0:00:03 > 0:00:05Just calling to help you lower the cost of your energy bills,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09- by finding the right tariff available to you. Are you the bill payer?- 'I certainly am.'
0:00:09 > 0:00:14Nev Wilshire is CEO of Swansea's third largest call centre.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Get out! Get out!
0:00:16 > 0:00:19What sums up my management style?
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Some say I'm barking orders, some say I'm barking mad.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24WOOF! Oh, sorry.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27But there's life in the old dog yet.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29DOG BARKING IN BACKGROUND
0:00:31 > 0:00:33'Not again! Not again!'
0:00:33 > 0:00:35It's an industry that now employs over one million
0:00:35 > 0:00:40people in the UK, with an average age of just 26.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41'Oh, piss off!'
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Call centres are the factories of our time.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Get these deals, make these calls. That's what I'm talking about!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Think I just dialled your missus by mistake!
0:00:50 > 0:00:52But times have been tough.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57A few years ago the Queen had an annus horribilis, a horrible year.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00We've had an annus anus.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02It's been tough.
0:01:03 > 0:01:04Go, John!
0:01:04 > 0:01:07More than ever, Nev's relied on his unique approach
0:01:07 > 0:01:10to motivating his young workforce.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Oh, Johnny!
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Now he's fighting back...
0:01:14 > 0:01:16See? That's what you've got to beat.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Are we making money again now, yeah? Go for it, then.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21..with his loyal troops right behind him.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25Our main challenge in HR is, um...
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Hey, Geoff, you're looking good!
0:01:29 > 0:01:31I was going to say Nev then. Don't say that!
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Morale is on the up...
0:01:34 > 0:01:35CHEERING
0:01:35 > 0:01:37..for this Swansea call centre.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Where victory is only a cold call away.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Are you not entertained?
0:01:45 > 0:01:47What's it like to be in charge of 600 people?
0:01:47 > 0:01:50It's an endurance, sometimes it's a marathon.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Sometimes, you have to sprint to keep up.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56But I love it. I absolutely love it.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Welcome to Nev's world.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20It's 11am and call centre CEO Nev Wilshire is taking time out
0:02:20 > 0:02:24from running his multimillion pound empire...
0:02:24 > 0:02:25Johnny, on the head, son!
0:02:25 > 0:02:30..to celebrate a recent victory for local football team Swansea City.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36I put that... Oh, Johnny! The mess you're making on my floor!
0:02:36 > 0:02:37Sort it out.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Whenever the Swans win,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42supporters of rival team Cardiff get a rough ride.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44I mean, you should be lucky that
0:02:44 > 0:02:47I let a Cardiff City fan even work here!
0:02:47 > 0:02:49You should be paying ME to come in here!
0:02:51 > 0:02:54- And you wonder why I tell you to - BLEEP- off all the time?
0:02:54 > 0:02:55Because you're not very nice!
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- Bye!- Yeah, bye.
0:03:08 > 0:03:09- Brent.- Hi there.- Your tickets.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13Nev has a number of Swansea season tickets that he likes to lend out
0:03:13 > 0:03:15to fellow supporters.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Johnny, West Ham on Saturday.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22- Thank you very much. But... - However...- I need to decline.- Why?
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- Cos I'm going in the away end. - In the away end?- The away end.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- West Ham, ain't I?- You sad- BLEEP.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34- Are we late?- Are we late for what? - Work.- No.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Two of the biggest Swans fans are Simon Vye, 23,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41and his 21-year-old brother, Kieran.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43- CAR HORN BEEPS - Hey-hey!
0:03:45 > 0:03:47- Who was that?- I don't know!
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Nev's a top boss, he's all right to me, I get on with him.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Gives me tickets for the football.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53'He's a cool guy.'
0:03:53 > 0:03:56The pair have been cold calling for nearly three years.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00You're on the phone all day, like, it just gets boring.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02They changed the hours - when it was only six-hour shifts,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04it was a lot quicker, the day went...
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Now it's eight-hour shifts, but we don't work weekends, so it's all right.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10As long as I don't work on the weekends, I can play football and I'm happy.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Kieran is known as one of the call centre's top sellers...
0:04:21 > 0:04:23- 'Hello?'- Hello, is that Miss Phelps?
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- 'Yes.'- Hi there. It's Kieran from Nationwide Energy,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28I'm a grants advisor for the local area...
0:04:28 > 0:04:31..but also for being notoriously unfocused.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- 'Right.'- The reason I'm calling is to find out
0:04:33 > 0:04:37- if you've had your insulation done yet.- 'Yes, I have.'
0:04:37 > 0:04:38That's excellent.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42On top of that, though, do you know how the Swans got off last night?
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- 'Sorry?'- Do you know how the Swans got off last night?
0:04:45 > 0:04:48You know, you being Cardiff and all that, Wales...
0:04:48 > 0:04:52- Swansea City... football.- 'No.'
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Oh, we won 3-0, it's not a problem, I'll amend my records now,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57- thanks a lot for your time. - CUSTOMER LAUGHS
0:04:57 > 0:05:00I rang someone the other day in Birmingham and asked him
0:05:00 > 0:05:03- for a contact number, and he was like, "0121,- BLEEP- do one."- Ha-ha!
0:05:03 > 0:05:07And that... That's what he told me. I didn't know whether to laugh...
0:05:07 > 0:05:08Do you know what I mean?
0:05:08 > 0:05:12They won't put us together, probably because we get up to mischief.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17I don't know. Cause the trouble, start the trouble, end the trouble.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Bring it on!
0:05:21 > 0:05:25- Is that it?- Yeah. Do you want another game, or what?- Yeah.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Sales agents are allowed a 10 minute break every three hours,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32but the Vye brothers' pool game started 20 minutes ago,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36and floor manager Dwayne has just noticed.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Is there any reason why we're playing pool and not on the phones?
0:05:38 > 0:05:43- Can we get back on the floor, please?- Yeah, OK, no problem.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47- Kieran, in the office as well, please.- All right, mate.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Stop wasting my time.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54You need to have a good look at your attitude, mate,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- because it's not good enough at the moment.- I had 15 leads this week.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Well done. Great. You should never be falling short of 15 in a week. Never.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09- So much potential going to waste. - What do you mean by potential?
0:06:09 > 0:06:13- I don't get it. - Be more professional.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14That's all I'm asking for.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21- Right.- You think you're good on the phones?- Not really.- You don't?
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- It's just luck.- It's all luck, is it?- Yeah.- How is it luck?
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Getting phone calls and going through deals with them.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30There is nothing luck about it. You are bloody good at what you do.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34You talk fantastically well to customers, you know the product.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38All I'm asking for you is a little bit more focus from yourself.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Change your attitude, mate, because if you don't change things,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45it's not going to be a pretty sight. Right?
0:06:45 > 0:06:46Yeah.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53'At the moment, he's playing stupid.'
0:06:53 > 0:06:55He's not, he's quite an intelligent bloke,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58but he plays stupid about, er, he doesn't know what he's doing
0:06:58 > 0:07:00wrong, this, that, the other, how can I improve?
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Just generally, his attitude stinks.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05One thing in Kieran's favour is
0:07:05 > 0:07:10that Nev sees potential in his call centre future.
0:07:10 > 0:07:11Everybody all right?
0:07:12 > 0:07:14How many are you selling?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Two? Two.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21I mean, the Vye brothers are good lads.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25You know, at the moment, they're still young and it's
0:07:25 > 0:07:28beer and curry tokens that they earn, not money.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30But they'll mature, they'll come on,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33and I hope they have good careers here.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36Nev is a cool guy.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Once or twice, I could have lost my job,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42but Nev's put his foot in and said no.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43Kept me here.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45As favourites of the boss,
0:07:45 > 0:07:50the Vye brothers often get to use Nev's Swansea City season tickets.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55But after attending last night's game, Kieran has got some bad news.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56I haven't got his ticket today.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59I went to the game last night and they took the ticket off me.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01There were people in front of me, standing up,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I said something to the supervisor and went for a pint
0:08:04 > 0:08:07with my mate, and then the next thing, he took the ticket off me.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09But by the looks of things,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12I'm going to have to go back down there and get it today.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Thanks a lot for your time, have a nice day.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17News of the lost season tickets soon spreads.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Have you lost his ticket?
0:08:19 > 0:08:23- Sort of.- He's going to freak, and do you know what he's going to do?
0:08:23 > 0:08:24Come Monday, Hull at home,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27"Nobody's having any tickets any more.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30"You lot can't be trusted any more."
0:08:30 > 0:08:33So, not only have you let yourself down, right, your family,
0:08:33 > 0:08:38your team, you're more importantly letting me down.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40If you was in my boots, what would you say to him?
0:08:40 > 0:08:42- If I was you, I'd have- BLEEP - topped myself about- BLEEP
0:08:42 > 0:08:45three years ago, but if I was you and I hadn't topped myself,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49- I wouldn't have come in today and I'd be down the job centre, looking for another- BLEEP- job.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54- I'd have been doing today what you're going to be doing tomorrow. - That's a bit over the top, isn't it?
0:08:57 > 0:08:59- You're- BLEEP,- then, are you?
0:08:59 > 0:09:00I dunno.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05- Come and see me after. - Right, nice one.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09With a bit of luck, if I can go down there in the next half hour,
0:09:09 > 0:09:1220 minutes, before my break's over,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16get the ticket back, and it's all gravy.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21But Nev's already got wind that there was an incident
0:09:21 > 0:09:25at his beloved football club, and has gone looking for his tickets.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- The guy who threw you out... - The supervisor.
0:09:28 > 0:09:34- Did he throw Simon out, as well? - No. He left. He left with me.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36After 20 minutes?
0:09:36 > 0:09:3820 minutes.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42- So, the ticket is down the stadium? - I can go and get it, man.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47I'll come with you.
0:09:49 > 0:09:50He can't do that.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53They are my seats!
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Can't believe it, we had to watch it in the pub.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06Nev is outraged that Kieran was apparently unfairly ejected.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08It appears that they got kicked out of their seats yesterday.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Well, not their seats, MY seats. So, I'm about to ring the stadium and find out,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15why were my seats given away to somebody else?
0:10:15 > 0:10:17DIALLING TONE
0:10:17 > 0:10:19But when Nev calls the stadium,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22they have a very different version of events.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24I see. OK, thanks.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28The lying bastards!
0:10:29 > 0:10:33They hadn't double-sold the seats, they got ejected
0:10:33 > 0:10:36from the ground for foul and abusive language to a steward.
0:10:44 > 0:10:51Oh, my God! Eugh! Eugh! That is hanging!
0:10:51 > 0:10:53It's a wasp, is it? A dead wasp?
0:10:53 > 0:10:56At least it's not inside the bottle, you know?
0:10:56 > 0:10:59With over 600 people working under him,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Nev can't deal with every staff indiscretion himself.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07It's the job of call centre manager Richard Thorpe, also known
0:11:07 > 0:11:12as the Enforcer, to maintain discipline on the sales floor.
0:11:12 > 0:11:1710% of my job is being a complete knobhead, bastard,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20horrible, dislikeable...
0:11:22 > 0:11:24..cock.
0:11:24 > 0:11:30We have to follow the rules of, what is it? Employment law. We have...
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Look around you! There is no law, I am the law.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Sometimes 15%. 20.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Do you honestly expect me to believe this bullshit?
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Oh, who am I kidding? On a bad week, it's 100%, isn't it?
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- Thorpey, you all right? - Hello, Nev, how are you?- I'm OK.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Thorpey is my ginger Rottweiler.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55His office is not so much an office, as a cage.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59And if you are invited into Thorpey's office, cage,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02you know you're going to get barked at.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07- 'Hello?'- Hello, is that Mrs Hurst?
0:12:07 > 0:12:08'Yes.'
0:12:08 > 0:12:10My name's Brent Davis from Nationwide Energy,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13I'm calling about your cavity wall insulation.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15'No, we're not interested, we've already got it.'
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Oh, if you've got it, yeah, you won't need it twice.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Laid-back sales agent Brent has been on the phone for two years
0:12:24 > 0:12:28and is next in line for a friendly chat with the Enforcer.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33I went on holiday two weeks ago, for two weeks,
0:12:33 > 0:12:38and, er, I only booked one week off. Because I only had a week holiday.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40So, it's about that, really.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43It's a sackable offence, it's gross misconduct.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46And it would be in any job.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49I'm going to be in the shit for this, I know.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50Come through, mate.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07You're stupid for not letting me know.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13No, I realise that now.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15I thought, because I let somebody know, you know,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17I just didn't think it would be...
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Yeah, but that's cobblers, isn't it? It doesn't work like that.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24That was a load of rubbish, that was.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Because it's so relaxed here all the time, you know, I just...
0:13:27 > 0:13:30It's like we're one big family, really.
0:13:30 > 0:13:31Oh, dear me!
0:13:31 > 0:13:36- One big family who just- BLEEP - off on holiday whenever they want.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38That's rubbish as well.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Mm-hm.
0:13:41 > 0:13:46It's such a laugh of a place to work for, a lot of the time,
0:13:46 > 0:13:51so that people can forget we are a serious moneymaking organisation.
0:13:51 > 0:13:52And ultimately,
0:13:52 > 0:13:57I'm responsible for ensuring that we get the required volume of sales.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08Um, it went all right.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Well, I say all right, I got a final written warning.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14So, it's not a sack. So, that's the main thing.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Just got to get sales now and...
0:14:18 > 0:14:20I can't really stand here and make a joke about it,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22because they're watching me.
0:14:22 > 0:14:23So...
0:14:24 > 0:14:25I've got to sit down.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28I'm the bearer of bad news a lot of the time.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33I'm the person who's seen as the horrible bastard,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36who sits in his office, "He doesn't know what's going on.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39"We're the workers. Up yours, Thorpey!"
0:14:44 > 0:14:48But with 15 years call centre experience behind him, Thorpey
0:14:48 > 0:14:54knows that certain distractions can have an adverse effect on sales.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Office romances are something I do frown upon,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01because it can cause an awful lot of problems.
0:15:01 > 0:15:0499% of relationships split up.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09So why would you possibly engage in a relationship with someone
0:15:09 > 0:15:11who directly works for you?
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Relationships aren't perfect. They're full of ups and downs.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17There's arguments, there's little break-ups. They're
0:15:17 > 0:15:20difficult enough as it is without having one
0:15:20 > 0:15:23with someone in work.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29But Thorpey doesn't quite practice what he preaches.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Yeah, I'm...I'm...
0:15:34 > 0:15:35What am I doing?
0:15:35 > 0:15:37My mum would say, or my gran would say
0:15:37 > 0:15:39that I'm courting at the moment.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41In that I...
0:15:43 > 0:15:47..I am seeing someone who actually works in this call centre.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51And when you're an eligible bachelor,
0:15:51 > 0:15:55the sales floor can appear a garden of plenty.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58If I'm a single man and I've got my pick of the bunch,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01I might as well pick the best of the bunch.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05There's no point pissing around with a girl who I think
0:16:05 > 0:16:08I might half fancy and she is more my league,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10so I'll give it a shot
0:16:10 > 0:16:13because I won't feel such a knob then for being knocked back.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16If I do get knocked back, I'm going to go top drawer.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Top drawer for 44-year-old Thorpey...
0:16:22 > 0:16:26..is 21-year-old sales agent Mary-Ann.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- Are you the bill payer? - 'No, that's the missus.'
0:16:29 > 0:16:31You're not the bill payer?
0:16:31 > 0:16:35'No, that's my wife's job. Any man who says he rules the house
0:16:35 > 0:16:38'is full of shit. A woman does it all.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40'She does all the bills, electric company,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42- 'phone bills and everything.'- OK.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45He liked me and I liked him, so...
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Yeah.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Behind work scenes, he is a really, really nice guy.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54He's different, like, what he's like.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58He's not like the hard guy or the horrible guy people say he is.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02What first attracted me to Mary-Ann?
0:17:02 > 0:17:03Er...
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Her personality.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22What attracted her to me
0:17:22 > 0:17:29was obviously my dazzling chiselled features, my pearly smile, my...
0:17:29 > 0:17:35wit and charm and... my receding ginger hair line.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41He just followed me about. He was like a lost puppy, like, literally.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46But it was good, he did try really hard and then I gave in.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50He's a nice guy. They say he's the enforcer, but he's not.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54I'm the enforcer at home. SHE LAUGHS
0:17:54 > 0:17:59- Do you have a specific guy you like? - Yeah, it's a certain type I go for.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04- So who's that type? - Tom Daley until he turned out gay.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Aww!
0:18:06 > 0:18:13Well, all the best-looking guys are gay, let's be honest.
0:18:13 > 0:18:14It's just a shame, really.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18But then also, I like Alan Sugar -
0:18:18 > 0:18:21- he works really hard for himself. - Yeah.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23He's very independent.
0:18:23 > 0:18:28He is not, like, lazy, like, sponges off his parents or nothing like that.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30He's got good qualities.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34Despite dating a woman half his age for the last 18 months,
0:18:34 > 0:18:39Thorpey's gone to great lengths to keep the relationship under wraps.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41I made it clear to Mary-Ann
0:18:41 > 0:18:44when we first started seeing each other that...
0:18:46 > 0:18:49..we wouldn't be having direct contact in work.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52I didn't want it to be one of those relationships where
0:18:52 > 0:18:57people are fawning all over each other in the workplace.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00That was never going to happen, because that's going to
0:19:00 > 0:19:04ruin my image, isn't it, as being Mr Bastard?
0:19:04 > 0:19:08But secrets are hard to keep in the call centre.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Pretty much everybody knows,
0:19:10 > 0:19:15but they've kept it on the low down because he's a manager. Like, if
0:19:15 > 0:19:19we say anything, it's like, are we meant to say anything, are we not?
0:19:19 > 0:19:21It's like, it's a bit like, oh!
0:19:21 > 0:19:25Thorpey and Mary-Ann, I've known for probably nine months.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26Everybody knows.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Everybody's known for a long while. Just not officially known.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Good on him.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35He's, like, twice her age. What a legend.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Thorpey's a legend.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Yeah, he is a legend in my eyes.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43I do respect Thorpey for pulling Mary-Ann, definitely.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47- When I'm his age I'd like a young... - fit bird like that.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Yeah.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52You'd never think about putting them two together, would you?
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Cos she's so quiet and she's like, she walks around so sophisticated
0:19:56 > 0:19:59and then you've got Thorpey.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Missing tooth, you know, walking around loud as hell.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07The thing is, that's why he likes so many people to know, because of
0:20:07 > 0:20:12the fact that, say for instance now he's walking past the floor
0:20:12 > 0:20:14cos HR's in there,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17he's gone into HR, like, he literally just walked past like that
0:20:17 > 0:20:22and not look at each other. I can see Mary-Ann like, following him
0:20:22 > 0:20:25but he just won't look or she won't look at him.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28But it's like, how can you be in a relationship
0:20:28 > 0:20:31and just blank each other in work?
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Thorpey is so serious about avoiding public acknowledgement
0:20:35 > 0:20:39of his relationship at work, that he employs an old espionage technique
0:20:39 > 0:20:44known as The Dead Drop to share his lunch with Mary-Ann.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46I like my cooking. I'm a big fan of cooking,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49so often I bring food in
0:20:49 > 0:20:53and we've got a little secret hidey-hole in the fridge...
0:20:55 > 0:20:57..and I'll drop food in for her.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Fire her a little text
0:21:02 > 0:21:05so that on her breaks, she knows where the food is and away to go.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I am quite a nice bloke, actually,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14but I can't let this lot know that, can I?
0:21:14 > 0:21:17That would undo all the work I've done over the last three years.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24But Mary-Ann is less tight-lipped.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I'm not bothered that everyone knows about me and him.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Like, it doesn't concern me.
0:21:32 > 0:21:33Who made this, then?
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Rich made it.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38- Did you help, did you help him?- No.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41And with Thorpey's birthday approaching,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Mary-Ann has spotted an opportunity to break cover
0:21:44 > 0:21:48and bring their relationship out into the open.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52It's the right time to, like, make a public gesture, cos we've been
0:21:52 > 0:21:56together for a while, so, yeah, bring a cake,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58like, get everyone celebrating.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00He is actually a nice person.
0:22:00 > 0:22:06I do want to congratulate him for being a good boyfriend.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Well, it's as expected, really, isn't it?
0:22:09 > 0:22:12I've never planned anyone's birthday before.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15I haven't even planned my birthday.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18So if he doesn't like it, there's going to be an issue.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22Hello, Dwayne. Your favourite girl here.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23Mary-Ann. How are you, lovely?
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Good. OK, basically I'm organising Rich's birthday.
0:22:27 > 0:22:28Yeah.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31- But you're coming, though. - Yeah, I'm in.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- That's the main thing. High-five. - I'll be there. All right?- Yeah.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36- Cool. See you later.- See you.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Er, I don't think Thorpey likes surprises at all, in fairness,
0:22:40 > 0:22:44and he's not really one that would like unnecessary surprises.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53It's Kieran calling from Nationwide Energy.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55INDISTINCT REPLY
0:22:57 > 0:22:59It's been a few days
0:22:59 > 0:23:03since the Vye brothers were involved in an incident at
0:23:03 > 0:23:04Swansea City Football Stadium
0:23:04 > 0:23:07and Nev has finally discovered the truth.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10- How you doing?- Chaps, how are we?
0:23:10 > 0:23:12How are we?
0:23:12 > 0:23:16We're all right, come on in. Park your backsides.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Further to our previous discussions on the matter, you know,
0:23:24 > 0:23:29- where you did absolutely nothing and got thrown out of the stadium.- Yeah.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33- Just because they obviously didn't like you.- Uh-huh.- Yeah.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Um, I've spoken to the stadium.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39The club's version of events were contrary to yours,
0:23:39 > 0:23:45er, that you told somebody they were bleep bleep useless
0:23:45 > 0:23:49at their job and why didn't they go and get a proper job
0:23:49 > 0:23:52cos they're crap at this one. Those words ring any bells in truth?
0:23:52 > 0:23:54None of it, no.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56No, you don't recall those words. Right, OK.
0:23:56 > 0:24:03I've got nine seats there and I like sharing them out, but, you know,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07like, give them away. I never charge you, just give them away.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10So, um,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14it reflects badly on me
0:24:14 > 0:24:15when you get thrown out.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20You know, they don't know you particularly,
0:24:20 > 0:24:21but they know me,
0:24:21 > 0:24:26and so, er, it's me that ends up looking the dick-head.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30We need to rectify it.
0:24:30 > 0:24:36I can get HR involved or we can sort it out ourselves,
0:24:36 > 0:24:41um, you know, just as long as you're prepared
0:24:41 > 0:24:47to accept my disciplining and correctional methods.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50We're not going to go painting schools or anything?
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Painting schools, no, no, no, no.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57I don't think any self-respecting school would let you near it with a paintbrush.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00So we sort it out ourselves, yeah?
0:25:00 > 0:25:02- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Right, go on, get your coffees, bugger off.
0:25:06 > 0:25:07Thanks, Nev.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Second word is "off". Thanks, boys.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13They're good lads, really, you know.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Their heart's in the right place
0:25:16 > 0:25:18but they cocked up.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20And not only had they cocked up
0:25:20 > 0:25:24but they've gone and lied to me through their back teeth.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Better than HR to deal with it his way.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30We chose his way. What that's going to be, we don't know yet.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34I think I've got the solution sorted out.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38I can't see nothing bad happening to us.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46That's brilliant.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Now what I'm going to have to do now, Mr Davis, I'm going
0:25:49 > 0:25:53to have to pass you to James and he's just going to confirm
0:25:53 > 0:25:57that everything in my folder is correct, but good luck with
0:25:57 > 0:26:01the installation and keep nice and dry with the bad weather coming.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Also awaiting her fate is the call centre's oldest new recruit.
0:26:08 > 0:26:1260-year-old June is coming to the end of her three-month probation
0:26:12 > 0:26:15period and will soon discover if she'll be taken on permanently.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22I'm not like anybody that's 60. I still think I'm 18.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26I still go night-clubbing with my daughter-in-laws,
0:26:26 > 0:26:31which they find a bit hard to believe now at my age,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34and I always seem to attract gay men.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38- She's my favourite ever agent in this place.- Everyone's favourite.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40- The little cutie. - She's my favourite.- I know.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42There's a little spark there or something,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46cos you haven't had a romance for a while. Is there...?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48There's a little spark there.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50I like June and I think June's worked her arse off.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Yes, she has.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55And it can sometimes be difficult for people who are maybe
0:26:55 > 0:27:00- a little bit older than the average bear in the call centre.- Yeah.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03And she does it all with a smile on her face as well.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05- Nothing seems to affect her. - She's immense.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07She is great.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09There's nobody in the house on any benefit or credit?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11'Mind your own business!
0:27:11 > 0:27:14'When I want a new one I will see to it myself.'
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Working in the call centre is June's first job
0:27:22 > 0:27:25since she took time out to look after her sick husband.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27Oh, cheeky cow.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Hello, good afternoon.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34Well, because Phillip took early retirement from work
0:27:34 > 0:27:36three years ago with ill-health.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40I found, because I was at home, I was getting very depressed.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44The first six months it was like a little holiday
0:27:44 > 0:27:47but then, because I've always worked, I suppose
0:27:47 > 0:27:50I missed the work environment and I missed the routine,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54but to come back into this sort of environment again,
0:27:54 > 0:28:00I had to teach myself again, but I enjoy going to work.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Sales Agents are expected to consistently pull in
0:28:04 > 0:28:0815 leads a week, but despite a good start, June's sales figures
0:28:08 > 0:28:13have taken a dive, bringing her to the attention of Nev's Rottweiler.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15June's been...
0:28:15 > 0:28:20To be fair to her, she's often been in amber, which, for someone
0:28:20 > 0:28:25who is relatively new to the company is, you know, it's acceptable.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29So she's gone amber, amber,
0:28:29 > 0:28:31red, amber.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36So she's there or thereabouts, and then recently, she's been red
0:28:36 > 0:28:40and red, and this is the most recent one,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43which is last week's figures, and they're red.
0:28:43 > 0:28:49It seems as though June is treading a fine line at the moment,
0:28:49 > 0:28:53and, really speaking, she really needs to pick her sales up.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02To sniff out the root of her low sales, Thorpey collars June.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05June, are you stealing sweets?
0:29:05 > 0:29:08I save them up for the week.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12- Can I have a little word with you? - Time for a little chat?
0:29:12 > 0:29:13Nothing, nothing.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17'Every company should have a June. She's great.'
0:29:17 > 0:29:19But if she's not selling, it's...
0:29:20 > 0:29:25We're a sales company and you can't carry people.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28If people aren't selling then sooner or later,
0:29:28 > 0:29:31whether they're the nicest person in the world,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34they're going to lose their job if they're not selling.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40What's been happening with sales recently, June? You tell me.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Right, not last week, the week before, I did hit target.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46- Last week I didn't, I was four short last week.- Yeah.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Is there any reason that you...?
0:29:48 > 0:29:51- I wasn't very good last week, my dog had died.- Oh, yeah?
0:29:51 > 0:29:54So, she'd been with me 13 years,
0:29:54 > 0:29:59so, although you don't think about it, subconsciously you do.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02Of course you do. I didn't know that, I didn't know that, June.
0:30:02 > 0:30:07I lost a dog, my dog, I don't know, Smudge was about 16 when he died.
0:30:07 > 0:30:12- I still think about him now. I feel bad now, June.- Oh, no, don't, don't.
0:30:12 > 0:30:17- You're doing your job.- Right, so, we'll write that off as a blip.- OK.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Don't worry about last week, just write it off. You'll be back. OK.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23- All right?- I do worry, though. That's the problem.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26Don't worry. The worst thing you can do in this place is worry.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28- Cheers, June.- Thank you.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33Now, I feel like a right knob. That's how I feel.
0:30:33 > 0:30:34It's horrible when your dog dies.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38And she was a bit bleary eyed there, nearly got me bloody going.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42I feel sorry for her, you know, it's harsh.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44No man is an island when he's got a dog.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Well, I'll tell you what, sir, have a lovely day,
0:30:54 > 0:30:56I hope the survey's successful for you.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01- 'Have a nice day too, yeah?' - Have a nice day. Cheerio.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03The Vye brothers may have kept their jobs
0:31:03 > 0:31:06after losing their boss's season tickets
0:31:06 > 0:31:09but Nev's still fuming and has a penalty in mind.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12I've got the very thing, which is, erm...
0:31:12 > 0:31:14er, arse stocks.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20They're going to have to poke their backsides through holes in a
0:31:20 > 0:31:24plank of wood or in a sheet of wood while we kick footballs at them.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27To realise his vision,
0:31:27 > 0:31:29Nev enlists the help of artistic sales agent Jodie.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- What's happening? - Hi, Jode, you all right?
0:31:32 > 0:31:36- Yeah, you wanted me? - You're a bit of an artist, I hear.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38- I try.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Probably best if I showed you the stocks.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45- What does stocks mean? What do you mean?- Stocks, stocks is stocks.
0:31:45 > 0:31:46- You know what stocks are?- Nah.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49You know when you put your hands and your head through the stocks
0:31:49 > 0:31:50- and you... - Ah, I know, yeah, yeah.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54Yeah, right, well, this is butt stocks.
0:31:54 > 0:31:55Oh, God.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Nev wants his butt stocks decorated with swans,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03the mascot of Swansea City.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05How big are these people's arses?
0:32:05 > 0:32:07The holes are a little bit big.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10- They are.- But that gives us more opportunity to
0:32:10 > 0:32:12- fire the ball straight through the hole.- Right.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14If they were little holes, it's not going to work.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17So they're going to stand behind us with their bums sticking out.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19I'll show you, right? You, you, you look, right?
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Their backsides through there like that, right?
0:32:22 > 0:32:24JODIE LAUGHS
0:32:24 > 0:32:25No...
0:32:25 > 0:32:27What I think would look best...
0:32:27 > 0:32:31Feathers, you know, head, you know, that sort of thing.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Yeah, but wouldn't it be better...
0:32:33 > 0:32:35- Feet...- If you draw the, like, head,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38and then buy in loads of feathers, and coming out...
0:32:38 > 0:32:39Or do you want them drawn?
0:32:39 > 0:32:41- That's really artistic.- No? Yeah?
0:32:41 > 0:32:42- Yeah!- Yeah?
0:32:43 > 0:32:45- They have been very naughty. OK?- Yeah.- Right.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48I'll think of something. I'll come up with something.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51You carry on, right? Bring your paints, carry on.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55'I think the disciplinary that I've got planned for them,'
0:32:55 > 0:32:57er, will sort them out.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59They will remember this one for a long time.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04I think I can safely say that.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14Hello, morning! Sorted for half eight.
0:33:14 > 0:33:15- Half eight?- Yeah.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20It's Friday morning, and Mary-Ann is rounding up a crowd
0:33:20 > 0:33:22for Thorpey's surprise birthday party,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25the first public acknowledgement of their relationship
0:33:25 > 0:33:27in the Call Centre.
0:33:28 > 0:33:29This is the cake, look, look.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Oh, wow, that looks good. Did you make that?
0:33:32 > 0:33:34- Yeah, Maria made it. - That's good, ain't it?
0:33:34 > 0:33:35- Fabulous, ain't it?- That's nice.
0:33:35 > 0:33:40Birthday card, people! Need to sign the birthday card! Oh, my God!
0:33:40 > 0:33:42I haven't got much time. I'm so unorganised.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47I wrote a lovely message.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53So there's my lips cos Rich loves my lips.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58"To Rich on a special day.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03"I wish you all the very best, all the joy you can ever have,
0:34:03 > 0:34:08"and may you be blessed abundantly tomorrow and the days to come.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10"Have a wonderful day. Love, Mary-Ann."
0:34:12 > 0:34:15The shift is about to start but all the team leaders have assembled in
0:34:15 > 0:34:19the breakout room, waiting for the birthday boy to arrive.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22We have to put this sparkling thing on.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24It takes about 30 seconds. Where's that...?
0:34:24 > 0:34:26CHATTER
0:34:26 > 0:34:27Is that a ginger cake, is it?
0:34:27 > 0:34:29- LAUGHTER AND CHATTER - Yeah!
0:34:29 > 0:34:31CHATTER
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- CHEERING AND APPLAUSE - Surprise! Happy birthday!
0:34:46 > 0:34:47Don't be so miserable!
0:34:52 > 0:34:54Make a wish!
0:34:55 > 0:34:59Make a wish. My first wish is that you go back on the phone.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Oh, shut up.
0:35:01 > 0:35:02This is a surprise.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04EVERYONE: Whoa!
0:35:04 > 0:35:05You should be grateful!
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Birthday kiss!
0:35:08 > 0:35:13ALL CHEER AND CLAP Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Mwah!
0:35:16 > 0:35:18- Young love.- Speech!
0:35:18 > 0:35:20- Speech!- Yeah, speech!
0:35:20 > 0:35:23- Speech!- Speech!
0:35:23 > 0:35:25Can we all get back to work, please?
0:35:25 > 0:35:27LAUGHTER
0:35:27 > 0:35:29He's so ungrateful.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Never mind cake, let's get some sales(!)
0:35:34 > 0:35:38Thorpey's party lasted just 69 seconds.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42He's just showing off. He annoys me when he shows off.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44It's so inappropriate.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46He'll show his appreciation later.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48He's not having anything.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54With everyone back on the phones, Thorpey returns to claim his cake.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56You're not having any of this cake.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59- We made the cake for everyone. - Hang on! It's not my cake.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02It's my bloody birthday, it is my cake.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06We made it for everyone. We have to share the cake.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09It's not, it's for my birthday. It's my cake.
0:36:09 > 0:36:14I made the surprise for you! Stop being so selfish.
0:36:14 > 0:36:15It's my birthday. I can be selfish.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Right, get back on the bloody phone. Cheers, guys. Thank you.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22Well, I'm never making you a surprise cos you're ungrateful.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25- Just get back on the phone. - Whatever. Shut up. Go away.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Cheers, guys.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35That was about as horrendous as it could possibly be. Cheers.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39- James, have you got a disciplinary now?- Yeah, I have.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Disciplinaries, yeah? Back to the real work.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47With their big moment over so quickly,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50Mary-Ann has been left feeling frustrated.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53He ruined it like he always ruins everything.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55He wasn't grateful at all.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Like, I spent a lot of time, like, making this for him.
0:36:58 > 0:36:59Why?
0:37:01 > 0:37:04I don't know, because he's a prize idiot, that's why.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08I thought we were going to cut the cake and everything.
0:37:25 > 0:37:26What's this, Jodie?
0:37:26 > 0:37:30I've got to draw swans on here for Nev.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32- Why?- He asked me to do it for him. - Did you draw them?- Yeah.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35- What, you're really drawing them? - Yeah.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38- Did you?- Yeah.
0:37:38 > 0:37:39You did that all by yourself?
0:37:39 > 0:37:42- Yeah.- Did you?- Yeah.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43Really good, they are.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46I didn't know Jodie was good at drawing.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48She's surprised me.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52Well, actually the only things I passed in school was art, RE...
0:37:52 > 0:37:54What else did I pass?
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Oh, Welsh, so I always thought that I was going to
0:37:57 > 0:38:00teach Welsh people how to paint pictures of Jesus.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07- Are these bird's feathers? - Yeah, real feathers.
0:38:07 > 0:38:08- Where did you get these from? - A pillow.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11- They're not real feathers, then, are they?- They are.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- They're not from a bird. - Duck feather and down.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15They're from birds, aren't they?
0:38:15 > 0:38:18What else are they going to be from? A cat?
0:38:18 > 0:38:21- Haven't you got feather pillows in the house?- No.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24They're real feathers in a feather pillow, see.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Oh, that's hanging.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31Right, so, let's attempt this. It's going to go everywhere, innit?
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Shall I just chuck them on?
0:38:35 > 0:38:37No, that didn't work.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Shit.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Back in work mode, Thorpey's next disciplinary is with Kieran Vye,
0:38:49 > 0:38:54who's in trouble this time for giving leads to his mates.
0:38:54 > 0:39:00Kieran Vye was, er, sent home, suspended yesterday,
0:39:00 > 0:39:06er, following allegations which were raised by the quality department
0:39:06 > 0:39:12that he has been sitting on deals and giving them to his mates
0:39:12 > 0:39:14in order that they can make commission.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20Agents sometimes pass off confirmed deals to colleagues to help them
0:39:20 > 0:39:25meet sales targets, but it's one of the Call Centre's deadliest sins.
0:39:25 > 0:39:26He knows it's wrong.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29He'll plead all day that no-one's told me not to do it
0:39:29 > 0:39:33but you go through life knowing that you shouldn't murder people,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36but no-one sits you down in school and says,
0:39:36 > 0:39:39"Whatever you do now, don't go and buy a gun
0:39:39 > 0:39:41"and shoot someone in the head."
0:39:41 > 0:39:43Thorpey's waiting to hear Kieran's side of the story.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46The only trouble is he's nowhere to be seen.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48I know he's got a dodgy hip
0:39:48 > 0:39:51but he'd normally be in work at half past eight.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01Kieran is one of life's, erm...
0:40:04 > 0:40:06They call them in South Wales "butes."
0:40:06 > 0:40:08He's a bit of a bute.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12Which means he's a little bit special.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Finally Kieran arrives, 20 minutes late.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25Glad to see you dressed for the occasion, Kieran.
0:40:25 > 0:40:26What do you mean?
0:40:33 > 0:40:34OK, Kieran...
0:40:36 > 0:40:41- I want you to take this really seriously, OK?- Yeah.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46This disciplinary hearing could lead to your dismissal, OK, mate?
0:40:46 > 0:40:49So I want you to be as honest as possible with me.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53OK, so the allegations, erm,
0:40:53 > 0:40:58for the disciplinary are that you have breached standard operating,
0:40:58 > 0:41:02operating procedure by asking for all customer details and then
0:41:02 > 0:41:08arranging call backs which are then passed to other employees,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12ie, exchanging leads with other employees,
0:41:12 > 0:41:15and that then enables them to meet their targets.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18So, first up, do you understand what we mean by that?
0:41:18 > 0:41:21- Yeah.- So, there's loads of...
0:41:21 > 0:41:26- People who do it.- No, there's loads of information here in front of me
0:41:26 > 0:41:28proving to me that you do it.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Your job is to close leads.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35Your job is not to create leads and give them to other people.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37- Yeah.- So why have you been doing it?
0:41:39 > 0:41:43- I don't know.- You can't say to me, "I don't know why I was doing it."
0:41:43 > 0:41:44- I don't know.- Because I can't,
0:41:44 > 0:41:48I can't make a decision then as to what we're going to do with you.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50Maybe I was hung over on the day.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52Maybe you were hung over on...
0:41:52 > 0:41:54Are you seriously telling me that in a disciplinary?
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Possibly. I can't remember when it was. Don't know what date it was.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00You've given a lead to Ollie.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04- Yeah.- Right, so, why would you give that lead to Ollie?
0:42:04 > 0:42:08- Help him out.- Right, and what does that mean. Helping him out?
0:42:08 > 0:42:09He has a smile on his face.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Are you being serious?
0:42:15 > 0:42:16Yeah.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18So you've given him a lead to make him smile?
0:42:18 > 0:42:22- Keep him happy, ain't it? - Why would he be happy?
0:42:22 > 0:42:23Cos he's on form for target.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25Oh, right, so we're getting somewhere now.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27So he'll hit his target then.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29- So he's going to hit his target? - Possibly.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34So he's going to get extra money off the back of work that you've done,
0:42:34 > 0:42:36not work that he's done.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40Ollie, if he hasn't hit target, would get nothing,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43but if he hits target, on that deal that you give him,
0:42:43 > 0:42:46he's going to make about 70 quid.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51So you know it's wrong.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Just be honest with me, Kieran, it's much better if you're honest.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58- Yeah, it's wrong but I don't see no difference.- Right.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Is there anything else you want
0:43:02 > 0:43:04to say to me in relation to this whole case?
0:43:06 > 0:43:07It won't happen again.
0:43:09 > 0:43:10Why won't you do it again?
0:43:10 > 0:43:14Because I'll be sitting here with you and having a disciplinary,
0:43:14 > 0:43:15possibly sacked.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22OK, go and take a seat.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Kieran's Call Centre career is now hanging by a thread.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28He turns up to a disciplinary in his tracksuit bottoms,
0:43:28 > 0:43:3020 minutes late.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32What can you do with someone like that?
0:43:34 > 0:43:40I don't think there's any malicious intent in anything he does.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42I think he's genuinely just trying to help his mates
0:43:42 > 0:43:46because he doesn't really care about things, does he?
0:43:49 > 0:43:53Swapping calls can be a sackable offence but as CEO, Nev has
0:43:53 > 0:43:57the power to overrule any decisions by his managers.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00You could see by Kieran wanting to look after his mates
0:44:00 > 0:44:02and give them a couple of leads once he'd hit his target,
0:44:02 > 0:44:05he's got a heart of gold, he thinks of others.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08It does cost me money in commission but, erm,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11it brings them together as a team, just because Kieran gives out
0:44:11 > 0:44:13a couple of jobs to somebody else to help them.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16It binds them together, you know,
0:44:16 > 0:44:18a team that binds together, it's hard to beat.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23I would miss it a bit, yeah.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25It's two years of my life gone into this place now
0:44:25 > 0:44:29and five, six days a week so I don't know what I'd do.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31I'd probably go and work away somewhere.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34- Kieran?- Right.
0:44:40 > 0:44:46This is gross misconduct, but it's all about intent and I actually
0:44:46 > 0:44:52don't believe that you're really intending to do anything wrong.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55If I'm being honest, I think you're just being stupid.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59You will be being closely monitored by your team leader
0:44:59 > 0:45:03and if there's anything like this that happens again,
0:45:03 > 0:45:07the outcome won't be like this, are you clear on that?
0:45:07 > 0:45:09- Yeah.- Yeah?
0:45:09 > 0:45:12Let's get straight back on the phone then, Kieran.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14- All right.- OK?
0:45:20 > 0:45:22Can we stop the clapping, please?
0:45:22 > 0:45:24He's a tough one, Kieran, isn't he?
0:45:24 > 0:45:28He's like he's not got a harmless bone in his body.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30So we'll give him the benefit of the doubt,
0:45:30 > 0:45:33but if it happens again, he's sacked.
0:45:39 > 0:45:40Now Kieran has been dealt with,
0:45:40 > 0:45:44there's just one more employee problem for Thorpey to address.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47- Mary-Ann?- Go away.
0:45:47 > 0:45:50She's a little bit upset because she didn't get the reaction
0:45:50 > 0:45:54she wanted from me when I got my cake.
0:45:54 > 0:45:59I suppose she was expecting me to be super grateful, which I am,
0:45:59 > 0:46:02but that's the difference, ain't it? This is work for me.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04I'll tell her how grateful I am
0:46:04 > 0:46:08when I see her later on. But in front of all my work colleagues,
0:46:08 > 0:46:13getting a bloody cake when I've got a disciplinary waiting for me,
0:46:13 > 0:46:17you know, it's just...
0:46:17 > 0:46:20I dunno, she's upset but she'll be fine.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26After a cry in the toilets, Mary-Ann returns to her desk.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30- What?- Can I steal you for a minute?
0:46:30 > 0:46:32For what?
0:46:32 > 0:46:33Come on.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40Time for Thorpey to get a disciplinary of his own.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42Come on, be nice now.
0:46:42 > 0:46:44Be nice?
0:46:44 > 0:46:45Yeah.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48And what, after your episode? It's not even funny.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52You are ungrateful, simple, you are ungrateful.
0:46:52 > 0:46:54It's not being ungrateful, is it?
0:46:54 > 0:46:57Why were you showing off in front of everyone?
0:46:57 > 0:46:59- I wasn't showing off.- You were. - It's work, ain't it?
0:46:59 > 0:47:01- Blokes don't like these types of things.- They do.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03They don't, I don't.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07Don't go... Don't laugh. It's not funny. Don't laugh.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09- Why are you laughing? - I am grateful.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12It's not funny. I don't know why you keep laughing.
0:47:12 > 0:47:13- I'm not.- I don't find it funny.
0:47:13 > 0:47:17All right, I'm laughing because I'm nervous, cos I kind of feel bad.
0:47:17 > 0:47:18- Good.- I'm sorry.
0:47:22 > 0:47:23I'm sorry.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26I'm not trying to embarrass you or anything, honestly.
0:47:26 > 0:47:27Well...
0:47:29 > 0:47:33Come on, don't be in a mood. OK?
0:47:33 > 0:47:35Yeah.
0:47:38 > 0:47:39Come on, then.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41What, are you going to give the cake out now?
0:47:41 > 0:47:44Well, yeah. And you slapped me.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47You were showing off. You deserved, you deserved a slap.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49I wouldn't have done it otherwise.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52If you didn't deserve something I wouldn't have done it.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57With his relationship now public knowledge,
0:47:57 > 0:48:00Thorpey can no longer have his cake and eat it.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03Spread the word, I don't mind people knowing.
0:48:03 > 0:48:05I think it's cute.
0:48:05 > 0:48:07I'm glad it's out in the open
0:48:07 > 0:48:09cos we always knew there was something going on
0:48:09 > 0:48:12but we didn't know whether... I didn't know
0:48:12 > 0:48:14whether he was just banging her and that was it,
0:48:14 > 0:48:19if you know what I mean. So like, you know, friend with benefits
0:48:19 > 0:48:23kind of thing. But, erm, so that's why I didn't ever want to
0:48:23 > 0:48:26talk about it openly because I just thought that was their own private
0:48:26 > 0:48:30love thing but now obviously I think it's open that they're together.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32- Thank you very much.- Dan?
0:48:33 > 0:48:36They wanted to keep it all hush-hush but, erm,
0:48:36 > 0:48:42obviously if he's in the doghouse, I mean, everybody knows anyway.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45You know this top-secret secret, I think everybody knows.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48- 39, in case he was asking.- What?
0:48:48 > 0:48:4939, my age.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52Bollocks. What's your national insurance number start with?
0:48:52 > 0:48:53Er, N...
0:48:53 > 0:48:55- Ooh!- Is that bad?
0:48:55 > 0:48:56NZ?
0:48:56 > 0:48:57NS.
0:48:57 > 0:48:58- NS?- Yeah.
0:48:58 > 0:49:03- 1969?- '70. It's only a number anyway, ain't it?
0:49:03 > 0:49:05If... Yeah, you know, obviously it's not the age, it's
0:49:05 > 0:49:09the mileage, isn't it, you know? And, obviously, I'm young and fit.
0:49:09 > 0:49:11There's a lot of mileage in you, though?
0:49:11 > 0:49:13There's a hell of a lot of mileage, OK, let's be fair,
0:49:13 > 0:49:17it is a lot of mileage, yeah, and yours is ginger mileage.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19There's nothing wrong with ginger mileage, don't worry about that.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22- Ginger mileage. - Ginger power, it says.
0:49:22 > 0:49:23- OK.- Cheers, Nev.
0:49:23 > 0:49:28Now it's official, it's open season on Thorpey's personal life.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31Is it actually Facebook official and everything now?
0:49:31 > 0:49:32Facebook? What's Facebook?
0:49:32 > 0:49:34Facebook official and that?
0:49:34 > 0:49:36- Are you on Facebook, Thorpey? - Yeah, I'm on Facebook but...
0:49:36 > 0:49:38Because I thought it was a secret.
0:49:38 > 0:49:40Now all this card and everyone's
0:49:40 > 0:49:44starting to full-on know. Yeah, everyone knew you had
0:49:44 > 0:49:47a thing but now it's like, "Oh, boyfriend, girlfriend."
0:49:47 > 0:49:50Yeah, but I'm 44, it's not like boyfriend/girlfriend
0:49:50 > 0:49:53and you put it on Facebook - "I am now in a relationship."
0:49:53 > 0:49:54Yeah, I know, I know, but...
0:49:54 > 0:49:56All right, is she your missus?
0:49:57 > 0:49:59Has she met your mam?
0:49:59 > 0:50:04- Yes.- Oh!- It is official! Obviously, if she's met your mother.
0:50:04 > 0:50:06Have you met her side of the family?
0:50:06 > 0:50:11- No, they live in Sierra Leone. - What's the word when you hit a certain...?
0:50:11 > 0:50:14The midlife crisis, we don't want to hit that midlife crisis mark.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17You already hit that when you turn 30.
0:50:17 > 0:50:18Do you?
0:50:18 > 0:50:20That's what they say, innit?
0:50:20 > 0:50:23I think he's hitting it now by going for younger birds.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26A sex machine.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28THEY GIGGLE
0:50:36 > 0:50:41Thorpey may have lost face, but June faces losing her job.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43She's reached the end of her probation period
0:50:43 > 0:50:47and is about to discover if she'll be made permanent.
0:50:47 > 0:50:51June, can I grab you for the probation review? Yeah?
0:50:53 > 0:50:55- How are you getting on? - All right.- All right?
0:51:00 > 0:51:03- How quickly has that gone? - It's gone really quick.
0:51:03 > 0:51:05- I didn't realise it'd been that long.- Yeah.
0:51:05 > 0:51:07- It's flown by.- Exactly.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10What's your thoughts, what's your feedback on it?
0:51:10 > 0:51:12I have enjoyed it.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15It's been nice to come back to work cos I was at home for two years
0:51:15 > 0:51:18- cos Philip had to take early retirement with ill health.- Yep.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20Took me a little while to get back into it,
0:51:20 > 0:51:24- but everybody here has been so helpful and kind.- Yep.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29June, it's a simple answer.
0:51:29 > 0:51:30It really is.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34Looking at everything here, from sales, attendance, attitude,
0:51:34 > 0:51:37there's only one outcome to this probation review and that's a pass.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39Everybody loves you in this place.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42- All right, so...- Thank you. - ..really proud of you.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45- Can I have a hug now?- You can have a hug if you want one. Yeah?
0:51:45 > 0:51:47Come on here, you!
0:51:47 > 0:51:48There?
0:51:48 > 0:51:52- Well done.- Thank you. - All right, keep it up. All right?
0:51:57 > 0:51:59Are you crying cos you're happy?
0:51:59 > 0:52:03Ah, bless you!
0:52:03 > 0:52:05Oh, Juney, we knew you'd be all right!
0:52:05 > 0:52:07- I passed.- Oh, good.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10Oh, ecstatic, I couldn't believe it.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14I thought he was pulling my leg.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17- Passed.- Yay!
0:52:17 > 0:52:20It means a lot now to know that they have accepted me
0:52:20 > 0:52:21in the company and that the hard work
0:52:21 > 0:52:26that I've done in the last three months hasn't gone unnoticed.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29That they're proud of what I've achieved.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44Are you ready, Thorpey? Shall we take the whole floor upstairs?
0:52:45 > 0:52:47For brothers Kieron and Simon,
0:52:47 > 0:52:51it's time to pay the price for misbehaving at the Swansea game.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54Hurry up! I'm interrupting your meetings. Mike!
0:52:54 > 0:52:57I'm interrupting your meetings. Everybody up the top floor.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05The boys have already apologised to the stewards and have agreed
0:53:05 > 0:53:10to Nev's unique style of punishment instead of an official disciplinary.
0:53:10 > 0:53:14As we know, Kieron and Simon were very naughty boys.
0:53:14 > 0:53:19When I gave them the tickets to go watch Swans versus Newcastle,
0:53:19 > 0:53:22they managed to get evicted after 20 minutes.
0:53:22 > 0:53:26Seeing as they were outside of work,
0:53:26 > 0:53:30I need a punishment that is worthy of the crime.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34So you've got the butt stocks. LAUGHTER
0:53:34 > 0:53:37So they poke their arses through those holes
0:53:37 > 0:53:38and we kick footballs at them.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41Is that fair? That's fair, innit? That's fair.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Boys, you might as well just get in there.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45Bite the bullet and just go in there.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50Just turn round and stick your arses through.
0:53:53 > 0:53:54Go on, then.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57- Argh! - THEY CHEER
0:53:59 > 0:54:01Who's next?
0:54:02 > 0:54:03Phil.
0:54:03 > 0:54:05He couldn't score in a brothel. Here he goes.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07Watch out.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09ALL: Oh!
0:54:10 > 0:54:12Argh!
0:54:12 > 0:54:13LAUGHTER
0:54:17 > 0:54:20- Who is it, Nev?- Nev.- No!
0:54:20 > 0:54:21Argh!
0:54:22 > 0:54:24Now that was left foot!
0:54:28 > 0:54:32- Finally, Nev gives the brothers a chance to even the score.- Go on.
0:54:32 > 0:54:34- Game over?- Go on.
0:54:34 > 0:54:35Oh, Nev's turn.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38Hold on.
0:54:38 > 0:54:39Who's in here with me? Thorpey?
0:54:42 > 0:54:44Smash it!
0:54:52 > 0:54:54ALL: Ooh!
0:54:54 > 0:54:55Shall I have a go?
0:54:55 > 0:54:57- Ready?- Yep.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01ALL SHOUT: Oh!
0:55:05 > 0:55:06NEV: Well done!
0:55:06 > 0:55:08Good game, boys, well done.
0:55:10 > 0:55:11Well done.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13LAUGHTER
0:55:15 > 0:55:16Well, I escaped, anyway.
0:55:19 > 0:55:20Go do some work. Go on!
0:55:22 > 0:55:24I think that was a good laugh.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26I think they took their punishment like men.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30It's not really punishment. It's a bit of banter, really.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33Everyone took it as a laugh, me and my brother took it on the chin.
0:55:33 > 0:55:35He had his tickets taken off him,
0:55:35 > 0:55:37so payback.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39I think it'll improve their behaviour.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43Little bit of butt stocks - always good for sales.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50OK, bye.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08..Nev gets his house in order...
0:56:08 > 0:56:12Some of them will be good, some of them will be just brain farts.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14Get out!
0:56:14 > 0:56:17..Hayley's got her eye on rising to the top...
0:56:17 > 0:56:20I'm just scared that I might start off and forget words
0:56:20 > 0:56:23or he might just ask me a question and I'll be like, "Er..."
0:56:23 > 0:56:25..and there's only one winner
0:56:25 > 0:56:27when the rulebook gets thrown at the rebel.
0:56:27 > 0:56:28If you don't like the answers...
0:56:28 > 0:56:31It's not so much I don't like them. It's just they're mental.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33# Every loser wins... #
0:56:33 > 0:56:34Hi, Mrs Hunter?