Call center girls seek better working conditions

A number of female workers in customer-service call centers demand that their work environment be improved and their rights protected.
They say that customer service has become essential in most sectors, including travel, tourism and industry, and that this type of job should be included in the list of "hazardous professions" in order for the employee to receive compensation in case of injury.
Ola Omari, who has been working in customer service for five years, said that the culture of "good treatment" is lacking. Customers just do not appreciate their service and some companies force them to work for extended periods, sometimes up to 10 hours a day.
"In addition, we lack many benefits. We have no health insurance. A colleague of mine left work after having sustained a severe ear injury as a result of spending long hours at work," she said.
Maha Asiri, who has been working for a long time in this field, said that she learned to be patient and work under pressure. "Dealing with various types of clients will give you experience on how to handle people, but some companies do not provide adequate training to their female workers," she complained.
Yaseen Khayyat, chairman of the legal councils commission at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said medical insurance is mandatory for all companies. "If an employee sustains an on-the-job injury, he or she has the right to sue the company. They can go to the labor office and file a complaint. It is then referred to other agencies for further action," he said.
Haya Abd Al Aziz, a customer-service supervisor, said that this is a new profession for Saudi girls and this may cause problems because their job is not well-understood by the community. "Our problems are mostly related to phone nuisance. In addition, some employers sometimes summarily dismiss an employee if they receive a customer complaint," she said.
Hatim Ra'fat, a supervisor, said that employers place stringent criteria and expect employees to strictly abide by them. "They expect the girls to be courteous, to respond promptly, to solve the client's problem and do that without wasting time. Many businesses cannot strictly enforce such criteria because it is difficult to find qualified people to do the job," he said.
"Many people are under the mistaken impression customer-service call centers are simply offices equipped with phone lines and a main number and electronic equipment. What matters is the people who use this equipment. Employers must provide proper training for female workers," he explained.
Muhammad Sulaiman, a training and development consultant, said the major problem is that most employers care more for profits and do not pay adequate attention to their employees. "Moreover, the community still does not appreciate call center girls and people tend to look down upon them. Lack of regulations exacerbate this problem. They need protection," he said.