A few months ago, I was left feeling extremely angry by the arrogant and disrespectful actions of a local employment agency, who purported to have "100 call centre jobs" going in Birkenhead.

Like a fool, I spent over an hour at the jobcentre filling in one of this agency's seemingly endless registration forms. They then left me waiting for weeks and weeks, with no word from them at all as to when these supposedly 100 call centre jobs would start.

After contacting their office, I was disgusted to be ignored a few times by the person who was dealing with these vacancies.

I then complained to their area manager, who got on to them to ascertain what the hold up was. Unfortunately, this complaint did not seem to cut any ice, as a few weeks later, this despicable agency rang me up to say that they were not putting me forward for the vacancies. No explanation was given, but I suspect it was because I reported their office to the area manager. In fact, the manager of that particular branch did ring me up to frostily voice his concern that I had "complained" about his office.

So what do you all think about this? Did any of you get led up the garden path by this promise of "100 call centre jobs in Birkenhead?"

Needless to say, I won't be wasting my time with THAT accursed agency any more. Words fail me to describe exactly how I feel about them. I think the way they treated me was just despicable, after building my hopes up all those weeks that I had the chance of a job.

That does sound like very poor treatment, no doubt its a large faceless corporation with a minimum human element. Their duty is to fulfill their contract with the call center, so it doesn't surprise me that they don't care for the individual.

Its a sad state of affairs, and very unprofessional.

Totally sympathise with you over employment agencies. I've done my fair share of agency work and have been messed around by them too. At the time I didn't think to do anything about it. I guess they think they are bullet-proof.

I've just had a look around the internet and cannot find anything apart from this if you wished to inform someone of this agency:

Pay and Work Rights Helpline

If you have a question or want to make a complaint about an employment agency, you should contact the Pay and Work Rights Helpline:
fill in the Pay and Work Rights Enquiry Form on Directgov
call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368

Source

Not sure though if this is when you are already employed by the agency in question...

Thank you for your reply. Yes, it was certainly disgusting the way they treated me. I mean, I wouldn't have had to complain to their Area Manager if their arrogant consultant had returned my calls, just to update me on how my application was going.

Another thing this agency was doing was constantly changing the start dates, a fact which I learned from their Area Manager. One week it was supposed to be 23rd October, and then it was put back to November, and so on. This did set alarm bells ringing in my mind as to whether these "one hundred Birkenhead call centre jobs" actually did exist.

You've probably saved yourself from a very demeaning job anyway. Call centre work is the lowest of the low (apologies to any call centre workers on here). I did it for 6 months for Hayes Recruitment (Leicester). I got in at 8.00am in the dark of winter and left at 5.30pm in the dark of winter. I worked in the basement of the building so never saw sunlight as they discouraged people from leaving the building for lunch. Then there was the 'training' for dealing with angry callers I also had to process gas bills - got a few wrong (in favour of the customer

You're joking! Honestly? You serious? Are they really that bad?

It depends on the call centre. I worked in one that was fabulous and the perks were great Never had so much fun in a job in my life!!

That really sounds awful, but on the positive I have worked in a few fantastic call centres, and wouldn't discourage people from applying for roles with them.

Am I allowed to ask was it HRGO at all? Just out of curiosity.

Yeah, I know Sally - I'm hoping mine was the worst experience one could have

The call centre in question are always recruiting, I know this for a fact. I also know that working conditions within said call centre are pretty good. I know the executives there very well.

I don't really want to say anymore, but don't let HR GO cloud your opinion of TCC.

I really wish I was allowed to write on here what they are actually like, HRGO stay well clear is all I can say.

Why do you say that?

Sallybear,

Why, are they notorious for treating jobseekers badly?

They're not great, admittedly, but I suppose in a way it keeps TCC's hands clean. I've seen their payslips too, and how they work their holidays out etc.

I don't think there's any issues with you telling us your story Sally?

They are very 'shoddy' and constantly lose personal information of the staff they recruit. They have also offered so called jobs at TCC to staff from another call centre in Liverpool where I used to work, these staff were given start dates and handed their notices in, only to get there and be told the jobs are no longer available. They are also quite underhand as recruiters, when I used to work within recruitment in Liverpool I heard so many stories about them, just really puts me off them.

There are always two sides to a story and I am sure plenty of people who work through them and are happy and have no problems at all. But they really don't come across as professional and I wish that TCC would use someone else.

They used to be called StaffSign and they again were a terrible agency mis-leading people about jobs. But that was some time ago.

They probably get government back handers for conducting interviews, bloody farce. It's like doctors getting paid to treat patients when they can't actually get to see the doctor and have to go to A & E for treatment, stop the money from their budgets if they can't do it, that'll cure that little ailment up.

That is disgusting. Why are these agencies allowed to treat people like this?

I will mention the issues people are having with them.

They (CEO/MD etc) won't get to hear of problems like this, as they're not 'on the front line' so to speak.

Please do, I would be happy to discuss things further if that helped. HRGO recently advertised for staff for one nights work at TCC to cover a certain 'fight' processing of payments I think for people to purchase to watch it, hope I have that right. They called people to see if they were willing to work for the one night, but would only pay £6 per hour, which is just over minimum wage and NOT the call centre standard for night shifts. On discussion they (HRGO) said they would speak to TCC about upping the rate to £7 but never got back to the interested parties. My colleague who was looking for call centre work at the time had submitted CV's and requests for 5 different job adverts through the Job Centres Web Site for vacancies supposedly from HRGO. He was not contacted about any of the jobs, but then called in regard to this one nights work for which the agency seemed to be struggling to find enough people to cover. When he thanked them for the offer and then asked about the other roles he applied for the agency said these roles had gone out to other agencies now. He has a wealth of call centre experience and it baffles me how they would not be able to find him some work at TCC if 'said' work does exist.

According to HRGO the only hours at TCC are evening and weekend hours and that no-one works daytime hours there. Funny how you see plenty of people coming in and out of the place in the day time!

Hmmm . . . very, very mysterious.

What is this agency playing at??

People most certainly do work days! I walked around there a month or so ago and the place was rammed. High turnover of staff too from what I can see.

Here's another fact about HRGO, they are paid £12 per hour by TCC for each person who is employed through them, so it was nothing to do with 'upping it to £7' - I'm not sure whether TCC pay more than £12 to cover nights/overtime.

TCC every now and again pick the better performers who are employed through HRGO and make them permanent.

I'll have a word with one of the directors and will contact you with his details if he wants to have a chat.

Cheers.

Cheers, appreciated.

You know, every time I hear a fresh horror story aboout these agencies, it makes me sooo angry!

I have an interview with HRGO tommorow in the birkenhead jobcentre which I think is a bit strange.

Inbound call advisor is the position, Will let you know how it goes.

Lol yea agencies can be harsh sometimes, I was applying for a job with GAP for a packing job where the job advert stated "Experience is an advantage but not necessary as training will be given" only to have to argue with their receptionist because he firmly believed it was obvious that you would need experience regardless of what the job application had written on it.

I will pray for you. You will certainly need it.