Around a thousand calls monitored…
One hundred twenty monthly strategic collector plans delivered…
Roughly two hundred sup calls escalated…
Approximately forty-four agent binders audited…
Five subordinates attrited…
One town hall hosted…
And now fifty you had me at hello! entries posted…
I’m sure all of that definitely calls for… A VACATION LEAVE! 
GUAM, HERE I COME!
Be back next week! See ya! 
I was attending a leadership training session yesterday and my trainer brought up something interesting. My previous trainer (who happened to be Indian and who inspired me to write about my Coal or Diamond post) told him that the competition between call centers in India is extremely aggressive. To elaborate, this is what he told him: Picture an eight-story building which has 8 different call centers in each floor. Let’s say, you work in the 8th floor, decide to resign and apply in the 7 other call centers in the building. From the moment you resign in the 8th floor and start applying in each call center from the 7th floor down, you will actually get a job offer before you even reach the ground floor! And as the famous Anglo-Indian comic Russell Peters say it: “You can’t make this stuff up!”
Need a little bit of call center humor? CallCenterComics.com, a website that aims to assist companies with training and management through artwork that depicts that reality of the call center world, is showing their appreciation to their readers by giving a way free copies of “The Phones.” It’s 29 pages of call center humor that you can use at work. Refer to it during coaching sessions, or add them to your presentation during training to further emphasize the message that you are trying to get across or… Heck, just read it to entertain yourself!
This in only available for a limited time so download it now!
I haven’t checked my “other” mailbox in a while and guess what I found. Amy Quinn from InsideCRM told me about a recent article they just posted called Flip the Script: 34 Scripts and Ideas for Getting Back at Telemarketers.
As a former telemarketer, I hated customers who were so rude and cursed to me a lot. Personally, the most memorable calls I’ve had were from those customers that didn’t really buy what I was selling but was such a trip to talk to because they were smart enough to turn the tables around instead of being annoyed.
They would reply:
“You’re calling from Veranet Solutions? What solutions do you have for me today? ‘Coz y’know there’s this girl that I really like… You sound about her age. So just by listening to me, you think I can be attractive?”
Or sometimes flirt saying:
“Hey… you sound REALLY CUTE!!! I mean seriously… I wonder how you look like. Are you Asian? You have such a cute accent!”
Hey, I’m a good sport. I looked at these replies as a challenge. And back then, it was a huge achievement for me if these people decide to buy what I was selling. And I’m sure, most people would probably prefer that rather than getting a “F$&* Y@^ TELEMARKETERS!!!”
So don’t just hang up! I TRULY and SINCERELY believe that these 34 ways are better than just using profanity. Who knows? Maybe if you talk to the telemarketer a little bit more, you might just hear something you like and become interested in what they have to offer. If they don’t get a sale from you, then hey, at least they can make YOU a conversational piece during their breaks!
Before I went to work on the eve of Bonifacio Day, my whole family was watching the live telecast of the Manila Peninsula Mutiny. Unfortunately, I only saw bits a pieces of it as I was preparing clothes for a team outing in Laguna. Aside from that, I had so many things in my mind such as being this month’s host for our account’s Town Hall (a monthly show/meeting/awards ceremony), a calibration session with our clients, my deliverables, and bringing the stuff I needed for the team building. I was seriously not aware of exactly what was going on.
It was business as usual when I reached the office. Some members of my team mentioned that they might be absent or late because of heavy traffic. I noticed that there were so many unfamiliar faces and that the office was more crowded than usual. I learned a couple of hours later that there were several employees from our Makati office that were transported using company vehicles in our Alabang site because of what was happening, and some were even given the choice to go straight there if they live in the area. Headsets were readily available in the reception area for those who left their headsets in Makati.
Town Hall finally started and I was nervous as hell. Of all the 18 Town Halls that I’ve gone to, I had to host the one when the clients were watching. As planned, we introduced our esteemed guests to the employees. I thought that they were supposed to stay and watch, but during their speeches they mentioned that they will be leaving for the day. It was a big relief in my part since I didn’t have to do the calibration session. I wondered though why they left so soon.
After Town Hall, all of the managers and supervisors were asked to stay for a quick meeting. It was at that time that I learned about the curfew. The clients needed to return immediately to The Bellevue Hotel, their temporary residence, to guarantee their safety. The site director has decided to discourage everyone not to leave the building from 12mn until 5am. All the exits were closed. Employees who wish to leave the office would need to sign a waiver. To encourage employees to stay, those people whose shifts fall between 10pm-7am will be given additional PhP500 (US$11.81) which they will receive on their next pay if they stay until 5 a.m. Entertainment such as karaoke, Nintendo, online games and internet use were available to the employees until 12nn. Sleeping quarters were also available for those who needed to wait longer hours. Employees who decide to leave the office during the curfew will not be given the PhP500 incentive. Text messages with all these details were sent to all employees.
At 5am, November 30, the exits were opened and we were on our way to Laguna for our team building.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is called Business Continuity Planning (BCP), a must for call centers to have and one of the things I am very much thankful for as a call center employee. My company’s BCP group is by far the most impressive I’ve seen. They have made plans for pretty much everything, and the solutions they have in recovering business could be as simple a re-routing the calls to a different site, or as costly as sending the employees to Vizag to work. I really felt safe at the office that day. I continued working as if nothing happened.
So. The next time there’s a coup, a natural disaster, act of terrorism, airborne disease or a government-imposed curfew and you just happen to pick up the phone and call a customer service hotline, think of this post and imagine what a call center employee had to go through just to say these words:
“How may I help you today?” 
The following is an article by Brandon Hopkins who is a call center consultant and blogger. You can read more about him and his project on this page.
For most call centers, the supervisor can either make or break the operation in terms of customer service. A great call center supervisor means great customer service, but a bad supervisor means angry customers. Recently LJ wrote about the average earnings of a call center supervisor so I thought I would share my experience with what makes a great call center supervisor.
Here are 10 steps to make you the best call center supervisor (or manager in general):
1. Desire to be the best.
Without a doubt, the number one way to be the best manager is to want to be the best manager. If you have a desire to see your company succeed and are willing to go the extra mile to make that happen, you’re already on your way to being the best call center supervisor out there!
2. Fix it quickly.
A good supervisor fixes customer issues. A great supervisor fixes those issues quickly. If you on the top of the totem pole, make sure you get those issues fixed as quickly as possible.
3. Be the example.
An unhappy boss will create unhappy employees. If you smile your agents will smile. While a smile may not be able to be seen by the customer, the effects of working in a happy office will definitely been seen by all of your customers and clients.
4. Use the Golden Rule.
This doesn’t mean to only treat the customers properly, but also treat your coworkers and employees in the same fashion and with the same respect you expect them to treat you with. The Golden Rule has to start somewhere, and it should start with you.
5. Don’t be negative about your company.
While you may not own the company, an ownership mentality is absolutely necessary. Being negative about the company your work for can be extremely devastating to your employees because if their boss doesn’t believe in what he/she does, why should they believe in it?
6. Dress for success.
A great supervisor I worked for didn’t have a dress code and was allowed to wear anything he wanted. Every day, he came to work in a suit and tie. He was always dressed better than his boss. One day I asked him why he didn’t dress down more often and he gave me this piece of advice, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.”
7. We CAN do it.
When one of your agents transfers a call to you, the customer is probably getting upset. What the customer doesn’t want to hear is the same thing that they were just told by your agent. If customer service is a priority in your organization then you’ll want to tell the customer what you can do for them. Replace the phrase, “We can’t do that,” with “Here is what I can do”.
8. Be polite.
Nothing is worse than calling a call center and being transferred to the supervisor and then have him be rude to you. Remember that even though this customer was not originally your customer, you need to do everything in your power to resolve the situation and this resolution will go better if you’re polite.
9. Become the expert.
If your agents are selling a product or service, you need to know the product or service better than they do. Not only are you the supervisor, but you should be able to be their coach and trainer as well. If you take the time to learn and understand the same things that they learn, you’ll further show your usefulness as a supervisor.
10. Never say, “No.”
In the customer service industry there is no place for the word “No”. You should begin replacing, “No,” with “Let me see what I can do.” Another option is to say, “Not at the moment,” or “Currently we do not offer…” “No” should be removed and a good experience give to each customer.
Well there you have it, 10 steps to becoming a great supervisor at your call center. Your next step should be to print this list and put the steps into action by figuring out which of these you need to work on. Don’t try to figure that out yourself. Ask an experienced agent to rate you on these 10 steps, then you can be sure you’re getting an outside and hopefully honest answer!
When I first heard this song a few months back, it made me realize how much the call center industry is becoming part of Filipino culture. Though I personally think that working in call centers is so much more than American accents and perfect diction, it is true that the job pays rent and buys one’s addictions. For most Filipino call center employees, this is definitely their cash job.
If you listen to OPM, you might have heard this song already. But for my readers outside the Philippines, here’s something that might amuse you.
Here’s the music video:
Call Center by Cambio
Now let’s get one thing clear
I dont really want to be here
But they pay me for my perfect diction
I got money for my addictions
“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
It’s the way to your agents’ hearts too.
Hands down, the ultimate call center food incentive is pizza. It even seems like pizza companies have added call centers as a huge part of their target market, that there are even some chains that operate 24 hours to accommodate the demand. I myself have treated my agents as a form of reward for a job well done, or to bribe motivate them to improve their performance. And yes, based on my experience, this gesture has a positive outcome. I believe it’s a small price to pay because at the end of the day you were able to promote a gastronomic, fun-filled camaraderie within your team.
Here are my top picks:
1. Yellow Cab Pizza, Co. - New York’s Finest would be your best bet. Two 18-inch ones are just right for group of 12-15 people. Best part? There’s branches all-over the Philippines and some have 24-hour delivery!
Click here for Yellow Cab’s Store Directory.
2. Brooklyn Pizza - Call me weird, but the only thing I order here is their White Cheese Pizza when everyone says the best thing about them is the sauce. Very limited branches though and not a very wide reach.
3. Big Apple - This is very budget friendly compared to others. For my team of 10, we usually get 2. We get half White Cheese, half Mexican Taco, half Pepperoni and half Big Apple Special.
Currently they only have 2 branches: BF Homes, Parañaque - 63.2.8500850 & Makati - 63.2.757.8888
TIP: Request the “party-cut.” This is when the pizza is sliced into small squares. This actually gives the illusion that you’re eating more. Plus if you order half flavors everyone can get a piece of each.
Check out Hazel’s latest comic strip which is my inspiration for this post!
Source: Callwork
Translation:
You might have seen your manager “resting their eyes” or “praying” a few times. Ever wondered how much are they really responsible for when they sleep on the job?
Fresh Grad / < 1 Year Experienced Employee: PhP10,790
1-4 Years Experienced Employee: PhP16,500
Average agent level salary: (10,790 + 16,500)/2 = PhP13,645
Average Number of agents per team: 12
Supervisors’ Average Salary per month: PhP17,000
Average Number of Supervisors per Manager: 5
Managers’ Average Salary per month: PhP31,000
13,645 x 12 = 163,740
17,000 x 5 = 85,000
163,740 + 85,000 + 31,000 = 279,740
Since there’s 12 months in a year…
279,740 x 12 = PhP 3,356,880
The average manager in the Philippines is responsible for PhP3,356,880 ($78,945.41) of the company’s yearly budget to be sleeping on the job. Some managers working for bigger companies are responsible for possibly double or triple this amount.
Imagine that.
Source: Jobstreet Salary Report
I just learned that Teleperformance Philippines had opened a new site last month which is actually the Philippines’ biggest call center. The new site is called New EDSA IT Center 2. Sources say that the center is a two-level building occupying about 16,000 square meters with 2,500 fully equipped workstations.
This is probably the first time that I’ll be a little specific about my work experience so here it goes…
TELEPERFORMANCE PHILIPPINES WAS MY VERY FIRST CALL CENTER!!!
Yup, yup, yup! I’m proud to say that I was in their first international account that they acquired back in 2003. I was still an undergraduate and, like some people, entered the call center industry out of curiosity and boredom of waiting to graduate. I was in an outbound account for Veranet Solutions, a reseller of telephone services. I tried google-ing Veranet if it is still operational but upon logging in their website but I got a “Directory Listing Not Found.”
Oh well.
A new site means new job opportunities. So if you need a job and have considered applying in a call center you might want to try Teleperformance Philippines. Unfortunately, their website does not allow you to apply online unless you’re from Canada, Singapore or the US, but you can just walk in like I did back then in one of their offices. Here’s their details:
14th Floor Octagon Building
San Miguel Avenue
Pasig City, MM
Philippines
Tel: +63 2.632.9000
Fax: +63.2.632.9999
