweatshop".
If you are on the way out for
lunch or break and get stopped by a supervisor or questioned by a 'bubblette'
and it cuts into your 15 or 30 minute allotment, go back and start the
timeclock over and let the timecops in the bubble know. Make sure you tell all
the timecops, wannabe timecops and timecop groupies.
If you do not, one of them that might not have been informed
might 'drop the dime' on you!
The same thing holds true on the way
back from your 15 or 30 minute allotment with the exception of starting the
timeclock over. In this case, if delayed by management or any other reason, you
should go to the bubble and inform ALL bubblettes (key word ALL).
If you
need to fax something or Xerox records to fax someplace you should call 4300
and inform the timecops. Always inform all the timecops and not just one or
two. Make sure you tell all the bubblettes including anyone hanging out in the
bubble.
If you forget one of them you can bet they
will be the one that 'drops the dime'.
What about tracking down a
SME to cop some "temporary intelligence" as Dilbert calls it? Call 4300 and
tell the bubblemeisters.
Don't forget to tell them
all (each and every one of them) or you run the risk of having the one you did
not tell call your supervisor.
If that happens, and your supervisor
takes them seriously, you will have to "do the dance" (explain why you were
Absent With Out Leave--AWOL).
If you need to speak to a supervisor or
ask your personal supervisor a question only he or she can answer--call 4300
and let them know. They care about you or at least your whereabouts. Make sure
each and every one of them is aware you will be away from your station or in a
'not ready state" when they do a 'bed check'. If they don't all know of your
whereabouts --- you've got it!
One of them will go
tell and then you will have to explain to your supervisor that you were talking
to your supervisor if you have a supervisor that takes the bubblettes seriously
or forgot they were talking to you during the timeframe one of the timecops
called them about!
It is a whole different ball or should I say
bowl game when it comes to going to the restroom. Whatever you do, make sure
you call 4300 and tell the bubblettes you are going to use the restroom. Let
them know if it is #1 or #2. If it is #2 do not be afraid to let them know the
details and give them an approximate time you will have to use the restroom. It
requires a different amount of time for the need when going #2. If you are
constipated it could take longer than if you have the 'scoots'. If you are seen
going to the restroom with a newspaper or magazine in hand it is a sure sign
you are either going there to read or you are constipated and need something to
take your mind off the strain! If you are just nauseated and have to vomit, it
should not take too long. If you think you are going to "blow chunks" make sure
you call 4300 and tell each bubblette you have a powerful urge to purge. If you
don't notify all, you know what might happen!
That's
right, a manager will be informed and you will, if it is manager that takes the
Time Police seriously, have to explain what you were doing in for those
precious few minutes you were 'unavailable'.