convergys

[HybernaTe]

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interesting ... continue ...

[botyok]

yah......

[dark_blue]

Thats not true at all... I happen to be with sykes and i have coleagues that are now working there but they applied before while theyre still on duty here... I dont know but in the account that were in right now convergy's prefer's TSR's from this account because theyre also handling this account.. As for me I have plans of transferring but not now cause im enjoying my job here and ive been here quite long enough mag one year na ko and still loving what im doing... So to you guys out there if you wanna apply in convergy's go ahead and apply it's a great place to start a career, just make sure that youre ready for the job, cause its really different just talking on the with customers the whole shift,- especially irates...But im sure youll do just great...

[LytSlpr]

Question is, how much? how much? how much is the salary? B.S. aside...

[TrainerEd]

Im posting my reply for the topic which call center is better for this topic as we because I think it's related in some way.

There has been a lot of replies on this topic, I just want to throw me my own opinion on the matter. But before I do that and to set everyone's expectations, I want to give some more background info I have been in the contact center industry for the past 4 years, I started with a small company in Northern luzon that eventually closed because it could not meet it's metrics. Metrics for those of you who are new to the contact center (call center industry) are Key Performance indicators that a client looks at this can come in sales per hour and customer experience / satisfaction for outbound sales and even to how fast calls are taken. If metrics are not met Clients can pull out at anytime, they can just give a grace period for the center to meet metrics. If not it's goodbye for that center and hello for the other centers in the field.

That's why customer satisfaction and experience counts a lot in this industry it can make or break a center. It is true that centers do not pay wages similarly this highly depends on the structure of the center and the acct it handles. For example if the acct does pay more for level 1 to 3 reps by grading their capabilities from newbie to expert than you can expect that salary packages do differ. But, it's more than just pay it's also about room for growth. I work in a center now where performance is metered and kept in check by a separate department from my department, this assures me that if I want to go up the ladder this will go through due diligence and not by you are close to who in ops or in that department.

Culture counts a lot, a professional, proactive culture that gives the industrys highest pay and benefits including continous improvement and performance based promotions are what a person who wants to join the industry to look for.

Look at it this way in Manila the contact center industry has molded a new consumer market, convenience stores are now mushrooming around centers and Mc donalds and Jollibee have turned their restos to 24 hour eateries that cater specifically to this market. Even taxi drivers thank call centers because now they don't drive home drunks and GROs at night but professional that belong to the contact center industry.
So for those who want to join the contact center industry ask yourself- Am I here for the long haul or the short haul?
Choose wisely and if you are in a center now and you feel you have to move on choose the center you know can meet and exceed your expectations.
As for me "I am proud to wear the mark"
About non compete clauses in the state of California where some call centers operating in the Philippines have their headquarters, The non=compete clause is illegal and unenforceable. Which gives you this question- If the call center is headquartered in California or hold office in a state where the non - compete clause illegal then why are they enforcing it in the Philippines? also why are they enforcing it here when the constitution of the Philippines does not allow any individual to be deprived of livelihood.
The Many companies seek to protect their business by requiring that employees sign agreements to not compete with the company should they leave employment. However, unlike in many other states, non-compete employment agreements are illegal in California. Business and Professions Code § 16600 provides that "every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent void." Section 16600 invalidates agreements to preclude employment in a certain line of work. The section has also been construed by California courts as invalidating agreements that seek to prevent former employees from accepting work from any of the former employer's clients. (Morris v. Harris (1954) 127 Cal.App.2d 476.) A former employee may also solicit employees from his or her former employer if unlawful means or acts of unfair competition are not used. (Diodes, Inc. v. Franzen (196 260 Cal.App.2d 244.)

Sample agreement held to be invalid: (Kolani v. Gluska (199 64 Cal.App.4th 402, 405)

"[T]hat for one year after employment not compete with a radius of 40 miles for own account or on account of another."

Want to know more about why the non-compete clauses are illegal in California as well as other states click on http://www.lawzilla.com/ca-emp-001.shtml

[LytSlpr]

Remember guys that no signed contract supersedes any law and you always have a choice.

This clause is just like, "Hey you are my slave & cannot be anybody else's."

Though one may have waived his right to work for another company with accounts or business of the same nature for a certain period of time, I know someone who signed a contract & "violated" this clause by transferring from one center to another. This person consulted his lawyer and his lawyer was VERY confident that they would win despite his signing of such agreement.

If you call some of these shrewd call center's bluff then you will be at the losing end. Believe me they won't risk everything on legal entanglements and bad publicity, especially bad publicity. The law will always put a human being's welfare above anything else.

If there are lawyer forumers here who can shed more light on this matter then you are most welcomed.

@TrainerEd: This is a enlightening information for the Call Center folks. Thanks!

[AlecZander]

i had a talk with my friend who is a promising law student regarding the non-compete clause, and it is difficult to enforce such in the country considering our economic and employement status. For the record, the court usually favors the employee (and his/her welfare) rather than the employeer. As what lytslpr said, such clause is just a written statement on the employer to make you thier slave.

A person close to mine had an experience when she recieved threatening letters from her previous company about her violating the non-compete clause, she's not in the call center biz by the way. It just turns out the threats were just that... threats. 3 months have passed and there was no case filed. how could she be charged for such considering she was only a "rank & file" employee and a contractual one too. The ex-company had the nerve to disturb her life which is such a shame.

For me the closest thing that this could be enforced is when a high ranking employee who holds company secrets breaks it, but for rank & file Reps... forget it.

I have lots of info regarding non-compete clauses and experiences taken from other forums... ill post it soon.

[LytSlpr]

@AlecZander: we will be looking forward to your posts regarding this issue. keep us posted, thanks!

[AlecZander]

lytslpr, you leaving ps or anyone? just asking dude, anyways here some info i got from the other forums,
i cant paste all, just the important ones. Hope this helps.

Taken from another forum: (www.pinoyexchange.com)

Given that 4 million kababayans are unemployed, may K pa ba sila to go after you? Sa tingin ko e panakot lang yan e. Pero if you were retrenched or you resigned after serving them for some time and you sense unfilfillment...bakit ka magtatyaga sa kanila di ba? Bad case nga lang if you already underwent training tapos e you went on AWOL and you made yourself hired by a competitor.

Cases na pwede ka itali sa bond:

1. Ginastusan ka sa trng abroad o pinag-aral ka, with a separate training agreement.
2. Basta ginastusan ka at aware ka naman na talagang ginastusan ka, always read the stipulations of what you're going to sign. You have the option naman not to sign it.
3. Kung project contract yang pinirmahan mo, for some period of work...ito may legality...you really have to finish the contract.
4. Mayron tayo sa Labor Code/Labor Law na tinatawag na "Involuntary Servitude"...you can't be forced to stay as a slave to a company pag willing ka na umalis, as long as you have submitted a valid resignation letter and the HR approved of it. then you're contract is waived.

--Nangyari na kasi sa akin to. I signed a contract because of a good job offer pero when i started, it's not what i expected to do. I asked a lawyer to review what i signed and 4 above applied...I hope i enlightened you on the matter

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I consulted a lawyer about this before I moved to my present company. My former employer competes with my present one and I had to address the issue of my non-compete contract before resigning.

According to the lawyer, courts normally don't enforce this anymore because the clause itself is unfair to the employee.

In my case, I was able to prove that although my new employer is in the same industry, the products of the two companies are totally different from each other. In which case, I was able to resign without any hitches.

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hay nku, my company have a non-compete clause for 1yr and a cash bond for 6mos, its my 1st job so i didn't understand this that much, nor my co employees. We work for a living.

I believe that this non-compete clause should be invalid. Kung ibabase natin ito sa simpleng saleslady ng SM, parang sinabi mo na ndi siya pwede magtrabho as a saleslady sa Robinsons.

Is there anyway that we could impose a law re: this issue? 6mos p nga lang sobra na eh... anu p kaya ang 1yr? eh 2yrs?

Baka naman pwede ung tipong madamihang pirma ng mga employees para ireview ito sa labor code...

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A non-compete clause is usually included in an employment contract with an employee whose job may allow him/her access to trade secrets or other informations vital to the existence of a company. This clause typically exist in an employment contract involving CEO'S and other management level executives because they are privy to the goals, plans, and trade secrets of a company. By virtue of this privilege, a fiduciary obligation is owed by these management personnel to the stockholders or owners of the company. As a supplement to this fiduciary relation, a non-compete clause becomes necessary for the protection of the company.

I doubt however, that a non-vital employee such as a call agent will know all the trade secrets and other vital informations of a call center that exposing them to competitors will cause a company to fail or lost business.

A contract though binding is still subject to court interpretation. Remember that a contract is always written to favor the party that wrote the contract.

My suggestion is for you guys to organize and create a labor union of call center workers. You can then hire a lawyer to represent the whole interest of your organization by providing legal services to every member who has employment dispute. Just like call center owners have their organization, you too have the right to organize to protect your interest in the industry. This is how democracy works; its a numbers game

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I like the idea of organizing labor unions, i havent heard of a labor union of call center workers, well its about time that the voices should be heard.

About the non-compete clause for rank and file employees.. tama ang sinabi above... saleslady of SM cant work as a saleslady sa Robinson's and vice versa.... my 2 cents

[TrainerEd]

Non - compete clauses in Call centers are a hazy specially that in the US it is actually not legal, But for the bond a company may pursue a civil lawsuit just like the non-compete clause. But the not paying your bond can be enforced but the litigation can take years and costs a lot