JEDDAH: Several Saudi women have complained that they are not being paid enough money at their call center jobs to cover basic needs, and are also overlooked for promotions.

They want more than the SR3,500 currently being paid, an increase in their monthly bonuses, and promotion to marketing and customer services jobs, according to a report in a local publication on Tuesday.

Eida Al-Zahrani claimed her company was strict and that she was penalized for the smallest mistake. She said her salary rises and falls depending on the monthly bonus she receives, which is dependent on the evaluation of her supervisor.

Samar Mahmadi said call center workers also have to deal with constantly changing shifts, from mornings to evenings, and are not given breaks for prayers. When someone takes a 10-minute break she is reprimanded for poor performance, she said.

Mahmadi said that women working at call centers must be paid extra, similar to those in marketing positions, because they are involved in after-sales services such as following up on customer satisfaction.

Rahaf Mohammad said call center employees also need further training to deal with more complicated customer inquiries. They should be rewarded for having to deal with irate customers, which should be more than the current SR3,500 a month.

She said this money is spent on transport and baby sitters for their children, who have to be cared for up to nine hours a day.

Fahda Al-Qahtani complained that they often have to deal with rude customers, but they always do so professionally. However, this does affect them emotionally. She called on the public to be aware of how they treat call center staff.



Wasif Kabli, a member of the commercial committee at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said there are many women who want to work at call centers. Businesses want to employ women because they are more dedicated than men, he said.

He said businesses do offer training for women employees. They are also given breaks of 60 minutes and suitable areas where they can relax. However, there was still a stigma attached to these jobs, because many do not want women dealing with men, he said.