sleep-deprived... caffeine-fueled LIFE

the underwraps of having good customer care skills

2011-03-22T04:05:00.000-07:00

call center agents are expected to be individuals who take in the vital customer care knack. it is an asset in the field of contact centers. the company’s sales and productivity can be achieved through first-rate customer relations.

3 things which help agents keep their job:

*an outgoing and friendly personality. this is hard to show because the clients are being serviced over the phone. the voice, the choice of terminology and the manner of saying the words play an important role here.

*a people-oriented attitude. this makes everything possible for the agent to deal with customers making them feel as the most important people in their existence.

*an ample knowledge of phone etiquette. learn to listen carefully and never butt in while customers are talking. whatever they are saying, let them finish first. always acknowledge and let them feel you are more than willing to assist and help them the best possible way you can.

five years and still counting

2011-03-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

Call centers still carry on to be the fundamental success of customer relations industry. Employers always look for agents with the indispensable skills and qualities.

February 27, 2011 marks my fifth year as a call center agent. YES..! I have been playing in the field for exactly five years .. still living a sleep deprived and a caffeine fueled life. A call center agent job is not that easy. To stay in the game one should understand customer differences. Must have good communication skills and English language proficiency furthermore computer literacy.

sleepy agent

2009-03-23T00:35:00.000-07:00

one of the calls that i had which i secretly wished wouldn't be monitored was unfortunately randomly picked. it wasn't really a bad call. i was able to service the call , addressed the concern of the cardmember and was even able to put add ons (some important details like giving out available credit/cash without being asked.)the call actually lasted for about 3-4 minutes. HOWEVER, all throughout the call, my voice sounded so sleepy, as if i wasn't in the mood to work, sounded like i was too lazy to assist the customersand i was obviouslyu in a hurry.. if it wasn't for my tone & mood, i should have gotten a rating of 2, which is considerably high. BUT because of the way i talked, i only got a rate of 3. it's lesson learned. the secret is to always have a friendly and enthusiastic tone. damn..that was close!

wow philippines

2009-03-19T01:02:00.000-07:00

filipinos in the US are aware that several call center companies are based in the Philippines. my caller a while ago was a filipina. the first thing she asked was my location, and my nationality. i admitted to be a filipino like her. when she learned about this, she started speaking our own language and requested me to do the same . i can't. even if i want to.so, we discussed her issues however she used filipino/tagalog language while i reply in english. it was fun, she was relieved that it wasn't hard on her part to inquire and know more about her account details. the call lasted for about 10 minutes which is considered as long call. the heck, it's ok. at least i was able to make one of our kababayans happy. she even joked.. "dumudugo kasi ilong ko pag nag-english ako" ...we had a good laugh. i was tempted to speak the way she does, but i controlled myself. afraid the call might be monitored and be part of my scorecard..no way! hence, the call ended the way i started it.. english all the way...cmon!

i apologize

2009-03-18T01:05:00.000-07:00

i wasn't able to assist my client.. the issue was so simple. he just wanted to know the balance information on his account... account balance, minimum payemnt due, payment due date, available credit, available cash. SO SIMPLE. there were no fraud issues. no suspicious activities. no block on the account. it was a second call made by the CM. he only called back to know and take note of the balance info.. I apologized because, my system was down at that moment. it would have been a good call.. but i wasn't able to do anything. i opted to transfer the call to the other agent. oh, i feel so bad. to hell with the system.

love/hate

2009-03-17T00:26:00.000-07:00

my caller hates my company. she hates the service. she hates us all the more when she can't use her credit card. she screamed at me! she cursed me! she hates me!. she doesn't want to listen to me. she doesn't understand me. she hates me to the max...!
HOWEVER. she got tired of shouting and started to shut up and gave me time to talk.
i found out she was just trying to use the card for cash advance at an ATM machine and was unable to get the money she wanted.
i told her the reason was because of the wrong PIN (personal identification number) she used...
total silence. i removed the security hold on the account and informed her, the card is good to go..
THEN, she said sorry. she apologized. she didn't mean it when she said she hates me & my company. she admitted she was wrong.
SO, she started saying she loves the customer experience she had with me. she promised to be more careful the next time she uses her card. the call ended with her saying... " i love the way you assisted me and also the way you addressed my concern..i love you sweetheart.." CMON..!

duh..??

2009-02-19T00:14:00.000-08:00

one of the calls i received about 6 hours ago was a funny one. my caller complained because she was trying to make a purchase at different merchants but were unable to. YES! none of the transactions has gone through. after she verified all the necessary info on the account, and after telling me that all the activities made on account were legit, i told her it's ok to use the card. she can actually bring out her credit card and swipe it,use it anytime she wants. GUESS WHAT? .. my caller actually was doing a shopping spree and she actually didn't bring the plastic with her. the credit card was not in her possession, she left it in her house, and still insists to use it. DUH...? i'm just a CCA and not a miracle worker.. i advised her to go home and get her card... what can i say?? another DUH...?!!

one long call

2009-02-18T00:14:00.001-08:00

this is the worst day of the week for me. i cant believe to have handled a call for exactly 29 minutes and 33 seconds.. my ususal call lasts less than 5 minutes. my call handling time is always ideal. always equivalent to a score of 2. which is quite good because it's more than the average. but with this particular call i had a while back is really a nightmare. imagine yourself talking to a 92 year old cardmember who has alzheimer's disease... it took me forever to explain the status of his account. patience is really a virtue. PATIENCE. that's what i practiced. that's what i discovered. i never imagined myself possessing it.. but i cannot promise i would have it all the the time. oh pleaseee....!!

call transfers

2009-02-17T00:25:00.001-08:00

it's considered call avoidance when a rep declines to accept a transfer call from a different department ... i was so closed to committing that crime a while ago. apparently, the rep who wanted to transfer the call just wants me accept the call because the caller was so mad... that CM was just inquiring about the status of his account and since the other rep wasn't able to assist the CM further, he requested for a supervisor. CM specifically requested for a manager.. i am not a manager.. i'm just a CCA.. i asked the other rep why the heck was she trying to transfer the call to me. she should escalate the call to her supervisor... anyway, i hate saying no to callers. i'm bound to accept calls to minimize call handling time..so i accepted the call. it was an easy one actually. ...after further verification, the CM just inquired re account balance information. that's it! piece of cake. funny thing was,the CM compared me to the first person he was able to talk to and said he likes me because i was able to help him better. pat on my back..cmon!

password please

2009-02-13T15:46:00.000-08:00

as a CCA,everytime we receive a call, the first thing we do is to verify info from callers.. password is very important. we never service the call if the CM won't be able to verify info. there was a time when i played hard ball with the CM. she wanted details on the status of her account.i gave her zero info. she got real mad. i tried other means to verify her but still, she didn't pass. expectedly, all the bad words came out from her mouth. i just advised her to send necessary documents if she wants to have access on her account. before i could give out the address for acceptable documentations, she hung up!

don't wanna talk to you

2009-02-02T00:36:00.000-08:00

i have just received a call from someone whom after i introduced myself and finished my opening spiel, my caller kept screaming and complaining about the declined transactions she tried to do at a supermarket somewhere in the state of California. i tried to explain the reason for the decline but she kept talking and at boiling point attitude. she complained she doesn't understand me, that i'm not willing to help her and will file a complaint against me. EXCUSE ME..?! i said, she needs to let me talk and explain. obviously, she wouldn't understand me because i wasn't given the chance to say anything at all... for couple of minutes i let her do her thing and eventually she requested to speak to someone else...pronto! so i did what she told me... i transferred the call to one of my colleagues... never know what happened next... whoever got that call.. good luck!

affected no more by insults

2009-01-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

this is not a good day for me. i experienced another insult by one of the clients/cardmembers. it was actually a transferred call from the customer care department. the caller was already blowing his top and he got more aggravated when i handled the call. he doesn't like the idea of talking to so many people and being transferred several times. before i ask how can i help, he started saying how incompetent my company is. how inefficient all the employees are. i let him do the talking. he threatened me by saying he is going to close the account. all the curse, all the insult, the screaming and shouting on top of his lungs. i embraced them all. he noticed i just kept listening and never butt in. after he got tired of talking, i asked again how can i help. the issue was so easy. he wants the charge on his account be credited back because he already paid cash. i just informed the CM to let the merchant call us and everything will be taken cared of. the merchant should be the one requesting fro reversal and not him. that's just it. he then realized how stupid he was for getting mad unncessesarily. he ended the call by apologizing.

relay call: go ahead

2009-01-21T00:06:00.000-08:00

the kind of call i wish i wouldn't get. unfortunately, i had my own share of it. relay call. it goes like, a representative will type in all the cardmember wants to say and read them back to me. i don't have contact with the caller. it was the other rep who relay the message. i, in return will respond and that will be typed as well to let the caller understand what's going on. every message should end with "go ahead". the message normally takes longer than the usual. sad to say, mine lasted for nearly 30 minutes. there was a time when i forgot to say "go ahead and the rep on the other end was still waiting for me to say some more . only then i realized, i have to give the "go ahead" signal. sigh. a simple call, nevertheless became complicated because it does not only involve talking but writing as well. oh how i wish i wouldn't get any of this kind in the future.

ooopppsss.... i did it again!

2009-01-03T07:40:00.001-08:00

all it takes is patience. plus warm & friendly tone. it has been like almost two years since i last recieved a commendation call. lately, i have been an irate agent because of the pressure and tension during the last season. Luck it is.... The call i received was a fraud application... The onset of call was a complaint. My caller was so worried because someone else opened an account using her name and other personal info. since, the account was just opened a week back, i immeadiately informed the caller that i'll make sure that she wont be held responsible for it. i made her feel secured, knowing she was so afraid and so worried. after giving her the assurance, she was so delighted and thank me for being helpful. i already said goodbye however, she requested to speak to my supervisor. we cant say no to the callers if they request for a manager. i escalated the call to my manager only to find out that i got praised. A COMMENDATION CALL. the caller appreciated me for giving her good custoemr servie..wheeww.... yes.. i did it again.!

blind transfer

2008-12-29T07:08:00.000-08:00

BLIND TRANSFER. this is what i hate the most. i had a call from a cardmember who never had the idea that she will be transferred to my department..
she was so freaking mad. bad words came from her mouth. she actually doesn't know how to listen. i suspect that the other representative who received her call wasn't even able to explain to her the issue on her account because CM kept talking non-stop. Since I'm used to this kind of call, i just let her do her thing. when she noticed i never butt in. she started asking if i could help her. i informed and advised her i can be of help only if she will listen to me... to every word that i will say. i told her, if she wants to use her card, if she wants to make transactions right away, she has to listen to me.listen carefully. and stop talking (for christ's sake) just one moment is what i asked for. true enough, i fixed the problem. recently changed address.. she verified the activity as legit. as simple as that! when she learned she can start using the card..as expected. she hung up! total bitch!

OT

2008-12-23T08:33:00.001-08:00

the best way to render overtime is during rest days and holidays. the yuletide season is the time when large volume of calls keep pouring in. i, of course took this rare opportunity to get to work. double-double pay. money.more money. HOWEVER, non-stop calls. less time for bio break. can't even find time to sip coffee in between calls. the heck! i dont give a damn! at the end of the day, i see peso signs. that's enough motivaiton for me to continue working .. real hard!
OT..c'mon!

mabuhay philipines!

2008-12-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

the call i just received was from an american who knows that the office i work for is in the Phillipines. the cardmember makes it a habit to check the status of his account.. and since he is a regular caller, he already knows that agents who receive his calls are filipinos. He enjoys talking to filipinos. he even said, he prefers to speak to filipinos because he feels the warmth. he experiences filipino hospitality. it is a plus factor. when i took his call, he thanked me and asked about philippine culture, weather, and the beach! since he's a nice guy, i gave him 5 minutes of my time and promote the Philippines. He was convinced, he's gonna visit the country this summer 2009.!!
WOW PHILLIPINES..!

how can i help you today?

2008-11-30T06:50:00.000-08:00

i've been helping a lot of people re use of their plastics (credit cards). help includes declined transactions, forced authorizations, payment by phone, replacement cards, cancelling cards, fraudulently used cards. I make sure that there wont be any problems when they use their cards. i am of service for eight long hours, 5 days a week. it would be so frustrating when your help is not being recognized or appreciated. one thing i'm sure of, when i say how can i help.. i mean it.. the customers need me more than i need them.haha!

sorry about that

2008-10-22T00:34:00.000-07:00

i received a call from a filipino living in Texas. a security block was was placed on his credit because of the recent activities made on it. as part of the procedure, to be able to remove the security hold, i need to run security questions. i know, and i can feel that the caller was the true person, the legit cardmember. the only problem is that, he cant recall the details, the correct info or answers to the security questions i asked from him. as i expected, he didn't pass. i wanted to help him avoid some inconvenience but, as a policy, if a cm failed, documentations need to be submitted. i requested the cm to send a copy of his driver's license and utility bills. he pleaded, he insisted me to ask some more questions, he even volunteered to give out other personal infos just to convince me he wasn't fraud and i do believe him but, i cant take control of the situation. a policy is a policy . we need to adhere. so, i told him to do send the docs and we can take care of everything once we received them. the cm just requested the account be cancelled. seriously, i really felt sorry for him. i felt real bad because he's a kababayan. and i wasnt of help to him.

i'm an asshole!

2008-10-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

there are various reasons why some callers are irate: impatient.never listens to reasons.keeps talking and never let me explain.racist.swell headed.the lists can go on and on. i was called so many names. idiot.stupid.shithead.moron.asshole. the latter is the callers' favorite...and mine too.but whether i like it or not, this is part of my job and i have to be used to it.used to them.damn! i recently had a caller who keeps screaming on the onset of call. he was actually being transferred from one department to another. he was first able to connect to customer service, then to collections dept., eventually to billing disputes unit and lastly to me. fraud & security department. imagine the person talking on top of his lungs. i have to take the headset away or else my eardrums will pop. i was never given the chance to talk and instead obliged me to transfer the call to my supervisor. i never said a word. i let him talk.and talk.and talk. and when he noticed i wasn't saying antyhing he sudddenly stopped. then i moved my mouth. i said, you wanna talk to my supervisor? he screamed again and said are you deaf? i said no. and told him if he wants to talk to my supervisor, he has to call back after 3o minutes because my sup is still engaged in a call. the caller even screamed louder than the usual. he went back to his nagging, cursing, demeaning words. i never talked back. i just let him do his thing. finally, he sensed i dont get affected and guess what?.. he hung up.. ahahahahaaa...

confessions of an addict agent

2008-10-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

we have 7 days in a week. 5 working days, 2 rest days. those days off from job allows us to relax and unwind. it prepares us for the next working days ahead so we need to be rejuvenated.i always believe in taking time off from the office and as a matter of fact, i'm always on the look out for new thrills to try during weekend. gimiks, food trip, any form of relaxation.
HOWEVER,we received a memo from the higher management that our department needs volunteers to render overtime for the whole month of september. it was due to very large volume of calls. i never like the idea. never did i plan to work overtime.i just planned to go bumming the whole weekend of september. i was so convinced to do nothing...but when my colleague talked to me about rest day OT which means 130% computation for my pay for the day... i easily changed plan..OMG..! money talks.money screams at me! and i heed its call. I RENDERED A TOTAL OF 9 HOURS REST DAY OT. ..i swallowed my words....ahahahahahaaa....

gotcha!

2008-09-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

i just received a call from a person pretending be someone else. as part of our opening spiel every onset of calls, we need to verify the caller at least 2 pieces of personal info. my caller has verified correctly the infos however, it was very suspicious. i asked for the date of birth. the true person/cardmember was born year 1932. the caller's voice was so active, so young sounding, so irate, so defensive. the usual calls i receive from the oldies often turned out to be light. they are the ones who call me sweetie, dear, darling,my son. and this particular call i received lately was no match. my credibility was even questioned and said, i was slow and seemed not wiling to help because i ask so many questions. the caller wants to get things done right away. instinct dictated the best thing i need to do. which is to probe some more. when i ask.."how can i help you today?" she said. "my grannny lets me use her card and why in the world am i having hard time using it?" ..THAT'S IT..! i told the caller to let her granny call us. i immediately block the account and insisted, let the real cm give us a call.

impostor...!

2008-09-22T00:33:00.000-07:00

Identity thieves steal key pieces of personal information of someone and use them to commit crimes using the person's name and identity profile. documents can be picture id,utility bills and bank statements.
if a person opens an account in someone else's name. it is called fraud appplication. this is a very serious mattter. i usually receive complaints from people who have been victims of identity theft. what i do is verify if all the personal info match with what we have on the system. if everything matches, i close the account right away. if there are fraud charges already made , we fill up a form and forward matters to investigations team. i give assurance to the true person that he/she wont be held responsible for the account which was fraudulently opened. i was even commended one time when i told the customer to worry no more because i will take care of everything. the lesson we should learn from here is that to keep all our personal documents intact, away from suspicious people and more importantly, be wary and know all the people we deal with at all times. it's always better safe than sorry.

call me later...

2008-09-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

caller id is very important. if a cardmember calls in and uses the phone number registered in the system, it immediately recognizes the caller and the account information pops up on the screen .. however there are times when the system is down... this means trouble.
everytime this problem arises, the first thing i ask for from the caller is their name.. next thing is their account number. if they cant provide me with the account number, i can either ask for phone number or social security number. in that way, i can pull up the account using those info. there are times when they don't want to give those informations and expect i be able to help them right away. that's what i really call.. trouble.
that was the kind of call i received recently. no data pop. the cardmember became suspicious and questioned my credibility. how can i go on with the call if there are no informations given to me? i was so patient, warm, friendly, sucker! no effect. the customer didn't give in. we went around in circles, he was so irate, he called me names, i tried to explain, i wasnt given a chance. so many complains. i just said, mr.. i apologize, much as i wanted to help you, much as i wanted to address your concerns, i possibly couldn't. the best advise i could give you is call back after 30 minutes. maybe the system is no longer down by that time.

it's raining calls...

2008-09-11T08:06:00.001-07:00

i bid the morning shift because i dont want to take so many calls. i dont like queueing. i hate red lights on aspect. i can't afford to talk nonstop. morning shift means... it's nighttime in the US.. americans are already taking rest..done with shopping.sleeping soundly.plastics in wallet.kept.secured... that's the idea i pictured on my mind when i got the morning shift. well... it does happen. it's for real.less calls...less stress...less talk... BUT... things changed... i dont exactly understand why it's happening. for couple of weeks now, the volume of calls in the morning are growing in numbers.numerous calls are being routed to our department and to think that it's already like 10 in the morning..and super late at night in the pacific and other US regions. HOWEVER, i can't do anything about it. it's the nature of my job. i shouldn't complain. i just have to accept things as they are. besides, more calls means more money. enough reason to perk me up. whew!

kabayan call

2008-09-08T00:14:00.000-07:00

the call i recently received was from a filipino (based in Los Angeles, CA)who visited the country for vacation. he's trying to use the card however it got declined because he's using it out of spending pattern. he was kinda irate because he was actually doing a shopping spree at SM and suddenly it didn't go through. i took the call so calmly and explained everything how i could help him resolve the issue. he was totally clueless that the 1-800 number he dialled was routed to our country where he is at the moment. since, there was no fraud issue and he was actually the one using the card and not someone else, i immediately removed the security block on the account and informed him that his plastic is good to go. i was about to end the call when i introduced myself as a filipino like him and told him our office is located near the department store where he is doing his shopping. he got so excited and can't actually believe because he thought i was one of those american agents. he wanted to stay on the line and keep talking but told him i cant stay for long because it's queueing time. had i stayed longer and had conversation with him, i'm quite sure we'll end it up seeing each other and talking over bottles of San Miguel beer. :-)

what the..???

2008-09-04T00:24:00.000-07:00

i was trained to work for the US Fraud department. i attended US core training. i passed the accent neutralization training. i was told i would be talking to a lot of americans hence, the training was rigid.
surpised! last monday,august 26 was a disaster. it was supposedly a light kind of shift because it was a sunday PST time. but no! it was totally queueing time. no right to complain. trained to handle calls. but wait! most of my calls were unbearable. i'm not a racist, i don't discriminate but ... oh jeez! most of my calls where from Asia and other non-english speaking countries,mixed cultures living in the US. since my company practice diversity, we anticipated that some callers will be requesting to an agent who speak their language. we have different language dept where we can forward calls. i offered my callers i can transfer them to an agent who can further assist them. they declined and told me.. i want to learn english from you. here's the exact words one of my callers said.... " i dont like you transfer me to some of the others. i want to english myself. you and i alone will talking to one another now . i understanding you very good. i know how to english myself . you helping me, explaining to me what my credit card is about. no.. no transfer. i can english"

there! need i say more?

dont cry over spilled coffee..errr..milk!

2008-08-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

my work can really be so toxic. the moment i log in...queueing starts. it can really bring sore to my throat. that's why my ever reliable starbucks coffee mug is right beside me..(i love the combination of cafe mocha/cappuccino/creamy chocolate). With coffee close to my reach... i can sip it... when... my throat gets dry...gets itchy...gets irritated...When large volume of calls come pouring in.. i always wish the clock will start moving fast so i could already take my break...to relax...and sip more coffee...then pee. There was a time when i hoped there would be system breakdown so i can just advise the customers to call in after 30 minutes.

One time...i really felt so harrassed. Lunch break was heaven to me! One hour of not taking calls.i went to a Japanese resto just a few steps away from my office.didn't talk to anyone.wanted my voice to rest for a while.i even just pointed my meal order.tempura.after a quick lunch, i dropped by at 7Eleven convenience store and had a kitkat.alright!!talk about taking a break!

after my one hour lunchbreak,i went back to work on the floor.i secretly wish for the customers to stop calling that day.whoever said "be careful what you wish,they can come true" is right.correct.true.the following 4 hours that day was idle.in an hour, i only received 3 calls.i was supposed to feel good.well, it turned out, i got bored... i even felt so sleepy. you know the feeling of wanting to sleep so bad and you can't because you simply cant and wont be allowed? one more thing... "more calls..more money" my wish was a big mistake..HUGE! well, i cant cry over spilled coffee....errr...milk.

cloned credit card...HELP !

2008-08-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

august 11,monday. i so hate this date... my shift ends at 3pm. we are allowed to go idle 2 minutes before 3. unfortunately, i received a call at exactly 2:55pm. my average handling time per call usually lasts 3-5 minutes. that's an ideal call time. more than 5 minutes will mean trouble. one 'bad trip' is what i experienced on that date.the cardmember's account was used fraudulently. there were several fraud charges made. face to face transactions, phone order, online charge, card swiping, etc. the cm's credit card was not lost and was not even stolen. it's in her possession. so unfortunate was she because her account was used fradulently. as expected, the caller was so upset. i explained to her the case of counterfeit.

Counterfeit credit cards are fakes that have real account information stolen from victims. Often, the victims still have their real cards, so they don't know a crime has occurred. The cards appear legitimate, with issuers' logos and encoded magnetic strips. Criminals use stolen account information to create counterfeit cards or to charge items over the phone or the Internet. Counterfeit cards often are used just a few times and abandoned before the victim becomes aware and reports their misuse.

after further explanation, i informed the CM that i need to cancel her card and issue a new one with diferent number.BUT... she wants the impossible. she doesn't want a new card. she demanded the security block on her account be removed.she wants the fraud charges be credited back right away. she wants to continue using her card the soonest time possible. i told her about the possibility of the credit card being used fraudulently again. surprisingly, cm started screaming on top of her lungs, kept talking, shouting, cursing. she even will file a complaint against me because i was not being helpful. she refused to listen.

i did what's best. i cancelled her card. advised she will receive a new card in 14 business days.that's it! the call lasted for about 25 minutes. she got my name and employee id number and threatened that she will make me feel sorry and i will soon be jobless. my supervisor was actually beside me while i was on the phone. i got a tap on my shoulder. he said i did the right thing. the cardmember will soon realize that i was right all along.

whew...!

...online fraud charge..omg!

2008-08-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

one of the sad experiences i had with one of my customers happened a week ago. she was in her late 70's.. she regularly uses her card to a grocery and convenience store. unfortunately, her credit card was used fraudulently. the old lady was surprised to see her billing statement with some charges made online. she complained because she had absolutely nothing to do with it. she doesn't even know how to use the computer. some purchases were made at Apple ITunes, some were from Victoria Secrets and others...from Computer Software Store.

i told her i would take care of everything. i wont let her be responsible for something which she didn't make.however, i asked her where she keeps her card. she said it's always inside her wallet. she never let it slips away. frankly, i told her that the person who did it was someone close to her. it may be a member of her family . i explained that even if she has the card, purchases can be made... internet transactions can be processed . one just needs to know the exact account number.

she was so depressed. she was so scared. she can't actually pinpoint any members of the family. she was unsure who's capable of doing it. the fraud charge was so big. what i did was cancelled her card and issued a new one . it's the same account but has a totally different number. this is the only way to prevent the fraud charges from happening again.

i advised her that we'll work on it. we filled up a form for investigation purposes. she only has to give us time to process everything. we have the fraud investigations team to take care of it..i assured her that all the fraud charges will be credited back in her account. however it takes some time.

the old lady was so grateful. she called me sweetheart. she said i was so sweet and she feels safe while talking to me. her kind words made me feel good. she reminded me of my own granny.

how can someone be cruel to an old person? i suddenly remembered my fave show.."my name is earl".. karma.. when you do bad things to other people.. it will come back to you.

graveyard shift no more

2008-07-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

i shut the door behind me and looked up. it's been a while since i felt like this. looking at the sky, i've learned to appreciate the warmth of the sun that penetrates my skin. it's really been a long time...i used to walk in the dark. i had to do it for so many months and for some, even years. now the sun is looking down at me, kissing my face and arms. it felt good. i feel right at home - sentiments ng isang call center agent na kaka-resign lang. (texted by jabi)

i almost felt that way... i almost say those words. i almost quit... resign... from the call center industry.

my field is known for shift work... designed to make use of the 24 hours of the clock, rather than a standard working day. shift work includes both long term night and morning shifts.

Generally, our "first shift" refers to the night shift (opener) 8pm5am, with "mid shift" running from 9pm-6am, 10pm-7am, and so on.., and "third shift" (closer) 6am-3pm.

i had a real bad time with GY shift. i hate it.. i will never get used to it.. when the opportunity came when we had to do shift bid... i grabbed it. shift bid happens quarterly. agents change sked every three months.. good thing only a few wants the third shift because they are more concerned on the night differential (more money is involved here).

after couple of months, the morning shift gained popularity.. more people realized there's no substitute for a normal life. sleeping at night..seeing the sun shines on you..doing extra curricular activities after office hours..health risks free!!

next shift bid came. this is a tough one because performance on the floor is the name of the game. stats involved. only those who did well on the floor can get their preferred sked..

for about 2 years.. i've been enjoying the morning shift..

and YES..i have a very normal life!

call center agent profile

2008-07-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Exceptionally Well Qualified - Made no major blunders yet

Quick thinker - Offers plausible excuses

Careful Thinker - Won't make a decision

Uses Logic on Difficult jobs - Gets someone else to do it

Expresses Themselves Well - Speaks English

Has Leadership Qualities - Has a loud voice

Exceptionally Good Judgment -Lucky

Keen Sense of Humour - Knows a lot of dirty jokes

Career Minded - Back Stabber

Relaxed Attitude - Sleeps at desk

Independent Worker - Nobody knows what he/she does

Loyal -Can't get a job anywhere else

- forwarded text message from a team mate

...thank you for calling

2008-07-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

some guys have all the luck...but it doesn't happen all the time... if ever it does, savor the moment and just enjoy!

an ideal call is usually 3-4 minutes long.the shorter time you handle the call, the more calls you can take...the incentive our company gives is based on the number of calls received... imagine if you take more than a thousand call per month...it means big bucks! (note:passing score from QA is required)

it was one friday on the month of January '08 when i had a very lucky day. first 2 hours of shift...no irate callers. no complaints from customers.then i took a 15 min break..back on the floor.same kind of calls.smooth sailing.large volume of calls. still no sweat.problems easily resolved.complaints were handled with gusto. ..1 hour lunchbreak.action!...different calls this time... nonetheless, exciting calls..REASON: request to speak to a spanish speaking agent... request to be transferred to a chinese/mandarin speaking agent... misrouted calls...request to be transferred to other department... account status inquiry... i was having the time of my life!... just imagine...i had that kind of calls the whole shift..! ...that means i'm a very lucky duck!

i ended the shift with a big smile on my face.

when i used my closing spiel to all my callers that day.. i really meant it.. with all honesty and sincerity.. thank you for calling we apppreciate your call and your business...have a great day!

it never happened again since then..how i wish...how i pray...how i hope...to experience the same thing again...

call avoidance

2008-07-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

once a CCA hits the floor..."readiness to take the call" should be the mood...no ifs...no buts...

there are mortal sins that CCA needs to avoid.
first: no sleeping during calls.. if caught , that would be automatic corrective action.
second: never put the caller on hold for long minutes. it's bad customer impact.
third: avoid more than 5 minutes idle time. it keeps away the callers..
and lastly: do not release a call..!

so sure i am that they are mortal sins for CCA's... and it's because....i had committed all items....guilty beyond reasonable doubt..it happened when i was so new on the industry and still unsure of the process...my TL had monitored some my calls which fell under the category of mortal sins.. it was a big deal...i was given a final written warning...leading to termination... the upper management had a meeting regarding my status.. i knew then that it will be the end of my call center career because i have committed a mortal sin..."RELEASING A CALL"... only one thing saved me... integrity.

when my TL asked me if i actually did it in purpose... i admitted the wrong action right away.. i said i deliberately released the call because i was so afraid i wasnt of help to the caller...

our company honors honesty... there were some agents who were caught guilty of the same thing but denied the actions... i was the only one who was brave enough to take the blame.... however apologetic and sincere... i was given another chance.. and the rest is history...

it pays to be like don quixote....."honesty is more effective than dishonest scheming"

... the escalated call

2008-07-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

"i wanna talk to your supervisor...now!" it's a no-no for us. when we hear our customers request to speak to a supervisor...it means trouble... unsatisfied customers, bad service.

i had an experience with a man calling in requesting a force authorization.. the man.. a cardmember.. was unable to use the card at the gas station, reason for him to get irritated..he was actually travelling.. we always advise our cardmembers to call us everytime they travel.. we do have a fraud early warning system which prevents any unauthorized transactions to post in the account..with travel advisory from the CM, problems wont come into the scene..

when one is so upset... all words.. foul & censored come out from the mouth... good thing when i receievd the call, i just had my 15-minute cappuccino coffee break... ready for any kind of calls be it dark or bad. i took the call with much enthusiasm, with a very friendly tone, apologetic and sounded more than willing to help.. the customer listened to my explanations re declined reasons for transaction...

the call lasted for about 20 minutes which is so unacceptable..talk time should be 4 minutes or less to make it become an IDEAL call... the CM realized that we just wanted to make sure that the activity on the account is legit... as i was about to end the call.. he asked me to transfer the call to my supervisor.. i said it wont be necessary because i was already able to assist him and that he can further use his card anytime he wants.still he insisted to speak to my supervisor... my boss was still engaged in a call that time...i asked the CM if he's willing to wait... (i was hoping he would just give up) surprisingly, he stayed on the line.. the CM badly wants to talk to my supervisor... i advised him to call after 30 minutes... "NO" was the response i got.... he got my name & employee ID... i had no choice but transfer the call to my boss...

as per cm's request.. i transferred him.. here's what he said...."i just wanted to tell you how much your rep helped me out today. i couldnt figure out what to do, but he said..'i'll take care of everything'. i was pleased with his response and i could understand him. give that boy a raise! - M.Cadenhead

that's it!.. i cant believe it.. just when i thought i'm doomed... it turned out the other way around.. next thing i know.. my name flashes on the all 5 plasma screens scattered around the floor/work station..... " COMMENDATION CALL"

hope i can keep it coming..

who's on the line ..?

2008-07-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

i am an inbound call center agent... i predominately handle calls initiated by the customers.. be it inquiries or complaints. our company deals with credit cards and i belong to fraud & security department. i am so used to irate callers. jumble the letters in each words..( FKCUUOY, SSOLHAE, BLLUTHIS) these are what i usually hear when taking calls. our customers get mad when they are having a hard time using their card. our utmost priority is to protect our customers' account. it's always better safe than sorry. there are so many cases in the US when a card gets lost, stolen, compromised. there are even counterfeit & take over issues. when these things happen... we deliberately place a block on the account and contact our cardmembers thru email, phone calls and alert letter. when cardmembers say the transaction is legit, we remove the block right away. .. as easy as that.... some americans thank us. HOWEVER, there are more who hate it. whenever they call, we tell them the reason for the decline...the best possible way we can.

PATIENCE plays a big role here. we are always encourage to provide good customer experience. hence, we always play it cool. one of the irate callers i cant forget was a filipina living in Alabama. i actually got excited when i received the call because i know she's a "kababayan".. her name is so "pinoy" and her accent is obviously so filipino... onset of call, she was already blowing her top. so shocked was i... never did i expect such attitude from a "kababayan". here's exactly what she told me ...." you americans are so mean. you dont know the embarassment i had when i was in line at the grocery store and learned i cant use my card when i always pay my bill.. i explained that since the transaction she did was out of her spending patttern.. she travelled out of her state and it triggered a red flag...all she needs is verify the activity and block will be removed real quick..card will be good to go.. she put me on hold and talked to her hubby.. i can hear her shouting on the phone.."hon, aba, ito'ng putang ina'ng amerikano na ito.. akala yata ay nanakaw ang credit card natin.. hindi naman.. " when she gets back, i asked her where she's from.. she said i dont have any idea where she came from..i said dare me. ..."BULACAN. do you know it?" i said .. yes. it's in the Philippines. . and then i admitted i am a filipino too. when she learned it.. the more "MURA" i got.. but this time around.. it's with "LAMBING" luko-luko ka.. akala ko amerikano ka.. napakawalanghiya mo.. naloko mo ako.. (she giggles).. she apologized. and asked about our weather. i felt the warmth on her voice. the longingness to talk to another Pinoy. she requested me to speak our native language, much as i wanted , i cant because i'll get fired if i speak "tagalog"... i just ended the call with my closing spiel ..... thank you for calling and using your credit card, we appreciate your call and your business.. "MABUHAY KA..!!

look who's talking...

2008-07-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

american accent neutralization: the first thing an aspiring call center agent must acquire in order to get the job. it aint easy... i have been a CCA for more than 2 years now. everytime i take calls.. i make sure i use that "accent" otherwise, the american callers will complain. there was a time when i was caught off guard.. it was around 3am..my 74th caller for the nightshift, exhausted, stressed, burned out, so sleepy! in the middle of the call.. the caller shouted, complained, demanded to speak to an american agent or to my supervisor... RACIST! he didn't wanna talk to me. he didn't like my accent. just as i was about to transfer the call .. i thought of a very bright idea! i put him on hold.

i composed myself.. sipped my ever reliable coffee (cafe mocha) and after 3 minutes..went back to the caller and apologized for the long wait.. the caller was so glad i took the call.. matters resolved.. before the call ends.. the caller thanked me for taking the call.. and said... "only americans can understand one another". ... CLUELESS.. he didnt even know that only one person handled the call...and not to mention.. not an american.. but a true blooded filipino..WOooo...HOooo!!

Test Run

2008-07-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

WELCOME to my BLOG. This is just a test run. Write-ups will be posted as soon as I get the chance to do so. Hope you like what you see here. And if you like to be LINKED just drop a message and I will gladly link you up.