The Serious Case of Zane Dessi And The Backlash From Call Center Workers.

There is a thin line between helping individuals to improve and grow, as opposed to letting them down and get drowned.

It is always fulfilling and nice seeing someone who prospers because you offered your hand than seeing someone's downfall because of your insensitivity.

CHOOSE KINDNESS over Position. Di mo alam, yung newbie na yan, next time sya na ang mag iinterview sayo sa ibang Company. 

Maliit lang ang mundo ng Call Center Industry sa Pilipnas, ngayon SME ka, bukas Jobless ka na. 

COACH.

This is to give my personal and emotional standpoint towards the viral post in a Facebook Group – BPO Secret Files Community; it is one of the fast-growing groups, engaged and interactive virtual crowd that majority of its members are Call Center Workers. On December 22,2021at 7:00PM an extremely contentious post from a member triggered a backlash among members. It is a captured image of a call center applicant asking for “fast tips” on how to win the final interview. Adjacent to it is another captured image showing one of the comments on the said post.

Undeniably, the tips are already provided on the said SMS but the applicant still asked for other TIPS which he called “fast tips”. It may sound redundant asking for tips when those were being already provided to start with. But, if we comprehensively understand the subliminal message, that was clearly asking – not to ace the interview, but what questions he may encounter during the final interview. That is how I interpreted the “fast tips”, seemingly, subjective to everyone who can read.

But a member named Zane Dessi’s comments gained negative reactions from numerous netizens. This is due to the context and tone of the message that displays arrogance, power tripping, and underestimating the applicant’s capacity. She showcased a pre-mature judgment against the newbie and bragged about her position as Coach/Team Leader/Supervisor. Because of the said disrespectful remark, extreme bashing against her occurred. She managed to explain her side but decided to deactivate her social media later on. 

Deactivating her Facebook Account is “NOT a way out” from her unprofessional statement. The applicant gained the sympathy of the virtual crowd, seems like members became emotional and can relate to the feeling of being belittled. The vigilant members manage to determine the company where Zane Dessi is under, they’re able to get the real name, other social media accounts, and even Zane Dessi’s performance scorecard from the call center company was posted online. Family members and neighbors were even being identified by the backlashers. Others said that Zane Dessi had already enough and asked if this can be stopped but the hurt BPO workers were unstoppable to bash that coach.

CANCEL CULTURE. 

Cancel culture or a call-out culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles – whether it’ll be online, on social media, or in person. Those subject to this ostracism are said to have been "canceled". Even before this phenomenon is being labeled as “canceled culture, we’ve been already practicing this approach – the so-called “Boycott”.  And in this situation, the coach is being canceled. 

Honestly, I cannot blame the backlashers including myself to cancel such Coach/Team Leader because for the span of 12 years I’ve been working in the Call Center Industry in the Philippines; I’ve witnessed firsthand, how power tripping and unprofessionalism from leaders are being normalized. And, it is not healthy for God's sake! Using insult and harsh words to put pressure on the agents to become more productive are being glamorized. Since employees are afraid of losing their job, they will tolerate such unhealthy practices; and they will just follow the leaders out of fear and not because of respect. 

And, canceling Zane Dessi is a psychologically normal response from the BPO workers, since that is the only way they find justice from what they’ve experienced personally from the unhealthy system of BPO. 

“Cancel Culture is not actually about justice, it is about control. People use cancellation to force conformity to ideals“, said Teal Swan, an American spiritual teacher. 

Yes indeed, however, in the case of Zane Dessi’s Public Shaming and Cancellation, it pictures BPO workers needing justice and wanting to control over the toxicity in the workplace. Agents use cancellation to force conformity to the idealism of NOT NORMALIZING Power Tripping and Unprofessionalism in the workplace.  

SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE

As someone who holds a higher position in a company, your behavior reflects the company’s brand and the workplace’s culture is something that can easily be prejudged. Be more cautious on what to put on social media because the public is more vocal now. 

Lesson learned from Zane Dessi’s public execution, SHE IS THE ONLY ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR HER ACTION THEREFORE THESE ARE THE CONSEQUENCES – hates from the netizens.

DEBUNK TO CHANGE THE NORMS.

The silver lining, we have a chance to debunk this issue. The Coach/Leader or anyone from the management level needs to be more sensitive. Use your power to help your subordinates to grow. Stop this Power Tripping, Rudeness, and Unprofessionalism inside the workplace because if we continue embracing these, this will become the norm and will pass on to the next generation of BPO workers. Our task as call center workers is challenging enough, don’t add toxicity anymore. Always remember, an effective coach/leader is positive, enthusiastic, supportive, trusting, focused, goal-oriented, observant, motivating, and above all – respectful. 

We may be tenured in the company and hold a high position but always remember – old will become obsolete later on, and newbies will replace us, whether we like it or not. 

The way the applicant asked “fast-tip”, I have strong faith in his/her willingness to learn, that will should be compensated with an effective coach. 

Truly, entering a Call Center Industry needs mental toughness but personally, based on my experience, this is just bad propaganda from the tenured BPO workers who are already being conditioned to embrace the idea that BPO is difficult.  BPO Industry is honestly the same as other industries, only if we’re willing to embrace change for the improvement in a positive approach. Use positive reinforcement instead of penalizing workers with harsh words. A newly-promoted leader must undergo rigid and comprehensive leadership training.

Remember, a HAPPY EMPLOYEE is a PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEE. Why do I say so? Because, I’ve been hopping multiple companies for one reason- not the difficulty of the task, but the people around me. And, until I found my company where I am currently working now, with motivating leaders who believe in the potentials of the agents. Unconsciously, my employment is turning six years on January 2022. And that is what I want others to experience, a stress-free workplace.