Bonus / Pay lower than call centre agents

[Stevehewitt]

Hi Everyone,

I'm after some honest opinions on this please. I'm not a greedy person after £££ all the time; I'm in IT because I love the challange and contstant learning that it rewards you with.

I current work in the first remote office setup by a medium (600 staff) finance company. This office had two departments in it - 5 staff working in commerical (getting the business for the company), and about 35 staff working in the call centre (including managers).
The job is average pay; but the company as a whole is very good, lots of recognition, lots of freedom - I like working here.

The problem is that I'm the only IT tech onsite, and the head office is based about 300 miles away. In head office the tech's all have one big office with 6 tech, network mngr, tech support / telecoms mngr and a helpdesk co-ordinator. They have their own room and simply go out when a user needs help.

I'm based slap in the middle of the contact centre; and because of this I'm a lot more involved in the operations of the call centre than tech's at head office. E.G. I go to the ops meeting etc.

The past 2 months call centre staff have beenn given a bonus scheme, which rewards up to £350pm extra ontop of a good salary. about 70% got this, whilst the rest got between £100 - £200 extra.

This put's their monthly take-home pay more than mine. Whilst I'm not trying to be bigheaded and say that I'm worth the most blah..blah..blah, I'm saying that I'm the lowest paid person in the entire office, but I have a huge amount of responsibility and technical tasks compared to call centre staff who read the script. (Just sales - not even Customer Services!)

Call centre staff don't spend another 2 hours onsite after they're meant to go home because there is office wide system problems; or come in on weekends to ensure that the project that goes live on Monday works 100%.

Is this fair? If not, how do I bring it up with my manager (Head office Tech Sup Mngr). Nice guy, but I don't want to look like a greedy arogant IT guy.

Any help appreciated on this.

Thanks, and well done on read all the way to the end!

Ta,







Steve.

"They have the internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson

 

[svanels]

Unfortunately this world is not fair.
Looks like call-center Boss has the balls to demand more money for his staff. Probably he was able to show mangement where the money is coming in.

Responsibilities are nice, but if you cannot translate them to money in a: "what occurs when it stops, or I quit" scenario, you will get peanuts.

Be greedy if they are distributing bonus, act now, tomorring will be too late.

Steven

 

[Stevehewitt]

Thanks Steven.

I've asked for a 1-to-1 with our tech support manager who is going to fly from head office tomorrow for a chat; because I want to make sure that he realised that it's demotivating me at the moment - which is a shame because it's a great job and good company.

Cheers for your input.


Steve.

 

[CasperTFG]

I wouldn't gear your pay against the call centre employees. General people in Call Centre's or ones that bring / keep business for the company are the highest paid.

The sales people in my office make about 3 times what I do and do much less work than me, but that is the way the world works, they get incentive to bring in more business, there is nothing I can do to bring in more.

I would gear your income against the company as a whole. If the company is doing well and as a result it is increasing your workload, then use that as your measure for needing an increase in pay

Casper

There is room for all of gods creatures, "Right Beside the Mashed Potatoes".

 

[Stevehewitt]

Sales team - fair enough; but call centre agents just read the script that the system presents them!

Steve.

"They have the internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson

 

[lgarner]

The amount of work required isn't what actually drives salary; it's how valuable the position is to the firm.

I agree with Steven- the call agents are bringing money in. You're an expense.

You need to show how valuable you are. The comparison isn't against the call agents, it's against what would happen if you weren't there. How much it would cost to have consultants do your job, for instance. Sometimes IT can increase revenue or lower costs, so you should also highlight anything that you do in that area.

 

[Thadeus]

Steve,
You will not be able to devise the logical argument that you are desiring. It is better to simply determine the following:

Are you satisfied with your current compensation?
If yes, then ignore the disparity and avoid discussing compensation around the workplace, it will only make you question your worth and those that work around you.
If no then either:
a) create a case based on your own performance and worth to the company. Do not allow your knowledge of other's salaries to come into the discussion.
b) start looking for a new position either within your firm or elsewhere, where you will be compensated to your satisfaction.

[anecdote]
I had this problem years and years ago... I was made aware of the salaries at my call center in the US. I let it get under my skin. When I went to my manager and asked for a raise to what would satisfy me, it was apparent that I wasn't going to get it. Additionally I was told that I wouldn't be able to find my "number" in the current IT market.
I looked outside the company and found a better position that came with a salary $20K over my current. When I informed my manager of this outside offer, I was informed that I would be making more than her and therefore, they couldn't possibly counter (not that I wanted them to).
[/anecdote]

~Thadeus

 

[svanels]

The comparison isn't against the call agents, it's against what would happen if you weren't there.

If the system is down, what all these agents will do? Where will they be axing first, if times get rough? At least the guy that must keep the system alive is the last one to go. (if he is able to handle it).

Steven

 

[mrdenny]

Do not allow your knowledge of others salaries to come into the discussion.

I would have to agree with with 100%. In many places only HR and the employee are allowed to know the salary of an employee. So even if you know that someone else is making more than you, you can't use that as a reason to get a raise as you aren't suppose to have that information.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

Donate to Katrina relief

 

[MasterRacker]

Not only are you not supposed to have that information, I've worked in a few places where it's actually written down that telling someone else what you make is a termination offense.

[sub]Jeff
[purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day

"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/sub]

 

[lgarner]

Svanels,

What I meant is not to ask "what if no one is there to manage the network", but rather "what if the poster is not there to manage the network". There's a difference.

Certainly the systems are critical to business and must be kept running. The question is whether it makes financial sense to rely on outside services, or have corporate IT handle it, or to have an on-site administrator, or to manage it via any other method. If the on-site admin's salary & benefits is high, another method of management may become attractive. That is the competition, not the other employees.

 

[ChrisHunt]

I'd just raise it with your boss the same way you have done here, it's a reasonable request - and there's no point in suffering in silence.

Call centre staff don't spend another 2 hours onsite after they're meant to go home because there is office wide system problems; or come in on weekends to ensure that the project that goes live on Monday works 100%.

If you're not happy with the response, consider doing the work that they pay you for and cutting out the unpaid extras. If they're paying you less that a call centre clerk anyway, why do any extra work for nothing?

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd

 

[Stevehewitt]

Thanks for your posts guys.
It's not that I've been told on the sly - it's advertised on the adverts that I publish on our website!

It just seems really wrong. If if I was to apply and get a job in the contact centre I'd be earning more than the replacement IT guy..!?!

These aren't salespeople. The system dials out the customers number and they ask the customers to fill in the blank holes in their loan applications.
It's not a skilled job.

The company is great, as is the job role; but I just feel like I'm being cheated. Last night I was working 2 hours unpaid OT to ensure that the system was working - making me late for a meal I was expected to be at. (Celebration meal with close family at a restaurant)
Agents leave at set times regardless.

Unfair is a understatement.

Thanks for your replies.




Steve.

"They have the internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson

 

[Thadeus]

Steve, reading your comments, I want to reiterrate my point.

You shouldn't feel cheated unless you are unhappy with your salary:duties ratio. It should have nothing to do with what others in the company are making.

Ask for more or look for a new position, but get over the unfairness factor, because it will only make you more bitter and less likely to attract the good attention and higher salary I'm sure you deserve.

Depending on your relationship with your manager (which you indicated is pretty good), you may wish to tell him that you are seriously considering applying for an agent position due to the salary/bonus they rake in... This may provide the easy entrance into a conversation about what you feel you ought to be paid.

~Thadeus

 

[Stevehewitt]

I didn't have my 1-2-1 yesterday - flight was delayed so much that we cancelled it. Although, I will take your point onboard Thadeus. It's very tricky being in a place with 30 people - as they are all on one base salary, when the go for a smoke they all talk about their bonus and targets and also I go to the operations meeting where call centre staff salaries and bonuses / targets are discussed.

It's human nature to get demotivated and demoralised when you're hearing about it everyday from 30 different people - if the systems wern't work they couldn't do the job. I'm not expecting £20k extra, but it would be nice knowing that call centre staff reading scripts with no pressure, responsiblities or stress arn't earning more than me.

I hear what your saying, and I know that your right - just a bit demotivating sometimes!!!
(Co-insides with a letter from Finance telling me that support staff (HR, Finance, IT, Compliance, Facilies etc) won't be getting any bonus as we haven't hit internal targets. Thats the same same day I was told at the ops meeting about the call centre bonus scheme.)

Joy of being too aligned with the business. Sigh...!

Thanks again everyone!




Steve.

"They have the internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson

 

[MasterRacker]

Revenue Generators", however menial, are assets.
The rest of us schlubs are liabilities.

Hurts to think about it, but at least beer dulls the pain... ;-)



[sub]Jeff
[purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day

"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/sub]

 

[deputydoofy]

I can understand your frustration. My starting rate in my current position as an IT professional (hardware/software support) is less than other employees in the same grade. Supposedly, everyone who is grade F, for example, should start at roughly the same amount. However, I've been low-balled. I know it, but I needed to do it to get my foot in the door.
The world is not fair, unfortunately. So, during downtime, I practice my javascript (can do that anywhere), read up on technology, even though I get no hands-on practice with most of it, and take some of the company's on-line training courses. I'll make myself useful somehow.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/doofymusic

 

[Stevehewitt]

Tell me about it.

Don't take this the wrong way - but do you work for Accenture by any chance?

Thanks.



Steve.

"They have the internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson

 

[deputydoofy]

No, but now I know where not to apply. lol

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/doofymusic

 

[MDXer]

There is a danger to being low balled just to get your foot in the door. Many large companies base your Salary offer on your salary history. Employers look at it well he was making 35K even though this position is budgeted at 50K I can offer 40-45K and they are still better than they were, and unless you get some really big raises to bring you inline with the actual rate the cycle will prbably continue.

Shoot Me! Shoot Me NOW!!!
- Daffy Duck