Sunday, June 22, 2008

Call Center Entertainment

The Philippines has been taken over by the whole Call Center industry by storm. Graduates from top universities flock to BPO companies for high-paying, low qualification jobs. Oh come on, this isn't the first time you've heard this right? No use being onion-skinned now. Admit it, being a call center agent is everyone's Plan B. But while everyone's misconception on the job description of call center agents is being nothing more than answering calls and making calls, we have to remember the kind of circumstance that they are placed in.


Would you really enjoy your job if you get to hear this type of thing everyday?

(taken from: Call Center Jokes)

Customer: Do I need a computer to use your software?

Customer: My computer's telling me I performed an illegal abortion.

Customer: I use Internet Exploder.

Customer: How do I print my voicemail?

Wait... it gets better...

Tech Support: What type of computer do you have?
Customer: A white one.


If you have to go through these every single day, I bet you're going to eventually lose your mind. I know I would. Well it might be good for a few laughs but not when you're having a bad day. Maybe that's why call center agents are paid so much? People wonder why call center agents are given so much for taking calls but what they don't know is how idiotic and stupid (and a lot of times stressful) those calls are. It's like constantly being reprimanded for something you didn't do.

But wait, let's not put all the blame towards the customers. If there are stupid moments with customers like these then it is needless to say that there are also stupid moments with agents. What, you think you can hide under there? Oh we know what goes on in those cubicles. You can't hide from us.


Tech Support: Alright, we're going to perform a checkdisk... that is for us to see if your hard drive has errors in it. Please type in C-H-K-D-S-K...

Customer: What is that again?

Tech Support: C-H-K-D-S-K... that is... C as in Charlie... H as in Harley... K as in Karly... D as in Darley... S as in Sarley... and K as in Karly...



Ohhhh yeah. It does happen ladies and gentlemen. Believe it. There are stories far worse than this one and although they are hilarious, let us remember that call center agents are the front line players of the company. They are the immediate answer-giving body that the company has and how the customers are treated reflects so much about how the company cares for its customers. So these agents go through a lot of quality testing. They get kicked out faster than you can say "Hello?" if they aren't able to deliver their jobs properly. After all, it is the company's image at stake. Some customers swear off products because of a bad customer service call.

Anyway, that doesn't mean we can't have fun with these call center agent entertainment!