Redeem the Callcenter Boys and Girls!

A callcenter that mainly supports U.S. customers starts on either 8 P.M. (if it's daylight saving time) or 9 PM and closes variably between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. if it's not a 24-hour support. So it was basically a complete 360-degree turnaround for someone who's a day person like me especially when I was still starting. I even at one point, started calling myself a "vampire" because I was always wearing shades during daylight whenever there's a dire need to go out to buy or do something out of the dark comforts of my bedroom. <LOL>. With these struggles and then some, I have been thinking about how it feels to carry the "callcenter boy/girl" tag on our foreheads. Not that the big eyebags or stressed/distressed faces are enough to justify the stresses this kind of job brings, but there are a lot more things that we in this field, should be more concerned about.

1. Fewer quality time with family members and/or loved ones could really take a toll on the relationships. I have known people in the business who have had been happy at some point, but got separated; among any other reasons for the break-up, but I believe HAVING TIME for each other is basically the most important factor in any relationship.

2. Then there's this larger risk of getting held-up by criminals while on the way to work, especially at night. And it is a fact that callcenter boys and girls are a significant percentage of victims of these good-for-nothings. We can read all that in the papers. The "Callcenter rep" or "callcenter agent" moniker seems to be equated with lots of money. 

3. And very importantly it's also very sad to note that callcenter agents, according to studies done by authorities, are also prone to promiscuity and Sexually Transmited Diseases which in a way degrades the profession and seem to demote it on the level of low-lifes and deemed dirty and not desirable. I guess being away physically from a loved one or the lack of intimate human touch almost everyday might be one of the factors for it.

What does this tell us?

That the callcenter people can be considered abnormal, not in the clinical way of course, but it's about like getting a bit more consideration and compassion from those people who lead "normal lives." And of course, we who are in this field should also be considerate enough to at least show to people the good side in us, that being one doesn't mean we have to be what other people deem us to be, with all those negative aspects. For me who have had the opportunity to start working in the callcenter business when it was not as saturated as it is now or hyped up, when the "callcenter boy" or "callcenter girl" was held in due respect, without tarnish on its name, I feel sorry for us. But it is not too late to redeem ourselves from all this bad publicity.

<signed>

The Callcenter Boy

Drunken State of Wakefulness (or, A Day in the Life of a Callcenter Boy)

http://a2200fcd.ultrafiles.net

**The word "circadian" is a 20th-century invention. It was coined in 1959 from the Latin "circa" (around) + "diem" (a day).
It refers to events occurring within a 24-hour period, in the span of a full (24-hour) day, as in a circadian rhythm.
(http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6766)

 I got home from work about 3 hours ago and I am still up writing this blog; I am a bit sleepy so please forgive me if there are typos that I might have missed after I publish this. <sheepish grin> It's been a long dragging day at the office. And let me say, a "day" in a callcenter person's life is not circadian** -specific(my own term, actually<grins>). In my case, it's from 9pm to 6am. And that should be it for me for the next two months or so, then it would be changed again. No permanent schedules in this kind of job.

Last night, I arrived as usual 15 minutes early for my shift. Only two of my officemates were there. Nico and Tisha (not their real names, to protect privacy) were already preparing their tools of our trade - and that includes but not limited to the headset, which to me is our "crown of glory and agony". <Laughs>. Now these two guys have had been with the company for longer than I have been; I do admire their work ethic. It was really good they're already there, at least I wasn't alone "on the floor", a callcenter term for the agents' working area. Our day started smoothly since it was still a Sunday for them and we were what we call the "opening" agents - those who answer the first calls of the day. We open their day (the callers') so it is assumed we should be upbeat and perky although we are on the other side of the globe and just about a little more or less 24 hour time difference. Haha! So much for acting as if sunlight is streaming from our office window (by the way, we don't have windows in our building; a compact structure with centralized airconditioning) while assisting their various needs. There were times I'm just slumping on the office chair, but still on upbeat voice mode nevertheless. <Smiles>.

Anyone who says that a callcenter agent's life is a breeze, well it's not totally true. A lot of things people hear about us callboys and callgirls are just hype. I guess there are more hardships than what have collectively been assumed as the good life. Firstly we have to be awake when our body says "sleep" and don't forget those difficult callers who can drain our energies appeasing, pleasing them, making them happy. I mean, here's where the "selling" ourselves take place. Haha! The challenge to bend some people's view/s, previous bad experiences with the product and/or the company we represent, into positive results that should be a win-win situation between both parties is not just a walk in the park. AND about the big salary hype about callcenters, all I can say that one would get paid exactly for what he/she had really strived hard for. It's real hard work. And amidst it all, there's nothing much more rewarding than to know that we are able to help a person regardless where he/she is in the world. I can imagine the unseen smiles our callers are wearing everytime we are able to resolve their issue over the phone and made them feel they're valued. I would also do the same way too. If you love helping people, then I bet this kind of job is for you!

Have a great day!**(remember, not circadian-specific,ok? hehehe)

This Clicking Life

I had chanced upon a former officemate not too long ago in a mall. After the usual pleasantries, our talk went into the topic about work. I quite proudly said to him that I'm still with the same company, even joked about me getting a loyalty award or something of that sort. Then it was his turn. He just said he just "click" to work. And I was like, "Are you sure what you're talking about?" Like, "No way would it be that easy! Sure, I also click on the mouse at work in the office.." But then he further clarified that it's from the comfort of his own couch, chair or wherever he is sitting on at home, just clicking on advertising pages being sent to him. I sure do hear about these online jobs, work-at-home part-time jobs mostly. But I never really had gotten myself into that trend, not yet. Then he encouraged me to try it and gave me a website link of which you can see below.   

http://www.clixsense.com/?3819350

After giving it much thought, I did finally click on the link above and signed up. Actually my main reason why I hadn't tried it before was the fear of malicious programs that might infect my system. So I basically did make sure first that my laptop (I don't have a desktop, by the way) is completely covered by a very trusted antivirus program. And then I fully convinced myself that I'm not that stupid to give anyone who's asking for my own account password online, or other personal information. I guess it's really common sense and the gift of hunch that spare us all from being victims to these pathetic hackers.   

It was tough going at the start, and as with everyone else, I also started on mostly on $0.001 per click per advertising page. But that didn't discourage me. There were times I felt a bit bored just clicking on some random advertising pages being sent, but just imagining how much would I be getting at any targetted time is enough to keep me back on track. I realize how easy can this job be!  And besides, clicking on some pop-up advertising pages is way less stressful than explaining to a customer over the phone on how to resolve their own problems with the product we, as "callboys" and "callgirls", represent. THAT realization definitely made me stick to this PTC (Paid-to-Click) job. Since then I have been earning. Yet, not that much that it levels up to my current pay in the callcenter business for now, at least it's a welcome addition to my funds, some little extra money to put into my "gimmick" or recreation. <chuckles> And maybe in a year or two if all goes well with it, I might even do this full-time. <Smiles>   

Looking back...again.

The first time I've heard all about these callcenters was through a friend's friend who had applied to one. And true enough even before then, "BIG PAY!" was its official slogan. <smirks> And I guess I admit rather hesitantly, that it's the biggest factor why I'm drawn to this industry although the difference between my 1st pay of my company and my job prior to this (in an architectural/construction firm) was just almost a thousand bucks shy. But I grabbed at it anyway, since especially they said all I need to do is to just sit and answer calls from people. At that time, the "people" I'm refering to is almost exclusively Americans since U.S. companies were the first ones who had pioneered the outsourcing concept.

Without thinking about the work hours which are almost always graveyard shift, I jumped into the bandwagon. And boy, what an adjustment was that for me! I always consider myself a day person and an occassional insomniac so it was really a struggle. I literally dragged myself out of bed in the first few months. And when I had my insomnia attacks, I'd just party the night away if its on a restday (I have since moved on from that phase in my life, hehehehe) and end up feeling so wasted and tired during office hours the workday after. Or if its in the middle of a workday, I would render OT's if at all, because OTs (this means "overtime" by the way) weren't rigoriously tracked then. You can just do OT all you want, even if it's not a very busy day and you get paid for it every minute! I know any old-timer in our company love to reminisce the days when anyone can just render OTs just that easy. And that's one of the things I still miss on those good 'ole days.

At first I thought I'd just be a callcenter boy or call-boy for a few months...and almost everytime when I felt sooo stressed or beat out, my mantra is, interestingly, "Don't quit, loser!" And I guess that was very effective for my psyche because right now I realize I'm already quite a bit overstaying in this fickle, changeable world of call-boys and call-girls.

Bravo to us!

Looking Back...

It already has been exactly six years, five months and twenty-nine days since I first chanced into this world of night-owls, eye bags, coffee overdose and voice actors. And is continually one helluva ride! I just recently thought about doing this, writing everything what happened (and is happening and might happen) in this life I have chosen these past few years. Some things are not good to mention, I suppose but there are a lot more things that I think needs sharing...especially if in doing so would make any regular Juan (and Juana, how cliche, isn't it?) understand at least on some parts, the nature of the kind of job a sizable percentage of  working Pinoy nowadays had gotten into.

This is all for now. It is just an introduction anyway. Besides I need to sleep now for I still have work later at 1 A.M. Call(center)boys and girls are quite a kill-joy bunch, my friend told me one time, especially when it comes to their sleeping habits. LOL!

Till next time.
the CALL(center)BOY