Locals Urged to Honor Customer Service Professionals Oct. 1-5
Think it's easy answering phones all day, often talking to demanding, confused and even angry callers, fingers racing across a keyboard for hours on end to find answers in multiple data bases – all while a supervisor listens in or stands over your shoulder pushing you to work faster or sell more?
CWA is urging local leaders to let the union's 150,000 customer service professionals know just how proud CWA is of their hard work and dedication. And Customer Service Professional Week, a worldwide event Oct. 1-5, is just the time to do it.
"From our telecom companies to our airlines to newspapers, universities and many other office settings, we have members working on the front lines of customer service every day," CWA President Larry Cohen said. "How successful could any of our employers be without these skilled professionals who resolve countless problems and build a strong base of loyal customers?"
CWA members in customer service say call center jobs have become more stressful than ever as supervisors monitor phone calls, keep count of sales made and force call-takers to follow a script that most customers abhor. And many call center workers are coping with a range of health problems from pain in their hands, arms, necks and backs to debilitating ergonomic injuries.
But there is some good news: Despite the corporate frenzy for outsourcing call centers to low-paid workers overseas, some employers are beginning to understand how valuable an experienced U.S. workforce is. This year, CWA negotiated for the return of 2,000 AT&T jobs and 500 U.S. Airways jobs that had been sent to other countries.
CWA will have flyers available that locals can download and pass out to members as well as the public to help customers understand the value of skilled, U.S.-based call center professionals.
Think it's easy answering phones all day, often talking to demanding, confused and even angry callers, fingers racing across a keyboard for hours on end to find answers in multiple data bases – all while a supervisor listens in or stands over your shoulder pushing you to work faster or sell more?
CWA is urging local leaders to let the union's 150,000 customer service professionals know just how proud CWA is of their hard work and dedication. And Customer Service Professional Week, a worldwide event Oct. 1-5, is just the time to do it.
"From our telecom companies to our airlines to newspapers, universities and many other office settings, we have members working on the front lines of customer service every day," CWA President Larry Cohen said. "How successful could any of our employers be without these skilled professionals who resolve countless problems and build a strong base of loyal customers?"
CWA members in customer service say call center jobs have become more stressful than ever as supervisors monitor phone calls, keep count of sales made and force call-takers to follow a script that most customers abhor. And many call center workers are coping with a range of health problems from pain in their hands, arms, necks and backs to debilitating ergonomic injuries.
But there is some good news: Despite the corporate frenzy for outsourcing call centers to low-paid workers overseas, some employers are beginning to understand how valuable an experienced U.S. workforce is. This year, CWA negotiated for the return of 2,000 AT&T jobs and 500 U.S. Airways jobs that had been sent to other countries.
CWA will have flyers available that locals can download and pass out to members as well as the public to help customers understand the value of skilled, U.S.-based call center professionals.
