10 Tips To Help You Survive the Call Center Industry

You’ve tried and tried to get a job in the call center industry, and eventually, after many failed tries, you got in. Is it time to rejoice? No. You’re still not out of the woods. As a newcomer to the call center sector, the first six months to a year of work is your break-in period. Some people acclimatize easily; nevertheless, many do not survive.

Now that you’ve made it in, the next task is to stay. The question is how, correct? Here are a few items I’ve collected throughout the years.

1. Get away from those who complain and give bad advice.

Their initial reaction to their work schedule, pay, scorecard, team leader, company, and overall job is adverse. They’re not difficult to find. Their attendance record is a classic indicator of this. You can also observe their habits and mannerisms when taking calls – do they bang the mouse a lot? Curse a lot when the customer doesn’t understand them? Choose the people with whom you associate with caution.

2. Talk to your Manager/Team Leader.

Never be afraid to talk openly with your manager; in fact, you should be the one to initiate them. Understand your manager’s personality, how he thinks, what irritates him, what’s good and evil in his book, and what he expects from his agents. More importantly, ASK YOUR MANAGER FOR ADVICE. Don’t wait for a coaching session to ask him this. Right now, ask him if he has a minute, and then tell him: “Sir, I am a newcomer to the call center industry, and while I enjoy my job, there are a lot of things I need to learn. I want to succeed, to reach the level you’ve attained, but I can’t do it alone. I’d like to seek your advice.”

3. Learn everything that you need to learn.

This may appear to be overly general, but it contains a hidden gem. Everything you need to know about the product, process, systems, customer service, call handling, scorecard, company culture, policies, and procedures begins when you enter the company. Your Learning doesn’t end. This means that once you’ve mastered your current job and everything associated with it, you’ll need to prepare yourself for the next level. You will eventually need to know about leadership and management.

4. Be different.

Whether you admit it or not, you live among people who only want to survive (I log in and out). You can be unique here. More game-changers are needed. People who want to advance in their careers through tenure. It’s so easy to switch companies – BE DIFFERENT. Try something new – STAY. This benefits your career, education, and finances.

5. Perception management.

Remember that you will be watched and listened to from the day you start to the day you leave. Your leaders will constantly criticize what you say and do. Your daily interactions with them will affect how they perceive you. Speak as a complainer, and you will be ignored, but speak as a solution provider, and you will be consulted first.  Consider these two examples: “Ano ba yan, kasalanan ba nating mga agent kung humahaba ang AHT, eh an bobobo ng mga customers?” and “Boss, I’ve noticed that the AHT is taking a hit, and as a member of the Team, I am very concerned. Is there anything I can do to help?” The trick is simple: contribute to the solution, not the problem.

8. Motivate yourself

What makes you get up, drive through horrendous traffic, work all day, then go home exhausted? You have great Motivation if you can answer this with an inspiring reason. You have a problem if you pause long or say, “That’s a good question.” Work requires Motivation. You will be void of direction, desire, joy, or satisfaction without it. Motivation is the wind in your sails. A little motivation helps you get through the most challenging part of your career. It’s the one who keeps you going when everyone else tells you to quit.

9. Take things personally.

And by this, I mean being fully responsible for what you do and are accountable for. When you take things personally, the first thing you do when something goes wrong is asking yourself, “What have I done that may have contributed to this problem?” Then you ask, “What can I do to improve myself so that this does not happen again?” Taking things personally allows you to develop, improve your skills and competencies, and find your way. Take things personally when the caller is angry – that is, “How can I assist this customer in resolving the problem? Not only will he be pleased, but I will also reduce my AHT, handle the case efficiently and effectively, and increase my CSAT.”

10. Don’t be a HONDA

A HONDA is a word they use to describe people who log out ON THE DOT; they have no reason to stay because work is a prison for them. As a result, the top of the hour implies freedom. People who have a sense of purpose, Motivation, and a career goal stay a little longer.  Why?

• To help a struggling colleague.
• To discuss issues and concerns with their team leader.
• Simply to bask in the glory of another successful shift.

He stays because he wants the confines of his job.

Finally, here is the article’s main point: Whether you agree with me or not, the term “survival” is used for or by people who are in the wrong place, situation, or time, necessitating the need for “survival tips.” If this is the case, you must carefully consider your options. Inability to accept your current reality spells trouble in the long run. If you are new to the call center industry and need to survive, a mindset shift is in order. If you’ve been working in the call center industry for more than a year and are still struggling to make ends meet, my question is “why?”

Got any more tips? Don’t forget to leave a comment.