V-Flyer

Does anyone know why Virgin Atlantic keep pushing back the closing date for applications for their new contact centre in Swansea. First it was October, then November, then December, now it's the 24th January. They were in the press not so long ago saying that they had over 2000 people apply for 200 positions. Would it be due to turnover e.g. people not meeting sales targets? I applied for a position but don't really want to move there and then find out that there's more to it.

It could be quite simply down to the quality of the applicants.

It's all very fine and dandy to push out a press releases that say that X thousands of people applied but in reality only a few might actually meet the actual requirements of the job and then actually accept the terms and conditions.

I'm sure VS are recruiting on an ongoign basis which is why the date looks like its getting pushed back.

A friend of mine who works for VS is travelling to Swansea today to do some training of the new staff there so they are obviuosly employing people.

The relatively poor salaries that are being offered may have something to do with it too (especially as it will be a 24hr operation).

Most likely a lack of suitable applicants, those already offered jobs will have notice to work. Not to mention awaiting references etc.

The wages are pretty much in line with what I was earning in a call centre 10 years ago (taking inflation into account).

Darren Wheeler wrote:Most likely a lack of suitable applicants, those already offered jobs will have notice to work. Not to mention awaiting references etc.

The wages are pretty much in line with what I was earning in a call centre 10 years ago (taking inflation into account).

I'm not sure about this lack of suitable applicants? No formal qualifications are being requested for the positions I've seen advertised (although they do mention call targets etc etc) and the usual notice period for most employers is usually a max of 4 weeks in these parts.
I now receive references by email for positions I'm appointing into (which negates lengthy delays in staff recruitment).
If this is what call centre staff generally get paid (and considering what they have to deal with sometimes) it's a pretty miserable wage IMHO .
Swansea does have other much larger employers which may have a bearing on recruitment (however this may alter after the Christmas period when many staff in these other organisations received a reduction in their working hours).

DragonLady wrote:
Swansea does have other much larger employers which may have a bearing on recruitment (however this may alter after the Christmas period when many staff in these other organisations received a reduction in their working hours).

I thought one of the reasons for choosing Swansea was that there was a pool of workers available as they had been laid off by other call centers. Maybe those companies laid off the less than capable workers ...

tontybear wrote:
I thought one of the reasons for choosing Swansea was that there was a pool of workers available as they had been laid off by other call centers. Maybe those companies laid off the less than capable workers ...

I thought it was because of the incentives the WAG had given them but I'm probably wrong? I can't really think of any call centres in the Swansea area ( never mind those that have laid off staff). The organisations I had in mind were non call- centre related.

A quick Google shows, in addition to VS

HSBC Direct
DVLA
Conduit

Hearing what I hear about Conduit, I'm sure they'll be a good source of staff...

Well no wonder Virgin are having difficulties.

Wait to you hear what has happened. I get offered the position and received the welcome pack in the post. Start filling out the forms, come to the part where it says salary and notice that the salary is considerably less than what was advertised. So I email them and ask them is there an error with the salary and I get the response that "as I was advised at interview there are no night time positions left". Absolute cheek of them, I was never told this, and this could have gone unnoticed as a result. Then I was basically told I have a few days to accept day time or be put on a wait list which isn't guaranteed. Stuff this, if that's how they run their HR department.

Most of the reports of Swansea have been extremely good - a great improvement on the previous service.

I guess that would mean they are being suitably selective in staffing.