KenCall is not paying it’s employee’s?!
I was flipping through the comment section and someone identifying themselves as “me” left a comment saying that KenCall was not paying it’s employee’s and that a friend of theirs who was a “senior employee” at the company hadn’t been paid for months! (how the heck are you supposed to survive when that happens?).
Now, that is very interesting to me. Is KenCall having cash flow problems? And when you have cash flow problems aren’t you supposed to pay your employee’s first and tell the vendors to wait? or why not lay off the employee’s? or just be honest with them about what’s going on financially and let them decide what they want to do (work part-time, work for stock options, etc, etc)
Phew! business is tough, tough, tough (is it harder to do in Africa?) I thought these guys had millions of dollars in Venture Capital? I’m beginning to think that sometimes you might be better off foregoing the VC money and just starting off slowly with whatever you have.
Disclaimer : I did mention that my pal said he was not paid for months while working at Kencall but whether this is true or not is beyond me.
If it is indeed true then i am dissapointed. Despite huge capital outlay, BPOs are making mad cash…(esp Call Centers which are employers of cheap, low skilled labor)….and for Kencall to have cash flow problems….red flag!
Your 2nd paragraph, sentences 2-5 shows you’ve been in the US for too long. Many Kenyan employers give a rats ass about their employees. What they fail to understand is that turn over is also costly. Its a man-eat-man society.
Nesbitt gave a candid talk at TE Global (Arusha) where he mentioned the occasional cash flow & survival problems the company has faced in the quest of obtaining and retaining outsourcing contracts
I also worked in Kencall for a few months and have been following up for my payments for almost five months in vain! Av ended up using lotsa lotsa going to their offices and calling, wapi. I think there are very many guys out there who Kencall owes alot to them. Am almost at the verge of givin up, coz it has become a rat race. I think ur friend was right.
Bankelele….
“Candid talk”??? Business men can talk all they want but results is the name of the game.
Despite occassional cash flow, how in God’s green earth are employees not paid for months? And the CEO is a Stanford MBA….and Dartmouth BA??? Jayzuz!!!!!!!!
Despite being No.1 in the Fibre Optic Industry, my company is not making profit yet. Payroll is a significant expense but have you ever heard of employees not getting paid in the US???
I could be wrong but i hear Kencall is paying its employees “chicken change”. I also hear that their internet costs have been subsidized by The World Bank. And they still have cash flow problems????
Jenny…
Thanks for sharing your personal example. Sad….Very Sad indeed.
its a very depressing state even after all the good they claim they are doing………i am also one of them who has nearly given up following my arrears.
Sorry guys but I need to revisit an earlier thread that is tied closely to this one……..
M, I need to qualify my answer regarding the International Development Industry and financing. In Africa, the International Development Industry did not finance such projects until TAH DAH! the massive incursion of China
You are right, commercial arms such as the IFC have eagerly financed such projects in Asia, Europe, Latin America et al but in Africa the best you’ll get is money to build a road. Hence the reason why many governments are now pursuing sovereign bond placements and dedicated equity funds for infrastructure.
Now the IFC is falling over itself to get in on the action, I just read they are providing an eigth of the investment for EASSY….the competing project to TEAMS…..
Disapointing about KENCALL but not surprising, I agree RED FLAG about management stewardship. I don’t want to be an armchair general but how about downsizing considerably to a skeletal staff and then hiring people as temps on short work assignments when they have high volume.
HEY GUYS BUSINESS IDEA…STARTING A TEMP AGENCY FOR THE NASCENT BPO SECTOR IN KENYA
I am sure there would be use for this even in other sectors.
Erm, what has being a Stanford MBA got to do with a firm not making money?
Have you heard of Bill Gates, Michael Dell or a hundred others whose firms make oodles of cash… & are not MBAs (from any college)?
I do hope the Nebitts succeed coz they are among the pioneers of Call Centers in Kenya… I am sure the lousy & expensive internet connections are part of the problem… How do you attract clients when you can’t provide decent service e.g. call quality?
P.S. Did KENCALL not just win a prestigious award under the auspices of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi? Hey I’m the first to acknowledge that entrepreneurs have to make a dollar out of fifty cents but shafting employees seems like a very short term fix to obvious problems.
ME:
Your contention that “being in America” makes one unrealistic about the importance of paying employee’s is odd. It’s not about being in America. It’s about human compassion and dignity. I don’t know if I could sleep at night knowing that people who’ve worked for me are going without a paycheck and possibly without food!
However, let’s take your point that Kenya is a different country and use Nesbitt as an example. It looks like he went to college in America and spent most of his professional life working in the states. So, one would think (based on your contention) that this American exposure would change his attitude about shafting employee’s (particularly those in a 3rd world country). However, it has not and I am saying that if Nesbitt is shafting his employee’s, it’s because he lacks that basic human compassion (has living in Kenya turned him into a soul-less, heartless businessman? You’d probably say yes. I’m saying, it shouldn’t have (it probably existed before).
I’m sure Nesbitt is not going without food.
Cold Tusker….
“Erm, what has being a Stanford MBA got to do with a firm not making money?”…………..
Nothing!
The point i made was in relation to “management” and not “making money”
You mentioned The Bill and The Dell. These are entrepreneurs who hire MBAs to run their companies….back to my point…management!!!
I’m not hating on the Nesbits. Despite being pioneers, i think there’s nothing special about them or Kencall. Esp if they are not paying their employees or paying them chicken change…which only goes to increase the “working poor” demographic.
Kenya has a myriad of challenges for EVERY business so lousy/expensive internet is no excuse not to pay employees. There are ways to work around these challenges but refusing to pay employees is definately not one of them….unless Stanford changed their curriculum . (LOL)
Sijui…
We are in sync. I have always said setting up a TEMP agency in Kenya is the way to go.
I could be wrong but i heard Safcom wants to outsource its Post Paid Call Centre Service. I wonder if they are considering Kencall.
I also think setting up a “Middle Tier” Recruitment Agency (not the expensive ones like PWC or Manpower) is viable.
M, Jenny et al……
Yu guys should write to the media (Cutting Edge,Watch Man etc) whats going on.
This is 2007 and everyone should have zero tolerance for such absurd business practice.
Tuendelee Kujivunia na sio Kuvumilia!
KE, KE, KE….
I write in such simple and plain english that i’m surprised as to how you and CT misunderstand me???
When i said “Your 2nd paragraph, sentences 2-5 shows you’ve been in the US for too long.”…………it was in relation to your comment which said “And when you have cash flow problems aren’t you supposed to pay your employee’s first and tell the vendors to wait? or why not lay off the employee’s? or just be honest with them about what’s going on financially and let them decide what they want to do (work part-time, work for stock options, etc, etc)”
How many employees in Kenya work part-time?
How many companies in Kenya offer stock options?
How many companies pay their employee’s first and then tell the vendors to wait?
Your views may be viable based on ur exposure to Corporate America but just how feasible is this in Kenya…currently?
Thats why i said, many Kenyan employers give a rats ass about their employees. It has alot to do with work culture, absence of labor law enforcement…etc
Does this make sense or should i speak in Swahili?
ME (testy, testy…grrrr):
My general point was that Nesbitt, who spent half his adult life in America, should perhaps consider offering more “creative” payment solutions to his employee’s (out of a sense of general human compassion/dignity)
I don’t think Kenya’s labor laws would interfere with these creative arrangements, but I do get your point about the environment his working in.
let me tell u something back here in kenya u can do anything to ua employees, and drive audis& landrovers & play golf while not pay salos for 3 months . Labour officers dont do jack around here.
Quite amazing this thread, guyz.
Some of it here is true, some of it, well, quite baseless. I can confirm about the cashflow problems, experienced especially in the second half of last year. Led to all sorts of problems. No pay,that is not ture. Measly pay, yes, subdivided into divided partitions through sometimes 40 day period (wondering how that could happen,while a normal month has a max of 31 regular days huh?). But behind all this lay a genuine problem.
Now what I dont get quite clearly is whether it was ‘Me’ who did work at kencall or it was his friend. If it was ‘Me’, then Id say s/he was lying about not having been paid for months. If, on the other hand, it was the friend, then that is a definite lie!!. Months? Define months. How many? All that has changed though. People are making money now!!
Jenny, I also do not completely beleive in. The reason that comes to mind (which I have seen enough times) could be that she might have quit without giving adequate notice to the employer. In this case I guess it would only be fair for her to forfeit her pay. Now I am not saying that this is the case and I do beleive that she can clarify this.
Kencall is a different place now. The management might not have improved all that significantly but Pay issues have become a thing of the past. There is money, and the only other valid reason that an employee might not get pay could be a payroll/HR error.
Bottomline, shafting employees is quite the wrong word to use.
I said it before, i will say it again………………”I write in such simple and plain english that i’m surprised as to how people misunderstand me???”
Nway…..
Dear Agent…..
ME is a she and not a he.
I did mention (very clearly in my first comment) that my friend worked for Kencall so its not me.
You said, “No pay,that is not true”….and yet we have an example of 3 people saying the same thing??? Who is fooling who???
You said, “If, on the other hand, it was the friend, then that is a definite lie!!. Months? Define months. How many?”
Whether people are not paid for 1 day or 10 months is besides the point.
Dyou know how many Kenyans live from hand-to-mouth?
Do you know that could make a difference between whether they eat that day or not???
You said, “…………..she might have quit without giving adequate notice to the employer. In this case I guess it would only be fair for her to forfeit her pay.”
You think “it would only be fair” as who ?
Are you one of the Nesbitts? HR?
Is the requirement to give adequate notice stated in the employment contract???
Is the term “adequate notice” clearly defined in the employment contract???
Thats why i mentioned that there is no labor law enforcement in Kenya. Thank God for the same in the US. There is “employment at will” and the reason to give a 2 week notice is only good so that you can get a good reference when you leave the company. Besides that…”employment at will” rules!
In a different company, my pal gave “adequate notice” but they still refused to pay her because the company wanted to renegotiate her offer. We are talking an upper 6-fig salary and they literally refused to pay!!!
Thats the level of madness that needs to be straightened out in our Beloved Jamuhuri.
its easy for cats to kill other cats. its only the dogs they have trouble with
- fugees
ME:
I think people do understand your points. They are disagreeing with some of them (which is fine) so I’m not quite sure why you keep saying that they don’t understand you.
Agent:
Do you work for Kencall? Are these guys your buddies? hmmmm
Bukusu:
what?
company with the highest turnover in nairobi? that tells u much but nways whatever agent says the truth is out there, sooner or later ua wrongs catch up with u ,even james mugoya is now in remand.
i think dwelling on one aspect of the company-delayed salary payments-is a reflection of your short-mindedness…….no offence guys. been there,if it doesnt work out for you…hello…move on,i did. Let the Nesbitts do their thing their way.
Stephanie,
Short-mindedness???
I hate this type of BS in the name of a comment.
The one-aspect of a company that we are talking about is VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!
We are discussing the issue at hand -KENCALL- and would do the same for ANY company.
“Let the Nesbitts do their thing their way?”
Call me a communist/socialist or whatever but that statement is sheer CRAP!!!!!!!!
Tell us something we dont know, keep the matusis to yourself !!!!
Steph, I truly agree with you
The salary aspect is just one tiny little factor at kencall. Once again, I can confirm that. Ok, correction, WAS!
Me, Entrepreneur, im not answering your questions. I’m just a person that knows the truth!
There are people who have worked at Kencall since it was established. Why are they there? Well, the simple fact remains they are in it for the whole experience! Once again, I would know!!
There are people that were there even when the financial set0backs were still being experienced, peeps who are making a good buck out of it now, since they hang on in there!
Just keep watchin the business environment guys, Kencall is comin up FAST!! And its way ahead!!
Does any of you keep up with the news? Business Daily Anyone??
good one agent and Stephanie; the “very important issue” is just but one aspect of a business when things do not go on “everyone has a comment on how things should be done……” but the bottom line is that period is over and with the awards and big name clients bringing business, technical expertise and most importantly JOBS in the hundreds this is the i don’t think this blog will have the kind of headline it has it would be more of the Business Daily headline….
ME…i belive for greater understanding talk to someone whose been there from the beginning, you will definately get the REAL STORY!
I have heard that employees at Kencall are paid chicken change. Agent confirmed the same by saying….”Measly pay, yes”
When the rest of you keep braging about Awards, Big name clients, technical expertise, hundreds of jobs and what not……..aren’t these guys increasing the demographic of the working poor????
Walmart has one of the biggest names as a client but the employees working in its outsourced factories in China are living as slaves.
Anonymous….
I dont need greater understanding or the REAL STORY of this issue.
If employees are not being paid, they are not being paid.Period!
Why didnt the company get an OD facility?
As i said, many Kenyans live hand-to-mouth so companies should be more considerate.
I said it b4 and i will say it again, there is nothing special about Kencall. Its a private company and the $$$ is going to a person/family hence i dont see the reason for all the excitement.
Stephanie:
How easy is it for people to “move on” in a country with an unemployment rate of 40%?!
ME:
Wouldn’t you say that Kencall is getting a lot of publicity because it’s a pioneer company in a pioneer industry in Kenya? one that people are watching keenly to see if or how it will take off?
ME:
here is wat you kinda dont seem to get. I did say measly pay, yes. Measly pay to that period when all the tish was goin down.
I really do not know where youre coming from but Im gona tell you thing.
There are people who have families and they are getting by quite well from what they get here. My point, measly pay? Not quite anymore.
“it’s a pioneer company in a pioneer industry in Kenya? one that people are watching keenly to see if or how it will take off?”
As i sed, keep watching this space!
Entrepreneur got that ponit correct.
ME: You said your friend was making a 6-figure salary… That sure ain’t hand-to-mouth for most Kenyans.
ME: Entrepreneurs take risks. We do not know how deep they (Nesbitts) were in debt. Do you have more info? Did they have a stash of cash elsewhere?
How can a company get an OD unless they can prove they have the means to repay the loan?
Few banks will take the risk to lending to such businesses. Banks “borrow” from the public & have to follow regulatory guidelines on lending.
Uchumi was a lesson that KCB does not want to repeat. KCB was also burnt by the loans to mugoya’s companies.
KE mentioned a 40% unemployment rate in Kenya. Sometimes employees in such economies suffer because they can be replaced easily. Of course, they should be paid but what happens if everyone is broke?
Is it better to have a job with a measly (subjective) pay or no job at all?
Not all firms will be bailed out like Uchumi. The government should NOT be in the business of bailing out sinking firms. It ends up losing even more of the taxpayer’s money. Which is likely to happen from what I have read!
I respect the fact that Nesbitt’s are trying against all odds to bring jobs to Kenya. Poor roads, poor infrastructure, expensive broadband, insecurity, government apathy, high taxation, etc all conspire against them. I wish them success so they may create more jobs for Kenyans.
If not for the Nesbitts (among other “hated/reviled” entrepreneurs/factory owners/retailers, etc) the unemployment rate would be 60-75%.
If you, I or KE thinks we can do a better job than the Nesbitts, then we should start a Call Center. I don’t think I can do better than them!
Most folks do NOT have the guts to be entrepreneurs. Ask KE about her experiences even though it was only part-time.
And what is chicken change ME; all employees sign a contract which clearly states the term and conditions which i might add has the gross pay indicated in bold; I know i signed one when i was there, from that point on you earn your commissions and the key word is EARN dont expect to have poor performance rewarded. So if someone complains about earning chicken change he/she shouldn’t have signed the contract in the 1st place and what is this HEAR SAY VIBE…. I heared Kencall employees do this or are done that…..
ME:a company,which includes Kencall does not walk into a bank and request for an OD, just as coldtusker said, infact thats would be disatrous for the company as those facilities are expensive just like the communication infrastructure that Kencall has set up on its own.
Since Kencall is a private company it is rather obvious that the net earnings would go back to the pockets of the private investors who took the risk in the 1st place; if you started your own business with your hard eaned savings, would you want the revenue to go to your neighbour or the government….?Didn’t think so either…
….The fuss is that Kencall is a pioneer in it’s field; India’s metoric economic growth was spurred on by successful call centers eg INFOSYS, a long while back and now play an integral part,not just customer service but providing efficency systems, consaultancy services in Multi-Billion dollar companies that are in the developed world. So their ripple effects are well know and documented in regards to technology transfer e.t.c ME you get my drift.
Lets start thinking beyond our noses and as Stephanie said lets move on if it doesn’t work for you it just doesn’t, try something else that will.
CT:
I’m not knocking the nesbitt’s entrepreneurial balls (more power to them!) – what i’m saying is this: if they are going through financial hard-times (which many, many entrepreneurs go through) isn’t it better to be honest with your employee’s about what’s going on (instead of doing what appears to have been described above? – i.e. leave them hanging with no paycheck and no info?)
But then, like you said, with an unemployment rate of 40% and above, the nesbitts know they can do whatever the hell they want. if you can sleep at night knowing that you’ haven’t paid some people, then hey…every one has a right to define their own consciousness.
So, this discussion was really not about criticizing their business model or their risk-taking (it’s really about how to approach this sensitive issue of pay when you have cash flow problems)
BTW – this is why I want to re-start my internet businesses! no employee’s and no inventory! who wants that stress?
kenyanentrepreneur: employees were not left hanging becouse they were all called into a meeting and told what the deal is, I was there when it happened before i left to pursue my own stuff. Everything was broken down to us by the Managing director himself stating what is going on na d the solution….we were told ROHO SAFI if guys dont want to stay they could leave instead of suffering but guys continued those who left well left while those who stayed are still around enjoying solid payment, some who have the plaesure of being paid twice in the month….hey what a turn of events HUH! Thats the honesty you wanted to hear then there you have it……
Probably my last comment so lets see how this goes….
KE…….Yes, Kencall is getting publicity for some of the reasons you’ve mentioned. However, we’ve seen businesses come and go hence i still see no reason for anyone to get overly excited. We have seen companies outsource and many others insource. Once that fibre optic cable is laid many more BPOs will appear…and maybe…just maybe Kencall will disappear
….
Agent……When you say “My point, measly pay? Not quite anymore”…………….
does this mean employees salaries were revised upwards??? Why do i doubt this!
“Keep watching this space”………as i said, wacheni mioto….we have seen the high and mighty come and go so my eyes are indeed wide open. I’m not a pessimist. i’m simply a realist. As The Donald would saiy, “Its business, its not personal.”
Coldtusker……… for you to insinuate that i said “6-figure salary” = “hand-to-mouth for most Kenyans.”….i am speechless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You said…..”If not for the Nesbitts (among other “hated/reviled” entrepreneurs/factory owners/retailers, etc) the unemployment rate would be 60-75%.”
So does this means that Kencall has reduced unemployment in Kenya from 60-75% to 40%?
Dude, are we from the same country????
Then again you go on to write ….”If you, I or KE thinks we can do a better job than the Nesbitts, then we should start a Call Center”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What happened to constructive criticism?
Isnt that what blogging/commenting is all about?????
Nuff Said!
Anonymous……………chicken change is chicken change.
Based on its previous cash flow performance as well as asset value a company CAN walk in and get an OD. So what in God’s green earth are you guys talking about???
In a nut shell, 4m reading your comment……
you are stating the obvious.
you totally misunderstand me
i will not be at pains to xplain myself.
As you said “Lets start thinking beyond our noses” …and re-direct this “excitment” to the Safcom IPO….
just what is ‘chicken change’? 10k per month? or maybe 20k? surely its in that range,no?
ME: Nesbitts AMONG other mzungu entrepreneurs including ScanGroup (Thakrar & White), EABL (started by 2 dudes back in the day), Mabati (Chandaria family), Equity (Mwangi, Muguku, etc), Nakumatt, Tusky’s… etc!!!
Never said the Nesbitts lowered unemployment down to 40% solo… AMONG other entrepreneurs…
Don’t forget the various dukas, kiosks & exhibition stalls… all are entrepreneurs! Kenya has 1000s of these… including the farmers & Mama Mbogas…
P.S. I do not count thieves like biwott, moi, kenyatta (well, his dad), merali, etc as entrepreneurs… coz they used political connections & shortcuts!
ME: Just making a point about entrepreneurship. You were attacking the Nesbitts (I have no connection!!!) but I am a fan of (most) entrepreneurs. They have vision which most of us lack.
Coldtusker….
Tusky’s formerly Tusker Matresses is not a mzungu company. It is owned be a Kikuyu Family.
As for Nakumatt, its a “Patel”…………and not a mzungu.Same thing for Mabati (Chandaria).
Lastly, I was NOT attacking the Nesbitts. I was simply stating FACTS and people have come here to prove me right.
I have been an entrep. for many years so its nothing against anyone. I would say the same thing for any company, any Entrep or any CEO…….so its nothing personal against Kencall or the Nesbitts.
STOP misunderstanding me, please!
ME: Mea culpa… MEA CULPA…
The mzungu part was misplaced… it was meant to be supposed to be 2 “mzungu” dudes… only reason I used “mzungu” was coz people think of EABL as always being a Diageo firm when it was not…
The forerunner of EABL was Kenya Breweries with the famous “Tusker” being their first or 2nd product!
I (generally) do not care who owns/runs a firm… pole sana!!!
CT:
Nobody was attacking the Nesbitt’s! we were attacking a situation described above (not paying employee’s) — that’s a legitimate “attack” if you want to use that word. Besides, a blog that’s always polite and diplomatic would bore me to death! I want people to freely express their opinions, whether good or bad and let the chips fall where they may. No sugar coating here! (if you want politeness, go to bankelele!)..oops, did I say that? absolutely!
Annonymous:
Well, that’s interesting and good if Nesbitt did in fact tell his employee’s what was going on (although it conflicts entirely with what others have said here, so who knows?)
BTW – tell Nesbitt to visit this blog and leave his comments. We’d all love to hear about his entrepreneurial ventures in Kenya (I’m sure he’s a big boy and can handle whatever “criticism has been leveled against him here)
ME;
I like your passion and strong opinions! don’t water down your comments to appear more polite (that’ll bore us).
One thing I notice here is just too much negativity especially from kenyanentrepreneur and ‘ME’. I have worked at Kencall for over 2 years now and still there. Kencall has gone through worse times but there’s alot of change now. We get paid by the 30th of each month and in full. Employees are more happier now than they were a year ago. With over 400 staff all paid in full and on time that’s definitely a huge improvement. The least paid employee takes home 20k. Some make close to a 80k. In a country where half the population eats less than a dollar a day, 20k take home pay is something remarkable. Quoting the New York Times ‘Kencall is one reason why Kenya’s economy grew by 6% last year’.
Dear Mr or Ms M15t3r…….
What is the difference between negativity and constructive criticism???
“The least paid employee takes home 20K”????
ha ha ha
Are we from the same country?
Once again, who is fooling who?
“Kencall is one reason why Kenya’s economy grew by 6% last year”
First….NYT has been wrong on many counts but thats a story for another day…
Second…The key word is “ONE”
This could mean that their contribution to the Kenya’s economic growth could be 0.0000000000000000000000000000000009% of that 6%….go figure!
I usually do not comment on blogs because i keep things real and minimize the excitement. Thats why my name is “Me”…coz i am just “Me”
Many people do not like hearing the truth.
KE & I are not hating on the Nesbitts or Kencall. I believe in Kenya/Africa/Outsourcing etc but i have zero tolerance for bad business practice. Employees are a company’s greatest asset and every entrep. should know that.
I mentioned s’where that my b/f is setting up a BPO in Kenya. He is also experiencing the same challenges as Kencall (infrastracture, internet, and what not) but employees are never not paid. He even goes out of his way to PAY EMPLOYEES OUT OF HIS OWN A/C. We are talking 6-fig salaries and not the 20-80K Kencall pays so…whats so special about Kencall ???
Unlike Cold Tusker, I DO care who owns/runs a firm… coz i have ZERO love for Wazungus or Wahindi’s coming to the motherland to treat us like slaves.
I live and work in the US and i am the only African in my company. (NOTE: We are No.1 in the Fibre Optic Industry) Actually, out of approx. 150 employees there are 8 blacks and 1 brown (Me..:) ).
Kenyans are a bright crop of humans and we are capable of setting up, managing very successful companies….w/out the help of any foreigner.
I dont know if the Nesbitts are Native Kenyans but maybe if they were i would have had “some love” for their entrepreneurial endeavors.
Thats why i have MAD LOVE for Tuskys/Tusker Matress coz the owners are “Wasaperes
“
I am also a practical experiental employee of Kencall and can attest to what M15t3r says. Oh by the way, it’s now 6figures. Yes the Nesbitts are Kenyan and they also did go to the extent of paying guys off their pockets. We are talking a workforce of upto 300 people being paid off their pockets.
These guys work an average of 14-6hours (the Nesbitts) to see their dream come true and the few occassions when people came in to complain about pay they would do something about it. I know they did about me!
Bottomline is if you have been in entrepreneurship which I have been and still am, there are facts you have to face such as parting with a your own cash to meet business obligations. That will also include alot of beatings from people who do not share your vision.
ME is talking from his/her cosy job and environment of employment in the States. Unfortunately in this blog, there seems to be mixed reaction on the issue. Yes I believe the Nesbitt’s have the ability to withstand your blog – after sustaining a workforce that big with cashflow issues and now sailing through global accolade.
Quote :” ME | August 15th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
What is the difference between negativity and constructive criticism???
“The least paid employee takes home 20K”????
An average Kenyan teacher makes about 10-12k a month. You call 20k peanuts? I bet that teacher who teaches kiswahili would be willing to come to Kencall and spend 8 hours answering customer care calls where the only skill that is required of him is to know how to speak kiswahili.
ha ha ha
Are we from the same country?
Once again, who is fooling who?
I live and work in the US and i am the only African in my company. (NOTE: We are No.1 in the Fibre Optic Industry) Actually, out of approx. 150 employees there are 8 blacks and 1 brown (Me..:) ).
Need I say more? You shoot yourself in the foot by your own words in the same post. Why do I need to expound on this any further?
Leo….
.
thanks for your input.
ME is a she and not a he.
YES, my job is cosy
M15t3r…..
“The least paid employee takes home 20K”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“The least paid employee takes home 20K”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“The least paid employee takes home 20K”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nuff Said!
Funny how people are making comments based on no information.
that must be the reason why there are so many retrations and changes of tack.
Guys, guys guys!! These are baseless lies, made worse by a few individuals who cannot resist the urge to bond with their keyboards.
If we are going to start rumors that can seriously hanmper the growth of a business, could someone PLEASE get their facts straight, not jump on their keyboards straight from bed? At least have a cup of coffee and be able to substantiate these scandolous allegations. You are making it sound like the Nesbitt’s business model is not to pay. CRAP!!
Get proof before opening your traps. alegations are just that, allegations.
Manyee…
Allegations? And we have evidence from at least 3 people???
Tell us something we dont know.
Keep the “hulabalu” to yourself
You have ellegations from at least three people who are not aware that things are very different at KenCall.
Have they called to claim their dues and been told they wont be paid?
Moving on….what are the staff turnover figures for KenCall for the last six months? What were the reasons staff left? What did it have to do with pay? Someone pleeeese tell a lie on this one (as it seems to be the trend on this topic). Am not taking sides but i would rather have concrete evidence over blind speculation anyday!! Without facts, its plain daft to say this and this company has the highest staff turnover. And, to make it worse, link this,by innuendo, to salaries issues is more stupidity than i can fathom.
KenCall had 100 employees enf of Feb this year, now i have confirmed from them that they have 430. To have the highest staff turnover in Nairobi and retain that level of staffing increases beats logic. Oops, some people might have shidaz understanding the abstract concept of logic…..
Come on guys…
BTW- what the heck is “hulabalu”. check the spelling of the word and then check the meaning. then bang your head on a wall!!!!!!!!!!
Manyee…
“Check the spelling of the word”….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“”Bang you head on a wall”….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of all the comments you could write was that the best you could do???
Didn’t you see that i put the word in inverted comman……FCOL pliz, pliz,pliz dont turn this educative debate into an English class. I bet they teach those at Kencall
.
Free of charge…
The word hullabaloo is an English noun meaning an uproar or fuss.
I repeat…..
Tell us something we dont know.
Keep the “hulabalu” to yourself !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
least paid employee doesnt get 20k , thats a pure lie, he/she gets 12k and is told to live along msa rd. or eastlands so that the company doesnt incur transport costs.
i have noticed that alot of those defending kencall’s working conditions with a sycophantic style, nways keep it up , someday you may actually start believing that its true…………
“ME” you have completely lost drift of this discussion. You have turned this into an emational fight beating down Kencall and anyone who’s coming up with positive sentiments. You seem to have a prejudiced opinion of how everything at Kencall is in the doldrums.
I could bet my arse on it that you even have no idea where Kencall is let alone having stepped thorugh Kencall’s doors or even on a far fetched position, having worked there.
I guess you have a friend who once worked at Kencall and couldn’t take all the pressure combined with the thought of not getting their cash at the end of the month. The ones who left during the crisis had tehir right to, the ones who stuck around also had teh right to do that and I can bet you most of them don’t regret it.
One thing that you might not understand about Kencall unless you have worked there is about the entire experience. This I cannot explain to you, you would hafta live a day at kencall to know what I am talking about, but then again, I can bet teh whole world (if I owned it) that you will never work or even step into Kencall.
Ohh and by the way, living in America making 5 digit figures in American dollars, you don’t have much moral authority to be criticizing someone paying a worker in Kenya upwards of 20,000/= a month. There are many many people who would go to extremes to make that kind of money.
Miss, this is Kenya, 20k is alot of money for someone who is not assured of a high level job at the end of one’s college life. By the way the situation ain’t really that much good in organisations outside Kencall. I’ve gotten offers from multiple organisations to work for them, but looking at all things combined, it is not worth it. Some even have the guts to offer me less than what kencall is paying me.
Now unless you have lived through that, most of your opinions are just that, “baseless opinions”.
You said……”I could bet my arse on it that you even have no idea where Kencall is let alone having stepped thorugh Kencall’s doors or even on a far fetched position, having worked there. ”
FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!!!!!
Lets stick with the issues young man.
You said……”but then again, I can bet teh whole world (if I owned it) that you will never work or even step into Kencall.”
This is NOT rocket science…i will NEVER work at Kencall.
So what???
You said…….”Ohh and by the way, living in America making 5 digit figures in American dollars, you don’t have much moral authority to be criticizing someone paying a worker in Kenya upwards of 20,000/= a month. There are many many people who would go to extremes to make that kind of money. ”
“5-digit figures???”
Says who? It could be 4-digits….or 6-digits
You said…..”You dont have much Moral Authority?”
NIgga Pris Pris….Tuheshimiane!!!!!!!!!!
My comments are very simple so stop trying to make them as complex as your name “M15t3R”…:)
Baseless Opinions?
I know MANY people who work for Kencall and for you to come and lie to us that….
“The least paid employee takes home 20K”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“The least paid employee takes home 20K”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“The least paid employee takes home 20K”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the ‘brown’american-kenyan ought to understand that 20K isn’t exactly peanuts in nairobi,move upcountry and the effect of purchasing power makes the 20 feel like 40.
all the same,12K is like the hamsters wheel, turning but going nowhere.
and for the guy with the complex name (mi5-what?), what opinion isn’t prejudiced? so let ME sing it out…
Just What ….et al..
Just where in this thread did i state, imply or assume that 20K = peanuts/ chicken change/ measly pay???
I mentioned chicken change and Mr.Complex himself (M15t3r) LIED to us that the least paid employee takes home 20K.
Where is the correlation???
PS: I am brown and Kenyan but NOT American
i see my error,and concede (kenyan ,not american)
all the same 12K IS peanuts for brain-work rather than brawn-work.
15k basic a month for an agent+ commssions. Some agents make commissions of even 45k.Attendance has an impact on both basic pay and commissions. Taking the kitchen sink on a single day results in an automatic deduction of an average of 700/=. Commissions get a beating if attendance falls below a certain level. So ‘m’ if you are one of the people who disappear once the mid month cash checks in and fnd up getting 12k, don’t assume that all other agents go home with a similar amount.
haa haa , i know everything going down, so tell us another lie , u had said it was 20k, now down to 15k………………….u may begin to believe its true,keep it up.
When I said 20k I was taking the commmissions and bonuses into consideration. Do I have to break everything down for you to understand all this? Can’t do some math on your own?
look dude nobody has ever taken those “commissions” since inception in 04, so the basic still remains at 12k but i as i said keep it up , u are actually beginning to believe uaself now. i dont have any beef against “investors” who create jobs but i am against those who abuse the kenyan workforce by not paying salaries on time & paying them very little even in local standards.
Do you listen to yourslef when you speak(type)? Doesn’t seem like you do. You just blabber out anything that pops into your mind.
Get your facts right before you speak out anything.
Go setup your own business that will not abuse Kenyans then start ranting.
M15t3r…
You said “Go setup your own business”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m afraid to let you know that your comments are very immature.
Argue based on facts and do away with the insults.
When you dare tell “m” …”Get your facts right before you speak out anything.”….Just what?
the HELL are you talking about in comparison to what you write???
M15t3r
u & i know that i have spoken the truth about whats going down , do i have to “run a business ” to point out an ill? btw this salary issue is just one of the things that happen, do u want me to point out other interesting things that have been happening there?
Yes – I want you to point out the other “interesting” things that have been happening there ( by all means, point them out…
Go Mi15t3r, GO!!
Let Em Know!!
M, this is a fact, people hv made comms of upto 58 K.
I should know!!
Hey all,
This is starting to get boring. the starter of this blog seems to like moshene. just check how he encourages moshene threats by ‘M’…
You guys need to get a life. including the starter of this blog. Face it all. This was a blog to discredit Kencall. Was started by someone bitter about it.
Face it . you lost… way too many good things being pointed out by people who seem to work for this company.
Oh Formula – stop it!
you want us to hold hands and sing “kumbaya” everyday like nursery school children? that’s not real life. In the real world people have disagreements and differences of opinion and sometimes even differences over the facts.
Like I’ve said before, everyone has the right of reply. If you think something has been said in error, present your point of view and people will make up their own minds. A blog were everyone agreed would be utterly boring.
Oh! sorry to “Misunderstand you”. So this was an entertainment blog?
Thanks for clarifying that point. Now please entertain us with some of those antics you have up your sleeve. Or have you ran out?
to the complex mi5r & company who seem to love kencall so much; one thing you’ll have to accept is that kencall does pay LESS than 20k and the fellows collecting ‘58K’ plus are a minority (
the core of the matter is that a guy making real money is riding on many backs and that is NOT the way to build up an industry,whether in Bangalore or in Nairobi. that’s just what i’m talking about.
After all the posting and everything. No one has told us how much guys make at Kencall.
No one has given us any breakdown of any sort.
Because most of the guys posting stuff here don’t know what they are talking about.
Next time please post with facts sorta like the way things are done at wikipedia. have some references.
Probably this public comment thing should have a url pointing to ones sources.
Or like they have it at yahoo answers.
Anyway,
The blog says so much about us as Kenyans. (Faced with an issue we are more interested in correcting other peoples grammer and saying how much we earn rather than solving the real issues.)
We never address the real issues…
we never address the real issues…
we never address the real issues…
we never address the real issues…
This country will only move forward when we start addressing the real issues.
Just take your time to listen to BBC world have your say.
You will notice that the most important thing is the way you feel about an issue than your skin color, your education or broken english.
Can you guys try doing that here.
Address issues not peoples’ personalities.
Thanks.
I know its grammar not grammer.
You see what I mean?
Kimani:
There’s a reason people called the information on wikipedia – Wiki-ality (it takes on it’s own form of “reality) – not a good example on your part.
Ok, y’all, here is the truth. I hv been watching all this unfold, and hearsay is one not even close word to describe what I see. (Seesay?)
The majority of the workforce at kencall are of course the agents who generate the revenue for the organization. You asked for a breakdown? Well here it is.
On average, an agents basic pay is 15k. This agent is also entilted to commisions, based obviously on the performance and quality of his work. Hit targets but with wack quality? Comms will of course be nyongwad. Hit targets, good quality, go laughin all the way to the bank. Now for an agent to make less than 5k in comms, there would be something quite wrong right there. I’m sure that is what M15t3r was trying to make us see but of course we either were misinformed or just not at a level to understand the technicalities of commissions and all that.
There are the IT techies; these guys realy do make some good money as well, seeing as IT is what really drives the company.
Kencall is a fun environment to work at.
I do not wish to report on each and every department
The major hitch that this company suffers from is communication. Bad bad communication.
Oh, and just a by the way, The fliest mamaaz in Nairobi work for kencall. Anyone want to differ with me on that??
Anonymous:
I couldn’t have put it better. The place is real nice to work in and the mamas……DAMN!!!!
Need I say more.
Out!!!
Ladies and gentlemen – I have just found this blog. Well. This is November. I just joined Kencall a week ago, as an agent, after 3 weeks training. I was lucky to get through. Guys are squeezing through the door to get in here. The door being training.
As of NOW, November 4th, 3:34 AM, there is some sort of go a slow because guys have not been paid for last month’s salo, apparently which was to come in before the 26th last month. Nearly 10 days there.
So yesterday they were told that (No on Friday), that they would be given 50% of their salo, because the client has not paid.
There is not one client at Kencall. There are different accounts. Different clients.
No one has been paid. Freshers like me are worried. But not much to do.
Guys, if anyone is out of Kenya, we could have a good business idea, an outsourcing idea, which can work simply, and efficiently, and can make some good money for both of us.
Write to me at diamind at postkenya dot com.
Kencall doenst look so prospecting right now.
Thanks.
Just to add on that – I can demonstrate how I have made hundreds of bucks as a freelancer, and which I still do, at home. But I would use some business mind like me for synergy and all. Plus also some connections.
J
This money issue is killing the company’s reputation i only worked there for 3 months the account i was in pulled out.Suddenly now we havent been paid our october salary.We are also supposed to be paid for november, because of the sudden job cuts.I just dont understand why we havent been paid since we worked till the last day of the month and why havent the other employees in other accounts not been paid and they have nothin to do with the closed account….By the way is the management being paid 50% also?? hmmm.
Okey all. Im glad someone finally woke up and hit the nail on the head. True True very True i was woking for kencall and upto date i gave up going there for my money infact i decided to let it go. coz its all a waste of time.No pay is true,no communication very true.But twas a great place to work the work enviroment is great but at the end of the day we all work for money but when you have to keep borrowing fare from people to go to work it is hell.Youd rather just stay at home.Though i belive they can work on it do something,if it is the clients find some mode of payment pay before they are submitted with the work done haaaaa.
Having worked at Kencall for a substancial amount of time It is true that they have an issue when it comes to payments. As A BPO centre their number ONE resource should be their staff and their needs should be taken care off first. As an agent on the floor, what would be my motivation to hit target knowing that i will probably not get paid for it. To date I believe there have been over 2000 people who have been in and out of those doors and that is since October 2004 when they began their operations and that includes management that as a staff turnonever figure is quite high for any organisation ( unless your running a prison) and a majority of these people have got jobs elsewhere but they are still dissapointed at they way things were dealt with at Kencall. I applaud the Nesbitts for being the brave ones to entre the call centre industry as commercial entreprenures however we also have to note that call centres have been in Kenya for over 10 years supporting like Safaricom, Telekom, Kenya Power and Celtel however we do not hear these kindof issues arising from them .
In Short KENCALL HAS TO STYLE UP
tHEY DONT PAY!!!….BELIEVE ME I WAS OWED MONEY FOR 6 MONTHS AND STILL AM GAVE UP LONG AGO!
THE NESBITTS SAY ONE THING AN DO ANOTHER…FINANCE DEPT..JOKE…ERIC NESBITT…JOKE…DONT TRUST THEM!
jkamau…would you by any chance be john???…if so i know you, if you remember falling off a bar stool whilst watching a certain football match in May…let me know the initials of the bar and i will get back to you.
I am still here at Kancall, its really bad now we have only been paid 50% of our salarys and no news on when the rest is due.
dave steward the manager left( what did he know)?.. and lots of the accounts are folding up or being reduced. I started on a new accont this week and am training but the whole place is just talkin about money and everyone is lookin to get out. Nobody seems to know whats happening and nobody tells you anything.
so get back to me with those initials an if you are who i think you are then we can catch up.
still NO PAY its the middle of the month NO PAY!!!.How can they come up with an excuse that the cheque sent to BOUNCED? have pity on your rep.I have given up! use the money to open another account to handle employees distress.
Just got my 40% of salary for last month yesterday!!! the excuses that they say are just that…EXCUSES!! everyone is sick of this! the lies that they tell you, even my manager is looking to move!!
Eric nesbit just hides in the office now and sneaks out to meet his girlfriend behind the building as she gets into his car!! I can bet he dosent have his landlord throwing him out!! The magic has gone and when i eventually get my remainiing pay I am off!!!
Stop this stinking shit about kencall sore losers. You were not forced into employment in this callcenter, you dragged your desperate asses to this place looking for employment because you needed it. Now that you got it, you became lazy-typical backward african nature- and started taking everything for granted.
If where you were before kencall why dont you go back there or better still look for employment in other call centers or any other place for all i care. Running business can be tough at times and we we have t0o persevere, you wont realise this till the day you will be doing your own start-up.
You might say am being naive but we must take the example of the japanese- people do overtime without pay,come to work when sick,accept paycuts just to keep ‘the company’ afloat- take care of the company and the company will take care of you.
What kind of society will this be if the (mostly young) people wont grow up and prefer partying when they are supposed to be on duty? Open your eyes and as Gates said young people should stop thinking its easy out there- in the corporate world.
For the record, though delayed, you got your money and still lucky to have your jobs in these times of layoffs and downsizing…
Am not done here yet, gotta log in, i’ll be back!
Joel, You sure talk sum **** boy..let me tell you how it really works an ansa you commets
1. i WAS NOT FORCED INTO EMPLOYMENT…yes yuo are correct in the sense that nobody physically forced m in the door but as a single mother i was not in a position to not take a job. The nightshift hours suited my life so I could still spend time with my child and have him looked after. When i got the job it was the one of the happiest days of my life.
2.
Joel, You sure talk sum **** boy..let me tell you how it really works an ansa you comments
1. i WAS NOT FORCED INTO EMPLOYMENT…yes you are correct in the sense that nobody physically forced m in the door but as a single mother i was not in a position to not take a job. The nightshift hours suited my life so I could still spend time with my child and have him looked after. When i got the job it was the one of the happiest days of my life.
2.I BECAME A LAZY TYPICAL BACKWARD AFRICAN AND STARTED TO EVERYTHING FOR GRANTED….This one really got to me, lazy????..at kencall you have to get to work 1hr before you start ( or they sack you, and yes you dont get paid for it) and when you finish work you have to stay working if the next shift has not turned up ( which is almost all of the time) so on top of the 9 hr day ( what happened to an 8hr day???) that you are supposed to work you are in the building foe 11hrs and you get dropped off 1hr 30mins after you leave??…so I am away for 12hrs 30mins per day.
3.DO OVERTIME WITHOUT PAY…I think i have justified this above!!…but just incase you dont get it heres how it works, commissions at kencall are very eratic if they dont want to pay you cause they havent got money they dont!!! my basic salary is 15,000 I get about 11,000 after tax I have rent of 6,000 and pay out 2,000 for childminding and 1,000 for transport to work per month…this leaves me with 2,000 to feed an clothe me an my son. So when they dont py me in full an they give me little bits. It really hurts an when they lie to you bout when you gonna get it an it dosent come what do I tell my landlord??? what do i tell my son when there is no food to buy??? I have no parents to rely on its just me bringing in the money so when you start at kencall an you believe the dream you think your live is gonna get better not that you will be lied to an cheated. If you leave you NEVER get paid they just let you hang around the reception an ignore you!! I cant afford to leave an not get money even if I had another job to go to!!
I cry at nights thinking about my situation, I am in despair.
The nesbits are just the same as our colonial bosses of the past they dont give a s**t!! As long as there pockets are lined they will NEVER go through what I go through! That joel is not really the way japanese bosses behave I bet???
YES…YES YES…AT LAST I HAVE MANAEGED TO SECURE ANOTHER JOB!
yes people just got a call today saying i have been sucesful in a new job with a reputable company who will actually pay me and give me medical cover( those not at kencall wont know what that is)…I am going to leave as soon as they pay me my next salary so I was not able to say to my new employers my actual start date, I know there is no chance we will get paid on time and in full.
I have been messed about by kencall for a year an a half now and enough is enough…the atmosphere is not what it used to be its just a sweat shop with everyone bitchin about everone!! No one is now in charge since the manager left an everyone is tellin you different things.
when i leave I am gonna spill the beans about what i know an let all you left work it out for youself. You dont get nuthin but lies from the nesbits so heres is what you gonna get from me….my parting presant to u all……
1. why our biggest client left..the real reason.
2. where eric nesbit an his girlfriend hook up an what they do.( an it aint holdin hands)!
3.How one member of management makes more than his salary providing staff to other companies.
4. why an where the finance team left before the shit hit the fan
5. why the transport manageress an her asistant cant keep there legs closed an that the “favors” they do means we are left waitin for transport home.
6.what the drivers say about how they get paid cause of kencall not payin them an how they plan to get revenge.( this is juicy an will have serious impact on kencall.
7. I wont name the names but will let you know how many ex staff are still gettin paid even afta leavin the sweatshop ova 4months ago!!!
8. how much nik nesbit as spent travlin the world while we wait for our money.
9.how my friend slept with a member of managment to get a team leader position
10. how ex staff are forming a group to go to the ministry of labor an set up a website for ex an current staff to air there views.
If i say i am not doing this out of vengance it would not be true but after been lied to, cheated and treated like a dog I want the chance to tell what it is really like to be a nesbit worker.
It used to be a fun place to work an i have made many good friends but i have learnt a valuable lesson…dont work for low pay, no pay and liers!!!
WATCH THIS SPACE…..
..Am so sorry about your situation Lou, i had no idea you’re a single mother. Well, don’t cry and don’t despair;just trust in God, He’ll surely see you through,He always keep His word,you can count on that.
Some people think being a single mother is a drab but we never know who the kid might out to be!
All people have problems whether personal or general but (hard) work is such a damn reality if you want to attain and maintain some standard of living and make a difference to other peoples lives (if ur charity minded that is). We are supposed to work,and seek knowledge, till the day we die and the sooner we realise, accept,and learn to deal with it, the better
8hr night shift,12hrs personal projects(including hassling aimlessly looking for opportunies),comunity work,religious duties,networking at the end of the day, u got 4hrs left to rest, if ur lucky,each and every single day till you lose track which day of the week ur in.And all this just to get your talents noticed and hopefully to turn them into profit in future,hopefully.
You cant back out now, u can never back out. till u die!
I have been reading this site with all the comments from kencall staff ex and presant with interest. firstly let me say Lou i feel you and echo joels comments about how God will take you in your path in life if you let him.
In responce to “in the know” everyone knows what you are saying and there are no surprises in your soon to be “revelations” I have been working at kencall for over a year now and was shocked by the behaviour of the guys an gals there. When i started my new job like most people you want to be accepeted by your new collegues, so I was invited out to have a drink after work by the group in my team we went off to a bar toghther an when i ordered a soda i was laughed at!!…it soon became obvious that the purpose of the social event was for the staff to pair off with each other and i watched as they shamlessly made no secret that they were all heading off to have one night stands. That was the first an last time i went for drinks with them!
let me tell you “in the know” the transport girl jacki kamau an irene are not the only kencall gals doing there thing, almost all the guys are sleeping around they have no shame. Something seems to happen to them when they work there, I have worked at a large organazation before and it had as many staff as kencall and the girls ( and the guys for that matter) would not behave in this way. it seems aceptabe that if you work here this is how you must behave. why???
I was brought up a christian and live my life accordingly through god i know i will not contact a STD or worse. Having kencall on your resume might help you secure another job but it will not help you secure a good man, word is around what the gals that work at kencall are all about. It comes from the top when you have one of the directors playing with a member of staff who we all know is HIV positive…is this what they are saying is the right way to conduct ourselves?? This man has a wife an family so if its ok for him you can see why it sends the message out to us agents.
On the matter of salarys, yes we dont get paid on time an i can almost agree with you Joel that we should stop moaning, i do not spend all my salary drinking an going to clubs, i leave enough money to allow if i am paid late. The people that moan are the people that I have mentioned above ( the majority of staff)
I have pride in the work i do for kencall and have taken the lies, late pay and constantly wrong commisions but I will not let it get to me. I have trust in my god that I will follow the path he has chosen and I pray that my fellow workers stop what they are doing as I know you were not like this when you started,so be stronger and do not give in to temptation!
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
in-the-know, I soo feel you yaani. I hv worked there as well, for almost a year and trust me it was like sooo not fun!
Dude, pliz giv me feedback, I’d like to b one of us goin to the labor dept coz enyewe, I have been shafted mercilessly. Pliz hit me on ‘malainedawgsup@yahoo.com’ on any details u feel I should know as one of us and I’ll def be glad man. I am sad sad sad sad sad!
I’m currently working at Kencall and sure, pay is always and I mean ALWAYS and issue. After working your ass off under very stressful conditions, only to be told you didnt get commisions and the pathetic basic pay is delayed for half a month, trust me, no one would laugh about that.
“In the know”, my friend, who gives a sh*t about the sex going on in KenCall? All we care about is our cash. If you want to screw the transport chicks and they have refused, move on idiot.
Corporate sex scandals are the norm everywhere. I’m surprised that you think it is a big deal.
So grow up and get a life… or better still quit KenCall and go to the company where people dont screw each other, assuming you will get one.
Not that I have a chick in KenCall, I’m just pissed at people who can never mind their own business and have to poke their noses into affairs that will never benefit them as far as earning their salo is concerned.
Having worked for KenCall for about 18 months, I do understand and sympathize with the situation. They are both financial and environment.
KenCall’s problem is not financial but managerial. There’s so much need to impress the client that the staff come second. I’ve worked on numerous projects for the company and seen their deployment. Management deems it fit to roll out new accounts on the fly without informing the actual implementers. Recruitment, training, setup are all done in a huff.
The staff are left fighting fires with the client when the agents and/or systems fail. When your boss lies to the client and tells them everything is fine and yet the client can very well see that the volume has decreased and no explanations are brought forth then you beg to wonder how does KenCall survive?
The result of such unplanned implementation is un-budgeted expenses, loss of client confidence and staff morale is low. Add this to the late pay (as a result of un-budgeted expenditure) and you have this blog as a let out point.
In the next two years KenCall will lose its boasting rights and even disappear in the face of competition unless the management realises the importance of human capital. The HR department is a serious joke and needs a lot of improvement. There’s no need of having a HR Officer who has absolutely no power.
Placing executive authority on 3 or 4 individuals in an organisation that has over 100 staff is realistically a joke. The organisation needs to relook at its management structure and future plans if its ride the current wave and come out on top.
The environment is really a personal issue… who sleeps with who is a matter of choice and to give credit to the people there, there are a lot of decent ladies and gentlemen. I conquer with Anony that if you don’t like the behavior of certain people you can walk out. My encouragement to sister “proud” is to change the organization from within. God has given you a mandate to influence the rest of the organization through your behavior. I’d say you pray hard ask for the humility of purpose and HIS grace and wisdom.
I have worked @ kencall for about a year now, and i agree that LOW & LATE pay is the song we sing day in day out. the nesbitts really know how to screw aroung with your mind and make empty promises. the worst part is at the end of the day when you’ve really been working your arse off and ur tired like a donkey, the nesbits are smilling all the way to the bank. we are making them more money than Kamlesh stole from kenyas economy(goldenberg). how can u tell your workers to be patient and that u’ll pay them half their salary and still expect them to come to work therefter?after paying rent, where do u get busfare to come to work?u dont even know when the other 50% will check in. will your landlord be patient with you, or will nesbit spend the nite in the cold with you when your kicked out of your digz?does he go without a single meal at any one time when you have to sacrifice and forego some meals in a day so that you can just come and make him some extra dollars? we should also involve the human rights in this situation, not only the Misnistry of labour.
My other opinion,is it fair for team leaders and account managers who do nothing all day but just yap yap yap and scream at agents to be bagging 70-100k+ net salary? the agents are the ones working their arses off, these others are just like ticks, living of others sweat.
i wont mention names, but wanajijua. account managers who are illiterate, as in furthest education level is high school!!!!! this is 2k7, these guys are betta off being touts or drivers, not account managers!!! if the company doesnt have these lazy bustards lying around, will it still continue operating or not? get rid of unnecessary staff and do a thorough overhaul of the entire management @ the firm. my two cents worh.
yes guys its the 6th of the month an still no pay!!!….no shocks eh?
they want us to give a 110% but not pay us on time.
“anonymous”….I agree with you all the way man, the account managers are a waste of time perhaps 2 are worth the pay.
“Proud” I cant argue much bout what you said gal but was it really nesscary to name jackie kamau in name??? there are lots like her in KenCall an i dont think it suits christian values to have done that…think about it.
“ex-worker”…. you have hit the nail on the head, you speak the truth man an if you got any tips where to go afta the sweatshop finnaly pays i would be in your debt.
Lets hope when we get off the sinkin ship we can all stand on the shore an watch it sink with the nesbits facin the same s**t we have had to…..
later….
crap crap crap its all crap
In as much as people have issues with kencall and how it pays its employees i dont think its necessary to insult innocent stuff or mentioning names about who’s sleeping with who. But anyway it clearly shows that people have nothing better to do. God forgive you all.
Fellow Kenyans,
In your frustrations which are justified, you have managed to put for the whole world to see an image which CNN and BBC would LOVE TO AIR on their shows! They don’t need to report the potential of outsourcing in Kenya while seeking for something discrediting about Africans. They have all it takes right here on this blog! How many people believe that every single multinational and successful company in the West was all smooth? How many of their dirty stories can you pull for me off the net?
Let’s get some facts right, the Nesbitts ARE KENYAN! Kencall is a Call Centre and a business. Kenya DID NOT have ANY BPO business before Kencall. I believe that the business relies solely on revenue collection as opposed to financial injections which would ensure timely payments of salaries. This is something the Nesbitts have openly told us every time we have had a problem. FYI I’ve worked in Kencall since last year but resigned mid this year.
Kenya DOES not have the infrastructure to support this kind of business unless it invests heavily in an celestial internet link which they are currently doing.Mind you the process has taken longer than expected. To my recollection, we would be having a marine fibre optic cable by now had it not been for the South Africans wanting a bigger share of the ESSAY project including owernership. This then means that the owners of Kencall have had to constantly pump in their own investments and cash just to proof to the world that it can work in Kenya. And what do they get in return? A blogspot with all the dirt the world can afford/love to hear.
The kind of discussions I see flying around this blog leave alot to be desired from those speaking. It’s evident that most do not have the simplest idea about running a business nor do they even have ethical values to standby leave alone authoritatively speak on a subject other than sex! This shows you the calibre of Kenyans/Africans we are listening to; no less than our politicians. Young guys whose next shot is getting another employer to take them in because their previous one wasn’t paying them…all this in a country recording over 6% economic growth.
Allow me to raise a few questions. Who has spoken on the legal aspects of the views aired here? No one, the best I’ve read are threats to walk to the ministry or labour to ask them to start a website for a privately owned company so that staff can raise their issues! Did you guys go to school? Who has spoken about the PR aspects of the mud smearing campaign I tend to think this blog is made of? None, the rhetoric is one allegation after another to the extent of naming personalities whose integrity is now put into question based on suspicion and no HARD CONCRETE evidence. Mere suspicion.
I’m sad that most of you like the most of Africans since the Pan Africanism begun with African Americans have done no more than spend most of your time, energy and writing prowess to delve deeper into the problem rather than offer solutions! You are just that and shall remain so for the rest of your lives unless you change your attitudes! GIve some DAMN SOLUTIONS Kenyans! A few have requested that management style be changed, kudos for the ideas for the rest…..wallow in your issues. Infact you shall not have any difference wherever you get your next job regardles of whether you are paid more, on time or not! You shall seek to highlight your plight and issues and never offer solutions. All of us can guess where we shall then be 5years from now.
I still wish Kencall all the best in it’s endevours and congratulate the Nesbitts for being strong to walk on despite s@#t being thrown at them from every side. I hope I live to see the day you shall pay and treat your employees at world class standards because you are making enough money. i resigned from Kencall but would go back if not start my own call centre in the near future. While at that, I long to hear young Kenyans fight tooth and nail to be heard because they have solutions to issues affecting them and not some weak and feable lot whose best shot at giving solutions is complaints! Check in the Bible what actually angered God about the Israelites, it wasn’t just disbelief, it was their nagging!
Njeri is right. Too many Kenyans bitch about what they are not geting – but rarely to they offer any solutions. I applaud Nesbitt for the courage and patriotism to invest in his own country. I know thousands of kenyans in America who do not have the guts to do this.
Starting and running a business is tough. Many small business owners (I’m one of them) have a daily struggle to pay their bills ans theywait for vendors to pay them. Most of my clients take 30 – 60 days to pay me, even though my landlord and employees expect to be paid on time.
I just recalled a few mornings ago watching a program about how mitrix.com in Japan started. I also remember last week listening to BBC and they were featuring how Facebook was started by a group of students from Harvard.I’ll not forget the stories of Yahoo, Google and our very own Africaonline. Does anyone know about Microsoft, Ebay, the telehone invention, Henry Ford, Mr Kirubi, Mr Adan Mohammed…etc?
The point of naming all these companies and personilities is because in situations of lack they created luck or rather what most of us would like to term as luck. In essence luck is just opportunity meeting with preparedeness. Yes, I want to lecture.
i don’t agree with injustices neither do I support cowardice, complaining, nagging and bitching without providing solutions. All or most of those who have participated in this blog MUST learn not only to raise issues but raise them with answers.
This week was the end of United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali. A friend of mine – Kenyan happened to have attended. I am made to understand these world conferences involve serious negotiations by different nations. Unfortunately I am also made to understand with no reason to doubt that Africans tend to omba omba pesa. Does that attitude reflect in this blog? I think so. Why do we beg for funding yet Africa has one of the lowest Carbon emission rates. Why are we asking for help when we know USA and China are some of the largest contributors to the Greenhouse effect? Answer – attitudes such as the ones displayed in this blog.
I am strongly urging and speaking to the young lot in Kencall to take a seat back and rethink their potential and options. Engage and again I say, engage positively. When I was in campus, guys would go out and burn private vehicles as a means of communicating that there were no lights, those were the same young Kenyans who would later sit and complain about our politicians ludicrous acts of acting with impunity! I am afraid that by adding more s@#$ on this blog you are sweetening a pity party.
In this regard, 1. I challenge some of you to openly and formally write to the owners of Kencall with your issues. 2. Challenge you to think of ways and means of improving communication amongst yourselves and those purpotedly indifferent to you as pointed out in this blog. 3.Stop hiding behind anonymity in this blog and address your damn issues or move out of the company.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and rational voting driven elections.
The grass always seems to be greener on the other side. I applaud the Nesbitts ( + equity investors) for investing in Kenya. I also applaud the employees for sticking in especially thru the very rough patches.
At the end of it all, LIVE and Let LIVE. If you don’t like it at Kencall, fine. Your options are ;
1. Gunner (..lol) up some financial support and startup your own business
2. seek employement elsewhere.
Be your own solution provider !!
Proud
its amazing how you mix your faith and defamation; on one hand you speak of your God and giving people guidance while on the other you go ahead and make defamatory remarks by mentioning names of persons working at kencall and what they are doing out of work(which is none of your business)… when WE read your post it doesn’t mix at all. Wherever you were working earlier where employees were not as active as you saw it at kencall, then i do know that you were not in the mix there….every company large or small has business mixed with pleasure so wherever you are working get to know people and they will reveal what really goes on.
So much about small talk; Njeri i wish everyone was thinking like you because right now we would be in the league of Singapore, Malaysia South Korea e.t.c forward minded Kenyans who think of what can be done and not what hasn’t been done…. Solutions will not come about by moaning about what isn’t there, and that is why the owners of Kencall started the business in the first place; to create a solution. If we look at successful company like Infosys (which if you scroll up and see it mentioned), which mind you started as a call center and now is a leading business partner to fortune 500 companies, they did not get there by worrying about problems but by looking and implementing solutions..solutions …SOLUTIONS!
The lot at Kencall surely aint made up of fools that much I know because I worked there and I still know some of the guys up there…kudos for keeping going strong. I think they are worth more than they are displaying on this blog. Kenyans complained for a straight 40plus years about bad leadership and oh my when I was growing up people didn’t even want to be identified as Kenyans. They wore “I love New York” T-shirts, listened to Western music and thought it shao to speak local languages or to even eat traditional food. Right now???? Who wouldn’t stand up anywhere in this world and declare I AM KENYAN given the chance?
Why the long story? Things have changed. Today’s Daily Nation has a former employee of Kencall who is currently a CEO of an innovative ideas company. I hit a website with a name of someone whom if am not wrong is also a former employee of Kencall. These guys surely didn’t sit down and just bitch about their situation.
People, I will not disagree that some things may need to be rectified here and there but I’m against undercurrents caused by unhappy weaklings who can’t speak out diplomatically and professionally about their issues. We MUST learn to settle for nothing less than the solution whether short term or long term.
I would like to hear as the founder of this blog requested a few weeks ago the state of the company right now. For ONCE don’t complain, give updates on the call centre industry and potential in the country as you see it. You are the guys on the ground, what do you see, what do you know that you can share for our good (enough of the bad for a while tafadhali). Note that you are talking to people ALL OVER THE WORLD and not your smoke break-next cubicle-collegue.
As Still going strong and Kabari say, SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS!
Boring! Boring! Borng!
Hey Nesbit hope you are enjoying your holiday in Mombasa with your brother. Must be great to go there an eat in nice restraunts an have a good time….We ( your employees/ slaves) are not so luck, unlike most of our friends who work for other companies you did not pay us a thing before Christmas. We think this is disgraceful especially after we havent been paid on time all year!!! And yet you expect us to risk our lives going through riots to come to your sweatshop??
Yeh well you didnt think the elections would cause you you so much did you?? Do you honestly think that after the way you treat people that we are going to risk coming here when we have no gaureeentee of getting paid???
The truth is we would have done, like we did last year but with you and your brother’s attitude towards people we just said…**** you!!!
To anyone thinking of working at KenCall….DONT!! NOT UNLESS YOU LIKE LATE PAY, YOUR SALARY PAID IN BITS, YOUR COMMISIONS WRONG, YOUR COMMISIONS NOT INCLUDED, WORK PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FOR NOTHIN EXTRA….OH YES THE LIST GOES ON.
Anyway you have yourself another cocktail on the beach while we get evicted from our homes and have no food on our table….
Why are we wasting our time with this bullshit?
This is all shift you guys are not forced to work for Kencall GO and resign and your space will b replaced by some else either from outside or at training. STOP kiddin….
Do not Get into the van when the Driver comes to pick you.!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slave, Since when were you not paid extra for public holidays? Stop lying and tell the truth. I believe all agents get paid double pay for working on any public holiday. As for not being paid “a thing” before the holidays, that’s another lie. I know so and can say that with utmost confidence that people got paid some money before the holidays.
YOU THINK SO…MORON THAT STARED A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO…SO DONT TELL US BULSHIT……YOU IDIOT
Slave quoted saying “To anyone thinking of working at KenCall….DONT!! NOT UNLESS YOU LIKE LATE PAY, YOUR SALARY PAID IN BITS, YOUR COMMISIONS WRONG, YOUR COMMISIONS NOT INCLUDED, WORK PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FOR NOTHIN EXTRA….OH YES THE LIST GOES ON”
Late pay means you won’t impulse use your salo. So i’ll take that as a good thing. Commissions are always payed pronto. I think you have issues with Kencall. If you were fired cos you were not performing just take it easy. Stop saying crap about this place cos i’m having a ball.
Hi guys! A lot on Kencall!! One thing I must say is that Kencall is in a business that no one else has been able to sustain! Kudos to the Nesbits!!
That tells you that it is not easy to put up and grow as much as Kencall has in the last 5 years. What Kencall has gone through in these last years has been what we call teething problems which someone has so rightfully said that all new upcoming companies go through that.
I personally have been to Kencall and what I know for sure is the the owners of Kencall have a very noble idea and are yet to go places that I know for a fact being the only ones in this business that have succeeded so far. Others are struggling to start and I will not name names here and are not getting anywhere yet. So for those who think you leave Kencall and go to other companies that are starting the call centre you are in for bigger shocks.
Having done the research there are individuals starting a similar kind of business and asking people to pay 1500 shs for interview. There are others asking people to pay 10,000shs for training. WHERE ARE OUR KENYAN LABOUR OFFICERS?! EXPLOITATION!!!! This to me completely contradicts the business. Are they in the business of recruitment or training or what on earth are they doing? This to me is not call centre business!!!!
All said and done what we should agree is that Kencall has been the best example in the business, not without mistakes agreed but I also know that they are working very hard to sort out the payment issues and I can say that to date employees are paid in time. It is good to see that an effort is being made.
However Kencall should guard against people who will spoil its reputation. Kencall employs over 500 employees and so the proprietors may not have control of what goes on on a day to day basis. These investors depend on their employees to run the daily business and of course do the overall supervisory role. Some of Kencall’s employees in either Team Leader level, Supervisor level or Manager level keep what I would refer to as their own ‘Dinastys’ or ‘Kingdom’ and people who are not like them or do not share their ideals are victimised in pretext of “performance”. That I know for a fact as someone who has been there.
Kencall tends to loose people who would otherwise make a difference in their business because the employees put in responsibility to push them ahead will often have their own personal interests and will shan down those they think may do better than them.
Employees put in such responsible positions should be people with the proper PR to handle people in the right way. A lot of employees end up being mis-handled by them and they either leave or a sent away for all the wrong reasons. Some control should be put here you have a very weak HR department!
Interested party
Ive read most of the comments here and also read about a scam nesbitt is involved in with an american firm blaming them to be robbing them of million of dollars…….
Are these guys really that bad?
Yo Harry, so what’s this Scam?? I’ve tried Googling for that storo lakini wapi!! Is it the scam 2 do with the former Big American account??
I’m still at this abyss
called Kencall and God help me since if it were not for survival and other gates opening up it’s a nightmare esp after introduction of a reap off called “New commission structures” can anyone assist? KHRC? RED CROSS+?
Hey Guys !!
Interesting to read your comments. Today I have an interesting thing in my mind . Lets discuss who is the best,worst and useless account managers. Is it Michael,Grace,Ann,Eric Ngecu,Becky,Pravin(Is he still working with us
or Brenda
This will be interesting as if we want best people to lead us ,lets support then by raising our voice or we will just end up writing blogs here…
hmmmmm!!!
This is really interesting.Firstly I havent seen Pravin for ages,I guess he has left but he was a very good manager.
Though I feel Brenda was outstanding and womaniser called Michael Shamalla be thrown off
I have being reading all the comments and it has made me speak my mind out. Jackie the transport chic need someone every night after Dave Stewart ditched her later Michael Shamalla as well so she is always on a hunt (IT guys are you listening) as these are the people who makes the most .
Lavender, you are correct Shamalla is a complete womaniser someone who cannot leave any chic alone even noleen before karumba took over her. I hope nesbitts are reading this and plan to get rid of condomspree Shamalla.He is a real virus , an ass …..
Hey Guys,
I was an employee of Kencall as well let me tell you one thing lets do not criticise anyone as every organisation has its advantages and disadvantages.
In fact we should be proud for what Nesbitts has done for us starting a call centre here in Kenya giving employment to so many kenyans . Imagine our situation before the year 2000. I do not think anyone will want to go back.
You people are unnecarrily targetting Shamalla, he has been the most effective manager. Whether he slept with Nina,Louissa,Dorothy,Noleen,Caroline,Jackie and many more thats is his personnel life and the girls as well wanted to do so we are no one to interfere in his matters.
We are unneccarrily targetting Jackie as well why is she linked with all. Ok we all know Dave ditched her so she as well has desire so what if she slept with Michael,David Mureki or Timothy. Look at her work she has being handling Transport department single handedly.
So I beg all not to write any wrong thing against anyone.
Anonymous,you rae strongly vouching and if your English is anything to go by….that best explains why you think Jackie and Shamalla are Performers!!!!Nesbitts if you do know whats good for you,it is people with the titles of Managers without Character and expertise to show for it who are earning you guys a bad name,because honestly I think you guys know that you can do much better than Especially JACKIE!!!The Woman Dont know Jack about Planning,and her Personality????Goodness,she is weaker than a chicken atleast chickens can wait to get rained on,the Girl…Woman,whatever she is got to go before you guys can have atransport Department that is effective,for crying out Loud how difficult can it be so that atleast Someone like Wainaina who knows abit of what he does since he can tell the difference between Umoja And Eastleigh,she is trying to frustrate!!!Shame on you Nesbitts for letting someone who knows nothing to her name runa department tjhat deals serves everyone in the Business get run by such incompetence.
For Shamalla you are too old too slow too malicious Pelaka Uluhya Uhindi Mbali,and start by growing up alafu jaribu kupunguza Ukimwi Kenya…Petronilla Are you for real are you saying you could nt find Better?coz you definately know you landed a raw deal!
Hi Interested Party I have heard you rather loudly,one thing it is Kencall has them all in th ewrong places,from Lesbian Account Managers who corrupt young Gals just because she believes in favors but Mary Kamanda you are truly Messing your life,for instance has anyone seen Grace?????can any sane mind,with Men Ill understand she may have some Cushioning for******But For A Chick?Mary how will you live with yourself after you have been Grace’s Wife?Meanwhile Nik and Eric,Steve Liggins can you guys get serious and style up,your Entire Back office is ruled by Kikuyus who cannot let anyone get beyond them incompetent as they are,Now how can you bboast of having the likes of Ann Kiama that Granny who speaks Vulgarities because someone lied to her that that is hip,she doesnt realize how low it is,but why Im I sounding Surprised turn your backs guys and the onmly thing you will hear is that One is judged by the substance of the products,but try this with me
Sarah……….Finance She seems more like it but with herr Kikuyu Counter parts she tends to get derailed
Steve Waweru……..IT MAnager(he looks professional but can do better to look mre presentable
Pauline Kamande……Head of Recruitment and The H.O.D Training(Now with such a malicious Woman running a department that sensitive,it is a No wonder you guys lose talent before you can get them to make you any money,because Malicious Bit****** cant take any Competition,be it Dressing or Personality eneni Dukani Mutanunua na mpatiwe Change si munajionanga mouko kwa position ya Pesa
Ann Kiama………CuCu Witu,Thie Moshie,we ne Mzee ya kutosha acha Watu wenye Nguvu,Hekima na Heshima waweze kutekeleza kazi kwa njia inayostahili bila Wivu,Chuki na Uchcheaji…Nesbitts PliiiiizRid yourselves of embarassment
Last and Least and a Must Go JACKIE KAMAU….Transport!!!!!THis is the I.C.U The Slut cant even perform a simple duty of being a proper slu,,,,,Losing even the easiest thing that god would have reserved for her as a last resort,she cant hold a man down long enough to give him some average Loooving,si atleast mtu hujaribu kuwa na kipawa kimoja,kama ni Kazi ya Transport!Salimu Amri wachana nayo enda Mwenyewe kajitoe Manake Kazi Umeshindwa Mama Huiwezi,ulithania Kumchochea Irene KUngekufanya wewe uendelee,Yeye Msichana wa Kijaluo Aliiweza hiyo kazi haswa,Hungemchochea Kwani now you are so exposed and the Nesbitts and everyone in Kencall whom we are capable of Getting People to See,Lets Censure Jackie,she cant manage Transport or any other job her incompetence and 2 Cents worth of Personality is just enough to make her render that department numb.You Guys Advertised for a Transport Supervisor…let me tewll you the Secret behind all the Capable Assistants that better desrved the Position Jackie Holds right now what ails them is Jackie makes it so difficult for them to make vital,viable and sensible desicions that she is totally unable to make herself,because she fears that they could look good before the eyes of those who matter and she will lose her job and even Koinange Street proves to be a Vacancy that her Skills are unable to match up to the competition,so she would rather have the Good guys go having done absoulutely nothjing just to save her face and yet she is risking millions of Shillings for the company to safeguard her own worthless self.
Truth be told People we were here with Irene in December when the Slut apparentely went on Leave,for the while she was away,not once before the post election Crisis did Irene ever fail to get the agents here on time or when it was time to go home she did it so well….notice this,Jackie was no where in the pictrure so Irene made independent decisions and succeeded to do the job very stress free.Wainaina can attest to that he was with her and the guy was all so relaxed nowadays the poor Guy has lost so much weight,is stressed at all times and is drowning himself in Alcohol as he tries to hide from the frustrations caused to him by The Slut Jackie and ati the Nesbitts care about their employees each and everyone of them……Wake up and smell he cofee boys kumenuka Back office its a Kikuyu affair
Pauline Nyambura….The Alledged H.I.V Positive Mistress,If it is true…na ufe tukuzikilie Mbali,you are not only a B****** but you double up as a Witch,this woman is so Malicious as she dresses like her Grand Mother and going around poking her nose and infected****into places she has no buisiness being at,We should see you in the obituaries soon I could buy a Cow for the purpose of celebrating good Riddance of Lousy Rotten Garbage,,,Die Woman Die,but please dont take Eric With you,Whatever did he see in you?
Michael Shamalla….Only knows how to run accounts down and sleeping around like a Rabbit on Heat,What Nesbitts are you guys for real,that guy is possibly older than Eric but does not have neither Vision nor mission,can you guys noyt hire better?but with Oliver Gone,you lost a Golden Chance to make Proffesional Replacxements Kamande Pauline will bring you some incompetent Kikuyus to help run your Business down..so Poleni,cant you guys overhaul that Back Office and Hire Proper Professionals within a whole new Criteria,possibly get vewtted individuals from Job Link or sMan Power coz Guys you are doing Badly,those guys you call managers make you look too Kienyeji
Though Maybe you are under duress Nesbitts I understand that there are some Prominent Kikuyus who are Investors and Share Holders in Kencall so Possibly you will have to grapple with the fresh Wave…Luos are getting into Off Shore and you may need to move with the Tide exactly there….Offshore
Iam surprised to see that you people know many things thats happening around.
Iam shocked why can’t you people raise this to the Nesbitts.They are not foolish having insane people to work with.
I would suggest an immediate replacement for Ann Kiama (though she is Eric’s chief commander) and Michael Shamalla with immediate effect (though he is Nik’s cheif commander)
Sometime i feel this is hand in glove. I just pray for well being of KenCall as this where I get my bread and butter.
Guys,
Please can we stop this bullshit its simply not worth talking. Iam proud to have worked for Kencall and yes do intend to be back if Nesbitts requires me.
I have worked under Shamalla he is not as bad as you are portraying yes he likes to sleep with multiple partner and Petty is aware of his deeds why are we talking about it now.Please leave him alone.He can hire and fire anyone thats becuse Nick Nesbitt trust him and others cannot build that trust even though he was responsible for Earthlink agents to create issues last year and was moved off his poistion.
I have worked under Pauline Kamande and let me tell you there is no trainer in Kenya who matches her skills so however she is deal with it or get someone who is better off. I can vouch on her saying she is simply the best.Jackie is cool as well do not write anything against her if you want her go and convince her if not SHUT UP !!
Ann Kiama just wants kikuyu in her department and thats her nature and thats very much evident as well so whats your problem if Nesbitts are fine with it.Its there company they want to run in that way thats it just SHUT UP !!
Are you people who are barking here have the guts to invest if not GET LOST !!
I will not stand anyone writing nonsense about my kencall and my people.
Thanks you.
Iam so proud that you people love to speak about me in this forum.
I know you people have nothing else to do so I do not mind you people writing any rubbish about me. Iam not affected at all.
KenCall is only suviving because of me today and come what may no one will ever dare to get rid of me….
So carry on Iam enjoying it .
Michael Shamalla
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly, that he brought home.
One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours. It struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther.
So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but, it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would open, enlarge and expand, to be able to support the butterfly’s body, and become firm.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a withered body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.”
What the man, in his kindness and his goodwill did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes, struggles, hate, criticism, jealousy are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been. Never been able to fly.
So next time when you are faced with an obstacle, a challenge, or a problem, remember the butterfly.
Struggle – then fly!
Lenny,
u’v killed it. Reallity at its best. u’v made my night!!
AMUSED, I would like to know whether your NIGHT is made with Michael Shamalla with you or WITHOUT. I guess it has to be WITH HIM
Its realy unfortunate that you guys are discussing company shame on a public domain.I think this is not the right forum to insult other employees who are under pressure for results. If you could direct this energy to your MPs at http://www.bunge.co.ke would better. Thanks
Hey Tafutabiz,
Even if we complain it to any MP’s nothing is going to work as Nesbitts have strong false connections.YES you are correct employess are under presure to perform,Shamalla daily hunt to get a new chic,Jackie’s hunt to get a Hard Dick,Ann Kiama’s hunt to get someone to shout and insult ,Pauline Kamande’s hunt to get someone with whom she can sleep without anyone knowing it and once done fire him.Pauline Nyambura’s hunt to get information and pass it on to Eric Nesbitt who can then decide to fire somebody and anybody.Look at his trusted right hand Stephen Mwangi finally shown doors reasons only known to the Nesbitts and Pauline Nyambura.
Yes all the above are working under pressure to perform the above tasks.
Lenny,you always strike the right chord man cheers
Everyone has mentioned everyone’s name but I think there is one name everyone is forgetting I term her as the most malicious lady of KenCall its BETTY TOMLINSON,a family and close friend of Nesbitt and gets everything what she desires COMMENTS PLEASE…. This godmotherly lady of kencall is the most malicious ass
Lenny,
ur one straight up lad. I applaud you for that. calling a spade a spade. hats off!!
Jamo,
am with you on this one. that mathe (Betty) is a real pain, REAL pain. problem is she can’t and wont go anywhere unless this place closes down.
How the hell in this world I forget to talk about Betty.She has a sugar coated tone that helps her to soften others.I think everyone is aware what happened to Eric’s trusted IT manager STEVE MWANGI,HE WAS FIRED as he was caught stealing kencalls money and I heard he was caught by none other than nik nesbitt. Should this be a wake call for the nesbitts.Mr.Nesbitts do not trust anyone blindly even betty is such an ass. You will never know when she will bitch and runaway.Do you know she has informers in all the account and then pass it on to the nesbitts when in real she is an aged recepecionist and go on bitching everywhere as she has nothing else to do in this world at this age.This is no joke
Nesbitts are you listening !!!!!
Lenny,after hearing you its just not steve mwangi who used to steal kencalls money.The biggest thief is Shamalla.He along with Kim used to manipulate SPIFF money of tigo and when Kim objected it he was thrown out of Kencall.I think all his friday ,saturday bash are sponsored by Kencall spiff.
What are you saying ? Is this true if it is lets ensure Nesbitts are aware of this. spiff are only for us and not for the managers to enjoy
Soo for someone on the inside none of you have hit the nail on the head.
What really are your issues? Is it rumor mongering, breaking homes or blatant complainers afraid to get up and stand up for your rights but hide behind a blog site?
If your contributions would help build a better working place then the time has come to stand up and get counted.
You have insulted, generally decent people who have many a time stood up for your very own rights but alas it sounds like you are in the last stages of your very insignificant little battle on this universe and it sounds more like “the last kicks of a dying horse”
KenCall never paid on time up until January 2008. Now its just like clock work. That got sorted so your sorry and undignified minds settled on personalizing issues. These people don’t respond to your jargon coz all you talk about is trash and they know it. They stand up and smile daily because they have all the support that is required. Dont you think they are probably doing the right thing considering their positions and your sorry state? Problem is you shall always be in that position because you sound like losers. If Ann is a grandma then get up and take her job. If shamalla is no good a manager and has resorted to stealing but is still in charge of 2 accounts he must be doing something right. Spiffs will always be a reserve of agents, team leaders & QA staff. Dont tell me account managers at Kencall are paid too little that the parties they throw are from spiff money?
Cheap shots losers.
Lets open up real comments………………………..
Whaaaat??? Steve Mwangi I.T manager got fired??? And Oliver left…..Yap …as some one put it….The last Kicks of a dying horse. And definitley Nick is all too aware of all this… Talk about Corporate Drama… HA ha ha ha and the plot thickens…
I wonder if Nik, might need to expand his board of directors, if he has one. A good board of advisors/directors can help in bringing in business, ideas, etc that really work. I really hope that what is on this site is not true, it would be a disaster.
Wondering, if when he is in the US, would a tour of major cities, and an invitation of Kenyan investors, say if he offered bonds, to cover cash flow if that is what is the problem.
To the following person aka persons, who appear to be one and the same, but using different pseudonyms:
Njuguna
Team Leader
Lenny
Michael Shamalla
Joker
Headlines
Lavender
I like the information on this blog to have some level of veracity (aka truthfulness) so, you better cut our your foolishness or else, I’m going to start deleting your comments if you keep using fake pseudonyms and fake email addresses.
BTW – Did you get fired from Kencall and find a new job in Bangalore, India? or are you a kencall competitor based in India?
kenyanentrepreneur – I beg to differ whether the above that you’ve listed are pseudonyms, especially as for Micheal Shamalla, Team Leader and Lenny. I don’t think it’s the same person….Yep and I concur with you on the bit about whether the latest posted threads are based on facts or mere perceptions?? Lenny, probably if you made this clear since from your posts you seem to be pretty much in the loop. As an X – Agent from Kencall…. and reasons why I think there is an overdrive of people venting it all out on this blog is due to the pure mere fact of poor communication from kencall and utter gross mismanagement of whereby The back office to account managers and their team leaders have built cronies that only employees who kiss their ass and suck up to them, get to make any development or should i call it growth in the company.
The bit about this lady called Betty, it now totally adds up based on Lenny’s thread. My time there I’d see her carry herself around with some sense of arrogance that sayed you can’t tell me nothing like she owned the building….I’ll give a practical example whereby she runs her dynasties at Kencall. – For instance, there is a Team Leader called Aisha Ali who is connected to Bettyin Spinvox who got to be a Team Leader in 3 months flat while I’ve known agents who’ve been on the Spinvox floor for over an year and they are still agents by the time I was leaving…not to mention that this are up to par agents who deserve to be either Q.A’s or Team Leaders in their own rights due to the fact that their production speaks for them…. As for Aisha Ali it was due to the express fact there is a relation between her and Betty… just to back up this fact, early this year, there was also an Agent who was connected to Betty was getting to the Team Leader position in less than 2 months that she had hit the floor…..
What I’m trying to say is – The Nesbitts ought to probably get a little hands on in the running of the company and get to the grass root meaning the Agents… have open sessions with them and hear them out …coz the people he calls his management team are incompetent….they mess up on the groung and suck up to him that everything is okay…in my opinion what is needed is a radical overhaul of the whole back office and promotions ought to be on perfomance and not based on dynasties and cronies!!! A blog that runs for a whole year based on one single company is an indicator of Houston we got a problem….
Ha, ha, ha..
I’m not doubting that the person (s) above worked for Kencall (he or she) seems to know what they are talking about, but they need to stop using multiple names and multiple personalities (& they know what I am talking about).
I still want to know who Kencall’s clients are because if they are having cash problems its presumably because:
1) their clients aren’t paying them on time
2) they don’t have that many clients
Who are the clients you serviced when you worked there? why isn’t anyone answering this question? I know the ex employee’s want to vent and that’s fine, but I want to move beyond the venting and get to a point where you guys can start giving us more information about how this company is set-up.
that cucu called Ann Kiama, if only EVERYONE in kencall was a kikuyu like her, her sunset years probable would be much happier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go rot in hell cucu with your foul language. shame on you with your maliciousness and style up for your age’s sake
How does an IT Manager (aka Steve Mwangi) get fired for stealing? He’s not an accountant who may have access to the company’s bank accounts or other financials.
Last time I checked Kencall was running Telkom Kenya customer care ….that’s one huge ass account considering the making over that telkom kenya is under taking, they have an american chat account and Spinvox a voicemail service that’s a British account, blue chip matter of fact …Ke – does that answer your question? if you ask me it still and I insist it all boils down to the poor lethargic gross management at the joint…well @ Curious – The I.T manager as someone put it was Eric’s right hand trusted man …..so it’s quite possible that he was in the loop of the company’s vital dealings( I think so – guess lenny will have to shed light on this) Well Ann Kiama, I once as an agent had a brush in with her……trust you me – she displays what we call – COMPLEX INFERIORITY…. that’s the xplanation of her egocentric arrogance. Well Nessbits, it’s never to late to make the turnaround….. Just overhaul haul your bloody management and y’all gone be on the path home…
Ha, ha, Ha:
So, let me get this straight. Kencall is actually not outsourcing. It’s in-sourcing? i.e. it is getting previously bankrupt local companies like Telkom Kenya? how is that a big ass account when telkom kenya is getting killed by the mobile phone operators? I mean, isn’t Telkom kenya LOSING customers, ever since the mobile phone operators came into the market?
No, that doesn’t answer my question. If your going to make it in the BPO industry you have to get British or American companies and you have to offer lower prices than the Indians.
I’m tired of listening to all this shit about kenyans having better accents and better climate and this and that. No. Everything comes down to price and if the kenyan companies can’t compete on price, they just won’t make money.
haha..
this is very interesting
why isn’t anyone commenting abt that pain in the ass Andrew Eule
did anyone know he’s a pastor??? shit . who goes to his church…his family i guess…how can anyone be so be crippled in personality and ugly at the same time..yuck his wide mouth.
Gosh short guy(SMS) get a life.
Yeah that BITCH…….
God is by my side.
you see i dont think attacking anyone wildly without proof of what you are saying is very intelligent. on the other hand i am not for the idea of attacking personalities and who or who not they sleep with. that is purely someone’s business.
I wish everyone in this forum would focus on real issues.
THINGS THAT AFFECT THE WAY WE WORK!
someone like Andrew Eule, he is insecure in my opinion. This comes out clearly in the way he handles people at work. He is very unreasonable. let me give you an example.
In the account he works in, he is incharge of making the monthly schedule or rota of how guys will work, off days, bla bla bla.
But apparently, when he gives someone an off day which they are not comfortable with, he cannot change this even if that person has found someone who is willing to swap with them!!! the surprise comes when this particular person goes to the account manager and explains themselves. Calmly the account manager listens and responds ” alright, if you have found someone to exchange with, there should be no problem”. This is so mature and a good example of a good leader.
ask yourself why Andrew did not just do that before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andrew has a poor management style. the reason we always say that these poor so called managers who are affecting morale at kencall will never go anywhere is because numerous complaints have been brought forth about Andrew but nothing much seems to be changing.
There is a particular incident when he told agents in a preshift that he is so important to kencall that he cannot and will NEVER be fired. if the account he works in goes down, kencall will simply transfer him to a different account and the losers (agents) will go home with their tails in between their legs!!!!!!!!!
you see what i dont understand is if these kind of people like Eule understand that agents are the footsoldiers in kencall. he has so much disrespect for agents (anyway all backoffice guys do) until it leaves you wondering whether they really understand that as much as they might not dress in designer clothes, these agents are the ones who are making their salaries. without us people you have no jobs either.
The arrogance of Andrew is such that he once told a group of agents who were trying to tell him he had wronged them that “kencall is recruiting every single day! if you feel you cannot take it anymore just walk out”!!!
You always wonder why a “man of God” should be so insensitive to this level. I AM SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT HE IS A PASTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IS THIS REAL?
The God that you serve must be a very different go from the one I know. Who encourages respect, tolerance, love, fair treatment and above all Love!!!!
Eule you sit there and feel nice really nice when someone is begging you for hours for something. you feel very important. very much in control. but remember one day it will come back to haunt you.
When so many people are hurting with your name on their lips, just look back inside of you and wonder really how am i treating these human beings. IF TRULY YOU ARE A PASTOR then your calling should extend everywhere, let us see it coming out even at your place of work and how you treat fellow human beings.
I can publish a book right here about ANDREW EULE!!! i have proof of a girl he was trying to hit on, as i said, i wont go into details cos she was a friend of mine that is why i am truly shocked to hear he is a PASTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God forgive you Eule like he forgives all of us including myself daily!!!!
Humble yourself and you will not force anyone to respect you, it will come naturaly.
You once told someone that you olnly have two ways to deal with people: EITHER THEY RESPECT OR FEAR YOU.
let me explain to you the error in this theory of yours: RESPECT is earned!!!!!!!!!!!!! you earn it from people. you dont even tell them or command them to respect you!!!!!!!!!1
Well if you want people to FEAR you……. that speaks volumes about your personality. i wonder why i should fear a man of God!!!!!!!!!!
Your arrogance one day will cause your downfall. and the words of hurt and hatred that come out people’s mouths because you have refused to reason with them will one day follow you.
what is so hard about dialoguing with people and coming out with a solution? you believe in DICTATORSHIP.
if you incoporate people in your decision making (after all these decisions are going to affect these people) believe me you will come out looking like a great leader and everyone will RESPECT YOU.
but throwing your small weight around wil not help you. you brag that you are just doing your job, but you see, part of it would come out excellent if you allow people to be part of your “power world” unless of course you have this syndrom like Jacky and Ann Kiama that anyone with a better idea than you is insubordinating you therefore they are threatened with warnings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this company is very sick!!!!!!!!!
INFERIORITIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ann Onsarigo as far as listening to people and really incoporating their ideas is concerned is the best person i have ever met.
………………………………….. let me save my fingers for the next chapter!!!
.
Why does everyone have something bad to say about Andrew? A person can’t be bad all round and I for one happen to know he’s a nice guy cos the few times I’ve had issues with my shift or offs I just explained to him and he changed. And no I didn’t have to kiss his ass and no favors were exchanged cos I’m sure some people think so.
Instead of bitching about one individual, let us talk about issues that affect us as Kencall employees . Like the crappy policies HR has on absenteeism and quite recently advance!!!!
as you know that where there is smoke there is fire. So about this andrew issue there must be something to it . I myself work under him. I don’t have problems with him myself or with most people (refer to my screen name) but I might have a problem with how he’s management style if you can call it that and how he treats other people. All those people surely can’t be wrong or ganging up on him for no reason. There simply isn’t enough time to plot such things with our kind of work.
To prove this you just need look into the retention rate of the specific account this man is found in. 6 out of 10 he directly or indirectly influences an employees decision not to return for good.
Tye solution I propose is for the owner ensure that persons that are placed in such delicate positions to take mandatory management courses . This is his business, true and he bleeding the most valuable asset of any organization, – the employee. So from this angle this must taken very very seriously because the same employees also market your organization and if disgruntled and the top management ignores their genuine cries for attention, the long term health of the organization is at risk ….
This is to all the Kencall Employee’s:
It’s obvious from reading the comments above, that many of you are disgruntled about personnel issues. However, if we look at his honestly, one can say that at the end of the day, you are all “just” employee’s and in situations like these, you really only have 2 choices:
1) Quit your jobs and find something else that will give you what you want (or);
2) Remain at Kencall and put up with all the complaints (e.g. lack of pay, long hours, over time without pay, etc, etc) and hope it gets better.
The dilemma most of you seem to have is that you are stuck in a country with a very high unemployment rate and the owners of Kencall know this. They know that most of you don’t have better options and they also know that if you quit, they’ll be 100 other people lining up outside to take your jobs.
Is this good for Kencall? No. Will it hurt them eventually? Yes, but only when other players come into Kenya and enter the outsourcing market as competitors. These competitors might start poaching employee’s from Kencall, but this is years away.
It sounds like Kencall is just straight up having cash flow problems and it also sounds like they hired way too many people. If the business cannot support all these salaries, then I can’t understand why they just won’t lay off some employee’s.
Unless you are a salesperson and you are helping them get clients, there’s really no reason for them to care about what you think and perhaps it’s time for the employee’s to realize that.
I still want to know who their clients are. Why haven’t any of you employee’s told us this? This is the key to any business because without the clients, you’ll have no revenues.
KenCall currently has no cash flow problems. As from around January 2008, Cash flow issues have been a thing of the past. The current thorny issue that is messing up the company is lack of proper leadership. There is just too much arse kissing by “mostly” unqualified/unskilled/inexperienced personnel in return for rewards in high positions stemming across all quarters. This is one of the reasons why there is alot of bile from many employees (read agents).
Not only do these agents feel the pinch when accosted directly by their direct supervisors (TL’s, AM’s, Account Sup’s) but this comes in also from a number of back office personnel who have direct contact in how the agents work. By the way, this lack of proper leadership affects staff across the board and not just the agents. Credible sources confirm that most of the back office staff is also affected by the same problem.
For those who care to know which clients are served by KenCall, there’s a local telephony company, a Tanzanian one, an American Mobile content provision company and a British voicemail transcription company. I am not going to list the names of these companies for obvious reasons.
Guys this site is listed number in Google results under Entrepreneur Kenya, it’s number two in business entrepreneur Kenya! What you say here is being read around the world under KENYA BUSINESS!
Grow up people. please!
Look guys, first things first….the truth one day will be revealed. Times are over for us to just sit and let stuff happen to us. We need to air out and if the Nesbitts cand read this or do anything about it well someone somewhere knows exactly what’s going on here. So Njeri no reason to tell us to grow up you thumb sucking mamaa
So let’s start here, Andrew Eule, there are some things I wouldnt do if I were you top of which is to walk in public without a mask.
Shamalla quite being so incharge and get some dye for your hair
Anne Kiama……..no words for you….u are beyond repair if you know what I mean
Nesbitts….recruit people who will make their agents talk good about your hard earned sacrifices
Agents…the bomb
Njeri
Get over yourself girl. Ati grow up. What’s more grown up than talking about business and money? Girl please. What do you think life is? a cinderella story of valentines and roses? Your the one who needs to grow up and get real.
Can you handle it? Most people on this blog have been abused at least once (including me) but they get over it and eventually come back. However, when they come back, they are better prepared and know not to bore us with politically correct B.S. We like the real shit over here and if you haven’t figured that out already, you soon will.
Wasn’t Steve Mwangi just a regular employee in the u.s. who got laid off from his job as an IT employee and moved to Kenya when he couldn’t get a job in the U.S.? The guy didn’t even have a college degree. How did he become Eric Nesbitt’s best buddy?
Njeri thank you so much about your 2 cents worth of advice for us to grow up….ever heard of liberty?????? Of course we pretty well know the blog is listed!!! Isn’t a it a little obvious??
Andrew Eule….simply just shut the FFFF up!!! Don’t you even dare bring God’s name into this….ohh noooo dude you stupid or what???
The stuff that Toddler is talking about – MISMANAGEMENT – is what is the downfall of Kencall….with such sheer utter incompetency, arrogance, myopic and idiotic antics that Andrew Eule and his irk display around at kencall is what has kept this blog run for a whole damn year….Njeri are you listening????? U think ehhh before your brilliant light bulbs light and start blabbering on how people should grow up!!! Get it snow white???
Andrew Eule, dude you really need some serious urgent professional help in form of psychiatric help….you past has quite a truck load that has eventually played a big factor into the evolution of the idiot that you are today….you typically display all the classic symptoms of a man who has sadly out of his sheer stupidity got entangled in the whole Short Man Syndromme …..can’t you copy a leaf from your CEO and try emulate him???? Cmn man thinking is free, so think!!! Get yourself some form of basic education and you need to wake up to the fact that you are dealing with employees who have dreams and ambitions to make materialise….
“EITHER THEY RESPECT OR FEAR YOU” Dude, are you stupid or what?? and ohhh you keep decieving yourself that Kencall can’t fire you and that you are indispensibe right??? Nick and Eric Nesbitt…are you listening the kind of people that are running down your company??? you pretty much trash Agents…..which affetcs the production…client pulls out the company is affected right? wise guy huh? Run down the company cos with your silly ego you think Kencall is therefore you right??
For once snap out of this whole silly egoistic illusion with you retarded power illusioned mind and figure out that karma catches up sooner or later and look at you former side kick Lucas Ngugi??? Silly Lucas comes to work drunk thinking Kencall is his favorite local…..and he’d talk about being proffesional?? Yet 2 weeks back he fired an Agent for coming to work drunk!!!??? Guess Lucas you didn’t think you’d get suspended right? cos you thought you called the shots right?? And you felt that Agents owed you one, right Lucas Ngugi?? So what really transpired?? You quit cos all the bullshit you used to splat @ Agents finally caught up with and the embarrasment way too much to hold right?? Or did you get fired big shot?? See how you goofed and it all caught up with you!! I bet it stung right??? Hope you learned yo lessons man….I’m one Agent if you were to meet me today I bet you would run…ha ha ha ha dude you won’t look @ me in the eyes that I bet money back guarantee….we both know this cos all the bullshit caught up eventually….Andrew Eule are you listening you idiot….man I was razor thin close to giving you an ass whooping on that gat damn floor…it was really close…you pretty lucky the stars shot your way and I left kencall….
Is it me only or is everyone seeing the way this idiot of a person Andrew Eule is really affecting how Agents work through toddlers thread and the many other agents that haven’t quite aired it out??
Nick, really there are 2 options with this Andrew Eule idiot….either take the idiot for a serious hard knock management training boot camp, the kind that K.R.A employees are undertaking for 6 months or Simply fire him…..it’s a ticking time bomb and it’s really matter or time before the irreversable damage is done…
But I’m pretty sure Nesbitts have a game plan in mind….they know come next year they gotta reorganize stragies and priorities in the firm when the fiber optic checks in……of course right now at the moment due to the virtue of being the pioneers and there is no serious competition and there is an already avaible human resource, they can afford bragging rights at the moment and everything elso doent really matter…
Ann Onsarigo……One hell of an outstanding Manager, this lady is mwaaa…Kudos….I know no one could work with Andrew Eule given the jerk that he is, so you being the nice person that you are took him in and now you are stuck with him…..get rid of this dude….all he does is mess up agents and with his silly goofy grin tells you that everything is just fine…..I told you that if were that acccount 2 sink, it would be thanks to the effort of the alleged “supervisors” Lucas Ngugi and Andrew Eule. Lucas did himself in and got what he deserved….now what’s remaining is for Andrew Eule to follow in the footsteps of his side Kick Lucas Ngugi of which he will this i guarantee you sooner or later. it’s just a matter of when, then the Agents can give a stand ovation for doing himself in…..Just tell HR you don’t need that idiot working with you cos he is frustrating your efforts and let them create for him a post like Head of security…yeah that with the kind of attitude and personality he so arrogantly flaunts!!!! Andrew Eule, this dress down is not coz i have anything against you…it’s the Idiot in you out of choice that is a complete no no no no in this day and age…you think this is 1910???it’s freakin 2008 dude!! snap and wake up!!
Agent’s and employees who feel this management thing is way a pain in the toosh, y’all hang in there….if Nick and Eric Nesbitt don’t do a thing about the management issue in regards to Andrew Eule and Et al ….hang in the …..big things popping next once that fiber optic cable checks in next year…i’m closely monitoring the industry and as we speak..the coffee is already brewing, I’m already smelling the aroma….some big ass investors be coming this way….already there is a firm that’s rolling out proper training starting October and they giving out scholarships for BPO/Call centre Agent training..so y’all keep yo eyes glued on the media….besides with the Kencall experience it’s a plus eiii
Cmn Curious ….a degree doent have to do with nothing …no one ever gave you an insight and told you of bill gates and Richard Branson
ALL THIS HATE Y THE HELL WOULD YOU KEEP YOURSELF IN SUCH A PLACE.GET THE BOM OUT!!!
I’m reliably informed that a Kencall Agent in one Spinvox account just became the latest con in the establishment after Steve. This dumb chick told jamaaz ati her siz is dead and in the spirit of comradeship fellow kencallers within her account changiad several thousands to console her and help with the funeral arrangements and she even applied for an ‘EMERGENCY’ leave that was hastily approved (while guys have been kept on hold over leaves) so she could attend the burial. Kumbe this mama took time off to go flash of a toi of a fellow Agent within the same account (name withheld). Shame on you Peaches. You give us chicks a bad name. How just do you get pregnant ‘unexpectedly’ in this day and age!!!??? Kuna cd bana n contraceptives are virtually free!!! Then kuna AIDS!!!. I feel sorry for you madam. Just wondering howmuch of substance you have between your ERs miss MWALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????
RUDISHA PESA ZETU FALA!!
the following is what andrew is saying about himself in brighfuse.com
imagine “• Nearly 3yrs professional experience as a Manager of the largest Call Centre in Kenya.”
what got me mad is that he has a “• Proven ability to work in unison with staff at all levels”
just read below.
TALK ABOUT KUJIJENGEA CV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HE HAS NEVER WORKED ANYWHERE BEFORE!!!!!!!!!!
THAT EXPLAINS A LOT
from the info below he is trying to give an impression that he is the overall manager at kencall. manager of all managers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
……..”as a Manager of the largest Call Centre in Kenya.”
stop bullshiting eule. you can do better than this
About Me
• Nearly 3yrs professional experience as a Manager of the largest Call Centre in Kenya.
• Ability to initiate & direct complex projects from conception to full operational & profitable status.
• Goal & results oriented individual with strong leadership abilities.
• Organized, motivated, and able to turn challenges into opportunities.
• Proven ability to work in unison with staff at all levels
Work Experience
*
2007 – present
nairobi, kenya
KenCall EPZ LTD
Call Centre Account Supervisor
• Oversee the daily operations of a team of 142 Customer Service Representatives, 14 Quality Analysts and 8 Team Leaders; to ensure quality service delivery as per the set key performance indicators, evaluate their performance & report on their progress.
• Provide administrative & managerial support to the Account Manager, Team Leaders, Quality Analysts and Customer Service Representatives.
• Monitor daily revenue generation, production & quality output.
• Check and respond to all client queries and concerns, internally and externally and act as a liaison between senior and mid level management.
• Formulate, organize & regulate staffing for new and existing staff required to meet job demands into shift patterns across 24hrs, 7days a week and supervise the shifts on-site and off-site.
• Compile reports on adherence, performance & discipline and Conduct weekly performance reviews for Team Leaders and Quality Analysts.
*
Sep 2007 – Dec 2007
nairobi, kenya
KenCall EPZ LTD
Call Centre Account Manager
• Daily operations & management of the call centre through effective use of resources.
• Setting customer service & quality performance targets and formulating plans to ensure that they are attained with speed and efficiency.
• Handling the most complex customer queries & concerns.
• Coaching, motivating and training mid-level management staff, co-coordinating bonuses, reward and incentive schemes.
• Forecasting and analyzing data against budget figures on a weekly and monthly basis.
• Developing implementing and reviewing performance and quality standards and making decisions based on the findings.
all of you who are going on about how we should “focus on real issues i think you had better wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
real issues are these when we have incompetent supervisors who throw thier tiny weights around and harass everybody./
if Andrew has never harrased you unnecessarily then you should shut up or stand up for the rights of those he harrases. if he changes for you your shift and refuses to do so for others, what criteria does he use?????????
aren’t we all supposed to be equal?
this goes on everywhere in kencall
transport slut jackie kamau favors her kikuyu clande and when you ask her all you get is a ………shrug of indifference. this is bullshit.
jackie should accept that even wainaina is a human being who has experience in that particular field. every time he tries to give advice he is told he is warned of insubordination.
Ann kiama ….. as somebody rightfully said is too old…. she should just retire instead of pretending to be young over there and behaving like the devil’s wife………….
shame on you all
this fuckin kencall aint paying shit!! why the fuck do you think the age group of their employees is somewhere around 18-25. they be poaching for young people who they know they can oppress and who kind of like still dependant on their folks or freshers from higher learning they go for people who do not have no prior work experience and who maybe are afraid of speaking out. kencall management are a bunch of conmen. how do you explain people getting paid your salaries after after 6th of the next month and when you get your cash it’s not even in full. the HR management is fucked up!! either this Nesbit or some1 out there knows they are screwing young kenyan’s out there. i know cos i ‘work’ there.
Maybe all the kencall employee’s need to understand what they really are. i.e. nothing more than wage slaves
If you don’t like working there, quit.
If you want a company that pays good START YOUR OWN
ATT: SPINVOX AGENTS. IT’S OBVIOUS U GUYS ARE REALLY BORED WITH UR JOB N URSELVES SO U TAKE IT OUT ON EACH OTHER AND SPILL EACH OTHERS GUTS OUT. AS MATURE AS U MIGHT LOOK “JUST WONDERING” IT EINT LIKE U GOT A LOT TO HIDE EITHER SO JUST TRY NOT TO GET THERE AND KEEP STUFF TO URSELF IF U WOULD.WHAT GOES AROUND DOES COME AROUND EVENTUALLY BIACH!!!!!!!!
Worked for Kencall for more than a year SpinVox account. Had major beef with the pay but they came through. HR may be a pain but they do come through eventually. If u havent been paid yet your cheque might be waiting for you. Believe it or not things did change last year and Kencall does have one of the best working environment anywhere.
To Team leader, i must congratulate you for spelling my name correctly. You are one of the few who do, that must mean that you know me very well and have worked closely with me too. So if you do what makes you think that the people you mentioned above slept with Michael Shamalla?
To those of you who are hating on Paula, mind your own business. You have nothing better to do than to trash people who have never done anything to you? What is your problem? Just trashing Jackie, Paula, Michael, what satisfaction do you get from this. Is it burning your heart that you never got a good position because you did not deserve it? Most likely. Yes that is it.
I worked under Michael Shamalla and what i know about this guy is that he is a hard worker, always able to bring up an account. Worked closely with Paula, she is very good at what she does. Jacki, very harmless person who has done nothing but do her job well. So please for heavens sake, stop trashing these people. Have we nothing else to do with ourselves?
If you have a problem with Nik or Eric Nesbitt go handle it with them and stop attacking people who have nothing t o do with your pay. And for your information, these rumors about who sleeping with who, are totally over rated. I mean, when did the topic change from payment to who is sleeping with who?
Always talking about the problem as if you are the experts, and if you feel you are give the appropriate solution. Personally i thank Kencall for the knowledge and experience that i got because it has made me who i am. In fact the above complaining must have come to work at Kencall when things became better money wise.
Some of us went to work at Kencall because we enjoyed our work not to spread negativity everywhere. POISON POISON POISON. that is what your mouths are full of.
As i said, if you have a problem with Nik and Eric go tackle it with them, do not involve Michael, Jackie, Paula or anyone else in this, because they are not the ones who pay you, Nik and Eric do.
Hey all,
tarmacking or trying to work at some measly paying job elsewhere…
It is amazing what the world holds in form of human beings why the hell would someone’s health status be a laughable issue??? all of us are bitches and evil and bad people at times but gosh non of us deserves this kind of trashing…
This is a professional site and if you hadn’t buried your heads in the sand, you would have seen that we who are still in the industry were still intending use the site to network but Teamleader you just trashed my name yet I don’t think you even know me at all!!! I may have left Kencall in a huff, even left some of my cash there but I still respect them because I have kept working in the industry and know what it means to even have a 100 agents work for you and they have forged ahead in this, in Kenya and no matter what you say you are cowards and this is why you won’t have your names written out and I bet you are all probably small timers
Hit back when you have reached a level closer to the Nesbitts’, I am proud to say that despite what I went through there I consider it a good lesson because, I today treat my agents with a lot of respect and I am invited to the same events as the Nesbitts’ so meaning I am hitting back, in a small way maybe but still hitting back, it beats getting nasty on a blog!!!
Dorothy & Louisa:
You both seem to have adopted a healthy attitude towards your jobs at Kencall and it seems to have paid off for you. I suppose the other disgruntled employee’s should take a lesson from your experiences.
You both recognized that you didn’t own the company and while it would have been good to get paid on time, you sucked it up (because kenya is a tough place to find a job & something is always better than nothing) and you took the opportunity to learn as much as you could about this new industry.
Perhaps this is the attitude all employee’s should adopt: Your bosses are not there to make you rich. You’ll have to do that on your own. Also, don’t ever expect loyalty from your bosses. There’s a reason people are called “wage slaves”. Your working to make the Nesbitts rich. It’s not the other way around (read felix dennis’s book and you’ll get a very honest sense of what most entrepreneurs think of their employee’s. Don’t believe that crap that human resource people put in the handbook!
To Dorothy:
I’m curious since you said you are hitting back. Did you leave kencall to start your own outsourcing business or are you employed at a different outsourcing company?
This debate has been going on for one whole year. Do you notice that? As an independent observer, I have some startling observations. ME is really the person who lost the job at Kencall, not her friend (notice the passion and inside knowledge of the operation of the industry). There are some spectators too, but most contributors here seem to be Kencall folk venting. ME; whatever beef you have with Kencall, give it a break, its been a year since I read these posts! Move on, it is a better healing process than hating on your former employer. There are indeed a lot of idle folk here with a lot of time on their hands! This blog is veery resourceful, but the venom around this topic is astounding.
Ya’ll are so DUMB. I just don’t get it….if you have a problem with anyone just walk up to them and fuck their face up. Kwani nyinyi ni makende aje??? Whoever wrote that Peaches story is such a bitch. So what…Peaches alitoa ball? I mean people do it all the time….i’m not saying it’s ok but kama uko na shida ambia Peaches live live. I dont know why ya’ll are so scared i guess it’s because whoever posted that is probably lying. I also donated money for her and if i had evidence i would have made sure she refunded the money. To whoever started the story, go mustarbate let it all out and enjoy it while you’re doing it……believe me that’s what i do when shit goes down…it helps…
Clearly…
Apologies to all I never wanted to hurt anyone .My intension was just to expose the malicious few and their wrongdoings under their job title.
Teamleader:
This is the blog of political incorrectness. We don’t apologize for “hurting people’s feelings” here.
Ain’t this some bull…..you’ve attacked Peaches.has it added or subtracted years to your life?doubt it!what she chooses to do is her biz,right?
i can’t even defend andrew cos i got long standing beef with him.
Anne O. rocks….period!
i say we need to psyche ourselves up and find ways to fend off the negativity.remember there is one of him and loads of us…..let’s try the ‘ctrl + alt + del’ angle with eule….ama?
Ann Onsarigo is just a Saint……that is all the Nesbits have ever gotten right in picking a Manager…..Irene,Oliver and Ofcourse Neezam are some of the few right choices in managers they have made since as for what they have left…..eeeh Nesbits mjipange!
Louissa!clearly you do know tht you are shooting urself on the foot right there,notice how all the guys U are coming out to defend hav been listed as having been involved in…….Sexual Scandals!!Ofcourse we who know and have worked wth you all kno where your bitterness is metted,lazima kujitetea tunajua ukweli Petronilla only snatched the Condomiser off your hands but if Shamalla worked as well as he does the things he does to get even fine looking Mamas like Pet to fall for them Kencall Wud hav an asset
Jay,Spinvox hasn’t been in Kencall more than one Year,lie to guys who haven’t been here long enough.Earlier mentioned was the point tht Kencall now pays on time…..blah!blah,do U kno ther are guys leaving Kencall for less saying jobs if only to hav some professionals working wth them?so let the Njeris and Mt15s of ths blog nt think thts all!the title may not communicate the comments tht are listed forthwith but its worth noting tht Competition needs to kno where to come 4seasoned staff MANAGEMENT?NO!NO!NO!
He!he!he!now I tell you….bile unplugged!ehe?tell them!Im extremely amused to see that as all this was supposed to be an open minded discussion….a few others are taking it so personal!Cmon guys lighten up!Why paint a wood that’s rotten already.Others talk of Solutions,do you think the Nesbitts will care to do anything abt it yet they have people like Shamalla &Eule here saying they are untouchable!Giv it up guys just make sure U use this Kencall as a Highway 2 better Onsarigo watch They’ll cam after U
NowThat they’ve had you are popular for the right reasons,the Bitches will come after you so hard,and as he the Nesbitts and even Steve Liggins cant figure it out,they might succeed to get you fired on’performance’grounds so Ann start looking for a place that will recognise your talent and appreciate your in put because its the right thing to do not the ones who’ll let you Succumb to the incompetent management team because its the easiest thing to do,but whatever happens Ann!Keep on being an Angle you are
Recently, I was called for an interview by kencall and decided to google and see what they are upto before attending the interview, only to be shocked by this blog. Honestly, the sentiments herein put me off, and I just went for the interview shingo-upande. Can someone please clarify if the issue of non/late-payment is still existing or are things better this year? I wouldnt want to leave my current employer and go to a place where I’d get problems getting paid. My position though, was not as an agent but in the management unit. I really need someone to convince me before I make one big mistake. We are yet to agree on the salary, but I mentioned I need a net of 50K and they raised their eye brows, kwani whats their average pay?????????????
Hi all,
For those of you who may feel disgruntled angry or frustrated… I can understand where you are coming from but it will never justify writing things and threatening people. These personal attacks are unhelpful and based on rumours.
I always tried to be fair in the decisions I made (based on the info I had at the time). This is not to say that my leadership was without faults. I am human after all.
In every job one does, you do the best you can in an imperfect world and try to leave the place better than you found it. I love the fact that we started with 30 agents on the account and grew that to 140. That’s 110 jobs created not to mention the people who we promoted.
I’ve moved on to bigger things… I hope you’ve moved on too.
Regards
Yoh Kams,very brilliant guy or girl I see,U did your home work,so which position is tht U were called in 4 coz we can only help U knowing which guys U are 2 work wth,as mentioned above by Ema pay is a smaller point,the guys U R coming 2 work wth the so called management is so fucked up,the Nesbitts may mean well,but the rest of the batch from Reception down 2nearly all Heads of departments wth the exception of Projects&Finance,all the rest R so Bogus&unprofessional.Wth the rest here,dont dare quit ur job
KENYA
Firstly i would like to express to the Kenyan people after the rut your country was in 6 months ago and the rapid turnaround taken within 60 days to resolve the war outbreak was amazing to see from this side of western waters and so pleased the resolution was as immediate as it could be, my partners and I see Kenya as a great outsourcing location not for price but for various reasons that makes a destination people, technology, stability and so forth.
We are going to outsource 900 jobs to EA by Jan 2009 with 500 to follow by Q2 2009 and central business management unit setup by Q3 August. We selected 2 potential sites one of them being KenCall Epz about 4 months ago and have not made any announcements to the media. Today we are extremely disturbed to have found this link via our research department, it is not the matter /concern why the organization has not paid employees (we have seen many companies/partners go through this globally) it is not the concern of people not being heard but a indication of them/group or union not channeling their concerns to the right people to solve, but in actual fact it’s the type of people some Kenyan’s portray of the greater community.
It is of no doubt now that we have witnessed this for ourselves after being told stories before of how far back the culture in Kenya is, that it actually exists. Many organizations that have made it, some who have fallen, have all experienced challenges like these, which as executives say – rule out the roots that are not creating prosperity and water the ones who are trying to grow during these tough waters.
I am sad as a Kenyan who has made it to the top in the West that our people are still so small minded back home, the days of picking fruit and leaves for most of us are part of the past as generations above us have tried to pave the way to create new opportunities for generations to come, and yet when they evolve, what do we as most (caught up in culture differences) Kenya’s do, what most of our families have done for years when we were dominated by other countries trying to teach us of the future, talk about what no one is doing for us and what we expect but have no clue of what we doing to help grow the bigger dream.
I have great admiration to management and senior committee of KenCall, and have had the opportunity to dialogue with many of them at several functions and my partners were impressed with the level of knowledge and experience that existed in your country/company and management levels which we have not seem in most other developed markets explored in eastern, northern and southern Africa.
To my point earlier, if Kenya people are to succeed in life, (ones who portray a bad reflection on the country as per this message board) we are to lose the mindset of our past, and stop living as immediate need people and do what the rest of the world has done, think of the future.
Because of the above we have rethought our outsourcing strategy and plan on sending 65% of our work to Uganda, Ghana and the rest Kenya split to Telco’s (Technical work only) with contact center jobs to the other countries. Our reasons for this again, I say in bitter disappointment are for the reasons above, the culture of people are just not worth the risk and the rest of the worlds tolerance level for people like this is give them cleaner jobs it’s all they worth for, which is not true but the moral of the story is, you costed your country +- 1000 jobs that would have great investment after to help light the community and more importantly are a disgrace to the Kenyan people due to your lack of manners, respect and business etiquette to your superiors.
My dream as a Kenyan, as I described the above with tears in my eyes to my wife, apart from how I was the laughing stock at the outsourcing strategy function held in Chicago, of driving our company and steering it to outsource to Kenya, has killed my spirit as a Kenyan, with everyone saying he is trying to help those people who know nothing of culture or business and risking our future, which I am now looking for a other job as my career has been cut short and leaving my company in 60 days due to the risk I could have caused.
My dream is to create jobs for our people but if our people can’t change then we as the few left Kenyans trying to change the perception of the world of our country have to think of ourselves and not our people which is sad…… Every act, every though or every wrong has repercussions – I ask of you to people please refrain from this sad practices and help us all for the greater good of our nation. My god be with you all and forgive us for the loss we create and help us to CHANGE.
Alex Anthony Sebathina
SO DOES IT MEAN THAT WHEN SOMEONE IS SEEING SOMETHING GOING WRONG IN A MANAGEMENT TO JUST SHUT UP?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU WHO ARE PRAISING THE MANAGEMENT OF KENCALL PROBABLY ONLY MEET WITH THE NESBITTS AND THEY TELL YOU GOOD THINGS, BIG PLANS THAT THEY HAVE AND A FEW OF THE SO CALLED MANAGERS WHO COME MEET YOU WITH SWEET WORDS!!!!!!!
IMMEDIATELY THE MANAGERS COME BACK TO THE CALL CENTER THEY ABUSE US, HARASS US, TREAT US WITH LESS DIGNITY AND THOROUGHLY THREATEN US WITH LOSING OUR JOBS.
YOU GUYS ARE NEVER TOLD THIS
SO WHEN WE STAND UP AND SAY THIS IS WRONG YOU GIVE US LECTURES ON MORALITY?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN AN AGENT IN KENCALL JUST SHUT UP!!! I DONT CARE IF YOU ARE THE CEO OF THE PLANET.
THIS IS OUR ONLY PLACE OF AIRING OUR GRIEVANCES WHICH NOBODY CARES TO LISTEN TO.
THE NESBITTS AS SOMEONE SAID DONT CARE. YOU EITHER BRING THEM MONEY OR YOU WALK OUT. WITH THE CURRENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE MOST GUYS ARE STUCK HERE.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO POINT OUT WHAT IS ROTTEN WITHIN US???????????????
SHAME ON YOU.
anclnacklnKLACNLnclNCDNknacknCNknckNDCN
Wacha .. me i worked for kencall and to be precise – the account that i was working for made more money than any other account under that Kencall roof..
We worked our asses off, sold enough and made enough profits for the company.
The profits the company got .. all they did fst was to pay the top managements who felt sweet for nothing. then later on in the month the Agents on the floor who worked their asses off are either not paid or paid half there salo’z
But believe u me what the HR / Accounts department would do is LIE AND LIE AND LIE DAY IN DAY OUT.. they could only promise us the kawa salary and it could come in halves.. atimes they could announce that we go check in our bank accounts ( Diamond Trust) ati there is money.. but wapi.. man that life was BAAAAAAD..
Mark you, pple under that roof had rent to pay, school fees to clear, food, upkeep and even fend for our own families..
I think for KENCALL to get back its praise.. they should hire MATURE TEAM PLAYERS.. People who can actually behave their own ages and do their jobs rather than LIE..
Then another thing Nesbit should organise a team of PROFESSIONALS that can LISTEN TO THE AGENTS PROBLEMS .. NOT JUST LISTEN BUT LISTEN, UNDERSTANT, EMPATHIZE ………. THEN SOLVE THE PROBLEM..
For me i never bothered to chase up the money coz i knew… it was over..
Earthlink account was closed and yes I worked my ass under that account.. once Earthlink was done.. the company saw SWEAT… earthlink ROCKED!!!!!
I wonder what excuse Nesbitt will have coz whenever Agents on the floor are not paid there saloz in good time .. he is no where to be seen all we hear is that he is out of the country trying to negotiate SHIT…
Why does he have negotiating meetings out of the country when its pay time?? why??? why can’t he just seat his ( u know what) and face the HUNGRY KENYAN FACES.. OR KAMA NI NGUMU THEN HE’D RATHER CLOSE THE DAMN THING…
KENCALL IFUNGWE MARA MOJA…
NO MONEY NO PEACE 
… KAMA MBAYA MBAYA … YAWA…
So Earthlink was one of their American clients? I don’t think that company even exists anymore. They probably got killed by much larger internet providers that are bundling their services for very cheap prices (e.g. tv, phone and high speed internet for a mere $100 dollars a month). How can you compete with that if you are a company like earthlink?
Who are there other clients?
This must be a very tough business. Trying to get American clients to leave their cheaper and more established Indian outsourcer’s and move to Kenya (which still does not have cheap high speed internet services).
And now, I’m beginning to see that I am being increasingly diverted to the Phillipines. There’s another competitor for you. The Filipinos are not only more pleasant than the Indians, they speak much better English.
If your going to start an outsourcing company in Kenya, make sure you have a u.s. based representative or sales person. That’s how the Indian companies WIPRO and Infosys did it.
The benefit of having a u.s. based representative is that they can tell you which companies are having problems with their customer service just based on their daily experiences.
hehehe!!Anthony, it’s good you sat and re thought about your decision-very wise of you. i worked at kencall for 5 months!!!!in fact, i just quit cos i almost lost it while there!!people are treated like babies with absolutely no respect and yet we’re all there for the same purpose to earn a living.
personally, i wont take working at kencall as a regret, cos i met very many lovely people there. Irene is just the BOMB!!!!yea u go girl!!!with an attitude and spirit will like that you can be hired anywhere!!
as for Ann, who Everyone keeps praising, funny enough i never spoke even one word to her while i was there. i doubt she even knew who i was.
andrew eule…………..i have no words for you.you call yourself a supervisor???yeah right!!you should meet the people who supervise constructors and know what a supervisor should do. you are there to help us but all you did was sit down and change the rota as if you had nothing better to do. you favour others while making the decision as if others are less important than others-if you ask me that’s total bullshit!!!!!
Eric you can go screw yourself you short bugger!!!!!!!!i am not your child and you will not talk to me like that!!you here me!!!!just sit your fat ass down and leave the “managing” to ANN ONSARIGO!!!
as for my fellow AGENTS- what can i say?? you guys are the bestest!!!!for those of you who are almost clocking a year there, i wish i could shake your hands!!you guys deserve………i cant even put it into words. i give you each MAD respect for putting up with the working conditions there and still stand strong.if only there was a golden handshake for that.dont loose hope. i remember there was once a saying like when the going gets tough……..yea so keep on keeping on!!!
as for baby girl, yeah you know who you be, mad love for you.
Alex my sweet banana, it aint over girl. just hang in there. got mad love for ya!!!
yuhuu my sweet, hehehe-yup it’s me alright!!!!of course tutaonana. this world is absolutely roundest!!!!
These “managers” should know that kencrap is not a high school where they are prefects. They all suck
ERIC NGECHU u can keep bitchin the way you fired me and ati am stupid!!!!lol u know what mother fucker i’m EIGHTEEN!!!!!!!!!! 1 8 !!!!yea!!!!i have uni 2 join and get a DEGREE unlike you who is at kencall with the tiltle manager and no papers to his name!!!i do not need a fuckin recommendation letter from you cos i’m even more than ashamed to say that i worked there. i will never ever quote it in my CV nor need a recommendation letter from you.you can shuv it up your ass!!!!!
all i can smile about is the pple i met while i was there. u can bitch all you want. i know i worked well i mean i was a team captain!!!!and i was not there to suck ass!!!!so whether u say i quit or u fired me makes no diffrence to me!!!!!!!
jus sit your fat ass down and shut the fuck up!!!!when you grow some height then u can halla!!!!it true ladies short men have pyhscological issues!!!BIG TIME!!!!!
this call center has one of the best proprietors but the worst thing of all is the incompetence of its staff. Why should the so called HR recruit in a huff just to please the clients? Don’t you have a reputation to protect. Kweli INCOMPETENCE will never end at kencall. The bad thing is that thye Nesbitts are out of touch and cant be reached for anything. I am leaving the company at the end of the month and i cant wait to leave. Was just wasting my brains there. Good Luck to all who remain.
ErIc NgecU….
Some advice for yu….
ile tu serious. 
Dont ever go to any where near teh coast cos jo….hio rasa yako uta dinywa mbaya!!!! na utapata ball.
This is for 2 cents
GROW UP… IF UR ON HEAT U KNOW WHERE KOINANGE STREET IS.. THIS SITE IS FOR MORE MATURE AND SERIOUS PPLE…
WATCH UR LANGUAGE….. ITS NOT FUNNY
Hey, one things u guyz should do is quit!!! if u think the chums aint enough just walk out and start ur own thing like I did!!!!! I had a good time in Kencall and it helped me Big time but as time went by en the cost of living went up thats when I decided to quit en started my own kencall en am doing just fine!! so stop shifting blames, u know uv gat uself to blem if u ever fail in this life!!!
yup!!!perfect advise right there Clepto. just QUIT!!!!you are all better than that. kencall is the first salary, first account, first job kind of place. not a place where one should intend on retiring from 20 years from now!!!!!
i think anyone who is bitchin abt kencall is just being a sour puss and an ungrateful brat. the honest reason y most of us have or have had any connez with the place is coz we needed a job and it was available there right? no one promised u milk and honey just a source of income which mark u u have 2 earn. no one told u u were enrolling in a convent where sexual liaisons of whatever manner were unheard of………so y r u expecting something else except what is happening everywhere else? u watch ur words that they don’t become your undoing, a hindrance to a better life. we are very young ie kencallers and ex kencallers and when we start biting the hands that feed us at this age…………i really don’t know. the same God who sees all the misdeeds we encounter in Kencall is the same God who gave that job to u and is the same one who is watching u bitch on a professional website in a more often than not unjustified manner. there are 2 options that have been resounded over and over but no one seems to be taking heed. for those of you inside_ mind your own business. there is no kid working in kencall…….y r u babysitting grown ups? for those of you who have had enough injustices_ quit. si tuna shida zetu tusikize zako kwa nini? for those of u who left under whatever circumstances_ deal with it. see a therapist or something but just get over it. so life threw lemons at you, make lemonade for pete’s sake instead of making it ur life’s agenda to be an anti kencall crusader. am not saying everything is fine, am there and i know it’s not but heck, this is simply not how. that’s my opinion, u r all entitled 2 yours but eyes on the prize people. cheers!
I stand by my word… ata dinywa na the worst cld happen. Im saving the brother . don’t be so uptight nyar wahtever yu are.
It’s about time we got constructive and i’ll try and take up that initiative and try turn this around…
Dorothy fo instance, how about you share with us how the industry is fairing on given that it’s still at it’s infancy stage, the challenges both positive and negative, given that you are one X Kencaller who chose not to get caught up in the rat race but rather choose to steer you destiny and took up the initiative towards your circumstances and turned it around and did set up shop. Yes we can still make this a networking blog for us who see the great potential in this industry that is about to take kenya by storm…It’s never to late to make that turn around.
@ Kenyanentreprenuer – maybe perhaps you could kindly delete the Juvenile posts that we have witnessed quite recently from the likes of 2cents and et al???
Cmn lets make that turn around and have this blog take a constructive and meaningful turnaround.
cldn’t agree more.
Based on what I’ve read above, it sounds like (& kencall employee’s can correct me if i’m wrong) – it sounds like Kencall’s main problem has been getting clients. Specifically, getting the kinds of clients that the Indians have. i.e. American or European based businesses that are looking to outsource their back end customer service needs to a cheaper location.
It also sounds to me like Kencall set-up this “big” office environment (renting a warehouse in industrial area, hiring all these staff members, etc, etc) with money they got from VC”s or loans and they did this BEFORE they had gotten a reliable stream of clients to sign up.
It sounds very similar to the dot com stories of the 90’s. They got all this VC money and they never learnt how to bootstrap their operations. Then, instead of focusing on your core strategy, which should always be getting clients, you instead end up spending more and more of that VC money on irrelevant things, which you incorrectly assume will get you the clients. Things like fancy offices, big job titles for staff, etc, etc…thinking of course, that these “outliers” will show any potential clients that you are a serious business outfit.
However, the problem with this strategy is that it never focuses on the core issue, which remains getting the clients. There’s a reason more and more people are saying that entrepreneurs should reject those millions in VC money, at least in the initial stages of their business. The money gives you a false illusion of success.
You are literally better off starting out in your basement with no employee’s and no offices and building your business up slowly. One client at a time. Then, when you have a “book” of clients that starts demanding MORE services, you can hire employee’s to take of that and maybe get offices, but don’t do it before then.
I also think Kenya is a country that likes formality and the idea of starting a business in your basement may not have caught on yet.
That’s my two cents. The Kencall employee’s should tell what they think was the core problem.
take heart guys. we know you all are good workers. so put your best to it. some one some where will one day appreciate it it may not be at kencall but some one one day will.
cheers
ps the team building was great!!!!!
for kenyanentrepreneur-the problem is that the management treats people like crap. they take advantage of the fac that there are no jobs in kenya, so people will stay there cos to be employes at kencall all one needs is an ID card and a bank account. so yeah. oh and also the fact that they do not pay on time one has to keep hustlin cos they pay at the beginnig of the month as compared to the end of the month. so ther you have it those are the major problems if you ask me…..
Log in at the front desk with the guards, log in with a thumbprint at the front door’s Biometrics, log in to your computer on the whatchamecallit profile tracker thingy on the comp desktop, log in to Tenzing, log in for breaks on the breaklog sheet, and of course log out of all those all over again …and then at the end of the month you are going to tell me I did not accumulate required hours to get my basic untaxed 15,000 which after taxes, NHIF, NSSF, (not to mention i hear they don’t count in a an EPZ company) comes to a little more than 13,000 and so from my remaining 13 K and a few shillings minus the log in hours one of the faulty login procedures failed to record, brings my total salary to a mere 6,000/=.
WHY DON’T THEY JUST THROW THE 6 Gs TO MY FACE AND TELL ME
“THATS ALL YOU ARE WORTH TO US” ?. !!! @#$^*%@!!! GRRRR….??!
Kudos to Sally, you are a champ, I wish I was there to see you wipe the smirk off the face of that manager…
Pliz don’t feel shy to changia what you think about KenCall if you are or have been there because I know it will only make the Company better…….
……….What I have never understood is why should a person coming for a voice account interview do a typing test???
@Kenyanentrepreneur, you are still dwelling on the fact of poor cash flow. This stopped being an issue many months ago. What now persists is the fact that employees are treated like trash. Kencall has the cash to do a number of things even to the point of having expansion goals. I think some big client is being nailed in the next few months so the management is trying to be proactive in readiness for the big catch, but hey, what if this client being anticipated is the one that pulled out some few days back as put across by one “Anthony Sebathina”. remember the 900 seats that were rerouted to Ghana and Uganda?
Bottom line is, Kencall no longer has a cash flow problem as was the case when this thread was started. The problem that exists at the moment is mistreatment of staff and lack of proper management across the board.
Boomerang:
Okay. Let’s go with what you’ve said i.e. Kencall no longer has a cash flow problem. So, does that mean they now have a steady stream of clients who are paying them on time? and if yes, who are these clients? I’m kind of confused about this company. I thought they were seeking American businesses (cause Nesbitt went to school in california) but it sounds like they are looking for kenyan based clients. e.g. telkom kenya.
However, why would telkom kenya outsource (or is it in-source?) their customer service operations when they could do it themselves? Afterall, they are based in Kenya and they could take advantage of the cheap labor on their own.
Also, based on what Mickey said above, people are still not getting paid their FULL amount. It sounds like they’re still getting screwed because the computer is apparently not logging in their total number of hours.
Are you guys paid per hour or are you paid a set monthly fee?
I keep saying that the fundamentals of this company aren’t making sense mainly because the costs of running such a business in kenya are still too high.
But the employee’s of kencall all seem to be focusing on how poorly they’re being treated by management. But hey, maybe the managers aren’t getting paid on time either and they’re simply transferring their frustrations downwards.
Everything at a job begins and ends with pay. If people think that they’re getting jibbed financially, they’ll never, ever, be happy.
I thought the comments in this blog were just ravings of disgruntled employees. However, it seems that its gotten a life of its own.
KE it’s refreshing to see your attempts to addressing real issues rather than dwelling on the misguided attacks on people and their personalities.
In today’s business world every organisation is focusing on its core activities and outsourcing what they can. Telkom, Safaricom etc are no different. One of the EPZ requirements states that at least 25% of your revenue must come from foreign countries. It’s not easy convincing a foreign client to bring business to Kenya especially after the POE early this year.
Kencall is a service provider and like any supplier they get paid when the invoice is sent to the client. It takes at least 3 – 6 months for an account to break even considering the amount of cash spent in infrastructure and recruiting cost for any new client.
As a former employee, I was involved in several account setups having spent days and nights trying to everything right. It’s true that salaries are late not because the Nesbitts have paid themselves simply because the clients have not paid up. It’s amazing that people expect their salaries at end month but does it really matter when you get it as long as there’s a 30 day difference between pay dates? A little patience and understanding goes a long way!
Kudos to the agents for keeping the company alive. I used to randomly look at the QA scores for some of them and its amazing that those with the lowest scores are the ones ranting and raving!
Kencall’s biggest resource is the leadership provided by the Nesbitts. The middle management team may not be made up of people of great morals, but it delivers. I personally worked with each and every HOD and account manager and can vouch for their performance. It’s not easy managing a team of 18-22 year olds who are always looking for an opportunity to skive work and still get paid.
A suggestion to the Nebitts would be a rework of the HR policies. There was a HR manager by the name Millie who really tried to setup proper policies however she left before they came to fruition. Her assistant Kageni has done a great job despite the challenges she faces. Am sure by now if her accomplishments have not been recognised then it’s just a mattet of time before Kencall loses one of her greatest assets.
Policies are not created to make employees happy but to ensure the survival of the organisation. To those who don’t like them I’d suggest you either shape up or ship out.
If Kencall is really that bad, why have great men and women like Pauline, Paula, David, Kennedy, Paul stayed that long?
If you don’t like something change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain!
OEB:
Yes, it does matter when you get your salary because many people need to plan their financial lives. Besides, if you are an employer and you tell someone you are going to pay them on the 18th, then you don’t pay them, but do come around with the pay on the 30th, you may be able to get away with it the first time, but if you start doing that 3, or 4 times, it begins to say some things about you, the employer or you the boss, namely:
1) That you are disorganized and perhaps irresponsible, not just about money, but maybe about other things. It just makes you look bad.
2) If I were an employee, I may begin to think that the company may be having cash flow problems and my commitment to the job may be affected.
However, you conveniently failed to answer the questions raised here, which is that people are not even getting paid in FULL and the computer, which is supposed to be accurately recording their time, is malfunctioning and under reporting it, meaning, they are getting paid less than they are supposed to. Address that issue.
On the HR issue. I’m surprised to read just how much stock you guys are putting in an HR department. Everyone who has ever worked anywhere knows that HR is the most useless departmental division within any company. That’s not where the power is. Those guys are just paper pushers! They never solve any problems and if they are legal issues, well…they get the company lawyers to deal with it.
Besides, if you are the founder of a company that is having personnel issues, that is not something you can blame on HR. Afterall, whose company is it anyway? I assume personnel issues are things the founder needs to be aware of and needs to address, but I don’t even care about the HR issues because it’s not my company and I don’t work there. I just wanted to make a general statement on the total irrelevance of HR departments the world over.
Also, in a country like Kenya with a high unemployment rate, why are they hiring 18 year olds? I’m sure they could get a 26 or even a 30 year old, with a college degree and one who’d be very willing to do that “entry level job”. And with older workers, you get more maturity and more focus, since they’d presumably have more to lose if they lost their jobs. e.g. they may be married with kids, they may have mortgages to pay,….people with these kinds of responsibilities tend to take their jobs more seriously (not cause they like them, but rather because they need the money more).
This idea that all call center jobs have to be staffed by youngsters may not necessarily be true in a country like Kenya where you have lots of older, educated workers who’d be willing to do those jobs.
It also sounds to me like Kencall just has too many employee’s and this goes back to the point I raised about starting a business from the top up as opposed to from the bottom up. When you start a business with someone’ else’s money, it’s easy to waste it. However, if you start with very little money, you are naturally forced to find creative ways of keeping costs down and you are also forced to run a lean, mean, machine. i.e. no fancy offices with executive suites, no silly HR departments full of “managers” with silly job titles, etc, etc…
Does Kencall have a sales department? If you want to talk about power, that’s where it is – in sales, not in silly HR.
OEB, to answer your question, such people stay because for one they’ve been there for years and so are used to the frustration and secondly, if you look at the names you’ve mentioned, none of them are agents. they are all people of a rank higher than that. get it?
they are not he people being over worked and underpaid
KE, I don’t know which and how many HR departments you’ve interacted with but I happen to know of several great ones.
As a systems specialist I understand they fail or misinform. The best way to resolve such a bug is simply for the team leaders and account managers to run a manual register for two weeks and compare the two. Only then can you really prove the system is at fault. Any manager worth his salt will never accept a “my word against the system” argument without facts.
Outsourcing is a concept that’s rapidly catching on in Africa, however, it’s one not clearly understood by all. To most of the adult population an 8-5 job is a normal job not unless you’re a pilot, nurse or doctor then everyone understands the need to work odd hours. Until such a time that people understand the concept call centres will continue to employ young people not only because of the hours but the flexibility that comes with it.
I agree with you that this view needs to change. The only way to change it is to ensure that there are policies in place to cater for the well being mature employees. The cost of employment will definately rise and it’s an inenvitable fact not only for Kencall but also for any startup.
Call centre business is a volumes business hence the huge number of staff required. There’s nothing conventional about call centres just as it was about JIT 20 years back. With time the industry will set its own path, define its own rules. Just like in war there’ll always be casualties, collateral damage and winners. The Nesbitts have been doing this for the last 4 years and by all standards have done a great job.
Power in an organisation is not wielded by the one with the biggest balls regardless of the department. In your case it’s sales … HR in any organisation constitutes the largest budgetary expense and cannot be underestimated.
Sallie, no one is not overworked and underpaid. Most of those people started out as agents and have one quality that seems to lack in the rest AMBITION.
I understand agents at times work for long hours. Compensation for the same is at the discretion of the employer, either you get paid or get extra leave days or both.
The onus is on you to find out which applies and use it.
>>> @ kenyanentrepreneur
Kencall doesn’t have the kind of stream that you are suggesting, but yes, the current ones seem to be stable, with the exception of one that seems to be shutting down business gradually. EPZ companies (Kencall being one of these) have the option of seeking some business within the country but this is not to be more than 25% of the entire business. It is for this reason why Telkom has contracted Kencall to handle its customer care service.
The reason why Telkom didn’t handle this on its own is because it is much more cheaper to have another company worry about staffing this kind of work while the company is left to deal with its core business of providing telecommunications. If a company deals with so many issues at one go, it runs the risk of screwing up with all if not one. This might prove to be Safaricom’s undoing in the future. Safaricom’s competition seems to be picking up pace and it seems like Safaricom is already feeling like it has lost the communications arm of the battle and thus is seeking to consolidate its hopes in the banking arm of M-Pesa. Telkom is picking up pace at a considerable speed and will prove to be a thorn in Safaricom’s flesh.
OEB i tried to practise what you’ve said-ati working on my off days and you know what? i was sent home!!!!!!!that was total bullshit if you ask me!!!what the hell???and it aint ati my scores werent good. no, cos i’ m a performer so they were reassuaring. so my statement still applies
Sallie sorry for the situation you found yourself in. This happened not because you did anything wrong (taking your word for what it is) but simply because both your account manager and the hr were in effective and to also deter such tendencies.
It’s a rather crude way of management and totally unfair, and I hope the situation has changed.
It’s still amazing to me that in all the discussions of Kencall that have taken place above, people (mainly the employee’s) seem not to have figured out what the role of an employee is.
The Nesbitts are not trying to make you rich. They are trying to make themselves rich.
The Nesbitts probably don’t even care if the managers are hurting your feelings. They care about making a profit. The bottom line is the bottom line.
So, if you are at kencall and you accept your role as an “employee”, wouldn’t it be more prudent for you to just take the shit and learn about how that company functions? in the hope that you’ll be able to take what you learnt from there and maybe one day compete with them?
No one has yet given me the sense that they know how the company operates, especially from a sales persepective (which by the way is where all the money comes from).
KE what you have just said is so true…those who are still in KenCall should get down to learning the processes and trade of the call center from a sales point of view…It is true that the Nesbitts are all about making profit and so that should be also the case to the agents who need to make that extra thing on top of the Basic Salo they take home….focus on what the company makes for it to pay you and you will never feel bad about working there…..Most of you….Sallie seems to be one of them….need to sit down and think why you have good scores and still get frustrated @ work….maybe you just couldn’t measure up or something. Those of us who worked there and had a good time also had those bad days..and just for the record do not forget that there was a time you were desperate for a job and KenCall was there for you…OEB you are so right that people need to change their attitude if you cannot change what you seem to think about KenCall. It was time you stopped complaining!!!!
Hey, whoever will get to read this as much as u guys at the back office feel good, let also others feel good. Do not keep cash to urselves. what i mean here is that try and pay up guys on good time or may be open up and let them know whether the cash is not there.
Or do u feel guilty when the other agents get bakes? what if, if all agents decide not to work? will ur so called team leaders have the courage to make them work?what about the account managers. and by the way, this goes out to the account managers, without mentioning names, treat ur agents well without provoking them for u may never know what there intentions are. u can be heard without being loud!!!!get this……
My advice to u guys is that u try as much as u can to make out the best out of what u wish to achieve. This could be by finding a way to scrap this page. It is unfair to ur company!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chicken:
What on earth are you talking about?
Kenyanentrepreneur
I have been reading your comments with interest. The suggestions that you have are very noble. I only have one question to ask anyone who is willling to answer me. We all understand that kenya is full of unemployed people today. with or without their degrees.
my question is, what do you do when you work in a company like kencall, you feel that your immediate manager or supervisor is treating you with no respect and you have gone to even to some extent the owner of the company (nesbitt) but the situation remains the same?
the person you are complaining about still treats you the same same way and you are trying to be polite and mature about it?
you also realise that you need the job so you dont mess it up by misbehaving or being immature?
you dont want to quit. you just want to be treated with dignity and respect but this doesnt happen.
I went to HR to complain about how I was being treated and after being promised “something will be done” i found the HR person on another day gossiping about the same issue to the person i was compalining about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guess that’s why they call her baby HR!
Toddler:
You never, never, go to HR to complain. It will always ends up in the gossiping pit. I’ve seen it happen to so many people over the years. Why would you do that? HR is useless.
A couple of years ago, this guy I worked with went to HR to complain about his boss! we all looked at him like he had gone mad. Needless to say, he was outta there within that same year. The info got back to the boss
If you don’t like your job and there are no issues of racial or sexual discrimination, then the only option is to move on to another job. HR won’t help you because that’s not their job. Even in the west, if there’s a claim of racism or sexism, the only thing HR does is immediately get in touch with the companies lawyers and even then, their only goal will be to settle the case financially so that you can move on and so that the info doesn’t get into the news. So, they’ll offer you a cash settlement, but before they hand you the money, you’ll have to sign a non-disclosure form saying you won’t talk about what happened.
But in kenya, the chances of filing a successful case of sexism or anything else are almost nil and maybe it’s the reason so many people steal from their employers: They know they have no other options. I mean, if you know you’re about to be fired, you might as well clean them out and make sure your finances are in place before they give you the boot.
I’m beginning to assume that if kencall keeps treating employee’s like this, the employee’s will deal with it Kenyan style: They’ll start stealing shit.
Yeah! This blog makes the kencall management famous and its very unfair not to make some account managers famous.
My life in kencall was somehow soft until a bitch by the name of GRACE OBONGO passed near me during one of her rear supervisory tasks. I remember her asking if I could type 10WPM whn I was already typing 40WPM. All in all I managed to see the next day. Although I was not attached to the IT department, I managed to hack the Intranet and got a view of her payslip and I was shocked to see some big amounts of cash. ksh. 127,000 for the month of April, ksh103,000 for the month of May and ksh. 97,000 for the month of May!!! Where does all this cash end to??? Making her BIG ASS much BIGGER? Worse enough that she still rides on a “BODA BODA”??? Shame on her!
Grace is in kencall to spread the “gospel” of AIDS! I might sound as a detective but at one time I went to the washrooms and found this funny letters addressed to several TLs and a few agents. The letters contained a list of those working under the Grace Syndicate! She controls a group of chiqs who have to fuck some guyz and also chiqs and keep the gospel spreading. Its unfair to mention the names coz the victims are innocent!
When the first group was bn laid off, She (GRACE) went on leave and left a fellow Fucker, Idiot Sam Onsongo to implement the task of elimination. Shame on Sam, by the way he still owes me 5k and I want to get it b4 he is swallowed by the gospel.
Sam may look innocent but as the saying goes “Don’t judge a book by its cover”!!! He is a cold blood muder and hell will have no pity for him nor his flesh if not his bones!!!! Instead of considering the so called performance (QA score and the Stats) during the elimination, he was busy looking for the best ****** to Fuck! and fortunately he managed to land his D**k to the Chapati faced Samira!!!
Samira can only b described as a dick sucker who will alwayz do all that she can to get a promotion, ask Sam and he will tel u that Samira is the best QA around especially after giving me an Auto fail without bn my QA!!!!
I hate the above three (Grace, Sam Onsongo and SAmira “chapati”) and if I could get the chance to supply them with breathing air, Carbon Monoxide will work better for them!!! If this floor managers get out of the job, then kencall will b a better place.
All the Agents Rock!!!
GRACE OBONGO, SAM ONSARINGO AND SAMIRA CHAPATI: You are famous!!!!!!!!!!!
The last user who posted must be a real idiot, calling others idiots but then goes ahead to put out facts that clearly expose who the person is. What makes you think that Grace will not be able to figure out who you are if you mention a fact to do with the time she spoke to you about your typing speeds? She probably remembers that very well. Then you go ahead and mention that Sam Onsongo owes you 5k. What makes you think that the two won’t put their heads together and figure out who you are? Woe unto you if you are still at KenCall those are grounds for summary dismissal. What’s more you could be pushed in for criminal proceedings, “hacking into systems” as you purportedly put it is a serious offence, character assassination is another issue. Just pray hard that your post can somehow disappear before the forces that be catch up with you.
PS. I am none of any of the people you have mentioned so don’t get sassy trying to hit back that I am either Sam, Grace or Samira. I am just watching from the sidelines and this guy’s idiocy caught my eye. Some food for thought, who’s the idiot now?
Slim dont include yourself in the idiot list! Am out of Kencall and I dont care whether they identify me or not! All tht I wanted was jst to make the above few famous!
KE and Final MT,
You arent entirely correct you know. While it might be ssomewhat true that the CEO doesnt care about the agents welfare, how about caring abt the welfare of the business…. Ever thought that maybe the reason why there is never a time when the business reachess its peak is because of the high rate of turnover. Experienced agents quit everyday hence forcing the company to start all over again recruiting. If the employees didnt keep quiting then there would be no need to post expensive adverts for employment on the papers thereby costing the company a lot of unnecessary expenses, and lets not forget all the time used by the trainers to coach a new lot of recruits every 2 weeks or so, or the overworked HR dept that has to interview new prospective employees every other day … I mean is anyone seeing where I am going with this?
I would like to commend Ann Onsarigo for her most mature display of professionalism. She takes just a single day in a long while to go round her account agents work stations to make sure every agent is on point. Why would we ever find something to complain about if everone treated each other maturely like she does. We all know what took us there, not to lounge but work… n hence the request for work ettiquette. And not to mention that kencall if full of learned individuals. If the agents all dont have Degrees its coz they are in campus working to get one. Lets not belittle the working force of this company that is the agents. We all know they are the backbone of the company and without them there is no kencall.
Mickey:
I don’t think anyone is belittling the kencall employee’s. I believe some of their complaints are legitimate. However, what some are saying here is that working there was an exercise in free choice (i.e. nobody forced them to go there and nobody is forcing them to stay). So, if they are unhappy, they should leave. Unfortunately, the employment climate in Kenya is difficult so many of them don’t have many choices, but what are they going to do? They’re constant complaining isn’t working. So, they just have to move on.
The backbone of the company is not the agents. It’s the salespeople (if they are any) who are bringing in the clients. Without these salespeople, nobody would have a job (and it sounds like this is where the fundamental problem with kencall is: they’re just not bringing in enough clients and that’s why their revenue stream is shaky).
Enterpreneur I wish to fault you,the Agents in kencall are the ones who maintain any account that they have and that is the reason they recruit when they have a campaign they are anticipating.Trouble is they cant sustain the accounts too well since the agent s who are supposed to be the backbone of a case in point should another client be approached are so disgruntled all of them nearly are looking for jobs,so they cant give their 100 percent.
Recommendations will be given but the Nesbitts wont do anything about them,they will leave those self professed incompetent managers in place much as these are the ones frustrating the agents and hindering them from progression.
Now to all the guys in Kencall,my advice to you,do what you can,but dont worry the market is opening up obviously most of the other call Centers opening up are run by ex Kencallers,we will jump off this horse so fast theses guys wont know what hit them.Take Hurt do not despair,this experience is necessary for us to go give it best to where people know our worth.
I know it is so demoralizing to see people who have actually worked as opposed to gossip and be malicious in this Company lose their jobs whilst the incompetent Boot lickers who know nothing to do but incite the Nesbitts to get rid of the real People who made true Sacrifices and offered sometimes a lifeline idea to this Company,are the ones left behind reaping those guys hard earned Sweat,but that ought not make you feel discouraged.Learn to be Just people of Great Integrity,let the Nesbitts rot in their own waste since its their Company they are entitled to their actions,but they will Pay in every way for the Innocent Hearts they have dented and we will Leave intact with our relentlessness,and God shall surely make us know that in Justice and Service he rewards,so lets not cry like we do lets be and Stay Strong,for God shall surely deliver us
@ Kenyanentrepreneur.
KenCall does not have a sales department. The management i.e. the Nesbitts are the marketing arm of the company. They solely source for new business for the company.
You still haven’t gotten one point straight yet. THERE IS NO SHAKY REVENUE STREAM. KenCall’s revenue has been on an upswing since the start of this year. The problems faced by agents are no longer issues of constrained cash, delayed salaries but rather an issue of leadership. Once you get this point, you will change your school of thought. I Insist again, KENCALL IS NOT FACING A CASH CRUNCH!!!
Boomerang:
Why are you so sure that Kencall is not facing a cash crunch? Do you have access to their financials? or better yet, do you have access to their client list?
However, let us assume, for the sake of argument that you are right. If it’s a question of leadership (as you put it) why haven’t they figured out that the high turnover rate is creating a problem for them?
Additional information you have provided here is also quite interesting: that they do not have a sales team to speak of. So, if the founders are in fact the sales team, when do they have time to manage their employee’s?
All these agents and no sales team. It’s actually kind of shocking.
I know KenCall is doing ok, with some planned expansion and usage of money for quite a number of things that would not have been previously thought of, what more evidence do I need for that.
When this blog started, it was at a time when KenCall employees were going home with percentages of their salaries. it would be very right then to say that viewed in that light amongst some other few issues, there is no cash crunch.
This has been a pretty good year for KenCall seeing that no clients have closed up shop all year long compared to last year. Infact, with the bagging of Telkom Kenya, things don’t look so bad on the financial side. The number of agents streaming in for interviews every two days is enough testimony to these claims. The big numbers of these new agents mean that there is more work coming in which means more manpower, more income….
The fact that the company owners don’t have time to get involved with their employees means that they have to get some other people (the so called foot-soldiers) to handle the situation on the ground on their behalf. The problem comes in with the selection of these “foot-soldiers”. The process followed when doing this is highly questionable and below board to say the very least. You will realize that most members of this team have been at KenCall for pretty long to earn the “favourite” title from the view of KenCall’s founders.
This issue can be looked at from very many angles, but for now, you need to chew on that info and see life from the agent’s perspective i.e. lack of professionalism from their bosses and unfounded favouritism towards others from the same bosses. This leads to the big issue of agents being treated with little if any or no respect at all despite their potential which no one cares to realise.
and with little pay. and Grace paid to talk? what do these managers do except gossip. the only person i see working is Andrew….roaming to and fro looking for people to bust…..what a waste. what do you write in your cv as your job description..roaming?
Boomerang:
You said:
“The number of agents streaming in for interviews every two days is enough testimony to these claims”.
Hello? what’s the unemployment rate in Kenya? I’m assuming, if you advertise for jobs, you’ll always get a long line, especially if they are entry level jobs, which many people believe they are qualified for.
I don’t really care about the agents poor working environment. I don’t. If they don’t like it, they can leave. I am more interested in finding out about their business model and the only thing I’ve gotten so far is that Earthlink and Telkom Kenya are two of their clients and that they have no sales department. Interesting.
KE:
you dont care about agents working environment? you really dont???
this is very interesting. interesting indeed. from your line of thought it’s like you want to know their clients and then pick them up for yourself?? or what?
interesting.
very interesting.
Yes that’s my name. As bold as usual and will always say the truth as it is. We must all understand that the Nesbitts started this company and it’s their right to run it as they wish but Nesbitts there is something called Human rights. If these agents were your househelps then pay them as you pay them now. but these great people are making you millions. Atleast appreciate that and pay them back. But once again it’s your call the Nesbitt’s. Kencallers the door is wide open and opportunities are knocking at your doorstep. Look beyond Kencall and you’ll see. I think in life you should always learn to try enjoy what you do. If you can’t then that’s the wrong place for you. Otherwise agents from Kencall you’re great. Some managers without Managerial skills, fuck you! Are you trying to be King Herod? That’s how backward some of you are. I won’t mention names but with the little cash you earn and you think just cause you have a title manager you can harras other? No wonder you have no career. Take a second look at yourself. Otherwise sina ubaya!
hi all
thanks for your comments…..but you should know that am married so if you think you can just spoil my integrity that way m sorry….yes i have shagged many including you.
sasa huyu shamalla nini mbaya na yeye??? gatho. people were actually trying to dicuss something with sense then ana toas blonde comment ka hii?? no wonder kuna those storoz are being said abt him. anyway…
Phuex!!
and yu haven’t shagged me yet….
SpinVox, Tigo, CellFish, EarthLink, Telkom (Now Orange) just to name a few.
hmmmm, But I did think those brown brothers were kinda cute eh?…
LOL sad they have such useless Ass-wipes running their company…..
Those Nesbitts…
……………………to be continued…………………………
(Pardon me, but at the moment I have better things to do!)
i wanna hear somthing abt betty tomlinson fro guys whove been at kencall. i have never worked there. but pals talk all ill aboout her. and one conc story i can tell is that she believes she owns kencall. the old swit 16 mama. i dont know coz av not ivn seen her. but dammit i cant work for kencall after all these stuff in her. and worse, wat i hear about her. she decides for the nesbitts??????? lucky her. hahahahahahahahahahha
dudes, idont know you.my gal applied for a job there.she is a graduate.was that a bad idea?and could someone please give me an estimate of what u guys are paid?thanks
what a waste of time.
i read with awe in this Thurday’s Newspaper dated 25th on page 4 , in the Money magazine that Jeremiah Okello 31, was once an employee at KenCall. when i started working 4 spinvox,,,,,, i was told that a certain nigger (Jeremiah) who was an agent but very bright tried to hack in to the systems and even download Tenzing and was found by IT . he was dismissed by Nesbitt himself. this tale was passed onto everyone who was from the transcription training and about to hit the floor in a bid 2 discourage people from doing anything with the computers and to show that the dude had nowhere to go after dismisal. but lo! he must’ve heard about this vybe and so he decided to tell the whole world how much he’s progressed without Kencall and yes, the man’s call centre is lucrative with him raking 700,000 a month and on the side he get’s 600,000 a month .so that’s 1.3 mil a month!11 beat that!!!!!!!!!111 even the stupid agressive Andrew aint close to that. so to y’all Kencall is just a stepping stone for more and greater things! someone has gone from earning a mere 15k to 1.3 mil!!!!1 so pliz i wish to commend Cant even remember for yes describing all that goes on there. the company aint the end of the world even if they figure out eho you are!1 so what/!!!!!!!!
Ohh and queen B we know who you are or should we call you bumble bee.
Ill tell you what,you can see it for yourselves,Shamalla the Account Manager,Nick Nesbitt’s Right hand man,can come up with such comments,need I say More………Nick has allowed that to take place under his nose,I know he is intelligent enough,Eric is also quite brainy but the shocker is,they let their Huge investment be run by such ‘Personalities’!Im not at all surprised with the sentiments that I am reading here,Im not,so guys give it up they aren’t worth your better judgement,let them roast with that place once the likes of akina Jeremiah have run them off the map!Jeremiah!Kudos man,Thank you for proving to all theses incompetent boot lickers that talent they have but they always look thye wrong places for it in the Likes of Jackie Kamau,Ann Kiama,Michael Shamalla and Grace Obong’o the Cellulite reeling Lesbian,alafu that Mary Kamanda as mentioned up there,you must be a joke you are fine enough,the Men are there and they I can confirm,offer more plus your conscience will be intact
Cellulite reeling lesbian?
Hilarious
And if Kencall is so bad, where else can i go to seek a similar jobo?
watu waache ushoga. kwani is it hard to leave my brothers and sisters?
No its not you can leave if u choose to. Just work your ass up on finding a better paying job and surprisingly you’ll find it sooner than you thought
bullshit kencall
Kencall wanafikiria hawana compe kenya and thats why the are treating agents badly. We should all go to their main competitor Skyweb tuone kama wataendelea
tuhepe:
Tell us more about skyweb.
Someone needs to come up with some law declaring this blog illegal….there was so much hype about it, I wonder why, i coldnt even go through half your comments… A bored bunch
Truth is – Kenyans have a very bad work ethic. It doesn’t really matter how much you pay them, they just do enough work so as not to get fired.
The only reason the Nesbits are able to bring the jobs to Kenya is because the price of labor is cheap – otherwise the clients would keep the jobs in Europe or US. However, even if Kencall was somehow able to pay each agent a million shillings a month, it would never help. Kenyans are habitually lazy, are usually thieves and just want to make more money for nothing. A good example is the Kenyan MPs. What reason do they have for their laziness and incompetence.
I applaud Nesbit for the courage to run this business in Kenya. It takes courage to deal with Kenyans.
John:
I would not say Kenyans are lazy at all. Why would you come up with that statement?
Could it be that kencall’s employee’s are so frustrated at not being paid and are so frustated with the management, that they see no need to give that company their “all” if they know, they’ll get nothing in return?
Enyewe we’ve said a lot. But I hope there’s a TL out there reading this..We should learn to co exist with each other. Lazima tuishi pamoja…Kuna ma TL wengine hu get off on other people’s mistakes. They know themselves..True, us agents piss you off sometimes and even land you trouble..Having a one to one with that agent won’t make u any less of a man or woman….but at the end of the day we need to strike a balance..Kissing ass will only take you so far….SO MJIpange or else ndawapanga….BE WARNED!!!!!!!!
to those who keep telling kencallers to just quit,
does that mean you are offering us a job?
Cos if you are please tell me where to apply because i dont have a mommy to take care of me and pay my bills while i just sit on my ass.
we have families and we have to provide for them and the kencall management know this and they exploit this to the fullest and as a result this company will never grow since the employees do the bear minimum that they are required to do maintain a job. if i had the financial backing i’d go off and start my own but until then i’ll hang on to the 15k oh sorry 12 after tax, HELB, taxi fines, so called system problems that HR somehow manage to find every other month.
Now my problem is that most people at kencall are fucked up. first of all bn there for a long time to know all tha shit that goes on. someone has been weareing the same clothes tangu the days of earth link and DTB. lemme just tell u her name. ANNE IRUNGU. BITCH get some new clothes. you’ve been having the largest commisions n u cnt afford some new clothes. you look like an old hag n u stink by the way. just because you’re fat doesn’t mean u wear the same ol clothes. for instance Cyprine has a big ass body (which i happen to love) and she always looks good. Anne you are an eye sore n please screaming on the whole floor won’t get anyone’s attention cos no one wants to lay you. same goes to peaches the bitchez. bitch give it up,,,,,, u’re lousy and i will never look at u twice so give it up. and making advances at Andrew will get u no where. Cyprine I love ure ass……u’re so sexy and yes,,,,i wanna bang you.
Yes i am in deed horny
people people is this the first time u hearing about this?this started awhile back and am surpried thta now is when it gets here?try 4years back my friends……………..
Wow amazing how much time we spend complaining about others yet we don’t look at the issues we got with ourselves. Stop fuckin(pardon me for cursing) complaining. Instead of bitching on this damn blogg take an action about it or shut tha f up. I mean roho safi if you at KenCall and bitching then why tha hell are you still there… Stop complaining about whatchu ain’t got and appreciate whatchu have cos that’s pretty much what you will get till you start appreciating it and then maybe you will grow. God will not award you if you do not appreciate what you have now…
Geez people chukueni chill pills.
by the way Njeri is on point if she’s directing her comments at Jaluo.
So still on the leadership issue again. northing’s being done. maybe as the man in charge nesbitt should even do some discreet digging around to find out if there’s some basis to all this ranting. Maybe where he grew up he’s never heard of a version of the the saying ‘usipo ziba ufa uta jenga ukuta’ If nesbitt is looking the other way ignoring the grievances taking advantage of the fact that the agents have nowhere to go no alternative but to stay, then the day however long it takes, the day that a serious competitor enters the market will begin the unstoppable count down to destruction for Kencall. This saying he definitely knows a stitch in time saves nine. Borrow a leaf from Safaricom. Take care of your assets, NOW cater to them even if there’s no competition when competition does come they’ll huff and puff but your house won’t come down
You know people are mostly promoted to senior levels in Kencall based to a large extent on their performance. But it’s not always the case that people who perform well as in have the most sales, or have the highest scores or are the best transcribers make the best leaders.
There should be a system put in place to evaluate employees to determine who has the best characteristics to do a good job.