Evaly ‘forcing’ workers out

bdnews24.com :
Buckling under huge liabilities, and facing intense investigations for its failure to deliver products or refund customers and pay sellers, the online marketplace is “forcing” its low-level workers to leave or asking them to look for better jobs citing a fund crunch, former and current officials said.
They raised allegations against Evaly of forcing the workers to lie to customers, work without appointment letter, and work for nearly double the permitted hours without payment.
Evaly founder and Managing Director Mohammad Rassel did not take phone calls for comment on the allegations. bdnews24.com tried to reach him through an official of the company, but he did not respond.
The e-commerce firm became a huge with a section of customers by offering motorcycle, fridge, air-conditioner, car and other products at nearly half the market price, but on condition of delayed delivery and advance payment after its 2018 launch.  
As many of the customers’ wait for the products did to end months after the deadline, the company was accused of tricking the clients into making advance pay ment and then delver to some of them to keep the business running with more lucrative offers.
With complaints piling up on social media, the Bangladesh Bank in a study requested by the commerce ministry found its huge liabilities, also to the unpaid sellers. The ministry then moved against the company.
Rassel and his wife Shamima Nasrin, who is also chairman of the firm, have been sued by a customer. They are also under an overseas travel ban as part of an Anti-Corruption Commission investigation into allegations of embezzlement.
According to the report of its accounts Evaly submitted to the commerce ministry on Thursday, 214,000 customers have ordered products. The company owes them a total of Tk 3.1 billion, which it needs to refund or clear by delivering the products.
A former worker of the Evaly call centre, who recently left the job, recounted how difficult it was to give the customers false hope day after day. He had worked at Grameenphone and Pathao earlier.
“Customer care is where the consumers’ problems are solved. But workers at Evaly are suffering a trauma after hearing the customers’ complaints and their frustration,” he said.
“No one can survive more than two to three months here (Evaly). The customer care executives, who do not have to speak to the customers, are doing well. Their only job is to force the workers to lie to the customers.
“I received calls for 14 to 15 hours nonstop a day. Out of 150 clients, 140 cried over the phone. We’d only one answer – ‘The work to deliver your product is ongoing. You will get it soon’. But in reality we’d no idea whether there’s any progress.”
He heard from many customers they went into hiding after failing to repay loans taken for products. Some said they mortgaged their land or sold domestic animals to order product with a hope to resell, according to the former Evaly worker, who requested anonymity.
He did not even get an appointment letter. The “unethical conversations and practices” inside Evaly finally made him leave the job.
“We’re told that we’d been hired only to offer apology, not to solve customers’ problems. We’d no information on the complaints of the customers. It’s such a bad experience that I’s exhausted,” said a woman, who had worked at Evaly customer care for two months until July.
Another 15 people, who had joined with her, have not received salary since before Eid-ul-Azha.
“The authorities told them that they won’t get payments in August and September. The workers are passing their days in an inhumane condition.”
Another worker, Mehedi Hasan, left the job after getting his salary for June, sensing worse days were coming.
“Others did not get salary or festival allowances before or after Eid.”
Evaly closed its office when the government enforced a lockdown over the coronavirus outbreak in the beginning of July. Many workers were given laptop or desktop computers to work from home.
Evaly took the computers back last week saying the office was reopening.
Now the workers are told to find another job.
Rakib, who gave a single name, said the 180 workers of Evaly customer service division have been asked to resign and switch job. Evaly has promised to pay their salaries within two months.
“But it cannot be trusted. We’d to tell the customers to wait for their products, now we’re told to wait for our salaries. None of us believes it.”
Rakib said he took the desktop computer back to the office from home on Aug 21 as told by his superiors and the next day, Sunday, was his off.
“On Monday, they asked me to come. Actually they tricked me to get the computer back without paying my salary.”
“Everyone’s told to switch if they get a better job.”