Call Center Side Effects

[mordorthegreat]

Duh! That's a load of crap. :thumbsdownsmiley:

 

Comrade!!! I agree..that's a bull of crap!

[Vegasboy32]

I worked in a call center for an American software and ISP for about two and a half years. People told me that the job of a call center agent is a dead end job. I disregarded those remarks. Some even said that you are treated as robots and that the benefits are bait for recruitment purposes and the fun environment were sugar coated empty promises. Perhaps it may be with the company or the leadership policies. I was quite hopeful and performed well in hopes of getting promoted. Over two years went by and two of my able and good managers left. They were replaced by a manager less endowed in management. I was quite dynamic and made plenty suggestions which were mostly unheeded. It turns out that to be promoted, you should be submissive and pliant to ensure status quo. The upper management haphazardly hired agents and then forced agents to be shipped out to other accounts when they overstaffed themselves several times. Because of this, many agents leave and then the overstaffing repeats itself over again. The call center I worked for was all about inertia and status quo. To be promoted you must not challenge existing rules even if it no longer suited the situation. I worked hard but I saw ourselves as dime a dozen. I did not have a life. And because good managers leave and less competent ones take over, employees feel worse. I was left to the elements.

 

I am no longer working in a call center. I got my life back. I suddenly felt like a bird released from its cage. I now realized how suffocating it was to be in a state of inertia for over 2 years.

 

I dunno about you. This is not a good way to live and work. Which is why employee turnover is high.

 

Yung nga ang hindi ko maintindihan boss. Katulad doon sa Convergys Ortigas na lang. Maraming mga tenured agents ang tatanggalin pagka hindi sila pumasa sa metrics. Just compare it to basketball. If you have a winning team why replace that team with a bunch of neophytes? There's no guarantee that they would duplicate the success of the current players of that team.

 

Yung friend ko dating nagwork din sa same call center na ito. Natanggal sya dahil nahuli siyang nandadaya sa POSE Survey. Sabi nya sa akin wala daw agent na martyr. Halos lahat may ginagawang gimmick para makapasa sa metrics. After I left this call center tinaas daw yung metrics sa CVG. Sabi ng isang kaibigan ko ayaw daw ata nilang pumasa ang agent. So these agents resort to other means just to pass. Charge it to experience na lang.

[Vegasboy32]

Yung isang kaibigan ko na top agent sa Convergys nagresign dahil pupunta sa Singapore. Hindi tinanggap yung resignation letter niya LOA lang daw siya. Sa loob loob ko kung sa akin ginawa yon. Sasabihan ko ung OM na nagreject ng resignation ko ng ganito. Kung gusto nyo ako magwork pa dito tapatan niyo or higitan yung kikitahin ko sa Singapore. Kung hindi niyo magagawa yon wala na tayong paguusapan. Ang kapal ng OM na ito. Hindi ba niya alam na you have to pay a certain price just to keep your employees happy. Parang sa NBA pagka naging free agent ang isang key player mo kelangan bigyan mo siya ng magandang deal para hindi siya umalis. In short money talks. This is only business nothing personal.

[lomex32]

Can anyone share things one should know in working in BPO's ?

 

laki sweldo halos 4 folds or even more than the sweldo ng normal na trabaho.. dirty world... infidelity... booze... vices... lahat lahat na... tho ok ang samahan.. kasi wala naman kayong choice eh.. hehehe... but call centers now eh di na kagaya dati.. iba't ibang klaseng work na ang ginagawa.. di lang puro calls.. merong kasing mga BPO centers, inhouse centers, kpo and lpo... kaya mas challenging...

[RuinasLasCorazon]

puyat, paghina ng katawan....

[RuinasLasCorazon]

puyat, paghina ng katawan....

[Mountaineer]

Lahat naman ng work may pros and cons, heres mine since i worked sa CC before.

 

 

Pros: 1. Mataas ang sweldo for newly grad or even under grad

2. Ok ang benefits like medical kasi extended sa immediate family mo

3. OT pay

4. Magaka accent ka at mahahasa ka sa EOP nila

5. Masasanay ka sigawan pero deadma lang since hindi mo naman kaharap

6. Matutoto kang uminom 7am

7. Dami chicks

Cons:

1. Sira ang body clock mo

2. Magkakasakit ka in the future na hindi mo iniexpect dahil sa puyat

3. Anxiety sabi nung doctor sa medical city nung nagpacheck up ako kadalasan sakit ng CC agents

4. Mawawalan ka ng night life lalo na kapag may pasok ka ng friday and saturday

5. Abnormal na buhay mo

6. Kahit maging OM ka pa di mo madadala yung title kapag lumipat ka ng industry

7. Nakasalamin ka kahit umuulan

[TaOnG_LaBaS!]

Need ko callcenter experience para gumaling ako mag english, he he he

 

Im a freelance graphic artist, may mga call center or BPOs ba na need ng graphic artist/designer?

[Vegasboy32]

Lahat naman ng work may pros and cons, heres mine since i worked sa CC before.

 

 

Pros: 1. Mataas ang sweldo for newly grad or even under grad

2. Ok ang benefits like medical kasi extended sa immediate family mo

3. OT pay

4. Magaka accent ka at mahahasa ka sa EOP nila

5. Masasanay ka sigawan pero deadma lang since hindi mo naman kaharap

6. Matutoto kang uminom 7am

7. Dami chicks

Cons:

1. Sira ang body clock mo

2. Magkakasakit ka in the future na hindi mo iniexpect dahil sa puyat

3. Anxiety sabi nung doctor sa medical city nung nagpacheck up ako kadalasan sakit ng CC agents

4. Mawawalan ka ng night life lalo na kapag may pasok ka ng friday and saturday

5. Abnormal na buhay mo

6. Kahit maging OM ka pa di mo madadala yung title kapag lumipat ka ng industry

7. Nakasalamin ka kahit umuulan

 

Matuto kang magmura sabay mute hahaha. Good luck na lang sa mga current call center agents

[spookey]

I read that night shift increases the risk of Cancer. Doesn't mean lahat ng night shift ay most likely will have cancer, it just increases the risk. Here's the article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22026660/wid/11915773?GT1=10613

[tempest21]

I read that night shift increases the risk of Cancer. Doesn't mean lahat ng night shift ay most likely will have cancer, it just increases the risk. Here's the article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22026660/wid/11915773?GT1=10613

 

 

totoo kya to?..

buti nlng im not scheduled on GY

pwde ko to ipasa sa boss ko para mawala un shifts sa GY! hehe

 

as for me..agree ako s mga pros and cons n nka post sa taas

i usually go to bars/clubs to unwind myself..

i study at the morning and work in the afternoon till 10pm.

wala n kong tym para sa sarili ko..

 

you get high salary but your not enjoying your life..

Edited January 26, 2009 by tempest21

[iskha]

I have been working in this industry for more than 4 years now and so far. I am enjoying my work! i have been promoted lately as an account supervisor so i know that there is growth.

 

I also have worked for 4 companies now. ACS, Teletech, PeopleSupport and now VXI where i have been for almost 2 years now.

 

Side effects?? Yes, weight gain. Body clock ko sanay sa GY shift. Good thing i am not a smoker, it never has been my thing. I also drink but occasionally kasi hindi maiiwasan pag nasa team bldg ka etc. I guess if peeps like me are'nt too tired from working we can still maintain our health kaso i realized na iba pa rin talaga when u sleep at night. U can sleep 4 hrs in the evening and have enough energy for the whole shift wherein u sleep 8 hrs in the morning.. antok k p rin sa gabi! just my thoughts abt the health issue thingy!

 

 

 

:headsetsmiley:

[mizzapril]

- pag day off mo, para kang barangay tanod dahil gising ka sa madaling araw

- kapag holiday dito sa pinas, di mo ma-enjoy kasi di uso ang salitang "holiday" dahil may pasok ka

- gain weight

- define eyebugs (lol)

- kadalasang sakit na makukuha mo is acute laryngitis .. suskopo hirap pag meron nito.. di ka makasalita ng maayos

[hushpuppy20]

- weight gain

- shift in body clock

- fat wallet (lol), and

- bloated CC bills

[jennylicious]

i've been in call center industry for nearly 5 years now, tried outbound and inbound and i enjoyed both. yes,that's right that there's side effect working at night. you will miss out some fun night with friends, but what the heck if you're earning you're living.

One of the bad side effects, drastic weight gain , because sometimes just to stay awake, you will just eat junkfoods, chocolates, candies, sandwich etc at your stations while making or taking calls. Since, you don't have enough sleep, tendency you will get energy from food to stay awake until after shift.

I also developed homonal imbalance, too bad. I developed polycystic ovary, my menstuation got confused, so what happened, my menstuation got delayed for one, two or three months, I even thought that I was pregnant since I have boyfriend then, na naging cause pa ng break up( another story for that). Doctor said that's one side effect of working at night, she said a lot of call center agents experiencing that, and worst because of polycystic ovary, there's also effect on getting pregnant again, that's the worst part, that's the price of working at night and earning higher than regular job. I already have son, single mom..but of course i'm still creaming of a baby girl who will inherit my good genes hehehe...

Since, i'm already in the call center industry and I'm loving it, I love my work, i love the people worked with, got promoted twice last year and now a call center supervisor. I can say i was compensated. I know i can still have a baby in God's time, not yet tired of trying. it will come on the right time if I need to get a daddy first for my soon to be new baby.

All in all, there's bad effect but a lot of good side effect, new friends, lots of friends infact, cool people, great perks, good lifestyle and most of all I have career. Still in call center and I will stop maybe another years then will put up business and consultancy also. :headsetsmiley:

[mark_pogi]

Lahat naman ng work may pros and cons, heres mine since i worked sa CC before.

 

 

Cons:

 

6. Kahit maging OM ka pa di mo madadala yung title kapag lumipat ka ng industry

 

heto ang panalo... :thumbsupsmiley:

[jov_112]

Call Centers? What do you guys expect? The call center industry is sad to say run by "pabibo" idiot KIDS who think of nothing but metrics. When i say "KIDS" I mean around mid 20's to mid 30's range. You won't see an Account Manager, Operations Manager, or let alone Team Leads who are way up in their 40's to 50's I think. Howcome? Beats me! Is there even a "retirement package" offered to call center employees? Maybe that's why most of the elders of our community, our parents, namely, have but low repect for the call center job.

 

I've been in this industry for almost 5 years now and I haven't seen any changes or improvement in the management system. They want us to treat their clients' customers with utmost care and respect but they can't give the same to us. They don't even see us agents as employees. We're all just "numbers" to them. Resign today, they'll easily replace you tomorrow. That I guess just about sums up the call center industry... unless TRUE leaders step up and turn things around. True leaders who can bring about change. I even think there should be a representative in the party list for the call center employees since the business world claims that our business sector is one of the highest revenue earners.

[mark_pogi]

Call Centers? What do you guys expect? The call center industry is sad to say run by "pabibo" idiot KIDS who think of nothing but metrics. When i say "KIDS" I mean around mid 20's to mid 30's range. You won't see an Account Manager, Operations Manager, or let alone Team Leads who are way up in their 40's to 50's I think. Howcome? Beats me! Is there even a "retirement package" offered to call center employees? Maybe that's why most of the elders of our community, our parents, namely, have but low repect for the call center job.

 

I've been in this industry for almost 5 years now and I haven't seen any changes or improvement in the management system. They want us to treat their clients' customers with utmost care and respect but they can't give the same to us. They don't even see us agents as employees. We're all just "numbers" to them. Resign today, they'll easily replace you tomorrow. That I guess just about sums up the call center industry... unless TRUE leaders step up and turn things around. True leaders who can bring about change. I even think there should be a representative in the party list for the call center employees since the business world claims that our business sector is one of the highest revenue earners.

i agree on what u said.

[hitman531ph]

Some call centers are run by young kids who were quickly promoted to middle to higher management and lacks the maturity, experience and, most of all, lacks the foresight on how to run a business. That is why the average call center agent's average stay in a call center is about 9 months . Turnover is very quick. They may say that you should let the bad eggs go, I agree. However, not every agent who leaves is a bad egg.

 

Operations managers in their mid 20s to early 30s do not see that if you keep hiring people to replace the agents who don't stay long, the more costly/expensive it is for the company in training and manhours. Some managers make a completely wrong forecast and overstaff their ranks only to move them to another account, making agents feel that they are being dumped.

 

Clients and customers are external customers of call centers. But each and every company, no matter what industry, has INTERNAL customers. These are the employees. It is rather sad that many if not all call centers take very good care of clients and customers and commands all employees to do so, but they treat the internal customers, or employees badly. Some managers treat agents as if they are kids or teens. Others do not pay attention to payroll and many disputes are filed every payday.

 

As a general rule: If a company keeps hiring new agents/employees every week, it means that many agents/employees keep leaving.

 

Oh, and by the way, another round of layoff/retrench happened in Accenture, in addition to the first batch of January layoffs. No Accenture manager will respond since there is a memo not to respond to media or other queries about it.

Edited March 10, 2009 by hitman531ph

[littleze]

I now a friend who used to work in a call center then after nya magsawa she enrolled in UST law. Grabe daw ang call center hangover nya. Ang hirap nya daw ireorient ung sarili nya. Parang hirap na sya i-adjust ang buhay nya back to normalcy.

[wallace]

Lahat naman ng work may pros and cons, heres mine since i worked sa CC before.

 

 

Pros: 1. Mataas ang sweldo for newly grad or even under grad

2. Ok ang benefits like medical kasi extended sa immediate family mo

3. OT pay

4. Magaka accent ka at mahahasa ka sa EOP nila

5. Masasanay ka sigawan pero deadma lang since hindi mo naman kaharap

6. Matutoto kang uminom 7am

7. Dami chicks

Cons:

1. Sira ang body clock mo

2. Magkakasakit ka in the future na hindi mo iniexpect dahil sa puyat

3. Anxiety sabi nung doctor sa medical city nung nagpacheck up ako kadalasan sakit ng CC agents

4. Mawawalan ka ng night life lalo na kapag may pasok ka ng friday and saturday

5. Abnormal na buhay mo

6. Kahit maging OM ka pa di mo madadala yung title kapag lumipat ka ng industry

7. Nakasalamin ka kahit umuulan

 

RIGHT YOU ARE BRO. Long term effect sakin......HYPERTENSION

[Jonas2085]

nakalimutan mo yung yosi breaks na paulit-ulit lang kwentuhan hehe

[AlienNation45]

Need ko callcenter experience para gumaling ako mag english, he he he

 

Im a freelance graphic artist, may mga call center or BPOs ba na need ng graphic artist/designer?

 

Meron pare, madami kaso ang work mo eh call center agent prin.. Hehe..

[jblight]

guys tulungan nyu aman aq. Nahi2rapan aq sa mga questions pag interview na.. Ok ung english q, hndi cla nag co2ment dun, dun lan sa answers q.. kamote aq sa mga tanong na ganito..btw, hrm grad po aq, hirap maghanap ng work para sa course q sa ngaun, lagi wla vacancy, e2 ung mga tanong:

 

1. why do you want to work in a call center?(sagot q salary, wla n tlga aq maicip na iba)

2. why did you chose to apply here?(paiba2x sagot q d2)

3. how long do you plan to stay here if we hire you?(sagot q 1 year dun sa ps, inokray aq maige nung interviewer)

4. why should we hire you?( nata2galan aq sa mkasagot sa question na 2 kaxe auko din magkaron ung interviewer ng impression na mayabang ako)

 

ung iba nalimutan q na, pls give me more hints para ready na aq for interview, kxe ung sa exam nla ok lan sken eh..

[bukn0y]

Practical answers will do.

 

1. Because I think this is quite the easiest way for me get a job and earn some money than waiting for another job on my field.

2. I just tried my luck if your company will hire me.

3. As long as I can (pang bobola would be 3 to 5 years)

4. I can be the best always. (always think of something that will impress the interviewer kahit na hindi ka ganon kagalingan daanin mo sa bola na sa tingin mo eg kaya mo panindigan)