Telephone Survey Work with Optimum Contact

jasperconran

Hi Paul,

Just a quickie question! I am due to start back with OC from Monday. Lucky I can still log in lol.

Anyway my question is this.......What times of the day do you work roughly?? I am only going to do this part time to start with and I am just wondering how many hours a day you work and from what times until when?

thanks

Paul_Varjak

I work any time 10am - 8pm but I don't work continuously through the day. Much depends on when callbacks are arranged (which are often 6pm-8pm)

jasperconran

great looks like could be a shortage of work for a while. flaming typical when I am just going to restart!! just had an email about nrb surveys not being done anymore.

Surely OC must have other companies they deal with???

Paul_Varjak

Yes, it it has come as a complete shock. I will now have to think about other work too.

SimIsOnTheUp

Same here Paul and Jasper Conran.

Had the email through this afternoon, just as I was about to get back into the NRB surveys.

Gutted, as I was relying on bringing that extra money in.

Paul - Any idea, if they have other work?

I did email them, and hope to hear back tomorrow.

Good Luck both.

Paul_Varjak

I really don't know the answer to your question. Financial uncertainty in the UK generally means that cutbacks are inevitable and market research is often among the first to take the hit.

SimIsOnTheUp

Paul and Jasper -

GOOD NEWS

I've just had an email from OC, confirming that the NRB surveys are now back on until December's batch has been completed.

They say that this will then give them time, to sort out some more work.

Talk about a relief!

Hope that this cheers you up, as much as it did me.

Sim

Paul_Varjak

Yes, it is good we now have some notice that those particular surveys will end.

Hopefully, OC will find more work for us by January. They are very happy with the team of assessors they have now and they certainly don't want to lose all those so dedicated to the survey work.

SimIsOnTheUp

Well that didn't last long!

I hadn't been well enough to work this past month or so, and was looking forward to getting back to work on the NRB surveys as of today, until next month..

Only to get an email through, saying that NRB had decided to pull the surveys after all.

Gutted.

Paul - Do you know of any similar work about?

Good Luck to us all.

Paul_Varjak

Hi Sim...

Trying to find similar work - working from home is difficult. I am now in employment doing market research, albeit just two days a week at the moment. If OC has no surveys by the New Year I will be looking to increase my hours in the new job.

I have to travel 25 miles each day and I find it more stressful than working from home. My work is monitored several times per day and they are quite strict about adhering to the MRS Code of Conduct.

I think I am very lucky to just walk into this new job - I am aged 60 and disabled and with no employment history for 15 years (except 4 years self-employed with OC). Also, it was a surprise to find that there is a call centre in Hull for one of the world's largest market research organisations!

You could try calling the Market Research Society and ask them for details of companies in your area, that is how I find my new job.