What I learnt working in Call Centres

Call centres are factories of conversation, modern strength is the grit and determination not to shout at another idiot who doesn't understand you can't do anything about their prized item going out of stock, you just want to quote Buddhist philosophy at those poor little victims of desire, but you can't. It takes a Zen master to stay in a bubble of calm when all around you is crashing, the computer, the customer's life and the phone but you do it day after day. The lessons of the call centre are many, so let me share some wisdom.

1 Everything is temporary, so don't get sentimental.

From angry customers to your job to the entire contract to your whole office nothing lasts long in the call centre. After a while you just accept like the Zen master you are this is the way it is, one in four call centre agents last less than a year. In my last call centre job I was one of about fifteen, by the end of the year two of the group were left.

You are reminded that you're replaceable everyday, your ego can self confidence can't depend on your job, but when your kids stability depends on your job life gets super stressful. Any little quirk or error could be the end of you.

I lived from contract for a whole year, I never took a sickie even when my life was a fever dream. My boss gave me hoop after hoop to jump through, I only got a permanent contract after threatening to leave.

As you've just accepted all your friends will leave you get whispers that your contract will end. Call centre contracts are outsourced meaning you work for both the company you represent and the call centre or the company are not sentimental so just don't get attached to your job, it may be gone tomorrow.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/standard-employee-turnover-call-center-industry-36185.html

http://www.cio.com/article/3060817/outsourcing/why-outso, you learn to rcing-customers-are-terminating-their-call-center-deals.html

http://www.infinitcontact.com/blog/is-your-call-center-job-secure/

Next Part

The Zen guide to staying calm, from a call centre.