How could a game about running a Call Centre business be any good? “Smooth Operators” (with the apparently only semi-official subtitle “Call Centre Chaos”, as it does appear on the box art but does not appear in the game’s title on the Dashboard) addresses that issue. And like a lot of the best games, it’s a lot more fun than it might sound. How many people were excited about running a city before actually trying SimCity for the first time, for example?
“Smooth Operators” succeeds in large part because of its personality. No dry simulation, here you can hire cheerleaders if you think your staff need more encouragement. Don’t forget to make sure they have enough watercoolers. Build additions to the building as your business grows, and watch that people aren’t getting log-jammed up at the elevators. Emoticons appear above people’s heads to suggest happiness levels. It all plays well, looks cute, and has surprising depth to it. 80 Microsoft Points makes this absolutely unmissable.
Here’s what the developer (Andreas Heydeck) has to say about the game:
“Create and build your own Call Center in Smooth Operators. Develop client relationships while balancing your financials and workload. Plan an efficient operation through micro management of your workforce.Can you create a successful Call Center?”
Writings of Mass Deduction 