# Interrogated at Work



## HannahG (Aug 31, 2010)

I'm sure some of you have felt this way. I definitely did. 

Mostly venting...

So basically we got a new program at work (we do 7 programs now at once). People are overwhelmed that we jump from one call type to the next (here at the call centre). They nit pick every little thing we do... the job sucks, everyone knows it but there is literally only call centre jobs here and I already moved for a good job then the company went bust... (aka, I can't lose my job).

Anyways, today they pulled me into a conference room with two managers saying it looked like I deliberately hung up on two people. ??? I was like, wtf. They said 'explain' and I said I didn't know but I asked them if they checked the phones because there are a lot of issues with screens not flashing the right call type, lights dropping, getting wires crossed etc. It's true. I tell management daily that the systems aren't working and they just laugh it off like it's nothing.

So at first I started to panic because I was trying to explain and the managers kept interrupting me. But thankfully I stopped and was able to breathe before explaining properly. They seemed satisfied that I made a mistake. I tried to play it off as possibly being overworked because that's also a possibility. I don't know but seriously we take over 100 calls a day from dealing with people calling in to report an absence to counselling them for suicidal thoughts & molestation, etc.
So in the 3 weeks we had this newest program (the dropped calls were in this new one) I've taken over 1500 calls and TWO dropped and I get interrogated for it?

Another lady also got pulled aside and she told me it was for the same thing. Apparently multiple people did this so that tells me the systems are messed up but of course they act like we all did it deliberately. I did notice though that they only pulled those of us who are more 'quiet' into a meeting about it. My co-worker though gets frustrated when people accuse her of things (I don't blame her) while I've learned to just play dumb and innocent (even like today when I had no idea what happened). The more innocent I play people seem to believe me because I don't have any issues with management...

Anyways, my coworker came back from the meeting really upset then later I saw one of the managers give her a disciplinary sheet to sign. I may have dodged that bullet though. I hope.

What really bothers me about all of this is they were threatening to fire people over this. It made me really really angry. Yes, I know it's a call centre but they threatened to fire people over TWO calls when several of us have worked at the company for years. The one woman worked here for 5 years. Do the math, if it's 80-100 calls a day, that works out to 104,000-130,000 calls since she started there. And for 1 or 2 calls they threaten to fire her? Wtf

My other major issue is that managers always try to push people around. Why do they try to go on power trips? My old boss was the nicest guy but as soon as someone would question him he'd do a 180. My current boss just went into attack mode. 
I hate managers. I don't know why people who actually do hard work don't get promoted and it seems all the jerks become management...


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## BlueDay (May 6, 2014)

haha...I know exactly what you mean! I worked in a call center for 4 years....took 50,000 calls...but when I had 2 bad calls it was like the end of the world. They're ridiculous b/c they CAN be. They hired a new training class several times a year, so they can cut anyone at any time. I was also one of the quieter people and they never really like that about me.


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## unpossible (Aug 7, 2015)

Does your place have high turnover?

Your managers sound like awful people. If my employer ever interrogated me or threaten to fire me for something I had no control over, I'd give them a piece of my mind. I have zero tolerance for someone who disrespects me as a person or accuses me with no valid evidence. 

But at the same time you have a great strategy of playing it cool. Renaming calm and explain your POV in a nice manner will help out in other situations. However, they will continue with this behavior because now they know you're passive and under their control.


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