ExpatsArabia.com

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Call Center Survival Kit for Newbies

In my almost 6 years with the call center industry I see csr's younger than myself apply, resign, go call center hopping in the hope that they find the perfect company. Some will leave because of higher offers, better benefits, boredom, current account is too difficult, office politics, and other varied reasons...endless reasons... So how does a newbie survive in a call center? Go ahead and take some of these useful tips with you when you decide to join the bandwagon.

1. Be prepared to work nights or unholy hours

2. Be flexible, be prepared to face the inevitable. You may have been told that you would be handling a particular queue...still be prepared to have 2 or more added to your current process.

3. Avoid office politics and rumor-mongering

4. Be a team player, if you are having a problem with your team or your team leader talk this out with them first

5. All calls are recorded so make sure you do not say anything that will sound bad in the recording.

6. Be prepared to talk to customers from different parts of the world -- and be prepared for anything when your customer asks you where the call was routed and you tell them -- Manila, Philippines.

7. Take lots of liquids and vitamins especially vitamin C because attendance is always an issue. One cannot be absent for long nor often tardy.

8. Expect that the first few weeks on the job you will be dreaming of the calls you have had,which would include numbers - card numbers, telephone numbers sometimes your opening and closing spiels, and those that you need to say verbatim.

9. You will also be exposed to activities that will involve call disconnecting, "hadukens", "petiks" (for clarification please go and visit NIGHTSHIFT)

10. If you are a non-smoker or a non-drinker then for goodness sake, stay as you are. Do not try to learn to smoke or drink just to look cool and in the desire to belong.

3 comments:

Bola said...

Hi friend,i don't think i understand the callcenter business.You see, here in Nigeria,a call centre is a place where you go to make calls if you cannot afford the cost of loading your phone with credit.

But reading thru this post, i got another impression entirely.Pls enligten me if you can.

warm rgrds.

Anonymous said...

Take lots of liquids and vitamins especially vitamin C because attendance is always an issue. One cannot be absent for long nor often tardy. - Absolutely. Most of the call center Philippines is very strict with the absences. Even holidays, agents are required to work.

phone answering service said...

Great insight. I think that the best call center agents are those who are most motivated. Thanks for these tips!