Pay and conditions in call centres 2004

CALL CENTRES

Over two-thirds of call centre employers surveyed by Incomes Data Services paid a bonus or commission or operated a profit-sharing bonus scheme.

The eighth annual survey by Incomes Data Services of pay and conditions in call centres found that the only sector where bonus schemes were not widely used was the public and not-for-profit sector.

Individual performance alone was marginally the most common criteria for determining the level of bonus payments. This criterion was used by just under a third of respondents that operated bonus schemes. Just over a quarter of organisations used company performance as the criteria for bonuses.

Key pay findings

the average starting salary for a team leader was £17,100, an increase of 1.8% on last year
the average salary for a customer adviser was £15,000, an increase of 3.5%
average starting pay for customer advisers was up 4.7% (to £13,400) on the previous year, reflecting upward pressure on recruitment salaries.

What you will find in the report by Incomes Data Services

The eighth in an annual series begun in 1997 offers a detailed analysis of salaries paid to call centre operators and team leaders. The 143-page report includes information on:

Introduction and overview of trends

profile of the 2004 survey respondents
prospects for the UK call centre industry
IDS survey findings on trends in employment levels
government study on the size of the UK call centre industry.

Recruitment and retention

survey findings on recruitment and retention problems
staff turnover rates across the economy
unemployment rates in key call centre locations
addressing recruitment and retention issues
absence levels in call centres
initiatives aimed at tackling absence.

Case study

Kwik Fit Financial services: retaining staff in a tight labour market

Analysis of basic pay

summary findings on basic salaries for all jobs
customer service adviser salaries
pay progression for customer advisers
team leader salaries
pay reviews for call centre staff 2003/04
new reward initiatives.

Tables include:

customer service adviser salaries by sector
customer service adviser salaries by region
team leader and team manager salaries by sector
team leader and team manager salaries by region.

Analysis of other terms and conditions

bonuses, commission and profit-sharing
shift and unsocial hours premiums
hours and holidays
other benefits.

Directory of pay and conditions

Listing of named organisations features pay structures, bonuses, hours, holidays, benefits, operating hours and employee numbers.

Want to know more?

Title: Pay and Conditions in Call Centres 2004, Incomes Data Services.

Methodology: The report is based on a survey of call centre managers conducted in May and June 2004.

Sample size: Data was obtained from 107 organisations employing a total of 92,000 staff.

Business sectors: The main sectors represented are financial services, public services and not-for-profit, outsourced services and retailing.

Availability: To order your copy contact customer services at Incomes Data Services in London, tel: 020 7324 2599. To read the press release visit www.incomesdata.co.uk/report/callcentpressrel.htm

IDS is a leading UK information and research service on employment issues, providing a range of publications for employers, unions, government departments and other agencies. To find out more visit www.incomesdata.co.uk

Posted 18 October 2004

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Pay and conditions in call centres 2004