He apologized to the man several times. Shelby, a Tacoma resident, spoke to callers in the same tone of voice one might use to soothe a snarling cat. If someone calls who is argumentative, Shelby holds up a red card next to his computer. A floor supervisor will run to his desk and jump in on the call. It's the kind of company Kitsap County economic development officials are trying to bring to the area.
Call centers are the back offices of service operations.
They boast hundreds of employees who answer phones or cold-call customers with sales calls. Some people question the value of call centers. That's not the kind of pay needed to raise a family. But people who work with call centers defend them. They say people should have a chance to work rather than no work at all.