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I think this is a pretty good time for me to discuss career growth (or the lack of) in call centers since its pretty much what has been happening for me and a few of my subordinates. Details are as follows:
- One of my agents got a lateral promotion to a different collections unit.
- Another agent kept on crying on the phone because of irate customers, went AWOL, and eventually resigned.
- Another agent got a job in Brunei and resigned effective immediately.
- Another agent got a job offer in a university in her hometown filed for resignation and will be serving 30 days.
- Another got diagnosed with an ear problem and is no longer fit to take calls. His future in our company was a big question at the time. His worst case scenario was to be terminated due to sickness. Fortunately, we received news that he was offered one of the coveted positions in HR and will be reassigned soon.
- I was given an opportunity to transfer to a different collections unit dealing with loans.
So as you can see, I had a busy bittersweet week.
Most of the people I see resigning now are people who are frustrated because they can’t get themselves promoted. After a certain period of time, they get sick of taking calls that getting promoted is their only solution to the problem. If it takes a long time before they get it, they start thinking it may be a dead end for them and eventually resigns. Who can blame them? They’re just people like everyone else who always wants something better.
People come and go in call centers faster than you can say “you had me at hello.” I’m not sure if everyone will agree with me, but if you want to get promoted fast you can try this strategy that a workforce specialist once told me: To make it big in this industry, you start with a new call center, work hard and get ‘yer ass promoted before applying for a position at the established companies. Seve-what Solutions? Tele-huh? Veri-who? e-which? It’s true that there’s so many call centers out there that you’ve never heard of and most people won’t even think of applying there. However, new call centers are in constant need of frontliners, ergo, higher positions will be vacant fast. Sure. People may prefer companies with established names, but if you’re starting from rock bottom, don’t expect to be promoted right away. Remember the fact that they’re established means that they have tenured employees waiting in line to get promoted. So unless you consistently impress them and have natural management skills, then a promotion will be nowhere in sight. My company has been operating for 3 years now and I haven’t met anyone who started from the bottom and has been there since day 1, who is now higher than a supervisory position. Most of the operations managers, site directors and VPs are external hires.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not recommending company-hopping. It may be strategic, but I ain’t doing it. I still value tenure more. I just got my new 1-star lanyard signifying that I’ve stayed with my company for a year now.
(Warning: Super shallow statement ahead)
Besides, I find it cute and I need to get sick of it first before I even think of resigning. 
11 Responses to “Climbing Up the Call Center Corporate Ladder”
Yeah. I agree with you here. Now, I see a problem when it comes to tenureship coz y’know there are times that we cant be too consistent and we tend to slack down :(. I have been hopping too but the only problem with me is that I get bored too easily. Our account recently promoted some agents directly to Sup Positions and some were not given the opportunity coz they dont “kiss asses.” Though I had a supervisory experience before and Im thinking now to switch to another center that offers a better package and a better position. Tele-Who?
A friend of mine got dismayed too coz she was one of the unfortunate. 
. She even told me that these newly promoted sups are the worst! they dont even know the product specs nor even talk good over the phone, metric-wise - they suck! and there I agree!
One thing too - call centers are supposed to be carved out from Westerner’s Work ethics! but now most centers are adopting a new work ethic - Crab Mentality. Too bad! I see these in PS; my soon to be ex-company!
Dear HRD,
Who the hell is that “Security” guard in your reception desk for recruitment and trainees?
Who the hell he think he is? Last week as I entered the premises because the idiot wasn’t on his desk, he told me “lumabas ka muna.” No Ma’am, no Miss, just “lumabas ka muna.” How rude!!! I did not finish Political Science for my pre-law just to be told by an idiot guard this so I replied, I wouldn’t have entered if you were on your desk. And then he gave me a look as if we are not allowed to speak to him in english! and then he still replied “ano?” then he smiled as I smirked. so then he gave a Visitors ID in exchange of my own ID and then he said “Bakit ‘pag mga taga-UST matataray?” Now that completely blew my top off! but still I remained calm because I don’t want my training to be ruined by an imbecile who thinks and acts as if he owns TeleTech. As I went to my training I told my co-trainess the incident and a lot of them told me that he is a–hole! So HRD will you do something about this? I still want to do this formally than asking my five brothers who are taking up Criminology to beat the crap out of him! Okay? I am so furious! Now everytime I go to Teletech(Novaliches) I will see his satanic face laughing at me. Can you transfer him somewhere else? Just not put him in the front desk! He acts as if he is the Chief recruiter of your company! Is this the image you want TeleTech to have? As you invite applicants they have to go through your idiot guard who has no manners? You have to check his name and agency for me. I want it. Terminate his ass or transfer him inside for punishment. And please tell him that he is rude!!! A lot of nicer guards are out there and with manners who you can easily hire in exchange of his rude-ass. Please do something about this whoever is in-charge or I will handle this myself!
Sophia Dimalanta: I feel for you. If I was from TeleTech, I’d help you. Unfortunately, I’m not, and I’m actually very pleased with the security guards in our office. I hope everything’s okay now.
There are times that SGs from Call Centers feel that they’re on top of everything. Too bad, They didn’t know that they can be fired off at any moment, given the right circumstances. With the previous call center I was with, the SGs are actually great, but with the center I’m with now they tend to be sooooo annoying, in fact I had an argument with an SG last month due to their failure of logging my Mobile Phone to their log book and caused me quite a long time to process a very tedious clearance just to have my mobile phone back. Bunchoflosers. I reported their negligence to the Employee Relations and I’ve heard they were sanctioned a leave (without pay of course!) and when they came back they were transferred to a different floor. Sophia, take it easy then, they’ll have their time, ok?
Just to let you know, Teletech failed to meet their payroll August 2007 and many people waited over one week for their pay. No real explanation, but all were threatened that if they did not continue to work, they would be fired. Nice company!
Rico: Interesting. I was not aware of that. Hmmmm…
[…] This post is inspired by a comment that Rico left me in one of my blog entries and Gary’s post about call center […]
Rico, I’ve been with Tele Tech Nova for almost 3 yrs now. So far OK naman ang company. never pa naman kami na delay ng sweldo. pagnatapat ang pay weekend kina friday an pa lang nun me sweldo na. pero me friday one time mga 2 mos ago na di kami sumweldo ng friday, kinabukasan pa dumating ang pay, pero me notice din naman po sa employees na sat pa dadating. makukulit lang akmi na pumila at tnry pa rin namin sa atm (baka sakali lang hehehe) pero isang beses lang yun nangyari. lagi naman on time. pati 13th mo namin 1 month in advance. sa dati ko call center sa ortigas naku mga 3 days before pasko mo makukuha. kaya late ka na mamimili ng pamasko ng anak mo. Badtrip.
Dun nman sa guard. so far mabait naman po ang guards namin. Lahat nga mina Maam at Sir nila, yung iba nga ka chika pa. baka Guard ng Robinsons MAll yun LOL… Pero sige ill tell the admin staff. kung sana you can recall the name of the guard. kelan po kaya yun? baka nuon pa. Mahigpit po talaga sa CP’s kasi baka madisrupt ang lines ng mga agents na nagccalls at baka mgkuhanan ng pics at ma post sa net ang mga clients namin. baka mag pull out sila. lahat kami mawalan ng trabaho.
Regarding naman po sa promotion, minsan di lang kiss ass ang kailangan. baka po yung mga nappromote eh mas pansinin ng mga boss kasi me mga iniciatives sila. me mga iniispearhead silang mga projects kaya mabango sila sa boss. No offense kung wala ka talaga ginagawa pasok ka lang ng pasok di ka talaga makikilala at mapapansin ng mga boss. syempre me plus points kung napapansin ka. di naman kaialngan na magkiss ass pa.
Well malapit na ang 13th month… hehehe cool lang!
Cool Ka Lang (April): Thanks for the comments on everyone’s comments.
I haven’t heard much about TeleTech, so its good to hear feedback from someone there.
guys, i moved back sa malinta..interested in applying near my place..like tele tech sa novaliches..ok ba don?comp & ben ok din ba?don’t know anything about tele tech eh..im from telus internation-new name ng ambergris solutions..
interesting ang mga comments..i was from tele nova as well..just recently resigned..mas mababa ng konti ang sweldo ko ngayon pero hindi na naglalagas buhok ko sa stress:)
teletech was a big disappointment to me…andami ko reklamo..kaso nga..sabi nga nila..if you work for a man in heaven’s name..yada..yada..yada…so lumabas ako at saka ako nagko complain ngayon:)
yun ngang prinomise nilang pay namin nung orientation nakaalis na akot lahat hindi pa rin binigay..that was my first disappointment…i agree sa mga nasabi na..about promotions, incentives, bonus, etcetera…
i just hope magbago ang policies…magbago ang priorities.. if they put so much emphasis on customer care, why not include employee care..coz a happy employee would mean happy customer as well..sayang ang potential ng company…sana everything will be better someday..tama na ang expansion muna…employee muna ang pakinggan…sayang ang mataas na turn over
the only thing i am thankful about my short stay in tele is the fact that i have gained new friends and up until now i still get in touch with them and they mean the whole world to me…miss you guys!
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