Call Center work

System

Free_Spirit_31 wrote: »

There may be scripts to follow and after a while, you can sound very robotic.
Never had scripts that had to follow word by word, but the only things we had to use the actual script was the direct debit guarantee and when customers added new services/products

You have to log your toilet breaks on the dialler system, if you have too many or you are on a toilet break too long, you are in the office practically!
I worked a 4 day week of 9 hours per day and yet only given loo allocation times based on 1x8 hour and 4x7 hour shifts. On those 2 extra hours, we spoke to 10-15 extra customers. More talking, more drink to lubricate the throat, the more drink, you guess what happens. I worked in the only dept that did 4 days shifts and no-one in the management was bothered to add 25% extra to the allocation. Then one week, the toilets next to the office suite, were being repaired as the ceiling caved during the night. We had to walk two flights of stairs to the loos as the middle floor was used by a different company and we had to knock on the door to the work area upstairs as our passes would not let us through in this area. We got a right telling off even though it was not our fault. They should have closed the building as there was only 4 female toilets for 150 female staff


The data protection act, if applicable, has to be followed to the tee! Some customers do not understand the DPA and if we say we can only speak to the account holder do not shriek 'Can I speak to your supervisor?' This issue was mainly a customer thing not a employee issue.

It is very monotonous and repetitive work. The place I was in had a very high turnover of staff and employees would move on after 6 months or so. When I look for a new job, it is always that place that is hiring.
I started with one call centre with 25 others - two training groups. I left there 19 months later as I dumped my ex and moved back to my parents 70 miles away. I could think of just two colleagues that started with me that were still there.

My experiences and opinions in red

Podge52

ScarletMarble wrote: »

My experiences and opinions in red

We also seem to have a large turnover in staff, we have half a dozen going through training now.

Like you, I trained in group of twelve. Eight of our group really got on well together and fed off each other while going through training Strangely enough these same eight, over twelve months on, are still there and still enjoying the job they are doing. The other four are long gone.

306chris

Not all call centre work has to be sales related.

From my experience:
I took on a helpdesk role through an agency at a company who supply terminals to businesses that enable them to offer top ups (utility, mobile and others). I had come from working in a builders yard previously with no office, but customer service experience.
Al the training was provided and to be fair it was pretty easy. Within a year I was promoted to a helpdesk support team and then within two years to another team and all we took were calls from field engineers yet would be on the phone most of the day offering support. I was made the team leader for 2 to 3 years before the position was made redundant, where I chose to take the money and pursue options elsewhere.
After leaving I tried to get similar work in call centres but banks and building societies weren’t interested because of my credit history (really bad). I even went for a position as a call handler with the local police force but again the credit history messed up that one.

Spacepig

306chris wrote: »

Not all call centre work has to be sales related.

From my experience:
I took on a helpdesk role through an agency at a company who supply terminals to businesses that enable them to offer top ups (utility, mobile and others). I had come from working in a builders yard previously with no office, but customer service experience.
Al the training was provided and to be fair it was pretty easy. Within a year I was promoted to a helpdesk support team and then within two years to another team and all we took were calls from field engineers yet would be on the phone most of the day offering support. I was made the team leader for 2 to 3 years before the position was made redundant, where I chose to take the money and pursue options elsewhere.
After leaving I tried to get similar work in call centres but banks and building societies weren’t interested because of my credit history (really bad). I even went for a position as a call handler with the local police force but again the credit history messed up that one.

Very interesting, surely you have no trouble with similar jobs now that don't require the extensive checks such as how your credit is? Are banks usually the 'next' logical step in terms of progression within the call handling industry?

One other thing I like about the call center/customer service type role is the experience that can be applied elsewhere, with construction, if I wanted to change careers then I'd need a complete fresh start from the bottom.