The importance of Context

Context is defined as:   “The situation within which something exists or happens, and that can help explain it”.

Context is something that we, as a society, seem to have forgotten about. When the latest atrocity hits our news outlets we look at it in isolation. We try and analyse why it has happened, what could have caused it but this is done without taking into account the context in which the act happened. By dismissing societal norms and ignoring outside influences (unless its extremist islam, we actively look for that)  we fail to fully understand the situation.

Everyday situations also require us to consider context. We are quick to judge or jump to conclusions about each other but often this is done without holding all of the facts. This leads us to a narrow view and understanding of the world.

Recently I have wanted to scream the word context at so many reports on the news or to peoples arguments online. The media takes issues or topics in isolation to report them but this has lead society to treat all things in this manner. Arguments or opinions should be informed with supporting facts and many of these facts are related to the incident, not neccesarily just about that one incident.

Until society, including mediaoutlets, start to discuss things in their context, we cannot hope to reach an understanding of how to stop it from happening again or how to solve the problem at hand. Knowledge leads to understanding which in turn can lead to solutions. Without all the facts, we can never resolve an problem effectively.

interview 1 – part 2

So you’ve said you’ve worked in a variety of call centres so you will have taken plenty of first calls. How does the first call in a new job go, and how did your very first call ever go?

The first call centre I worked in it was a help desk so basically what my job was, was to take calls from Sainsbury stores when something wasn’t working. So I would speak to the facilities managers in these stores they would tell me what was wrong, I would put the information in the system then I would tell them the estimated time for the contractor to get there. Maybe I would have to contact contractors or the store if something changed. The first job I actually had to deal with customers was outbound, so where I’m contacting customers to cross sell them. For me to be honest it was a bit nervous but once you get the first one done, once you realise the worst the customer can say is no you tend to be not as bad. But you do get a lot of people that are absolutely terrified of taking their first call because they have this notion that the customers going to come on and shout at them. Especially if you’re working in an inbound sales role where the customer is calling you because they want something. Your first call you’re only expected to do what they want, put the information in the system and that’s it. You’re not expected to do anything else just get through the call.

So first call in every job then, do you approach it the same way, just get it done and dusted?

Pretty much. I’ve worked on the phones for that long that it doesn’t really faze me. I’ve always been confused about people get so nervous about it as when you go for your interview you do a role play which these days is done on the phone. You should look at it as another role play. The people that are interviewing you make the role play harder than the job so you’re better equipped to handle the pressure and the call. You know more about the products and you’ve been through the training, you have your team mates and support now. You’ve already done your first call.

 

During the training process you said that you get trained on dealing with customers. By the time you get on the phones do you feel equipped to deal with them?

No. To deal with customer enquiries, aye, because you have the knowledge to answer questions. Well, if you’ve retained that knowledge, my first call in every role, everything I’ve just learned goes straight out my head. It goes because you’re concentrating on getting the call done and talking to the customer you’re not thinking you need to find something or answer a question. But to deal with customers I don’t think you’re well equipped. That comes from being on the phone. Answering enquiries aye, if you’ve been trained properly and paying attention, but the only way to learn how to deal with customers is to do it. They can tell you this is a customer type, this is how you deal with a customer type but you very rarely get a customer that exactly matches a customer type. Everybody’s different. Everyone reacts differently to the people they’re speaking too. It might be you come on and your accents Scottish so they automatically get their back up if their English because they think they won’t get anything out them. The reason there’s more call centres in Scotland than anywhere else in the country is that people trust the Scottish accent. But the only way to learn is to go speak to customers.

Do you think that customers affect your mood and your day?

They can do. Your always told that you leave your life at the door and if you have a bad call you put it behind you and don’t let it affect you but it’s not quite as easy as that. If you have a call where I customer is calling you for everything it’s going to affect you. I always think your first call of the day defines the type of day you’re going to have. If your first day is a great call it will put you in a good mood for the rest of the day but on the flip side if you have a bad call it can put you in a negative mood for the day.

 

 

First interview – part 1

Interview 1

 

First of all can you give me an overview of your experience of working in call centres?

Well  worked in call centres on and off for about ten years, I’ve done outbound cold calling, outbound leads, inbound sales, customer service, retentions, banking…..pretty much every type of job you can do in a call centre. Done a bit coaching. Bit of everything really.

Ok. So first off I’d like to ask about your experiences with training. What sort of things does training consist of and what did you think of each training you’ve done?

Pretty much every training group I’ve done is, as near as it makes no difference, identical. Like the in the structure in it. Some places its five minutes listening to someone else on the phone then on you go but that tends to be more outbound side of things. Where you’ve got barely limited knowledge just enough knowledge to sell it and system knowledge then do. You don’t really get taught any soft skills or anything like that because you don’t need them your selling, they teach how to sell.

But usually, generally, when you’re going into an inbound role the training structures the same. The first day is this is company, this is building, tells us a bit about yourself, make a poster. Or three. Then telling you a bit about what training will consist of. Then the first week kinda slowly it’s more to do with the company and the work the company do then it goes into products and systems and soft skills like how to deal with customers and complaints etc.

So what things have you done in training specifically?

You make a lot of posters. Trainers in some places are put through loads of training courses. There’s one company I worked for, for example, where their trainers aren’t trainers they’re neuro-linguistic programming specialists. They are called trainers but they have qualifications in low level psychology. But it all amounts to the same thing the places spend a lot of money on trainer departments, making sure their trainers know what they’re doing. They don’t spend any money on the training systems or anything like that because it’s a waste of money in their eyes. Trainers, however, are important. They’re the first impression you get of a company, when you come into a job they’re who you meet first. So it’s the trainer’s job to sell the job to you. To ensure you stick out the training and stay in the role. So they invest a lot in their trainers. Trainers get paid stupid money too.

You said there that they put a lot of money into trainers but not a lot into systems. Do you think they need to change that?

(Hesitates) I’ve spoke to trainers, I generally get on well with most trainers partly because I’m experienced I’ve done it all so I’m only really there to learn the system and product. The rest I tend to not have much interest in, I do it because I have to but I tend to spend a lot more time helping other people in my group. I pick things up quite quickly so I talk to the trainers. A couple of them said they would like new training system that are up to date with the systems on the floor and work like the systems on the floor but companies wont put the money into it because they won’t get a return. It snot like on the floor they need to invest because the system effects the customer in training it doesn’t. When you’re buddying you’re seeing the system being used live and when you go live you’ve got someone there to listen and help out. Some companies when your buddying, towards the end of things you work the systems while the other person does the talking or maybe get you taking some calls. A lot of places the best way to learn the system is to get out and use it because the training system is useless but companies won’t invest in it because there’s no direct return.

How do you feel that affects the training experience?

I don’t see it affect me as much because I’m pretty confident now navigating different systems; I’ve used a lot of them. There are people when you go into training, like my last job, there was people in the training group when it was time to go live were not confident at all on using the system. Although most systems are simple when looking at them they look complicated. I think it must be a requirement when designing a system for a call centre is that it looks as complicated as possible while being easy. In * the system looked so complicated with four windows open but it’s ridiculously easy once you use it. Even there it was one of the best training systems I used but there was still a lot you couldn’t do so once on the floor, again, asking what you do if you get this call or that call. We get told we should have covered that in training and you explain you did but couldn’t see the system because it wouldn’t let us do it.

I can imagine that causes problems. So posters and training systems. Is there anything else you do at all?

You learn a lot of soft skills, things like how to build rapport and empathy, when to show empathy, the different customer types you get. Whether they are to the point or indecisive. You deal with different types of advisor and what type you are and work on getting you from an advisor that just does what the customer wants, what they call an order taker, to someone who listens to everything and all the background info and takes in what’s on the system in front of you and goes that extra mile for the customer. There’s a lot of work goes into that. Like I said these days trainers are low level psychologists, it’s not just about do you know the material and can you teach it its now about how you facilitate the people in the group, the different ways of learning. Teach a lot about high and low level language, what words are good to use and what ones are bad. A lot of unnecessary stuff in my opinion.

What do you think makes a good training experience?

For me what makes training a good training period, most training periods are 4 weeks and that can be too much and things can be dragged out. The best training is where what you’re delivered is concise, you know, to the point. Not dragged out over two hours when it takes half an hour to learn it.  And when things do get changed up so it’s not all, like if you’ve maybe got a day where its fact heavy, if it’s to do with legal stuff, if its broken up playing games or a quiz just something to break it up so you don’t get too bored. One of the things that was done at * which I’ve subsequently suggested elsewhere is things like standing in the circle and throw a ball and people who are left with the ball are asked a question. It gets everybody up and moving, get the blood and energy flowing and when your answering questions you’re still learning but you’re having a laugh too. It’s already stuff you’ve learned but it keeps it fresh because when you get on the phone you’ll be asked these questions so doing things like that helps you to remember things. I don’t like drawing posters, I don’t think they help. Some people might but I don’t. I get that they are handy to have up and refer to during training but they could be pre-made and stuck up already rather than us making them. I know we make them to help us remember it but going back to facilitating others learning methods, no everyone learns that way.

Do you feel training always accurately prepares you for your role?

No it never does. Training isn’t there to prepare you for your role, trainings there to ensure you have the knowledge you need to do the role. The only way to prepare for role is to do it. Even buddying doesn’t prepare you for the role.

In that case you said training can take weeks do you think that’s a waste if it’s not actually training you for the role?

Aye. It takes so long because again there are a lot of things they try to teach that might not be a lot of use. Like how to talk to customers. If you’ve never worked in a call centre before it can occasionally be handy but these days have worked in call centres or have dealt with customers in some capacity whether it be in a shop or clients with a business. It takes up time which could be better used spending the time in academy’s or grad bays where you’re live but with support n lowered targets.

Worked to death

Shift work is a necessary evil in call centres. Everyone wants the ideal mon-fri 9-5 but the reality is some call centres are open from 7am til midnight and they need people to work these times. Rotational shift patterns are common although some places just put shifts out so many weeks in advance. I’ve worked a variation of these including compressed shifts where I worked long days but less days.

No matter what the shift they can have a massive effect on your relationships, health, social life and energy. Family life can take a hit or you might find you dont have the energy or time for hobbies.

What kind of shifts have you worked? Did you feel they had an effect on any of these areas? How so? Did it effect your health in a negative way?

sharing is caring

Life as a call centre employee can at times be hard. I’ve requested that people share their experiences with me, so I felt that I would first of all share some of my experiences. I have worked in three call centres in my life (one which I’m currently employed by) all in the financial industry.

I was classed as a customer service representative (CSR) in each role. I have been required to deal with applications for credit, renewing insurance, opening savings, transferring money, resolving complex enquiries, answering simple questions etc. The intrinsic part of each role was customer service, helping customers as much as I can and trying to resolve any complaints that customers had.

What I’m looking for from people is specific examples of incidents relating to different aspects of the job. Below I’ve tried to put an example for each section from an experience of my own or at least an explanation of what I’m looking for. I do not just want negative examples but good ones too. The most important aspect is how the incident made you feel towards the job.  Throughout my ongoing blog this will obviously be expanded but as a starting point I thought I would draw on some past experiences.

Training

Posters, posters and more posters. Oh and PowerPoint presentations. Material that should take an hour dragged out to fill an afternoon. Boring, long and tedious. All the while it makes you feel like a five year old. This sums up every training I’ve ever done. I’ve often found that I learn the most once I’m actually on the phone.

Taking calls/customers

I have spoken to customers who have called me all the names under the sun, customers who have been crying because I can’t help them, others who rant against the system but do not personally attack me. On the other hand I’ve spoken to people who could not have been nicer or more grateful for the assistance I managed to give them. 

Calls obviously impact your day and mood as much as you try to not let it; this job requires a thick skin.

Team

Everywhere I’ve worked the people have made the job. I often find I keep in touch with my training team even when we’re split up on the floor as well as getting to know my actual team. There’s only ever been once I went into a team and was not made feel welcome at all. Instead they kept to themselves and did their own thing at lunch leaving me and two other girls to stick together.

Other than that I’ve got to know some lovely people from a wide variety of backgrounds that means you can have a range of conversations depending on who you are talking too. These people can make a hard job bearable by keeping up group morale and having a joke between calls.

Targets/pressure

Targets are standard in call centres but the targets themselves can change. I’ve been targeted on calls per net hour, call handling time, call quality, sales, errors, break/code time, after call time etc. I found that the more targets I had the more pressure I faced to juggle them because if one target was off base then chances are so were the rest.

Continual meetings with managers to tell me I was off target when I knew that and tried to fix it added more pressure and often were useless when it came to fixing the problem. My biggest problem with the targets I faced were if I wasn’t meeting them it was assumed it was because I wasn’t trying when sometimes I felt it was because I didn’t know how to do what I was being asked and no one knew how to help so I was left myself to try and solve it.

Call quality has been, and will always be, the bane of my life. The analysis of my calls had the most detrimental effect on my confidence as I felt like I was being continually watched, monitored and having every word analysed.

Procedures/scripts

Every role, particularly if financially regulated, will have certain statements that must be said word for word to customers. Outside of these statements each company I have worked for has differed in how much freedom you have in the way a conversation is conducted with the customer. One position had a standard greeting and end call statement but within the call as long as the correct information was given that was acceptable, whilst the other provided strict scripts to be followed without deviation.

The second role became repetitive very quickly and I felt myself losing motivation which was reflected in my voice. I may as well have been a computer recording or a trained monkey and therefore I felt completely unvalued as an employee.

The role where I had more freedom however gave me a sense of responsibility and freedom within the role.

Shifts

I’ve worked several different shift patterns from five week rotational shifts to eleven hour static shifts for three days a week. I’m more interested in how flexible places are accommodating you with shifts and how the shifts affect your personal life. For instance for myself I worked 2pm till 10pm for two weeks out of five and this meant that by the time I got home I would see my partner for half an hour in the day then he would go to bed whilst I stayed up. There were times here when I felt we were drifting apart.

Soft skills

“Build rapport” is a phrase I hear constantly. Give the customer the personal touch by showing genuine interest and striking up a conversation. This is something I used to, and still sometimes do, struggle with. This is mostly due to my own preferences that when I phone somewhere I want them to do what I ask and not chat to me. Also in my experience it’s not a skill that is taught nor is there a universal definition. Different managers and different companies have different expectations as to what counts as ‘rapport building’. 

 

Inbound VS outbound

I have only ever worked inbound so I have no experience to pull on to compare against outbound. All stories regarding outbound would be most welcome and to anyone that’s worked both a comparison of your own experiences would be excellent.

Career opportunities

Every call centre job I have had has promoted the brilliant career opportunities and maybe I just didn’t take advantage of them. I’d love to hear from anyone who has or from anyone who did or tried to pursue a career.

Personal

This is the section that I know most people will be wary of discussing. I will easily admit that working in a call centre environment completely destroyed my confidence and has led to me having some anxiety issues and now on medication for this. This is mostly due to the environment where your behaviour is constantly monitored both on and off the phones and the fact that I struggled at first with working in a call centre. My attendance was poor in one role and the other I only did for five weeks. Both made me feel completely unvalued and to a certain extent useless.

I know depression, anxiety and stress are common in those that work in call centres. I know that some call centre employees bounce from call centre to call centre with a few months spent in each and I also know (from official statistics) that attendance in call centres is an ongoing issue.

What I need to know is why from the people exhibit these behaviours. What is it about the role that causes stress/anxiety? Why leave jobs after a few months? Why do you struggle to go in or get ill a lot?

Another common aspect I discovered that I do not like is the culture of call centres; everything is gossip, a rumour can spread like wildfire and everyone seems to sleep with everyone else regardless of any other relationship.  There were times when walking across the floor felt like being at a cattle show. Is this typical of call centres due to the nature of having primarily young staff or was it my bad luck I got this particular call centre?

 

 So, now you know me a bit better and you know what information I’m trying to collect. I’m going to start interviews soon so get in touch

Update

So I’ve not been here for a while. However I have a new idea but I need people interested to talk to me. I want to do an article about working in a call centre. Most people I know these days work in one, everyone moans about them but no one seems to write about it. I’m going to try and blog once a week (preferably more often) about my experiences whilst gathering up other peoples. In a few months (before Christmas) I will collate all this and publish a full blown article about it all. If you have anything to contribute either comment or get in touch because the more people I talk to the better this piece will hopefully be.

Keep popping back here for updates and no doubt a good moan from me about work.  We’ll see where this takes me.