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.

"Magical"

I got to speak to one of our customers, an 80 year old lady, who needed some assistance she then proceeded to ask where she was calling or where her call was routed to. She said she was speaking to someone from Malta and India earlier. When I said that she was speaking to someone from Manila, Philippines she was so amazed and said that it sounded so "magical" to be speaking to someone from different countries. Then she asked me how the weather was in the Philippines and whether it was snowing here and I said it was quite chilly in the early morning and evening but then we do not have snow here as it is a tropical country. She even asked me whether I have seen snow and I said I have had the opportunity when I was assigned in Japan 10 years back in which she commented "you know snow only looks good in Christmas cards...you know like those in Hallmark... but snow is slippery and dangerous..." She proceeded to say that she found it very interesting how I could speak good english when am not "English" and that she wouldn't have guessed that she was speaking to an Asian. The call ended with a resounding "God bless you" from my very engaging customer, and mind you which lasted for 30 minutes affecting my AHT (average handling time) but I did not mind I had a very good conversation with her.

Get me your Supervisor!

I read a very interesting topic from Call Center Gal's site and was truly impressed by how the call center agent of Meralco handled her query. Well they should, after all we spend thousands on our electricity plus the fact that they charge VAT (hahaha). I was not as lucky though with the call center of a broadband provider. Several months back our internet connection was disrupted and of course my husband and I took turns dialing the number of the broadband provider's call center. We had spent 40 minutes on the phone just to get in touch with a call center agent and was told that we will be receiving a call within 24 hours from their technical support team. The 24-hour call stretched to 48 hours and by the time we knew it 1 week has already passed and still nobody has tried to reach us. We called again and advised the call center that we never got any help from their tech support not even a call back and they said to give them another 24 hours to resolve. Again the same thing happened. I aired my woe to one of my officemates and was told that they had the same plight last year but theirs even stretched to 1 month without connection but were still being billed. She told me that what they did was to ask for a supervisor and after a day, they got their month-delayed assistance. So when I went back home I told my husband to give this broadband's call center another shot and this time to pretend he was raging mad and that he wanted to speak to a supervisor. The agent placed my husband on a very long and irritating hold and when she came back was told that her supervisor will make sure that we get to be attended within 24 hours. My husband already quite irked told her that we have been advised 3 times to wait for 24 hours and yet it has been almost 2 weeks and nobody has even bothered to call us. He asked for a supervisor again and again was told that the supervisor assures us of quick assistance within 24 hours. My husband who is a very patient man tried to contain his ire and with measured syllables he asked the agent whether her supervisor was afraid to speak to him. He was again placed on a long hold and this time the supervisor answered his call much to his chagrin. My husband made sure that this supervisor knew how disappointed he was with the way his call was handled and even asked whether he (supervisor) was afraid of him (my husband) -- I was laughing quietly in the background as I could just imagine what the supervisor may be going through at this time. We were promised to be visited by their tech support the next day and Thank God this time their promised assistance materialized.

I have been a call center agent for almost 6 years hence, my disappointment in the way my calls are being handled in some of our local call centers. Being able to give the best service possible to my international clients I would expect to be given the same preference in my own country. The most important rule is to set the customer's expectation. Do not make promises that you know you cannot keep. Never make promises that will put your company's integrity to a test. Remember you are your company's frontliners. Whatever you say over the phone will make a lasting mark to the company's clients. I love providing my customers good service hence, I only say what is right and if it is something I am not too sure of I tell my customers that I will have to place them on hold for a few minutes while I verify the information for them.

Honestly, your customers would appreciate being given the correct information. By setting their expectation and providing other possible ways of resolving their issues you are in fact making sure your customers feel important as you give credence to the company who hired and pays you to provide such service.

Let's all put ourselves in the shoes of our customers shall we? Remember, after our shifts, we too are customers and expect the same kind of service from our providers.

Your Royal Highness...

I just received a royal call from a true blue Princess…whoaaaaa! I stammered….got dirty, I got stinky …but still I learned! (Quoting from a TV ad, not that it had any connection) Every time, I referred to her as “your Royal Highness.” She sounded way too young to be someone of her stature. I sounded like a willing slave waiting for royal orders. Boy! never in my life have I seen a Princess … never spoken to one either, hence, my obvious fascination. I was in awe… My tongue was left hanging until the next call… lol … just sharing…