Calling all call centre workers - advice needed!

Big_Tree

Working in a call-centre will teach you that customers are a nightmare to deal with......

They will lie, scream, shout, swear and expect you to honor the most unreasonable requests........

Nothing is ever their fault, nothing is their responsibility and the stupidity that you have to deal with every day is astounding.....

Sometimes I finish a call and I'm amazed that the person I've been speaking to was ever in the position to buy their own home or that they can function in any way.....

The worst group of people to deal with are landlords, they are so grasping and stingy it's unreal, they'll argue for 20 minutes about a £2 increase on their bill.....

A special type of frustration is when you have to speak to someone who opens the call with "I'm deaf so I can't hear what you're saying" and then they spend the next 20 minutes 'not hearing' anything that you say and they eventually hang up......

poindexter

sosheadset wrote: »

Hi,

Recently, I got a job as a call centre rep at a bank. Having been stuck in retail for 6 years prior and feeling incredibly trapped, I was so so happy to finally have a job that could actually go somewhere. I've been told there's a great opportunity of progression and that once I've stayed there a year, I could go in pretty much whatever direction I want.

I have a financial degree and strong GCSEs and A-Levels.

I have no problems whatsoever with working my way up. However ...

I've only just started three weeks ago and I'm being trained to take calls. But I'm finding it difficult. It's mentally and emotionally tiring. I seem to get the meanest customers and I've already been reduced to tears on the phone twice.

What I would like is some advice from people who work in these types of call centres (banking and inbound). People at work tell me that it'll get easier. Is that true or are they just saying that because they feel they have to? Has anyone got any tips for me on how I can cope?

I know some people will tell me I should just look for another job, but I really, really want to make this work and progress onto something else. The last thing I want to do is quit.

Did anyone else feel like this when they first started? Does it get better? I've had a job as a receptionist before for a clinic and that was tons easier! I really didn't think I'd find the job this tough! Any comments and suggestions welcome.

Thank you xx

You sound like a nice person and maybe that's the problem, I'm sorry to say. You're clearly sensitive and I don't think it'll get better.

I worked in a complaints handling industry and I was like you. I didn't want to upset anyone, and I did more than my job required so people would like me. They used to come back and ask for me by name. I won't say where I worked but it was all complaints all day, and serious ones.

My colleagues were somehow tougher than me. They could laugh things off in the pub after work. I couldn't, and had a breakdown. I'm a big bloke who wouldn't think twice about a physical altercation, but this work broke me.

I admire your determination to make things work but, if you continue to be unhappy, please don't stick it out in your job. Call centres have a quick turnover of staff because it's hard work for basically minimum wage. You can do better.

Paypeanuts

sosheadset wrote: »

Oh my god, I can see how much worse that can be and it also probably toughen her up and prepared her for the banking one. I'm glad to hear that she's enjoying it. I hope I can feel the same way about it soon!

Thank you for your input, it gives me hope! x

You'll be fine. All you have to do is remember

• business customers are annoyed because wasted time = wasted money or extra work pressure, and they are calling you because they have a problem
• it's a complaint and fix line, essentially - therefore there are going to be complaints
• working in a call centre is a professional job - you are the face of the company interacting with the customers ; therefore all ire is directed at the company, so don't take it personally
• remember that you can spend the day being an 'actor' - call centre is all about projecting what you need to say and do down the phone to the customer, and giving them confidence
• know your product inside out, sideways, backwards, upside down, know your systems the same way. This will give you confidence.
  
  It's not personal, don't take it personally. Detach yourself.

poindexter

Paypeanuts wrote: »

You'll be fine. All you have to do is remember

• business customers are annoyed because wasted time = wasted money or extra work pressure, and they are calling you because they have a problem
• it's a complaint and fix line, essentially - therefore there are going to be complaints
• working in a call centre is a professional job - you are the face of the company interacting with the customers ; therefore all ire is directed at the company, so don't take it personally
• remember that you can spend the day being an 'actor' - call centre is all about projecting what you need to say and do down the phone to the customer, and giving them confidence
• know your product inside out, sideways, backwards, upside down, know your systems the same way. This will give you confidence.
  
  It's not personal, don't take it personally. Detach yourself.

Easy to say, hard to do if that's not your nature.

I knew my job inside out, it didn't stop me feeling that these people were shouting at me personally. And I worked for an Ombudsman-like office trying to help people complaining that they'd been wronged by other people totally unconnected to me.

mattcanary

I think it's a good idea to try and put yourself in the customer's shoes, when they speak to you on the phone.

If they are angry, they are probably angry for a reason. It may be that they are angry for a good reason, maybe it's not. And they may have misunderstood something that has happened in an earlier transaction with your company so are sounding off, based on their misunderstanding.

If you can understand where they are coming from (even if they are ultimately wrong), then I think that you get a better empathy with them so they are then more likely to calm down.

Good luck OP. And I agree with others when they have said that your employer seem to be a decent company to work for, in relation to many other call centres. So I would try and stick it out for a bit longer yet - I'd say you will get better and the job will seem much better once your knowledge, skills etc improve.

work_to_live

op- how are you finding the job now?

gholmes724

I worked in call centres for years and have noticed down the years how more and more pressure is being applied to the people who work in them.

I eventually had a breakdown and could never do this type of work again, in fact just reading through this thread has made made me feel twitchy and my heart pound.

It isn't rude callers you need to worry about, it's the management sitting on your shoulder counting your key strokes, your call volumes, bullying you about things which are quite beyond your control.

It's a horrible thankless job; nobody should have to do it.

jjblue

First of all congratulations on your new job and well done as its often not easy when your work experience has been in a different setting.


Couple of pointers for you
Remember you work for the bank, not the caller. Some people will come across as though they personally employ you.
Jelly walls! I know this might sound weird but someone once told me to imagine a jelly wall: appreciate some people are having a bad day and that your not completely cut off, but don't let them drag you down with them.
Praise list. every time someone tells you how helpful you have been, make a note of what they said it will help your mood (and maybe help with any appraisals). You will be surprised how soon you will fill a page.
Any time you have a bad/mad/rude caller, take a few seconds and have a glance at your praise list before the next call. This can help you take the next call in a positive frame of mind


It can take a bit of getting used to but you will get there and it does sound like you have supportive colleagues.


Hope that helps


J

jetplane

I think you have been extremely lucky not to have had confrontation working in retail. I have been shocked by how rude customers can be.

As customers we have to wait on hold for so long for many different companies whose strap-line seems to be 'we are currently experiencing a high number of calls', translates to we never employ enough staff. By the time a customer gets through to you they may have been on hold for ages, passed around departments, if not by your call centre then the two they have previously rang. Their time is precious, they may be anxious, so sometimes you are the whipping boy for someone elses' incompetence. Or they may just be an arrogant a'hole who will speak to you like dirt however helpful you are.

As a customer, with the best will in the world, it can be hard not to be exasperated by the time you get through. Personally I am always polite but sometimes have to grit my teeth and sometimes could just as easily be in tears as you with the pure frustration of the system. Remember it is not personal.

If you have found a good place to work where respect and progression are both the norm then embrace it. Dealing with challenging people is a valuable life skill to learn and one you will no doubt need if you are going to progress your way through the company. So think of this as a learning curve and a new skill you are developing.

Accept that some people will be difficult or impossible and you can't change that, empty your head of the insults, focus on the good stuff and use your colleagues for support when you're upset. Your only human.

duchy

It definitely gets better.

I work in tech support for phone and broadband so the potential for upset and angry customers is high .

My tips....
Never take it personally.
If someone rings up ranting.....sit back and let them rant, with verbal acknowledgements ....uh huh.....I see .....and let them get it all out. Once they have got it all out and run out of steam then you take control of the call and sort out the issue.
The more confident you are about process the more confident you sound to the customer. That helps .
If you don't know something be honest. "That's a very good question. Let me find out for you"
Remember when the call ends that customer ceases to exist in your world. Don't keep them in your head. Just move on to the next call.
I've had fantastic feedback from customers who started off as monsters and ended up as pu$$ycats. You will too.
Some people will be rude from the off just to assert themselves....usually they have poor self esteem . If you simply appear to not notice they are been vile and fake the chirpy happy response they either settle down and behave like normal human beings or hang up.
No doubt you'll get some coaching where you listen to your calls with someone else. How someone else deals with the same scenario can be really useful to give you ideas on how you'd deal with it again. Not exactly like them as we all are different but some useful pointers.
And if all else fails imagine the customer naked.......it takes the sting out of even the most difficult customer !!