tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29600742611858461.post5714363652660336694..comments2024-03-28T18:37:55.695+00:00Comments on HMRC Is Shite: ShameKen Frosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13568488818950912374noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29600742611858461.post-38171905156670098902010-02-24T20:16:27.515+00:002010-02-24T20:16:27.515+00:00oh my god i could spend all day on here stating th...oh my god i could spend all day on here stating the facts of whats wrong with the whole dept!! im not even going to get into it because it just pisses me off....saying that yes i am still there..6 yrs and still going strong.. well slightly mad but hey we have to pay the bills one way or another!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29600742611858461.post-57591631699472677202009-04-19T00:25:00.000+01:002009-04-19T00:25:00.000+01:00I too was a contact centre advisor and some of the...I too was a contact centre advisor and some of the comments really hit home with my experiences. The training was really focused on customer service and NOT working with the claims and basic what to and what not to do's. Also there is a protocol for every call, which they say to follow, which is unbelievably long and tedious and if followed most callers would hang up as it would take far too long. <br />They defenitely have a 'Big Brother' system going on, your every action is logged onto the phones from the moment you start your shift to the finish.<br />Also, team leaders focus varies. One, who fortunately I was not with for long, was competetive for the perfect length of calls. If anyone in his team went over 3 minutes more than once a day you'd have a moaning at. Needless to say we didn't particularly get on. We once debated this; I insisted it takes as long as it needs to, in some cases things are straightforward and done in seconds, others NEED to take longer to be done properly. He also said we cannot say 'anything else' at the end of the call as customers should phone about one thing. I felt this was ridiculous. I would always ensure the claim was in order e.g. if they called to update work from 16 hours to 30 I would always ask for income. Obvious it may seem but if not done it can really cause issues later. <br />I saw many many mistakes by other advisors.<br /><br />However, with regards to giving your details out I'm not sure how other centres worked but we were not allowed to give our surname or where we were because of safety issues. This was told to every employee. <br /><br />I must also say while staff turnover is ridiculous, there were many advisors in the centre I worked at who'd been there for at least 2 years and about ten who'd been there for 5 years (from when it opened). <br /><br />I worked there for just over 2 years. Fortunately I no longer do; but I do help friends etc. with theirs :)<br /><br />Two things need immediate attention:<br />1. Training - must be longer and ensure competence with the actual (as crap as they are) systems.<br />2. Personalised advisors - this one is more of an opinion. Particularly after my first year there, I sometimes had people ask if they could phone me direct. One woman even begged to somehow be put back through to me as she didn't want her claim to be messed up again and understood things now. I had to explain there's no way to do this. However, if so I believe this would help both customer and advisor. I guess they just don't see how serious people's Tax Credits claims are and think as long as they speak to someone who cares, eh.<br /><br />Well sorry if there's any spelling mistakes; that's my little rant.<br /><br />Finally, well done to all the experienced advisors who actually HELP rather than hinder. I know you rarely hear that from managers!!!charl2009https://www.blogger.com/profile/14439649197481375899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29600742611858461.post-49685968561803328482009-04-12T18:18:00.000+01:002009-04-12T18:18:00.000+01:00I myself have worked as an advisor for a Contact C...I myself have worked as an advisor for a Contact Centre for 3 and a half years on Tax Credits, Self Assessment and Pay as You Earn. I can speak firsthand of the shambles it really is.<BR/>I also consider myself a damn good advisor and the original poster is correct in the reality that most calls are spent rectifying previous mistakes. This is entirely due to the huge turnover of staff they have. A member of my own team was placed on Self Assessment after literally 4 hours of training. I was placed on both Self Assessment and Pay as You Earn after 3 days of training and no previous knowledge. <BR/>The timescales given out (of which there are very few) are a total nonsense. Basically when they tell you that there isnt a timescale it means it will take an eternity. I have seen cases sat there for upto 18 months with no action.<BR/>Regarding the watching of employees. Basically you put yourself into a code for different situations, ie unscheduled break code the toilet. However these codes and the time and occasions spent in them over the course of a day are stricly monitored. Over 15 minutes in unscheduled break consistently in a full day will have you spoken to by a manager.<BR/>An example of the shambles the places are, is this. Until very recently when the computers were replaced, it was taking upto 20 minutes for the computers and correct systems needed to load up in the morning. Without these systems, you couldnt do the job or help anybody. Normally, a downtime code would be used for this until you could sign on and take calls. This was stopped because it was costing the centres too much time that could have been spent on the phones (regardless of the fact we couldnt help anybody). We were told to sign on and either put people on hold for the time necessary or invite them to call back, costing them more money. All this was to manipulate the figures.<BR/><BR/>It is literally the biggest shambles anyone could ever see.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29600742611858461.post-84361260023732141972009-03-04T21:02:00.000+00:002009-03-04T21:02:00.000+00:00"And it gets even better folks"..Well said! It was..."And it gets even better folks"<BR/>.<BR/>.<BR/>Well said! <BR/><BR/>It wasn't too long ago that I mentioned the spreadsheet that was kept to record toilet visits. It seems that the spreadsheet insanity virus isn't just confined to my office.<BR/><BR/>..and, dear Mr Anonymous at 21:47 - you do know that the quote about peanuts is ever so slightly incorrect - but never mind, I know what you mean, and management at our office is definitely exactly like that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29600742611858461.post-41316548252526864662009-03-03T19:45:00.000+00:002009-03-03T19:45:00.000+00:00And it gets even better folks.I heard at a recent ...And it gets even better folks.<BR/><BR/>I heard at a recent union meeting that the HMRC contact centre in East Kilbride even has CCTV situated by the toilets to let 'management' keep track of their staff.<BR/><BR/>I've even heard that another of HMRC's workhouses - sorry 'contact centres', management even go around with walkie talkies to check on their staff going to the toilet.<BR/><BR/>There's nothing better like management by fear....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29600742611858461.post-44689795052167921662009-03-02T21:47:00.000+00:002009-03-02T21:47:00.000+00:00Basically it is a case of to fark with the real wo...Basically it is a case of to fark with the real work; so long as you keep on top of the management's spreadsheets and their insatiable desire for utterly pointless stats, that's all that matters. The blinkered management are are like parrots... find out what peanuts they like and keep feeding 'em!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29600742611858461.post-73466370945168577382009-03-02T19:56:00.000+00:002009-03-02T19:56:00.000+00:00As an HMRC employee myself, this just truly speaks...As an HMRC employee myself, this just truly speaks volumes about this shitty department.<BR/><BR/>Trust me, I CAN believe all of what was said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com