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Fil5000 posted:Either cut and run or learn not to care. Either about customers yelling at you or about managers yelling at you (though I recommend the former as the latter you have to deal with daily). Much like retail, the secret is in realising that the people getting mad at you are not worth getting upset about and will be out of your world in a few minutes, unlikely to return. I'm going to try the not caring for this next week, then we're back in no-calls training for two weeks, then we're all live on the phones again. Today wasn't so bad, offered service on three of my 10 calls, then the phones went down. Apparently we're supposed to offer it 100% of the time, and it seems the longer I'm here, the more the job is nothing like what I applied for. Although I have the feeling that's pretty normal too.
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Apr 26, 2013 02:57
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Oh.. oh dear, I think I'm starting to get the lifer mentality  I am working mentoring a new guy and he's in class and I have the ability to do jack poo poo and not get into trouble... And I got bored and am taking calls..
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Apr 26, 2013 15:46
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Been working at an insurance company call center in IL for 4.5 years. The job is a shitter compared to how it was when I started. They used to send people home early at least once a week because of how dead it was... we've since outsourced our easy calls to India and the Philippines and taken on additional (far more complex) lines of business. The job has just loving sucked donkey dick for 3 years. I'm in the final stages of vetting for another call center job, but it's doing tech support for a local bank... in New loving York. I really need this job. Skype interviewed like a boss. Just waiting on my references to check out. PLEASE GOD LET ME GET OUT OF THIS SHITHOLE. Also, my new neighbor in cubicleland is none other than Dilbert's Loud Howard. If I don't get this job, I swear I'm going to choke a bitch. martyrdumb fucked around with this message at 07:05 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 07:03
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I just got a job on a company's customer care team handling both calls and emails. So far it's been better than I expected. I do get the occasional upset customers, but our job is pretty much to make them happy. You say you never got your package and it says on UPS it's been delivered? Here's a replacement. Items in your box were damaged on shipment? Here's a replacement and a store credit for the inconvenience. We're a 24/7 operation, so I'm working 4:30p-1:00a right now, which isn't terrible as I can still get the last light rail home at night. They're hiring more people each month and there admittedly doesn't seem to be an abnormally high amount of turnover given the number of people we have on staff. There does seem to be a bit of a division between us and the rest of the company (us vs them type stuff), possibly because we're on a separate floor. I was management level at my last two jobs, and when you factor in a much cheaper and shorter commute as well as cheaper benefits due to price scaling, I'm netting even from what I was. Not to mention I don't worry about my job when I go home at night or on my days off.
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Apr 27, 2013 17:51
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I can't agree enough with the sentiment that you need to make sure you move on. My old boss in the call centre was a really cool guy and a great manager, but he's been there 6 years and has got stuck in the rut whereas I work now across the road in the head office and will soon be earning more then him. Generally call centres are a great place to cut your teeth in the company, bout only that. If I ever fins myself "promoted" to call centre manager I will know I have been shelved as employee.
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Apr 30, 2013 15:15
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A job came up that's off the phones. It's about $2 less an hour, and my right wrist gets sore a lot so processing might not be the best for me, so I was withholding. But then, every terrible representative that we had called up and started asking the most asinine, pointless, stupid questions, combined with the worst escalations, all in one afternoon, and we were slammed. By the end of the day, that application was sent. My supervisor asked why I was applying and I told her that if I hear one more stupid question from a rep, I'm going to crack. That being said, it'll be sad if I get this new job, in a way. Having a supervisor who'll actually take calls with us, and regularly, when we're swamped is still really amazing to me, and I do really like the people in my department. I feel really supported by my higher ups and it always feels great to do something that you know you are good at. But still. Gotta get off the phones.
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May 3, 2013 18:29
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I started at my current position on the phones, and TBH I was going crazy and my supervisors saw that. Instead of firing me, they gave me a position doing administration (opening mail etc) until my contract ended. Then I applied for another contract, in which I did another form of administration (I'd call it data entry, really). I was working away happily, until two weeks ago when my team leader approached me and asked if I would go back on the phones...indefinitely (most likely 3-4 months) because one of my fellow employees wanted to see what working in the administration team would be like. Actually, it wasn't really being asked so much as it was "There is a permanent position that is coming up. Go back on the phones and it will look better on your application." It's been a week now and I pretty much want to shoot myself. I'm not planning on staying here forever, however, my application to the ADF is going to take at least 9-10 months, so unfortunately I have to apply for the permanent position. drat you office politics!
Cookie Kwan fucked around with this message at 01:54 on May 6, 2013 |
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May 6, 2013 01:52
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Well, that's that. I'm free now! Free! Oh man it feels like such a load off but I have no idea how to handle not having to log in at 9 am to give me a sense of schedule. Probably going to be sending in all my job applications between 5 pm and 3 am or something as my sleep cycle gets worse.
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May 6, 2013 17:33
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Ugly In The Morning posted:Well, that's that. I'm free now! Free! Oh man it feels like such a load off but I have no idea how to handle not having to log in at 9 am to give me a sense of schedule. Probably going to be sending in all my job applications between 5 pm and 3 am or something as my sleep cycle gets worse. Trust me, keep setting an alarm and getting up--maybe not as early, but try to keep a schedule. I didn't work for a year after I quit my last call center gig, and didn't start getting my poo poo together until I stopped sleeping till 4 every day. Plus it makes it easier to get up for interviews, new jobs, etc.
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May 6, 2013 20:15
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you ate my cat posted:Trust me, keep setting an alarm and getting up--maybe not as early, but try to keep a schedule. I didn't work for a year after I quit my last call center gig, and didn't start getting my poo poo together until I stopped sleeping till 4 every day. Plus it makes it easier to get up for interviews, new jobs, etc. Yeah. I'm typically an early riser, so for right now I'm hoping it's just like what happened in college after finals week, where I'd go on break and sleep 16 hours straight the first day and then have it straighten out. Taking 3-4 days "off", then I'm going to do job apps all through my normal work hours 5 days a week. Closest thing I've had to vacation since december 2011, though. Shiiiit, it's been that long?
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May 7, 2013 00:20
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TOTSE fucked around with this message at 21:44 on Aug 23, 2018 |
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May 7, 2013 06:01
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RN029-ARIN posted:Ha, yep. Layoff went through about a week ago and I've been chilling, sleeping in until it's worse to be in bed, the usual self-neglect. Here in a little while I'll start keeping some sort of schedule so I don't waste away. Soon. For sure. Maybe after another week, when I have to start pretending to look for a job so I can enjoy my state-funded vacation. Awww man, that's almost depressing me as much as the idea of logging in tomorrow... Almost. I yelled at my phone in my last week. Not even when I picked up. I just yelled at it for ringing. I really want to just find a healthy work environment so I can enjoy my savings instead of having them slowly drain. Trying to stay positive, but I feel institutionalized, like Brooks from The Shawshank Redemption. Used to being told when to log in, when to eat, when to catch my breath... Basically, I refuse to let this job beat my down after I've left it. EDIT: Not try to insult you, just trying to gear myself up. Job searches suck terribly. Spent a year getting this crappy one. Ugly In The Morning fucked around with this message at 07:45 on May 7, 2013 |
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May 7, 2013 06:19
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God, getting institutionalized. I feel like I could have that happen to me. I, at the least, kinda dig just being a little cog in a machine here, where I know exactly what I'm doing when I go in, and when I exit the door it'll wash off me like so much poo poo under a waterfall. I don't take on special projects or ask for new training anymore, gave up on that poo poo. I mean the role I serve is extremely valuable, because I can service 75%+ of inbound calls and do it well, but I don't give a poo poo about being more than that. It's funny, my last job was at this little "small business turning into a medium business", where I did a lot of admin work, and special projects. If it wasn't for my histrionic boss and her family business politics, I probably could have flourished more there. Now? Content to be in the queue. Grateful if its slow and I'm getting in some good Candy Crush Time... 
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May 7, 2013 19:11
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I take special project time to get me off the phone. What's this? Go wash the boss's car? gently caress yes. (No that hasn't happened yet). Ironically, I got nominated for MVP, so I get an hour off the phones tomorrow to go to a small party and see who won (not me).
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May 8, 2013 02:41
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For the last couple weeks Ive been yoyo'ing between 1st and 2nd place for stats on my team and around 5th on the floor. So I've been consistently getting scores higher than the people who commonly provide floor support. I asked my team lead about this and when I could do floor support and he told me I was on the list for RTA to select from. So how come I've never been chosen and it's always the same people? Well, whatever, it takes time right? So today an agent came back from sick leave. He's been listening to me take calls and requested me specifically to listen to his calls and help retrain him. Our trainers approved the request but the team lead tried to fight it tooth and nail...but wouldn't justify why. I know he wanted to force the agent to take calls the day he got back so maybe it's more something he has out for the agent but it's starting to feel like my team lead is trying to sabotage my chances for doing floor support.  This is so frustrating.
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May 8, 2013 17:28
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cuntvalet posted:For the last couple weeks Ive been yoyo'ing between 1st and 2nd place for stats on my team and around 5th on the floor. So I've been consistently getting scores higher than the people who commonly provide floor support. I asked my team lead about this and when I could do floor support and he told me I was on the list for RTA to select from. So YOUR team lead didn't want you to support the guy that's back from leave? I'm guessing it's because your stats are padding the low performers on your team lead's team and making him look better than he is.
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May 8, 2013 22:58
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I finally heard back from the bank I interviewed with. And... I'm hired! I put in my 2 weeks' notice yesterday! I'm moving to HOLYSHITNEWYORK!! In... holy poo poo, 13 days.  Unfortunately, I'll be moving from one call center to another. But I'm also moving from a massive soulless corporate behemoth in the Fortune 500 with concomitant arcane rules and technology (still using IE6 ffs) to a small tech-savvy local bank filled with rainbows and bunnies. They have a mobile app. They interviewed me on Skype. With a webcam. They're going to give me a company laptop.  Okay, so nothing to write home about in the grand scheme of things, but comparatively I am moving the gently caress on up.I did have to take a small paycut since I'm moving to an area with a lower cost of living. I'll be getting way better benefits, though. They provide vision coverage and will pay for my gym membership, neither of which I get here. And it'll be the first time I actually respect the company I'm working for. I can't help but think it'll make a massive difference in working conditions when the CEO lives and works in the same city as the peons. Not to mention, I'll be doing a job that's more closely aligned with my nerdy-rear end interests. Instead of taking insurance claims from retards, I'll be resetting retards' passwords and teaching them how to use the company's mobile app. I can't wait! Oh, and now I have an excuse to go shopping for fancy clothes, because I have none! We wear jeans every day at my current job. The bank's dress code is business formal.  I'll probably end up back here to rant once the shine of the new job wears off. But until then, optimism ho!
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May 10, 2013 00:38
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martyrdumb posted:I finally heard back from the bank I interviewed with. And... I'm hired! I put in my 2 weeks' notice yesterday! I'm moving to HOLYSHITNEWYORK!! In... holy poo poo, 13 days. If you're in a call center, you'll be back, all "gently caress. gently caress. FUUUUUUUCK MY CUSTOMERS" in a week. People are the worst. Bonus points if you work with healthcare people!
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May 10, 2013 06:13
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My call center just received orders from the client that state our commissions are now based on how high customers rate each rep on surveys. Our entire worth as employees is based on how well customers like us. Even though I've gotten surveys saying poo poo like "oh, constantIllusion was wonderful but I'm giving her a zero because I hate your company and think your service is too expensive!" 
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May 10, 2013 07:07
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constantIllusion posted:My call center just received orders from the client that state our commissions are now based on how high customers rate each rep on surveys. Our entire worth as employees is based on how well customers like us. Even though I've gotten surveys saying poo poo like "oh, constantIllusion was wonderful but I'm giving her a zero because I hate your company and think your service is too expensive!" Are you allowed to mention the survey during your call? I tell the customers that the survey is about me not about the company. That usually gets me good results.
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May 10, 2013 16:50
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constantIllusion posted:My call center just received orders from the client that state our commissions are now based on how high customers rate each rep on surveys. Our entire worth as employees is based on how well customers like us. Even though I've gotten surveys saying poo poo like "oh, constantIllusion was wonderful but I'm giving her a zero because I hate your company and think your service is too expensive!" basically just start giving the customer whatever they want. All the credits they want, free shipping, sure. Give them anything to get good results no matter what.
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May 11, 2013 00:35
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Gothmog1065 posted:Are you allowed to mention the survey during your call? I tell the customers that the survey is about me not about the company. That usually gets me good results. This, The goal is (oddly enough) to "humanize" yourself to your client, showing empathy etc. Then if you let them know that YOU are being kinda screwed over by the man as well (the survey results can help or hurt you directly) they will be more willing to fill it in a manner more sympathetic to your interests. If you can't tell them about the survey, then I feel bad for you man. Keep your chin up and good luck finding another job because that one must suck.
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May 12, 2013 03:41
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Omgbees posted:This, The goal is (oddly enough) to "humanize" yourself to your client, showing empathy etc. Nope, can't tell the cxs about the survey. sbaldrick posted:basically just start giving the customer whatever they want. All the credits they want, free shipping, sure. Give them anything to get good results no matter what. I've only been on the phones for six weeks, but it's already gotten to that point. "Sure, Mr. Customer you can have a payment arrangment for six weeks from now even though your account is only 4 months old and you have broken your last three arrangements, and have only paid $50 towards your bill since you got your account. Let me just process that override for you!"
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May 12, 2013 08:33
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God, my company is so bad at proprietary information management. You can basically directory browse any local network computer where they store internal resources and find all kind of interesting poo poo that the company may or may not want every employee to have access too. I found a cache of spreadsheets that looked like they were claims settlements and all kinds of poo poo. Sometimes when we need to reconcile timecards my supe sends a screenshot (  ) of the timecard reconciliation tool showing the URL and everything, so drop it in a browser, no credentials needed, can find any employee and see if they have time card discrepancies.They just released employee metrics to the whole company, so now you can download the metrics spreadsheet and see your metrics. Their genius way of blocking all the metrics (which are in the spreadsheet, it's 20 megs to download it) is to have you type in your employee ID number first before it pulls anything up, but if you put an asterisk in you can see literally everyone in the company's stats and their EID and then use that to filter them down, if you're curious! loving  I've reported all these things at least twice, and the metrics thing just happened, I messaged my supe and she's like "There's no way that's possible" so she came scrambling over to my desk for a demonstration. 
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May 12, 2013 18:16
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While bored and while the phones were dead, I started browsing the shares I could access and it was unbelievable. Not only did I find some very high-level emails between the CEO and various Ps and VPs, I stumbled across a folder that contained the scanned applications and resumes of literally every employee in my part of the corporation, plus the scanned copies of their license and social security card. I was stunned. I quit that job for online gaming journalism and then got laid off a year later, now I work in fast food. Honestly, it's a lot better.
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May 13, 2013 06:56
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Loving Life Partner posted:God, my company is so bad at proprietary information management. You can basically directory browse any local network computer where they store internal resources and find all kind of interesting poo poo that the company may or may not want every employee to have access too. I found a cache of spreadsheets that looked like they were claims settlements and all kinds of poo poo. What sort of metrics are we talking here? Because I can't think why your handling times and the like should be confidential at all.
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May 13, 2013 08:29
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Fil5000 posted:What sort of metrics are we talking here? Because I can't think why your handling times and the like should be confidential at all. Unless their department is lax on actual punishment like ours is (for some unknown reason) and some dipshit up here can spend almost 50% of his time off the phones. I don't know how the dude even has a job anymore. Then again they've been posting our "off phone" auxes (ACW, Outbound, default), and his is always consistently running 40-50% off the phones. It's astounding. I think they've instituted the actual " you're fired if your scorecard sucks" rule because of him.
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May 13, 2013 15:25
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Gothmog1065 posted:Unless their department is lax on actual punishment like ours is (for some unknown reason) and some dipshit up here can spend almost 50% of his time off the phones. I don't know how the dude even has a job anymore. Well yeah, exactly - the only reason I can think of for keeping stats like that secret is so that your management don't have to answer uncomfortable questions about why they're making GBS threads on people with moderately bad stats instead of making GBS threads on the people with gently caress awful ones.
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May 13, 2013 15:29
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It amazes me the number of people who think you can just plug a modem into the power and then get online with it. And how angry they get when I inform them they need to hook up to a cable line.
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May 13, 2013 23:16
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Too Poetic posted:It amazes me the number of people who think you can just plug a modem into the power and then get online with it. And how angry they get when I inform them they need to hook up to a cable line. Yeah, I remember that. Or DSL folks who get the phone and ethernet cord mixed up. Or the lady who yelled at me for telling her her wireless router had to be plugged in to power and the modem. It's wireless, duuuuuuuh.* *Now powered by Bolivian Orphan souls.
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May 14, 2013 05:38
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Do any of your companies have anonymous ethics hotlines? We called the hotline with every single thing that was happening at my call center. Then corporate HR visited, and now we have hr round tables, and the site manager that used to send out abusive e-mails only sends out positive messages with pictures of sunsets and compliments for the teams. It's really great. I'm going to be working from home in a couple of weeks! I'm pretty excited--between making decent money ($40k/year) and the benefits, this will really make my job search so much easier. I'll have more energy for networking events, and I won't constantly be worrying about if I can afford to hold out for the right type job when my car is getting 200 miles a week from the commute to the call center. I'm also extremely excited about being able to play online at home and practice my artwork without some midlife crisis breathing down my neck. The only downside is that I have split days off again, but it might not be too bad if I don't have to commute. I probably should stay in the office so I can move up in the company, but honestly I feel completely awful whenever I make the 60-minute commute to work to that office. I just don't feel human there. Hopefully working at home is a little easier on me.
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May 14, 2013 06:58
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Aerofallosov posted:Yeah, I remember that. Or DSL folks who get the phone and ethernet cord mixed up. Or the lady who yelled at me for telling her her wireless router had to be plugged in to power and the modem. It's wireless, duuuuuuuh.* Or the people who can't even loving count. "How many cords are hooked to the back of the modem?" "Two." "Only two? Okay, that's a problem, there should be three. Can you describe the top cord to me?" "Yeah, it's like a telephone cord." "And the one under that?" "It's like a round thing but it's got like a nut thing on it." "Okay." "And there's a small round one under that, the power cord." "...So there's three? "Yeah. The power cord doesn't count, right?"  I spent 9 years working for Comcast and my best friend just interviewed for a call center job with Brighthouse. I'm morbidly excited to see how long he lasts though I've heard they're better to work for than the big C.
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May 14, 2013 10:29
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BlackIronHeart posted:I spent 9 years working for Comcast and my best friend just interviewed for a call center job with Brighthouse. I'm morbidly excited to see how long he lasts though I've heard they're better to work for than the big C. I'm not sure about the call center culture itself, but I can guarantee you the customers will be the same retarded fuckwads that Comcast has (With a few good people here and there). I occasionally get Brighthouse customers since I work for TWC and our "national" help desk is the same. I want to scream and throw a monitor every time. E: Ahahaha. One of our employees is probably about to walk out because they're dicking her over on her FMLA and pay and poo poo. Man, she's mad. E2: And one of my former coworker posts this: quote:Seriously... a lot of my friends still in some form of tech support really need to consider a change to a data center. This is by far the best job I've had, best pay and best hours I could ask for. Wayyyyyyy better than any form of tech support. No poo poo. 
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May 14, 2013 14:38
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BlackIronHeart posted:Or the people who can't even loving count. I guess I just dont really care enough to get stressed by any of the dumb stuff. Personal favorite from the week though: Dude had been sent a wireless gateway and he just plugged the Ethernet into it from his other modem, it's kind of sad the amount of reps he burned through before I was able to get that info from him.
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May 18, 2013 06:48
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Too Poetic posted:Dude had been sent a wireless gateway and he just plugged the Ethernet into it from his other modem, it's kind of sad the amount of reps he burned through before I was able to get that info from him. 1 sales rep, 2 "technical support" reps, 1 supervisor to get to me: "I was told I could use my DSL modem for wireless since it was free, why isn't it working"
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May 20, 2013 14:46
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Gothmog1065 posted:1 sales rep, 2 "technical support" reps, 1 supervisor to get to me: Because you haven't loaded enough Bolivian Orphan Souls into it, duh.
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May 22, 2013 09:49
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Aerofallosov posted:Because you haven't loaded enough Bolivian Orphan Souls into it, duh. Chinese orphan souls are the best out there, but quite pricey.
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May 22, 2013 16:48
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Loving Life Partner posted:God, my company is so bad at proprietary information management. You can basically directory browse any local network computer where they store internal resources and find all kind of interesting poo poo that the company may or may not want every employee to have access too. I found a cache of spreadsheets that looked like they were claims settlements and all kinds of poo poo. Unless you want to get fired I would keep my mouth shut about finding stuff like that.
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May 26, 2013 16:11
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Yeah, the sort of people who let these things happen will just blame you for going looking in the first place.
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May 26, 2013 17:29
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I'm starting a Tech Support Business to Business role on Tuesday. Last time I tried this with a different company I crashed and burned, any advice on doing better this time? I really want to keep this one
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Jun 16, 2013 08:31
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