Confessions of a Call Center Agent

I am a registered nurse. I just passed the recent Philippine Nursing Licensure Examination held last June 2007. Though this is my profession, i currently work as a call center agent, specifically for an outbound account. Majority of the clients i talked to are Americans, Canadians and some Latin Americans.

However, a new campaign was introduced to our company and we need to do a consumer satisfaction study. Thus, i am one of the chosen agents to conduct the said survey. And the exciting part is, i have new clients. Europeans!

Since the new campaign is focused mainly in Europe, my body clock will repeat its adjustment to fit Europe's time zone. But hey! I am excited to speak with new people with a different race and culture. I heard a lot of good things from my friends who happened to experienced talking to European clients. “Europeans are more patient than the others”, they said. Even with my previous work, also in a call center company, the account i belonged to is focused in North America. So apparently, all of my experiences are with Americans. I am totally clueless as to how Europeans deal with phone calls, haha… So this is a heck of a new challenge for me. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Probably some would think that this blog of mine is so non-sense and boring, but i would just like to share a part of my life with you guys, especially the life of a call center agent. I can still remember when a foreign client called and give me such names. Even obscenity came out of his mouth because of his anger. He said bad words to me and kept shouting all throughout the phone call. And yes, I end up crying. I had to go for a break because my immediate supervisor can sense my apprehension. It was my first time though to encounter that kind of caller that’s why I really cried.

And even though I get to hear bad words from irate callers or even if i sleep with a different time zone, or don't even have a "good sleep" at all, i still enjoy my work. Yes, i may be a nurse by heart, but my mind and soul absolutely loves this industry (call center). You get to know a lot of people from different parts of the world. You talk to strangers and yet you feel comfortable helping them regarding their concerns. Even though at times, they will shout at me, very irate, cursing and saying bad words, i can still understand them and of course, i have to understand them! They are my customers. Without them I don’t have a job, haha! From one perspective to another, from one country, one race, one culture, one tradition, one belief to another, we all differ. And for me, understanding our differences will help us appreciate the wonderful uniqueness and complexity of this world.

Now, for those who say that call center industry is a fad? Nah… I beg to disagree. Call center industry serves as training ground for global competitiveness in terms of communication skills and customer handling abilities. Much more than that, the industry provide a better opportunity for native speakers to learn and enhance their capabilities to speak the foreign language which I believe is of great importance in this fast-paced world.

So for a nurse like me, yes, I still hope to see myself working in a globally competitive tertiary hospital but to work in a call center industry? I would never say no.

And as for now, let me say a big hello to Europe! =)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Labhan Ang Puso Gamit Ang Tide

Sa paglipas ng panahon, marahil isa ka na sa mga lumuluha at dumadaing dahil sa sakit sa puso. Oo, sakit sa puso! Pero hindi ito basta basta sakit tulad ng myocardial infarction, cardiomegaly o 'ung mga typical arrhythmias na dinaranas ng mga pasaway at sige pa rin sa pagkain ng bawal. Ang sakit na tinutukoy ko ay isang sitwasyon na kung saan ang puso ay nakikipaglaban nang patayan upang makuha ang “pag-ibig” na gagamot sa kanyang mga naghihikahos na ventricles at atria. Ito ‘ung tipong kinakailangan mo ng mismong brand name na “TLC” na kung saan ang generic name ng gamot ay “unconditional love” . Pero, subalit, ngunit, datapwat, sapagkat, merong mga tuluyan nang nagpalamon sa mga kalaban at hindi nakaligtas sa hamon ng pag-ibig. Ito ‘ung mga pusong nasugatan nang labis at namantsahan ng pagdurugo ang kanilang mga puso. Sabi sa commercial, “New and Improved Tide” . Abah! New na, improved pa! Siguradong walang maiiwan na mantsa sa damit mo. Naisip ko tuloy, kung pwedeng labhan ang ...
Read more

Sakit sa Puso

Umiiyak ako habang tinatype ang blog na 'to. Kaya kung merong typographical error, alam n'yo na kung baket. Mahirap sabihin ng buong buo kung bakit ako umiiyak. Basta ang alam ko, masakit ang puso ko. Kung merong isang bagay na makakapanghina saken, 'yun eh ang malaman kong niloko lang pala ko. Hindi ako bato, poste, pader, o kung anu pa mang bagay para hindi masaktan. Tao ako, nasasaktan, nahihirapan, umiiyak at unti-unting namamatay. Mahirap sabihin ng buong buo kung bakit ako umiiyak. Basta ang alam ko, masakit ang puso ko. Hindi siya ang una kong minahal pero alam ng Diyos na minahal ko siya ng higit sa kung anu pa man. Sa kanya umikot ang mundo ko. Mali na kung mali pero alam kong balewala ang buhay ko kung wala siya. Walang saysay ang mabuhay kung mawawala siya sa mundo ko, sa buhay ko. Marahil buhay ako at nakakagalaw pero buong kaluluwa ko ang patay kung wala na siya sa piling ko. Mahirap sabihin ng buong buo kung bakit ako umiiyak. Basta ang alam ko, masakit ang pu...
Read more

Heavy Heart

I slept yesterday with a heavy heart. I was crying silently with my body stiff in bed. I wanted to shout and scream till I get exhausted. But I didn't. I chose to just lay down and cry silently. I love him but I know he don't deserve someone like me. He would be happier with someone else. Letting go of him is hard, but I know it's the best for both of us, for the people that surround us. It's kind of ironic to let go of the most precious thing in your life but I did.. I just did, and so my heart cried and died..
Read more