BP Call Center Employee Admits: 'We're A Diversion' (VIDEO)

It's in the nature of customer service call centers to be unhelpful, but in the case of the Gulf oil spill, the frustration of Gulf Coast residents has been so overwhelming that one contract employee at the West Houston BP Call Center felt the need to come forward and voice her concerns with KHOU Channel 11 in Houston, Texas.

Speaking under the cloak of anonymity as "Janice," the call center employee describes the operation as nothing more than a "diversion."

From reporter Tiffany Craig's report:

Janice said calls about the oil disaster are non-stop and that operators are just warm bodies on the other end of the phone.

"We're a diversion to stop them from really getting to the corporate office, to the big people," said Janice.

The calls come in from around the world, but it's the desperation of those on the Gulf Coast that has affected her the most.

"I don't want to get emotional, but it's so frustrating when these people live right there and nothing is being done to help them," the operator said.

For weeks on end, 12 hours a day, there is a little secret that Janice said she has witnessed firsthand.

Because the operators believe the calls never get past them, some don't even bother taking notes.

More here.

[Hat Tip: Florida Oil Spill Law]

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Comments

[Levi Erik]

11:40 PM on 07/22/2010

Earlier this week, BP was once again caught lying to the public, this time indirectly, through photoshopped images the oil giant has been posting across their official response website.

Read the full story here: http://www.bestfunnyblog.com/world-news/bp-photoshops-pictures-command-center/

[BrandyWine25]

08:49 AM on 06/16/2010

This comes as no surprise. I can't wait until I have my Nissan LEAF and I don't have to live as a hypocrite ANY LONGER.

[bellabeach]

08:14 AM on 06/16/2010

I went ten miles out of my way to go to another gas station other than BP!! This may seem like just a small token, but if everyone let them have it where it hurts them most, we might see more real action on their part!!

[tedpikul]

08:19 PM on 06/15/2010

Yeah but what about the Lost finale? Epic!

Enjoy your oligarchy, kids.

[BenjaminPhillips]

06:23 PM on 06/15/2010

Humanity should bind together. Stop buying BP fuel altogether!! Make sure that where ever they purchase fuel, they ASK if the fuel they are purchasing is connected to BP. If it is, drive to another fueling station. BP has proven, publicly, that they are only about profits. Of course most of humanity already knew this. We need to move away from fossil fuels for good. We should make it a goal to be free from oil within the next 25 years. It is very possible to do this. However, for it to happen humanity MUST be fully committed to this goal.....

[plaidsportcoat]

07:14 PM on 06/15/2010

There are hardly any BP stations where I live. If there were ONLY BP stations, you know people would not boycott them. These oil companies are monopolies, to a degree. The overview of any kind of boycott has to take into account the big picture - how they break up their territory amongst us peons.

[mrsLambert]

06:16 PM on 06/15/2010

Also, watch Edward James Olmos take Anderson Cooper out in the Gulf. He had more info to get out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfJVEdd2Ikg&feature=related

[plaidsportcoat]

07:15 PM on 06/15/2010

thanks for that!
fanned

[mrsLambert]

06:12 PM on 06/15/2010

They just have no idea, do they. Do they really think that none of their employees will talk?

Edward James Olmos has been down there and found a guy to talk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G7l7Sxb0V4

He reveals the prisoners bussed in to work for the President's visit on Jefferson County school busses. Watch and listen as a local man tells what is going on down there.

I had no idea Mr. Olmos was so politically active. I subscribed to his channel, maybe you will, too.

[sb-dallas]

05:23 AM on 06/15/2010

Going out of their way to do absolutley nothing. Sparing no expense to prove once more they really don't care.

[maxfax]

01:27 AM on 06/15/2010

British Petroleum has no intention of employing wokers or volunteers to contain the oil, save the coasts, or save the sealife, birds, or marsh. They never did. Hello Mr. President, wake up, this is your 3 o'clock call.

[ElBorba]

06:43 PM on 06/15/2010

They're just going to ignore the whole thing, and then fight it out in court until 2075 . .

[maxfax]

09:29 AM on 06/16/2010

Once the Gulf becomes America's "dead sea" we'll be able to walk to and from Cuba.

[DavidWyld]

08:42 PM on 06/14/2010

Just when you think BP's corporate PR can't get any worse, they find a way to top themselves! Kudos to "Janice" for speaking out - I would guess the boys at BP will direct all their resources toward finding "her" and making sure she's fired before the day is over - way more energy toward finding the leaker than plugging the leak!

David http://wyld-about-careers.blogspot.com/

[KatK]

05:50 PM on 06/14/2010

Just when I thought I couldn't get any angrier at BP - I see this story and the one about how they are going to fund wildlife restoration only out of the recovered oil. When the spill ends, wildlife restoration money ends.

I don't even have a word for my anger.

[StonedAtheist]

08:16 PM on 06/14/2010

They are also burning much of the oil they've recovered because they can't handle how much they've recovered.

[sknyjohn]

05:04 PM on 06/14/2010

6.19.10
2pm, Coney Island, Brooklyn, NYC- BP Spill Mermaid SurvivorsParade
http://nycal.mayfirst.org/node/645

[edwoodjr]

05:00 PM on 06/14/2010

BP = Big Ph*ckup.

[rbryanh]

04:59 PM on 06/14/2010

Sounds like the customer hotline of virtually any corporation. The notion that corporations are run for any purpose other than to benefit their CEOs and top shareholders is akin to belief in Santa Claus. It's forgivable in children, but disturbing in adults. Actually, the analogy isn't a good one. Any belief that any corporation is anything other than an amoral profit machine is irresponsible to the point of being contemptible.

[consultant55]

04:45 PM on 06/14/2010

Without a doubt, BP=BS!