Delicious irony

XT mobile outage

Lets for once tell it like it is

When XT was launched, it was 2 weeks late, and we still weren’t ready, the training we received just a few days prior to launch was abysmal.Even the trainer admitted this.

All teams that attended were vehemently opposed to it , all members of my team voiced their outrage, as did I

They could see what was going to happen.

Yet again ,those of us at the coal face, were going to be left without any real resources, apart from the marketing spin

No technical help was going to be forthcoming. None of any substance any way

I voiced my concerns as loudly as most, to be honest I was incensed at the way we were being treated, left to sink or swim and to face the ire of the public YET AGAIN

My reward for voicing concerns on behalf of the customer, potted to the site manager, by Owen the trainer

To quote MAY 2009

“Feedback from Owen regarding Pauls comments in w850 training session relating to our newplans on XT mobile network

These comments caused a chain reaction within team, undermining our new call plans and the teams perception of their value”

GO FIGURE OWEN.

OWEN, HIM SELF STATED:" NONE OF THE TRAINERS WERE HAPPY EITHER"

HE SET THE TONE OF THE MEETING AT THE OUT SET

Paul had stated

" He was disappointed with the new 850 plans .

He believes after all the training they had received in the last two months that the plans “let us down and that the only way to get customer to go onto them would be to trick them "

“He was adamant that trying to explain the benefits of the new plans to customers will increase his talk time to a point where he only be able to take approx 8 calls a day”

"He stated that he will need to have his mobile targets lowered as the new targets will be that difficult to sell “

The outcome:
The Saturday it was launched approx 10,000 phones were sold, of which approx 20% error’ed out to the error stage and thus didn’t work

Yes some of us where on calls for up to 2 hours trying to fix faults ,we were flying blind.

Help, from team leaders was either nonexistent or useless ,we knew more than them.

Some poor customers after spending $100’s on a phone then had to wait a week before it was working !!! compensation? your kidding right

What really pissed me off that I had inside knowledge that this was going to be the case ,the specialist group that where setting up all the protocols, knew days if not weeks before that there were issues but nobody was listening. No one had the balls to challenge marketing.

Most of our team leaders lacked the courage ,integrity or brains to challenge site management .

Site management lacked in the same way, and failed to challenge the National Managers especially Bridgette they were in fear of her and her aggressive management style

My reward for voicing concern

Well after being stabbed in the back by Owen( I was very hurt and disappointed by that I had held him in high esteem as he is very very good at his job unfortunately his mana is NOW diminished somewhat in my eyes ) although I am aware all trainer s where ordered by their manager at the time ,Bridgette to report any and all dissent so she could arrange for it to be quashed

I was just a bit antsy that although the whole team was expressing their disgust that I was the only one held to be held accountable for it. More evidence that I was being targeted

A final written warning

It is your responsibility to ensure that you fully participate positively in all training sessions, team meetings and associated events; you are to support your colleagues, your team leader and the trainer.

(Sub title. Dissent will not be tolerated, we have ways of making you comply. Accent optional when you say it out loud)

Well well well

Well I was in hindsight supporting my colleagues as they felt the same ?

As for supporting the team leader and the trainer.

After helping Shaun run the team in his absence at times. helping him to become a reasonable salesman, where was my support.

And so we come to today telecom has finally got its systems running after phones have been out for close to three days

Last time not long ago (Dec 14 )it was traced to equipment in Christchurch this time Paul Reynolds has stated it is equipment again

Telecom has got egg on its face all over again I pity the poor reps at the coal face

All because management are sycophants protecting their K R I ‘s and K R A.,s their yearly bonus’s to speak up ,too frightened to tell management ,that fuguratively speaking

"The emperors has no clothes"

The last corporation that relied on data rather the human Intel, was the C I A ......AND THAT COST THE WORLD THE TWIN TOWERS, but hey...these are just "ivory towers" , and those in residence (currently).

Glass house for rent? (with free stones.)

To all
This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side go to bottom post and read upwards



Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

Corporate accountability.

Corporate accountability.

Corporates have unique attributes, not known to or realized by many.(Download "The Corporation" documentary, and find what rights corporations have, and what their behavior is characterized as when analyzed, it may surprise you)

Observe history for those corporations that have accepted responsibility for sometimes horrendous accidents, and acts.

At lower levels, or at all levels things are refereed , upward or downward..its part of "the game"

Note here with my concerns..
Ruth Nelson, is in charge of ethics, the ethics of some in HR are being questioned, the response is to refer it to HR.
She cannot comment.

HR when informed earlier of a breach of the law failed to act......

It is "catch 22" corporate style.
It doing what its designed to do...
There is process, and policy but no accountability anywhere.
There are "mission statements". , goals, and objectives...but nothing is ever realised...(nor was it intended)



To all
This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side go to bottom post and read upwards



Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

hr is shutting me out

spoke with ruth nelson this morning 250110 at 1140.am a very pleasant lady she indicated that this had been passed on to the hr dept at time of sending an as such i have heard nothing now that a suprise isnt it they are shuting me out so time to try another approach





To all
This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards

Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

What,s fair what's right

To all
This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards




What’s fair what’s right

In my time I have read a lot of business type books ,to gain knowledge and see how the world really operates, in one of them the business owner indicated that he looks at his sales force and sacks the bottom 3 per cent every year

His thought where that any sales rep worth his/her salt would not let themselves languish so low for a whole year if they loved their job their paycheck or the company they worked for

So a low ranking would indicate they were lazy didn’t care or he/she had lost their drive and in reality he was doing them a favor by moving them on personally I think that’s fair and right as long as all were aware of the rules going in ,they certainly would be after the first year anyway

If this was shown to be the case with me I would have been deserving of what happened to me but it wasn’t which is why this blog is being written

It’s amusing in hindsight the way management operated it’s a subtle interrogation where they keep at you, and at you ,and at you until they get the answer they need .the notes of the minutes reflect this technique, however as alluded to previously ,I keep going back at them till I got the answers I needed simply put I played the same game I wonder if they realized


Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

case law they should have been across

Not only did they not adhere to a code of ethics.At no point did they consider any of the following

The test for any justified dismissal is the same

“ what was it open to a fair and reasonable employer to do "

A dismissal for poor performance is fundamentally no different from one for misconduct .

In both cases, the question is,

"Whether the employees behavior was a breach of the contract, and was it so serious, that the employer was entitled to accept the repudiation of that contract?"

The trial of the employees work , must be fair, and the results at the end of the trial period considered dispassionately.

The employer should take into account an employee’s previous good record and possibility of redeployment

Without a fair trial of the employees capacity, the employer has no reasonable basis for reaching a conclusion adverse to the employee and must be treated as if had not in fact been reached .


These are some of the questions that should have been considered and where not

Q. Did the employer in fact become dissatisfied with the employer performance

Yes this was the case it was addressed and corrected

Q Did the employer inform the employee of the dissatisfaction and set out the expect standard

Yes and these were met ,commented on, and accepted by his team leader

Q. Were the criticisms and future requirements, objective and readily comprehensible by the employee.

Yes these where met and accepted by the team leader but the micro managing that followed was not objective

Q Was reasonable time allowed for the attainment of the required standards

Yes for the initial non performance, but not for the micro managing.

After all had been done, did the employer turn their mind fairly, to the question whether the employee had achieved what was expected?

Including

Using an objective assessment of measurable targets.

The measurement was not objective micro –management targets are impossible to reach.

Whom else on site achieved the required result..refer earlier blog.

Giving the employee an opportunity to answer the conclusion arising form the trial period

The employee expressed on more than one occasion, that the micro-management was an unfair practice, that it was work place bullying disguised as performance management.


Listening to the employees explanation with an open mind

No, they listened but did nothing.

It was never their intention to do anything.

Considering the explanation, and all the favorable aspects of the employees service record and any fault on the part of the employers in terms of poor management or training.

No, the manager had just received the lowest marking in respect to performance of the team from the team and nothing was done.

Management would not acknowledge or correct poor marketing product process..XT and APPCO

Exhausting all possible remedial steps such has training counseling and redeployment

Training and counseling was offered, redeployment was never offered as dismissal was the objective of the micro management.

Can one be trained in addressing micromanagement issues and the impact of same?

Can one be counselled on micro management?

Should this counselling be prior, during or after?

consider this.

You are going to be micromanaged......"You will need counselling", We can offer the EAP (Employee Assistance program) "as a caring employer"

As HR should have been across all case law with regard to employment at no point did they consider the points referred to in

Now Consider please


Whelan v Waitaki Meats Ltd

Vorvis v Insurance Corp

Trask v Terra Nova Motors

Telecom South v Post Office Union

Stanley v Gupsum mines
Stams v The Pad and Paper co

Spring v Guardian Assurance

Sharpe v Wakefield

Polkey v Dayton services

Paykel ltd v Ahlfeld

Pickett v British rail engineering

Pacific Forum Line ltd v Merchant Service Guild

NZ PSA v Land Corp


NZ Printing v Holmes Super Sacks

NZ Food Processing v Unilever NZ Ltd

Mawson v Auckland Area Health Board

Macadam v Port Nelson Ltd


Air New Zealand v Johnston

Airline Stewards and Hostess v Air New Zealand

And many others .......BUT MY POINT HAS BEEN MADE.

So they failed in the their duty of care towards me as an employee, minor point you may feel but not, when presented in court.

Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

another breech

Ruth


With regard to the second to last paragraph in attached letter
“An adjustment was made to the settlement payment

“Her knowledge of this “PAYMENT” and the writer of the letter on her behalf Janice Hull indicates to me a breech on the part of Hannah Sullivan in releasing it and or making it available to them

I know you might feel I am being pedantic but it was made very clear that all was confidential to the mediation participants no one else so why are these people aware of it


Telecom seems to have a very chevalier attitude towards the process having already breeched once

Do they believe that their position within the company absolves themInteresting what is going on here, process appears to have replaced morals and ethics..but integrity as well


History shows the lie to this justification, and individuals gullibility in believing it absolves them.

It doesn’t


Should they not be fined under the act section 141 $3000 to each party ALL THREE

If so does this fall under your preserve as the head of compliance to resolve if not do we re-approach the authority

I am hoping that you have had time to consider the other breeches with regard to the code of ethics, highlighted in the email and accompanying blog sent last week .

I am wondering how those issues highlighted can be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties

Again thanking you for your time

lets see what happens now




Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

so very true

A woman came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find her5-year old son waiting for her at the door.

SON: ' Mummy, may I ask you a question? '

MUM: ' Yeah sure, what it is? ' replied the woman.

SON: ' Mummy, how much do you make an hour? '

MUM: ' That ' s none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing? ' the woman said angrily.

SON: ' I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour? '

MUM: ' If you must know, I make $20 an hour. '

SON: ' Oh, ' the little boy replied, with his head down.

SON: "Mummy, may I please borrow $5?"

The mother was furious, ' If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed.
Think about why you are being so selfish. I don ' t work hard everyday for such childish frivolities. '


The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door..

The woman sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy ' s questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the woman had calmed down , and started to think:

Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $5 and he really didn ' t ask for money very often.

The woman went to the door of the little boy ' s room and opened the door. ' Are you asleep, son? ' She asked.

' No Mummy, I ' m awake, ' replied the boy ' I ' ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier ' said the woman. '

It ' s been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here ' s the $5 you asked for. '

The little boy sat straight up, smiling.
' Oh, thank you Mummy! ' he yelled.

Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.

The woman saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his mother. '

Why do you want more money if you already have some? ' the mother grumbled.

' Because I didn ' t have enough, but now I do, ' the little boy replied. '

Mummy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you. '

The mother was crushed.

She put his arms around her little son, and she begged for his forgiveness.

It ' s just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life.

We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts.
Do remember to share that $20 worth of your time with someone you love.

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.

this is so right over the years i have worked very hard and long long hours for telecom most of it outside in all sorts of weather

did they give a shit in the end NO

when i left i still had nearly 50 sick days owing did they care nah not a bit

use all the sick days you can look after your selves with because at the end of the day they literally dont give a toss

most of the people i have approached have flicked me off you can see that in thier answers 39 years and they are not interested THEY WILL BE SOON





Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

Spreading the word in online world (power to the people).

Taken from an article in the Herald

New Zealand firms have much to gain from tapping into social media,

writes Helen Twose

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/./news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10620498

Note the recurring themes taken


The most important thing that has guided us is the notion, that the centre of any idea spreading, has to be honesty and integrity.

Was it demonstrated (refer earlier blogs)

Never have so many people had the opportunity to say something and be listened to.

"That's the power."

It also my personal objective.

One can either be a passive recipient of the conversations, be that good or bad, perhaps choose to participate.

I wholly invite people to participate.

You'll find that people are a lot more forgiving in some of the conversations as long as you're open and honest with them.

But don't do bullshit."

I have been as open and honest as I can where people are called to task evidence, written in thier own hand so to speak, provided.

If I err I will apologise


PAUL BRISLEN, VODAFONE
* Facebook: Vodafone New Zealand, 1176 fans.
* Twitter: 5500+ followers, 10,900 tweets.
* It's like learning a new language, step one: open mouth, step two: insert foot. You've got to be willing to make a few mistakes.
* As long as you're willing to engage with customers, customers are willing to engage with you.

GIANPAOLO GRAZIOLI, GIAPO GELATO
* Facebook: Giapo, 2300+ fans.
* Twitter: 900+ followers, 3900+ tweets.
* Be honest
* Be personal.
* Listen.

SIMON YOUNG, #SY SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANCY
* Facebook: 956 friends.
* Twitter: 5700+ followers, 22,500+ tweets.
* Know what kind of company culture you want to have, because it all proceeds from that.* Know what your customers are after, know what kind of relationship they want.
* Don't be afraid to experiment.

NEIL FORSTER, TELECOM
* Facebook: Telecom NZ, 787 members.
* Twitter: 4500+ followers, 2000+ tweets.
* Be honest>
* Don't be afraid.
* You already have people in your organisation who have this capability.

STEVE BAYLISS, GENERAL MANAGER MARKETING AIR NEW ZEALAND
* Facebook: 10,000+ fans.
* Twitter: Flyairnz, 10,000+ followers and 2000+ tweets; Grabaseat, 14,000+ followers and 4000+ tweets.
* Get some monitoring in place so you understand the conversations already occurring about you.
* As long as you act with authenticity and honesty<>.

Say it.....

Live it....

Say it Live it...Authors..Patricia Jones & Larry Kahaner, sum it up

"Our culture bears witness to our beliefs".

We don't want hypocrisy

Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

a letter to the department of labour

Please see attached letter

With regard to the second to last paragraph

“An adjustment was made to the settlement payment “

Her knowledge of this “PAYMENT” and the writer of the letter on her behalf Janice Hull indicates to me a breech on the part of Hannah Sullivan

I know you might feel I am being pandantic but it was made very clear that all was confidentail to the mediation particpants no one else so why are these people aware of it

Telecom seems to have a very chavlier attitude towards the process

Do they believe that their position within the company absolves them

Interesting what is going on here, process appears to have replaced morals and ethics..but interigity as well

History shows the lie to this justification, and individuals gullibility in believing it absolves them. It doesn’t

Should they not be fined under the act section 141 $3000 to each party ALL THREE and is that that not the department of labor’s responsibility or is it mine to make a complaint and if so who to




Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

not a good day..but it got better..MP's Care

Having recovered my health I decided to re-enter the work force.
Some days are not good as you get alot of rejection

I,m lucky, the fact that I have had a lot of life experience,can cope with it
but some days it just confounds me how people can come up with thier decisions.

This latest rejection incensed me enough to write a letter to the editors of all national and regional papers.

Nobodies Child was the heading


After being micromanaged (yes they admitted it I was being micromanaged )out of job with a company I served faithfully for 39 years and 3 months refer blog http://hwyop.blogspot.com/ start from first blog.."Hoist with your own petard..Telecom NZ and me. 2/1/2010.

Having had my life plan altered by these circumstances beyond my control, I have spend the last four months recovering my health, resting and reevaluating my life

I have found myself on the dole

It been a illuminating experience.
No really.
Sitting in the WINZ office, watching the interactions between staff and clients viewed thru a jaundiced but perceptive eye puts you thru the whole spectrum of human emotions, as humanity such as myself find themselves requiring the states assistance.

Many happily demand it as their perceived right,others are embarrassed to find themselves there

Me I am ambivalent

Recently I applied for a job as a customer service representative in the local winz call center considering my last 12 years where served in my previous employers call center and my long service with my previous employers I assumed that I stood a chance.

You can imagine my surprise when I received the following email “All applications received for this position have now been reviewed and considered against the selection criteria agreed by the interview panel “We regret to advise that on this occasion, your application has not been shortlisted for an interview"

Bugger back to, sleeping in till noon, no wonder the country is stuffed

I sent it to family and friends.

One who has incidentially,suffered a simmilar experience with telecom replied.

with.

"Gidday Paul.
Oh I so know where you are coming from.
Visiting the winz office is an experience. I’ve now invested in cut off jeans, a dirty singlet, bare feet, tattoos and have 4 screaming kids on retainer. This way, I will feel more comfortable walking into the place. Going neatly dressed (with shoes) is for the beginners !!

I was rung twice by some guy called Frank advising of the call centre job and that I should apply. (it closed today). I had to remind frank he had rung me already last week so didn’t need a reminder. I did question why he needed me to confirm my home phone number when that’s the number he rang me on !! And trying to get my correct birth date listed, well I give up. After supplying birth certificate, passport & drivers licence, it is still wrong after 4 years. I think their aim is to piss us off enough to make us work harder at getting a job ourselves as quick as pos. I didn’t apply for that job there. I’m over call centres for ever.

Good luck mate.

Keith

another friend added his experiences and was incensed enough to add his experiences and send it to all Members of Parliament.

Within an hour I had recieved this.

I am very very impressed


Dear Paul,

Your "letter to the editor" email has been passed onto me by Nigel.

First of all I want to congratulate you for putting your story "out there" as I appreciate that is not any easy thing to do.

The next thing I want to check is if you are getting the support from WINZ that you need as a client of theirs, as one of my jobs as a Hamilton MP is to assist local people in dealing with Government departments.

Let me know if you would like to meet to discuss any of these issues.

Kind regards,
Sue Moroney
Hamilton-based Labour MP


This whole blog thing is starting to gain a life of it own.

I am endevouring to obtain a list of the email address,s of my former workmates and or perhaps the email address's of the whole of telecom (can any of the readers help me with that) as it is my perfound belief, others would be very interested in how long term employee's are treated on the whim of senior management.

Those that I have talked to already are alarmed,upset and are forming a whole diferent view of managers as some of the particpants are known to them

Though in hindsight those of you that are current employees are free to pass it amongst your selves, home email only, remember management and definitely Bridgette Dalzell did with regard to my emails (see earlier blog for details)






Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

Truth.

All truth, goes through three steps
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Finally, its is accepted as self evident.

Arthur ScCurrent

telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton
hopenhaur.

Culpability

In order to live in emotional equilibrium, our beliefs and behavior must be in harmony.If we do not conform our behavior to our beliefs, we must adjust our belief to accommodate our behavior.

Interesting what is going on here, process appears to have replaced morals and ethics..

History shows the lie to this justification, and individuals gullibility in believing it absolves them.

ruth nelson,s reply

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards




ruth is a very hard working lady she accessed and opened my email at 9.51pm on the day i sent it

she was either working very late at the office or she was accessing and clearing her emails before she retired for the night i,m vey impressed i must say
we just may have found someone who will listern we will give her time in her busy schedule to consider her and telecoms options


Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

letter to paul reynolds

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards






the reply in part came from paul reynolds via Jan O'neil via a lacky in the HR dept
I am unable to copy and paste,due to formatting issues but here is my response.

IT REPEATS SOME OF MY ISSUES


Thank you for your letter of 04dec 09

With respect I find your letter patronizing and evasive with a tone of subtle bullying

You do Paul Reynolds, his position ,and the company a disservice by its dismissive reply



out of fairness to Paul Reynolds only because I perceive that the dismissive reply was not his intent I am asking just answer the questions

is it too much to ask to be treated with honesty integrity and transparency

I am disappointed to note the failure to address any of the legal questions I have raised why are they being ignored none of us is above the law

Yes you are completely correct

“almost all the matters I raised in my email have been discussed at the mediation of 17th august 2009”

However the important ones where not

Having sort advice as to the legality of telecoms actions I’m not concerned with claiming against the company or re litigating I am raising the issue about the legality/illegality of actions by some of the participants with in the process. and the possible failure of the company to hold them accountable under law


I did NOT agree to accepting illegal acts against me

I seek clarity as to why I’m held accountable for my misdemeanors yet others within the company are not held accountable for theirs, even when some appear to have the appearance of them failing to follow procedures and possibly the law

the questions that the company has failed to answer are these

“With a sensible manner I informed them that some of the issues they were penalizing me , none of the site of approximately 180 people were doing correctly, that Terry Wilson another site manager had monitored the entire site and nobody was performing their duties to the same exacting standards I was being held accountable to ( how fair is that) “

can the company explain why was I was the only person held to these exacting standards that lost his job why aren’t others who failed in the same manner (approx 180 of them) weren’t penalized

Can the company also explain why shouldn’t I construe the actions against me as victimization or discrimination as to my age and the age of my contract on the part of Bridgette Dalzell and the three others involved in the process following her direction

“I was aware that management was reading my personal emails from work to my friends and family. How did I become aware , one of my friends was perceived to be my lawyer .

“Bridgette Dalzell had the unmitigated gall and audacity to email him directly requiring him to confirm his position as my lawyer I have the email “

She doesn’t have this right, it is a breach of the privacy act she certainly doesn’t have the right to email my “lawyer” directly that’s is definitely illegal why hasn’t she been held accountable

“I left that meeting, more than a little annoyed, micromanaging is work place bullying, work place bullying is a stressor, stress in the workplace is a hazard under the 2002 health and safety amendment act it is supposed to be addressed migrated and or reduced NOT USED TO TORTURE A WORKER “

“To confirm my thoughts I expressed them to Bryan Abraham Telecoms national manager health and safety he replied in the affirmative I was completely right in my thinking “

“advised Iain I has emailed him a copy of the e-mail from Bryan Abraham.” Can Iain explain his actions as to why even with a document from another within your own department why the process wasn’t stopped and apology made and why even when I offered them a easy out they continued to breach the act by immediately issuing a final written warning

“I hadn’t even had the courtesy of a second written warning” explain why procedure wasn’t followed

“Telecom had the cheek to imply to the Department of Labor that they had taken” all practicable steps” a DOL requirement to alleviate the problems yet when faced with two doctors letters stating the stress of micromanaging was badly effecting my health and marriage they didn’t take the practicable step of stopping it and they continued to table their actions in their minutes.”

Why didn’t they just stop it .can someone please answer that why isn’t stopping the micromanaging considered a practicable step? why is it excluded from being a practicable step if it is a practicable step why wasn’t it applied again its illegal it’s a failure under the act why haven’t all the participants been held accountable

From: Jan ONeill [mailto:Jan.ONeill@telecom.co.nz]
Sent: Friday, 11 December 2009 3:03 p.m.
To: 'Paul Mcleod'
Subject: RE: reply to letter 04 dec09

Dear Paul

Thank you for your email. As stated in my previous letter Telecom believes it dealt with you in good faith throughout the mediation process and in signing the settlement agreement both parties agreed to settle all matters between them. The payment made to you by us under the settlement agreement was in full and final settlement of all current or future claims you may have against the Company and it is simply not open to you to re-open claims, re-litigate them or raise new claims. Accordingly we believe this matter is at an end and neither myself or other Telecom executives or managers will be responding to any further correspondence from you.

I wish you all the best.

Kind regards
Jan
not a bad piss off letter is it bascially she is saying fuck off and dont bother telecom or me again pretty bad really for 39 plus years service

how do you think the general public would feel when all this comes to thier attention

heartless bartards


HOW DOES SHE KNOW A PAYMENT WAS MADE I THOUGHT THE MEDIATION WAS CONFIDENTIAL TO ALL PARTIES SHE WASNT THERE DONT THEY FOLLOW THE RULES

SHE IS CORRECT BUT WE ARE AWARE THAT AGREEMENT WAS MADE UNDER DURESS

From: Paul Mcleod [mailto:paul.evans-mcleod@xtra.co.nz]
Sent: Sunday, 13 December 2009 9:10 a.m.
To: 'Jan ONeill'
Subject: RE: reply to letter 04 dec09

Dear Jan

I can only reiterate that I do not wish to re-open claims or to re-litigate or to raise new claims I only seek clarity around
“the legality/illegality of actions by some of the participants with in the process. and the possible failure of the company to hold them accountable under law”


The companies refusal to respond to further correspondence disappoints so the only recourse left open to me is to express my concerns to the board and the minister
I again note your best wishes and wish you all the best for Christmas New Year and the future

warm regards
Paul
17 Minnie Place
Pukete
Te Rapa
Hamilton
New Zealand

Phone 0064 7 8494584
Mobile 0272423017
Paul.evans-mcleod@xtra.co.nz

So I rest today my concerns as you would have picked up are now with the minister

I am shortly to send a email to Ruth Nelson, head of complaince for telecom seeking further explanations.



Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

all practicable steps”

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards



Telecom had the cheek to imply to the Department of Labor that they had taken” all practicable steps” a DOL requirement to alleviate the problems

Yet when faced with two doctors letters stating the stress of micromanaging was badly effecting my health and marriage they didn’t take the practicable step of stopping it and they continued to table their actions in their minutes.


Why didn’t they just stop it .can someone please answer that.



I KEEP ASKING WHY WASNT JUST STOPPING THE MICRO-MANAGEMENT CONSIDERED A PRACTICABLE STEP

THATS ANOTHER QUESTIONS THATS ON THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOURS DESK AS WELL AS THE MINISTER REPONSEABLE FOR SAID DEPARTMENT




What would a judge in the employment court think of that? What would the public

THOSE WATERS WILL BE TESTED IN THE COMING DAYS





Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

personal grievence

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards






On contacting my union rep he informed me "we were now at the stage of going forward with a personal grievance" .

"Why on earth are we doing that?

His reply their response to your offer to just let it rest, is they have issued you with a final written warning



Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton




I hadn’t even had the courtesy of a second warning.

What the hell I thought ..

Then it dawned on me I had caught them out.
They must have been shitting themselves.
Rather than deal with me with honesty and god forbid intregrity " lets get him out the door quick smart"


Iain Galloway had previously smugly said "that this will end at mediation and duly it did ,as that is where they wanted me all along.

Surprise surprise

I was effectively a dead man walking,and so to the mediation

In the famous words of the godfather I was given an offer I couldnt refuse,that is all I can say, that sealed my fate and prevented me from telling anybody what had transpired by confidentiality agreements that are part of the mediation process.

What do those words mean you say ?

Well the dictionary says something like this.

Forced under duress into signing a document documents and or commiting any act,acts because the refusal of same leads to acts to herendous to contemplate




The mediation occurred with instructions from the mediator that all was held in confidence, this was expressed both at the start of the meeting and firmly expressed at the conclusion.

Imagine my surprise when contacted later that night, by a concerned workmate, that they were aware of some of the confidential details of the mediation.

I reported the breach to my union rep and to the head of HR Telecom Wayne Peat

The law had been broken.

Present at Mediation. Peter Cooper Davies, (Union representative), Paul Evans-McLeod, Patrick Evans-McLeod, Mediator...Alison Cotter of DOL Telecom HR, Hannah Sullivan, Michelle Young, Shaun Holt...

Then they HR mediated on the breech themselves, decided nothing could be done about it because of confusing statements except give the team manager concerned a strong talking to

Here again the make thier own rules around what laws will be obeyed.

Revisit the code of ethics , refresh your minds.
Determine which if any were applied.

Sorry they can’t be their own judge and jury they need to revisit the Law section 141 of the Act

telecom or Shaun is faced with a immediate $3000 fine

It doesn’t matter who made the breech just the fact a breech was made so once again they are acting outside the law.

Other events of a dubious nature deliberately said to cast me in the worst possible light occurred during the mediation but the confidentiality agreements preclude me for mentioning them

Towards the latter stages of this pitiful debacle, I had registered on advice of my support team the whole thing as a serious harm incident to the Department of Labor Health and Safety division. They were concerned enough to start an investigation, concluded late November 2009

THAT IS NOW ON THE MINISTER OF LABOURS DESK AS WE SPEAK PEOPLE WILL AND ARE GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE

I have given 39 years 3 month of my life to Telecom, what do I have to show for it I'm, on the dole my health is stuffed, my marriage in tatters, my house in the trust and good graces of family

WHY because four individuals with a agenda that has all the appearances of being illegal, four individuals whose cumulative experience doesn’t even come close to the time I have served and in their arrogance thought they could get away with it.

Sorry no NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
They effectively have ruined me, and have brought Telecom into disrepute by their actions.


Is it too much to be treated fairly, with respect, with honesty and integrity.

I will restore my good name...here I stand I can do no other.

I PUT THIS TO MANY PEOPLE WITHIN TELECOM STATING MY CASE I STARTED AT THE TOP WITH THE CEO AND WORKED DOWN THIS PROCESS IS STILL ONGOING I WILL TABLE THIER ANSWERS AND REACTIONS I WILL ALLOW YOU THE COURTESY OF DRAWING YOU OWN CONCLUSIONS




Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

health and safety 2002 amendment act ignored

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards




Remember this in my last blog.



Paul, Telecom’s immediate and ongoing expectations relating to this are as follows:

• It is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of, and comply with, any and all of Telecom’s Policies and Guidelines. These are all available on the Exchange intranet site.
You are to review these on a regular basis.

Now if that is the expectation required of me it is also the expectation that management should adhere to as well.

Don’t you think.

No management will decide which set of rules they will obey.

Remember earlier I indicated that I thought I was being micro-managed.

Well in a meeting on 23 of June2009 Shaun and Michelle admitted in front of me and Peter Cooper Davies that "yes I was being micro-managed "

So what transpired next has the appearance of breaching yet again. telecoms polices, if not the law.

This will something for the lawyers.

So what did they do, lets join the dots

Micro-management is a recognized form of workplace bullying.

Work place bullying is a stressor,stress in the work place is a hazard and has been since the health and safety in employment amendment act 2002.

They should have known this.

If they where doing their jobs correctly in all facets.

As they required of me.

But no its one set of rules for the goose and another set of rules for the gander

Confident they would be called to task for it inside their little clique they in the most part paid lip service to it but didn’t really act on it.

So to confirm my thoughts I sought the advice of Bryan Abraham National Health and Safety Manager for Telecom New Zealand

From: Paul Evans-Mcleod
Sent: Saturday, 11 July 2009 10:33 a.m.
To: Bryan Abraham
Subject: some clarity please
Bryan I would like to keep this communication confidential between us for the moment
Over the past 71/2 months I have found my self in constant dispute with my managers , recently an admission was made by the managers that I was being micro managed, which from the outset I was well aware of

Micro management is one of more recognisable aspects of workplace bullying; workplace bully is a recognised stressor in the work place

Management has two letters from my doctor to indicate that the on going and continued stress is impacting heavily on my mental health, emotional health and my marriage
Management do recognise I am under a great deal of stress and have advised me to and I have up taken EAP to help to cope but the micro managing continues

That being said do I have a case with regards below to file a complaint to OSH
Warm regards

Paul
His reply
From: Bryan Abraham
Sent: Monday, 13 July 2009 12:22 p.m.
To: Paul Evans-Mcleod
Subject: RE: some clarity please

Hi Paul,

As discussed, DoL (OSH) do very much identify workplace stress as a workplace hazard - they have a number of publications on the subject on their Internet site. http://www.osh.dol.govt.nz/

Bullying - along with numerous other situations (i.e. workload / hours of work etc.) can be stressors. These are documented in the attached DoL (OSH) publication - bullying specifically mentioned on page 24 - line 4 , and page 54 - para 7.3 (3).


http://www...search.dol.govt.nz/index.html?q=healthy+work+stress+guide&qwithin%5B%5D=All+sites&SearchSubmit=Search

Now remember that Bridgette Dalzell and possibly others are reading my emails
Here is a chance for them to back out of the nonsense that’s going on any pretext and stop but no action was forthcoming

So on the 140709 I attended yet another meeting present, were myself Iain from HR and Shaun, Peter.

Yet again Shaun when thru my misdeeds with regard to my behaviors on queue which was mostly in the form of you only declared ownership in 7 of 9 calls you only read the pop up in 6 of 9 calls blah blah etc

I had my head in my hands leaning across the top of another chair quite honestly I was passed it all my health was in tatters as was my marriage and I had had just about enough of the bullshit

So I let them go on a bit and then interrupted them quietly

Do you people recognize that you are breaking the law?

What?
I said do you people recognize that you are breaking the law?

What do you mean?

Lets see if you idiots (by this time I had little patience for them and their behavior and certainly no respect)

So I stepped them thru my thinking

Micro-management is a recognized form of workplace bullying. Work place bullying is a stressor;stress in the work place is a hazard and has been since the health and safety in employment amendment act 2002

Did you also know that you four, not the company are liable for the breech and could be subject to a period of two years in jail and or a $500,000 fine?

And yes Iain I have had it confirmed THAT I am right in my thinking, by one of your own people Iain,
Bryan Abraham
Do you know he is Iain? He is the National Health and Safety officer.Do you know who for Iain?

Telecom
Iain responses

Are you threatening us

No I said I am advising you, that you are in breech of the act nothing more nothing less

I then lost it I am afraid all the crap I had been putting up with spilled out I let rip and gave them their pedigree

I said I could die tomorrow from all this stress and you lot wouldn’t even send flowers

Iain the smug little prick said yes we would

With that said I could feel myself losing it,so I left the room

I went up to my desk and emailed Bryans letter to Iain

I went to the lunch room a got a cold coke and stood staring out the window taking deep breaths to calm my self down.

I still remember thinking that if the window was open, I should jump

My mind and body where heavily fatigued from all the stress.
I wasnt thinking rationally

I then went back to the meeting

I apologized immediately for the bad behavior and offered them a easy out

I said lets put all this crap behind us.

Accept mistakes have been made on both sides, accept that lessons had been learnt, wipe both slates clean and leave it at that.

Their response continue with the meeting almost as if nothing different had transpired

Yeap my cause was lost

The meeting concluded they noticed that I was extremely agitated.

yeah go figure and advised that I should take the rest of the day off

I thought stuff it I will

So I went back to my desk packed up and went to my car

As I was driving home I started to get extreme pain in my chest.

I though shit I am not having another heart attack am I

I resolved there and then the job wasn’t going to kill me.
In hindsight I should have gone back to work and collapsed dead in Shaun’s arms in front of all the staff

I said to myself if the pain still exists as I pass my doctors on the way home I going to pull in

Which I duly did

I explained I had chest pain that was quite severe I was immediately rushed into the surgery placed on a heart monitor and oxygen for an hour

I explained what had just occurred to the doctor I said I didn’t know if it was a stress reaction or a heart attack

At the end of the hour they sent me home with advice to take the next few days off so I did

Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

we will act fairly and with honesty at all times

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards




More lies
These people can’t even keep track of their own lies, what they are saying or what they are doing .

Considering the fact that they aren’t paying to much attention to answering my questions I’m not surprised

Paul Evans-McLeod – Likely outcome Meeting
Level 5 Meeting Room 1 pm 25 May 09


P E-M: Yes. I have been exonerated around the issue of the credit.
Where is the complaint from the customer?
This customer has a track record of raising the same issues.
There was this complaint and two others. I was frustrated. The T stick case was finished and I was exonerated. The IHC case was difficult - and was resolved.

SH: With regard to these calls – they came across to the customer as condescending and rude.

P E-M: I was trying to resolve the matter

P C-D: Is there a recording of this call? It was an unfortunate experience – this was their perspective as against an employee of 30 years standing

S H: No there is no recording of this phone conversation


Now just hold on a minute

Refer back to my last blog


Escalations – 2 customers laid complaints regarding your customer service

Escalations throughout the period 02/02 and 03/02 related to poor tone and manner described by the customer as “condescending and rude”.

On call recorded 17/03 you were recorded saying to your customer “will go back to the original premise where you be quiet and you listen, Ok? All I ask of you is yes or no answer and not a story OK?” (Play call in nice)

Play indicates a recording, does it not?


I mean really wtf is going on here.

They have it in one meeting,
then deny knowledge of it in another

About now I thinking, these people must think I’m an idiot, but because they have the power to do as they please, ethics are thrown out the window.

There is no one to hold them accountable

Little do they know that they will be soon be held accountable.

Written warning Excepts

Regarding the Operational Separation undertakings significant training has been provided and several safe guards put in place to ensure that you are aware of your obligations. All staff has an individual duty of care to ensure our obligations are met. We do not accept that you could reasonable disregard our expectations in light of the several safeguards that are in place to support you in meeting these obligations. We do not accept that these could be considered “same old, same old”.

It is Telecoms role to assign the level of risk; regardless of whether you personally deem it to be relevant.

What this about

Operational separation is a serious issue with serious consequences

This bullocking was about an mf service order I short leaded because a customer had requested some urgency about it.

Yeap this is how desperate the were, happy to bag me for anything.

Yes it was wrong but an mf service order. wtf.

I genuinely wasn’t aware mf service orders came under the operational separation umbrella

Shaun commented in a performance improvement plan 11 th of May, in answer to the above breach that I had “attended operational separation training when it was rolled out, he also at the time completed the skill check “

What was wrong.

The fact that most of my team passed the skill check for operational separation training as me, by the process of elimination and by every one assisting each other.

I commented on this, to both the trainer and Shaun but my concerns where brushed aside.
How irresponsible is that?

I passed on my own merits,as with my vast background in telecom, I was one of the few on site that actually understood the physical requirements involved in the reality of achieving this process.

Still, when I have seen team members, just about asleep during some training sessions with their heads in their crossed arms, on the desk, not actively engaging in the training, you can’t really expect much else.

God help them all one day, someone is really going to blow it,it will cost them a fortune in fines. It is now their problem.

Xt mobile training
Well all that were involved in that, know the outcry that there was in the last training session, just before it was released.

Well, in our session, normally I’m the vocal one, asking questions.

In this one, everybody was disgusted that no one's managers,had the balls to get us more help.
We all perceived,rightly so, that the release, for those of us at the coal face, was going to be a night mare.

As it proved to be

I, like others, made my feelings known.
We all jumped on the band wagon.
However I’m the only one that was dobbed in,by Owen,to Michelle, for my comments.

How fair is that?

According to Owen, my comments caused “a chain reaction within the team, undermining our new call plans, and the team’s perception of their value “refer performance improvement plan 16 June.

I knew it was Owen, as I caught sight of him in Michelle’s office

So I got slammed with this for my troubles, as a written warning

Paul, Telecom’s immediate and ongoing expectations relating to this are as follows:

• It is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of, and comply with, any and all of Telecom’s Policies and Guidelines. These are all available on the Exchange intranet site.
You are to review these on a regular basis.

(The irony here , is that it applies to them as well, so they are aware of the expectations, and in the future will be advised of the same responsibility expectations)

This is the trap.
They have you by the throat, with nobody can do this, not even themselves.

Thru out the whole affair, one set of guidelines they have put aside, is adhering to telecoms code of ethics.

So if I’m out the door for a failure in this area, so should Michelle, Bridgette, Iain and Shaun,but they are not are they.

So its one rule for them and one different rule for them


• It is your responsibility to ensure that you fully participate positively in all training sessions, team meetings and associated events; you are to support your colleagues, your team leader and the trainer.

I am perfectly happy to participate positively, which is why, I’m one of the few awake,asking questions when I perceive failures in the presentation.

Again I saved the company $3.8 million when I persisted in reporting the APPCO debacle.



The managers, and team leaders knew there were problems, but didn’t have the balls to take marketing on.


• It is your responsibility not to take actions which would bring the company into disrepute. You are accountable for your actions both with your customers and colleagues in whatever capacity in which you are representing Telecom.

Yeah right.

It is ok to screw (in the sexual sense) your colleagues in company time. Nothing will be done about it .

Turn up to work "Pissed" We will look after you..

Its ok to be bias and dishonest in your disciplinary process, to do it on some ones instructions.

Not as a fair and balanced performance issue that rates you across the whole site.


• To address areas for improvement identified in your weekly performance improvement plan
• Meet all expectations in the Operation Separation Compliance and Code of Conduct.


• Yeap right.

Is passing the skill test by the process of elimination and a group effort supported by the team leader and trainers complicity,an honest approach


• Adhere to the Call Structure - including but not limited to – asking a series of open questions to ensure that you have adequately understood the customer’s situation and provided the necessary solution.
• On every call you will strictly adhere to all aspects of the Telecom call structure, you are to use professional language at all times.

On the last two, we will do our best,but as per Terri Wilson survey,no one on site is achieving same.
But I’m one of few to have a written warning about it.
wtf go figure


I wont bore you with much more.

We could go on and on showing and explaining each of thier mistakes but I will leave that for the lawyers (Its all documented)

I think you have the picture they where after me a using every tool in their arsenal

telecom fair and balanced.

yeah right

I was getting rail roaded out the door, by any means possible.

What great managers we have people

Now I have allowed you a peek behind the scenes you see the reality of thier actions showing their duplicity again in thier own words they have been found wanting

Pretty dispicable behaviour, but its going to get worse.




Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

let play spot the lie

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards





Excepts taken from meeting notes 240409

Those present Shaun Hoult. Peter Cooper Davis, Michelle Young, Myself

As part of this process I was brought to task for two customer complaints

One involved a call from a young adult who was quite severely intellectually handicapped, her speech was mumbled, she was distraught and upset .

She was very hard to understand and each time I tried to explain what was happening ,because of her distress and her urgency to get the problem sorted out , she keep talking over me.

Each time I tried to calm her down she would start over again

Having had experience with people with this disability, I knew you had to treat them firmly ,so I said to her “can you just be quiet for a while , I will ask you questions to see if I have the problem sorted , you just answer yes or no spoken firmly but nicely

I gained agreement and started again being very patient with her

I asked a question and she started again oh dear

Most reps would have flagged it by now

This is what transpired in their words

Escalations – 2 customers laid complaint regarding your customer service

Escalations throughout the period 02/02 and 03/02 related to poor tone and manner described by the customer as “condescending and rude”. On call recorded 17/03 you were recorded saying to your customer “will go back to the original premise where you be quiet and you listen, Ok? All I ask of you is yes or no answer and not a story OK?” (Play call in nice)

How could these comments make your customer feel?
Reassured she knew I was focusing on her, got her back to the point, otherwise she could go on and on. I had a polite manner, trying to get to the bottom of it, be firm and direct, yes or no, took time. I have no issue with IHC, I know how to deal with them and show compassion.

Peter – To be fair that customer was challenging, whilst the company could enforce and deal with it in an appropriate manner, she would have been happy with that conversation, she had a better understanding and understood what was being asked.

Michelle – Paul how could those comments have been construed by our customer?

Paul – I have worked with intellectually challenged people, she would have felt reassured. It could have been construed as patronising or condescending, I’m not that kind of person. I listen to the customers and to be blunt they seem happy.


Now remembering that telecoms code of ethics states in part that they should be honest, they have just lied to me both are complicit in doing it

Note Michelle’s comment, not really interested ,just noting things down but not really engaging in what I had to say

Michelle, you dummy

the young lass is intellectually handicapped she lacks the ability to construe anything.

you have just telegraphed your intent with regards to what is going to happen to me

Now I realize that I’m not going to get a fair hearing in any of this, it could not have been made clearer, the whole thing is a farce.

I resign myself to answering the questions the best that I can.

I think to myself how the hell can these people have any credibility when they are deliberately setting me up and lying to me

I am happy to be judged amongst my peers and will admit that I, m not 100% perfect on every call but for the most part I am doing my best
Having been in Shaun’s team for approximately eight years I perceive he has abandoned me aquesient to Michelles or Brigettes orders to save his own job.

Shaun you have been found wanting, after all the help I have given you over the years , to say I was disappointed would be a understatement, work politics who needs it when it requires you to act without honour.

So I left the meeting pretty pissed off, as you can well imagine his people are our managers and are supposed to operate honestly.

yeah right

Nothing to do now but waited for the outcome of the meeting

I end up with a written warning 300509

Written Warning– Failure to meet defined KRA performance standards required in your role as a Customer Service Representative and compliance with Telecom Policies.

One thing the hypocrites accuse me of is my actions

“It also brings into doubt the necessary relationship of trust and confidence between Telecom and you. “


Consideration of your explanations

Having carefully considered your explanations we do not accept that your explanations satisfactorily justify your actions for the following reasons;


I do not accept that language that could be construed as patronising or condescending is appropriate in your attempts to control a call or were you deem the customer to be intellectually challenged. All customers have the right to expect a polite and professional service standard.

I thinking ,you idiots, you lie to me, you are not carefully considering any of my explanations. your actions and your body language indicate there is little or no respect shown in Michelle’s eyes or actions she reads like an open book

The entire procedure , indicates to me that you are following, a predetermined path, with a predetermined outcome and you are fast becoming irritated by my presence ( they tried but they just couldn’t hide it )as I’m not making it easy for you because I’m frustrating you at every turn


You people should have a written warning for failure to meet telecoms code of ethics with regard to dealing with people honestly

you bunch of hypercritics

These are the actions of people that we should look up to ,they have been found woefully wanting their own words and actions have caught them out

They have been caught acting dishonestly and with premeditation as to the outcome ,why because neither of them have the personal integrity that Bridgette Dalzell stated confidentially that she had in them

Acting dishonestly thus taints the whole process ,if they fail to act with integrity here, what hope is there for the integrity of the whole process?

My cause is lost it’s a just a witch hunt done at either Bridgette’s request or Micheles, either way I’m out the door it just a matter of how long I can delay the process

So back to the complaint and the young lady. what happened ?

She was in trouble, because she was staying at her uncle’s place and had been ringing her boyfriend in another neighboring toll area.

Many times a day this had run up a large bill .

Her uncle was not happy and had given her a sound telling off, so she was doubly upset, one for the telling off as people with this disability are very sensitive and two because she wouldn’t be allowed to call her boyfriend .

I got it all sorted out by adding "talk it up nearest neighbor "

Now have you spotted the lie yet

they stated in writing that two customers had laid complaints one of them

described by the customer as “condescending and rude”.


Well here it is

There is no way this intellectually handicapped girl had the intelligence to make a complaint I’m not denigrating her it just a statement of fact her disability just doesn’t allow her thought process’s to work that way

There is no way she would use a word like “condescending” she is not capable of understanding the concept let alone the meaning.

Someone please show me her COMPLAINT letter

yeah right

This statement alerted me to a number of things

1 someone (Shaun) had been instructed to spend a lot of time going over, every call on every day to find any mistakes I had made and use them to beat me up with

2 if the above was happening it was proof I was being micromanaged

3 someone was determined to have me out the door they where operating from a position of power so they held all the cards



So I leave it for a while thinking I will seek confirmation at a later date

On June 15 09 at 4.15 Shaun challenged me regarding three calls that I had made the previous day where I had missed ownership statements on all.

Further proof that he was spending all day looking for my mistakes

I challenged Shaun re what was happening I ask him how long this nonsense was going to go on.

His answer was I had to be 100 per cent on all calls all the time

I was angry, as no one in the site was achieving that impossible target!!!!

I informed him I considered it work place bullying by micromanagement disguised as performance management

He was a little bit pissed off with me as I was getting aggressive in my tone and I was doing in front of the team, his fault, he should have taken me into an office to talk to me

His defenses where down so I asked about the complaint made by the intellectually handicapped girl

He finally admitted it was an “observation”

So why didn’t he just state that at the outset?
Why the need to put it forward as a complaint?

why lie?

The team heard his omission...


So the agenda they had in regards to me, was finally confirmed all be it in a oblique way

I drove home a little bit gutted by the shallow hopeless people I had thought had more moral fiber than they were showing.


Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

my fundamental beliefs.

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards




lets re-affirm what our values are and what leadership really is because we are not seeing much of it here. Are we?




If liberty means anything, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear

George Orwell.


Life has meaning, only in the struggle. Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the gods...so let us celebrate the struggle... Swahili Warrior Song

Freedom is what you do with what has been done to you......Jean-Paul Sartre.

Society is not judged by people who are standing in the sunshine but by how it treats people in the shadows.

Vision and culture are personal values put into action...Block.

Leadership and management are about modeling and reinforcing ethical behaviors.
The four cornerstones are vision, reality, courage and ethics.

We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend...Robert Louis Stevenson.

It is testimony that is needed.A human being, to live a meaningful life--- must at critical moments testify publicly as to fundamental beliefs



Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

meetings meetings meetings notes notes notes

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards




I was then, called in to meetings on a regular basis.

I employed the services of my union rep Peter Cooper-Davies of the EPMU as my support person.

In the following days and months (in total approximately eight months)every little minor misstep I made was held against me, every opinion I expressed was misconstrued and noted, every effort was made to paint me in the worst possible light.
You may be surprised who jumped on the band wagon to dob me in but than again you may not be ) but its not a lie, it is all in the performance improvement plans they gave to me on a regular basis, and "oh dear" Shaun signed them as a true and correct record as he did with the notes of the meeting .after the first few I declined to sign)

As the days passed I became a pariah on site, slowly and surely being ostracized, treated like I had leprosy, at least it felt like that.

It was almost like everybody was acting under instructions; I wasn’t surprised I had seen this tactic used before

The older ones among us would remember Chick Tarawea, the sales coach from many many years ago, suddenly she lost her job, was put back on the queue and left shortly afterwards.

Why?

Well, the operations manager at the time called a meeting of all the team managers, asked for anything they had on Chick’s work performance that would throw her in a bad light, they complied .Chick was up against it.

Most, but not all the team leaders, dobbed her in, she was badly outgunned and out numbered. Consequently, eventually she left, which was what the operations manager required.

How do I know this ,remember this, I have kept a daily dairy for the last 12 years

The same operations manager spread a rumor that I was having an affair with one of my team.

Why?

Because on every break she had, I joined her, so tongues started to wag, encouraged by this manager


What she didn’t know, was this lady that I was helping, was being sexually stalked by a lesbian on the site, who wouldn’t take no for a answer. I was protecting her from the unwelcome advances.

This person had already forced her self physically on another staff member in the women’s toilets and got a smack in the ear for her troubles.

Only two people, that remain to this day on site, know about this as they where involved in the process of sorting it out and having this person's job terminated

How do I know?

This lady came to me first for help and I assisted her in writing the complaint letter to senior management on site, to get it resolved and kept her “safe” during her working hours.



Back to my story.

There was one meeting in which I walked in to be greeted by my site manager, immediate manager and a tape recorder place strategically on the table.

An attempt to intimidate me.

Multiple meetings went on with monotonous regularity for month after month, copious notes were taken, yet each time not one of my explanations were listened to properly, nor acknowledged as to its validity, this despite subsequent emails and company informer bulletins exonerating my actions in regards to some of the my work practices.


It was painfully obvious I was being patronized whilst being quietly walked down a predetermined path with a predetermined outcome.

Nothing I said in my defense was given the courtesy of through consideration to its merits, in fact they were becoming so blaze about it, that their answer to my rebuttal on occasion to their questions, where already in place, in writing, as was obviously the outcome of that meeting.( before I had even answered their question)


My union rep was utterly amazed at their pedantic behavior and attitude as nothing concrete was done to address the issues.


With a sensible manner I informed them that some of the issues they were penalizing me for , none of the site of approximately 180 people were doing correctly, that Terry Wilson another site manager had monitored the entire site and nobody was performing their duties to the same exacting standards I was being held accountable to how fair is that)

I asked only to be judged among my peers I felt that if I was for the chop at least a third of the site should be following me, all this was negated by them quoting the privacy act (convenient)


So on and on and on it went, week in week out ,the stress started to impact on my health and my marriage ,letters for my doctor proved ineffectual (more about that latter) and fell on deaf ears.


I was offered EAP help and this was a god send, as it gave me somewhere to express my frustration. It just went on and on with my health getting progressively worse, as was my marriage.

My counselor and my doctor where worried, what would occur first another heart attack or a mental breakdown and the advice was "Get out of the environment."


Careful analysis of notes taken by my Union rep Vs the documents being presented to me , indicate all three Bridgette Dalzell Michelle Young and Shaun Hoult lied to me..

Iain Galloway was lying by omission by leaving out details in the minutes of the meetings that presented Telecom negatively, verified with a comparison of his notes and minutes against those notes my union rep took.

I was asked what I thought would be a suitable punishment for my misdeeds

My reply “well when a site manager is caught “in flagrante delicto (The Latin term is sometimes used colloquially as a euphemism for a couple being caught in the act of sexual intercourse)on site, on company time with a team leader.
Both being married but not to each other and all and sundry know about it.

AND NOTHING IS DONE
that... a verbal warning should suffice.
Even after being advised of the names involved and the witness who saw, nothing was mentioned in of it in their notes of the meeting.

to quote the code of ethics.
Behaviors
Under take their duties in accordance with telecom values

Conduct them selves in away that demonstrates their honesty is beyond question and will not commit behavior that has the potential to bring telecoms image into disrepute

Iain you are the HR person involved explain why this wasn’t addressed and not included in the minutes (lying by omission)

Thats right.
It was a approximately two hour meeting and the minutes of same only went to a page and half.

Was the rest precluded under the official information act?.

Yeah right.


Plus having observed Shaun the team leader ,accompanied by another team leader , assist a third team leader who had turned up completely off their face, drunk for work to return that person home,and yet again nothing was done.


I felt . Wrongly it turned out, my indiscretions paled in comparison

Yet they remain in work.

I’m the one on the dole.

How fair is that I ask.

Surely both the act and the assistance given and then keeping it hidden from senior management is dishonest and unethical

to quote the code of ethics

Behaviors

Under take their duties in accordance with telecom values.
Conduct them selves in away that demonstrates their honesty is beyond question and will not commit behavior that has the potential to bring telecoms image into disrepute an>

About now you are thinking, bloody hell what is going on here.
How can Paul say these things.

Will he not get into trouble.

Well all the information is in writing as stated before in their own hand, thus covered by their own meeting notes,their own tapes of the meeting .my notes of the meetings plus the notes taken by my union rep

Unfortunately their lack of effort in addressing some of the questions myself and my advocate raised which, if the process was fair should have been answered as well is also noted.

Remember the quote in a earlier blog

You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say
Martin Luther

Well they are responsible for not acting oh bugger!!!!!!!!!

Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton

the hammer drops

This blog has been in play for some months to gain the full story go to left hand side blog archive go to bottom post and read upwards




Approximately two or three weeks later on a Sunday evening (I worked a rotating shift of four ten hour days Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday) at approximately 7 p.m. I was called into a meeting with my Team Manager, Shaun HouIt to be presented with a retrospective of my performance over the previous four or so months in minutiae.

I was admonished for such pedantic things as being in a work email for eight seconds as I was talking to a customer.

I jokingly quipped "so I can multitask, that’s a asset isn’t it" I got a frosty reply .

I thought these people can’t be serious; this is micro management in the extreme, widely recognized as form of work place bullying. WTF

I informed Shaun in no uncertain terms, and with some colorful language of my concerns, as I was quite frankly, incensed.

I then left the office and the site telling Shaun I was in no state to be talking to customers.

I took the next two days off.

I expressed in an email to Bridgette Dalzell,
that I felt I was being ambushed
and that at most I had 90 days left in the company.

her reply

Bridgette DalzellSubject: RE: Investigation Meeting
Sent Tuesday, 14 April 2009 4:04 p.m.

Hi Paul,

Thank you for advising me that you are well enough to work on your Doctors advice.

I have advised Peter Cooper-Davies today that Telecom will be sending you another invite to an investigation meeting only.

You requested certain documentation from Telecom last week, reattached is the email from Michelle Young with the information that you required.

It is your personal opinion only that this meeting is a prelude to an ambush Paul. I hold Michelle and Shaun's ethics in high regard and I am fully confident that the correct process has been followed so far.

yeah right bridgette


Latter in this sad story I will show you that her confidence was ill founded and her ethics will come under scrutiny too.

So it was perfectly clear now what their intent was.

To come down this heavy, it had to be at Bridgette's wish passed on to Michelle
or Michelle's wish supported by Bridgette,
since Shaun had inadvertently mentioned THAT he was just following instructions.

ALSO Bridgette had expressed in an open forum of team leaders, “that no way is redundancy going to be an option” This I had/have been made aware of.

So was I being set up?

Ask yourself ?



I felt on the drive home that my time with the company was going to be severely limited, so what now ?

I set my mind to ways to trap them in their lies and behaviors, to show what was really going on, and thus extend my time in work

To be treated this way after 39 years was not justified and plain unfair ,these are people that should be helping me but they lacked the guts or the moral fortitude

Remember all that bullshit "we are all one team" have integrity, honesty, '' be spirited' grounded, blah blah and management were the people shoving it down our throats.

Here IS the reality.

What do you think of their actions now?

Well all, as you can see, when push came to shove, they stumbled at the first hurdle. Surprise, Surprise


So eventually I managed to last another eight and half months, had some perverse pleasure misdirecting them, probing them, getting angry with them, getting frustrated with them, frustrating them in return at times it was heart breaking and just plain sad.

What a sick place to work when they treat people like this.

I lost respect for the whole place and most of the people in it

As it became known what was happening ,very very few showed me any concern with regard to what was transpiring.

The ones that did earned my eternal gratitude and respect they showed their true character

The rest to me, are just shallow hollow individuals, not even worth my pity

I wonder what life values,they pass on to their kids

Hope their kids enjoyed their Christmas presents.

Did mummy or daddy tell you they earn their thirty shekels that brought them, unfairly sacking people. Doesn't matter, lets sing a lovely Christmas song, and we will all go to church so you know the real meaning of Christmas

Did you know that right from the outset their demeanor , their attitude ,their failure to answer our/my questions indicated to me, they where just following a process on someone instructions.

And as you will see later, with the complicit help of HR, pushing me down a path to the exit door

All the while I was watching and waiting for them to make mistakes.

Which they did.

Did any of you people from work .that are reading this blog, know that they read your personal emails.

Yeap they do including the ones you send home.

I asked my mate Nigel to pretend to be my lawyer which he was happy to assist with

I get an email from Bridgette asking for confirmation that he "Nigel" is my lawyer

refer below
Now she may have a legal right to read the email, I do not believe in law, she has the right to act on it, that's illegal.

She has definitely no right in law to act on private information, that to all intents and purposes is between my self and my "lawyer", even thought he was my pretend "lawyer"

In her mind by asking for confirmation that, he "Nigel " was my lawyer, she is of the perception, at that point in time that he is an actual lawyer


So going back to telecoms code of ethics do you think she should retain her job.


From: Bridgette Dalzell [mailto:Bridgette.Dalzell@telecom.co.nz] Sent: Monday, 6 April 2009 11:26 a.m.To: Paul McleodCc: nigel dick; Bridgette DalzellSubject: RE: breach of verbal agreement

Thanks for coming back to me so quickly Paul.

Can you please confirm that your lawyer is Nigel Dick and can you please confirm the correct contact details.

Now this is not a good look is it?

Not her best effort I am afraid.

Did you know that in one of their "bootcamps", they where instructed to get rid of the wheat from the chaff, so to speak by any means possible and they would get the full backing of telecom.

I have no issue with that, however it should be done on performance, we should all be rated against our peers.

If it can shown that my performance was lacking "against my peers" than that would be fair, but no I didn't even get that, they used "privacy issues" to prevent it.

I'm not the best on site anymore, but I'm not the worst by a long shot. About 30-50 people should have followed me out the door if they had used fair criteria

In life you don't get justice you get the law, in Telecom I once thought it was a goldmine but I ended up with the shaft

Yeap, we are all one team yeah right .
This is telecom fair and balanced yeah right.

I also did lots of other things which annoyed the hell of some people but they achieved the purpose I set out to achieve.

Sorry to be obtuse, but if you look at the whole picture, you may just perceive the actual intent.
Tell you what if someone guesses it I will confirm it.

You can gather from the tone of this email my "disgust meter" was fill to overflowing.

Go figure.

Would yours be?




Current telecom participants
Bridgette Dalzell current head of outsourced customer care at telecom New Zealand whom is Michelle Young's direct report at time of incident
Michelle Young call center manager Hamilton call center, whom is Shaun Hoults direct report at time of incidents

Shaun Hoult team manager weekend team Sat-Tues Hamilton

Iain Galloway HR representative spends a lot of time in Hamilton