Canadutch
Right so I’ve been working at this call center again for the second time and just finished my first week of work. It’s been a learning experience and I’m happy to say the atmosphere there is much better than it was a few years ago.
I learned a few things about being an outbound (telephone surveys) call center agent this week:
- It’s much more bearable part time than it is full time.
- Having 6 earrings in your ear doesn’t jive well with wearing a headset for hours at a time.
- Never actually use the word survey because it scares people.
The best lesson I’ve learned though, is why I should always be nice to call center agents who phone me at home. Why I should never under ANY circumstances be rude or hang up on them.
It’s very simple. If you are rude to a waitress or cook, you’re very likely to get spit (or worse…) in your food. The same goes for calls from people like me. I’ve learned the call center equivalent of the food spit.
Friday night was my first night working doing consumer calls. Which means making calls to people at home rather than business to business. I thought this would be easier than trying to get past the secretaries and PA’s that we struggle with on the B2B calls, but the consumer calls were much worse. My night went like this…
Hi! This is Tammy calling from …. , I’m calling beca *CLICK*
Hi! This is Tammy calling fro *CLICK*
Hi! This is Tammy calling from …. we’re *”FUCK OFF”- CLICK*
Hi! This is Tammy calling from …., I’m calling because we’re trying *”NOT INTERESTED” – CLICK*
We’ve been taught that when someone doesn’t respond, we just put their number back in the pool to be called in hopes that someone else will have better luck. When someone agrees to do an interview at a different time, you can make an appointment and have it sent to someone else or to yourself at that particular time.
About halfway through my shift Friday evening I realized that there was a way for me to silently get my revenge on all the people who were rude, swore or just slammed the phone down on me.
Appointment -> Sunday
Time -> 9:00 am
RISE AND SHINE ASSHOLE!
OMG! That’s how that works? Crap!
Yeah thats a shitty thing to do. Im so glad that here in the UK you can sign up to The Telephone Preference Service so you dont get these calls. It works great theon time i got a cold call “i’m with the TPS” and they hung up.
If they continue to call you the compaines will get fined, heavily. Now thats funny :)
Remind me NEVER to hang up on you!! :)
YOU GO GIRL!
I had the same job until recently. At least in B2B they have to be polite. Phoning people at home is a chore. I did research in England for a few years, and I have to say no one was ever totally swearing their heads off at me. Oh and your right survey is a dirty word, and those PA’s are like gatekeepers.
Dunno if I should say.. “I’m never called by call centers”.
Now don’t you go trying to figure out my number, I like it this way hehe. Mind you, I’m never at home anyway, and if I am.. if I don’t recognize the caller I don’t ‘usually’ answer anyway :=)
Mandy
I have no problem being nice, but I do have a problem with people who do your job not taking no for an answer. Saying, “I’m not interested, but thanks for asking and have a good night/day.” should be enough and not an opening for more pressure resulting in me just hanging up without any warning. I unplug my phone on the weekends since it’s my days to sleep in. :)
You know. I just had some big long comment written up, and well, it was too long so I’m just gonna say:
LOL that’s funny and I’d totally do that if I were you too. :P
Ha ha ha – good one I love it!
This exactly why a lot of people have voice mail! :)
When i get calls from call centers etc..I check my phone records.. when i find there number.. I have a friend.. That disconnects their lines. In fact If i could get personal infromation from these people I will.. And post it on the internet for stalkers to find.
LOL too funny :)
You have a tough job. Long hours, not much pay. The only good thing about it is you can really develop the skills you need to handle people, of all sorts. Good luck!
Hi tammy.
I have added your bam! blogroll to my site accompanied by a post. I have sent you an email as well. Would you be able to add my site to your list?
thx
That is funny :)
Ohh I would sooo put them at the 7.00 am !! At Sunday ANNNDD Saturday.
I try very hard to be polite, but I think I have the killer of all put-offs for Dutch cold callers. I answer with ‘Hello’ then they say their thing, then I say *in DUTCH*, ‘Sorry I don’t speak Dutch’ and they answer me *in DUTCH* and say ‘ok, sorry to bother you’ and I never get called again. LOL
It works as long as I don’t answer the phone with ‘met Ashleigh’ – then that flips a switch somewhere and they know I can actually speak Dutch. In four years I’ve only had one call centre guy start laughing and say ‘err, but you are speaking Dutch!’
It always cracks me up :)
Wow. That’s just plain mean. Maybe thats why I used to get so many early morning calls, which really sucked when I had worked 3rd shift the night before.