In an article published by the BBC, call centre workers in the UK were fined for taking washroom breaks, even though they were given large amounts of water to “lubricate their voices” for the job. Employees are the foundation of call centres, as they are the ones who directly communicate with customers. However, the actions taken by the unnamed call centre in the article might be counter-intuitive. I can see the reasoning behind these actions; by deterring employees from taking breaks, the call centre can take more calls and reduce the length of wait times. Although the call centre will be able to assist more customers, the quality of customer service will decline as a result of these measures. Employees are clearly going to be distracted by their desire to visit the washroom when taking calls, but the inconsiderate nature of these rules may also reduce their motivation to deliver better customer service.
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I feel that offering high quality service is more important than providing a greater quantity of service. From my own observations, I have heard countless rants and stories about poor customer service from call centres. Given the nature of the Internet and social media, scathing reviews and heated discussion about these bad experiences can rapidly circulate, negatively affecting a company’s public reputation. The call centre mentioned in the article should re-evaluate their “toilet tax.” In my opinion, preventing employees from going to the washroom does not foster a positive working environment and organizational culture where employees can be comfortable and excited about their job. This can directly influence the amount of effort and enthusiasm employees put into their work, which can be very noticeable to customers over the phone.
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