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call centre

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  • 13-11-2014 10:56pm
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    just a quick one, started work in a call centre for a bank, never previously worked in this kind of work, background was mainly in hr & hospitality, can't really get over the pettiness and the "big brother" aspect of someone constantly listening to calls and then be told 1 call out of the 80 odd you took today was bad. ..here's a warning..work "colleagues" are also a joke..everyone for themselves attitude and constant fear of non renewal of contracts ...realistically how long can you stick these jobs??????does anyone have any experience with this kind of job????...i've been at it about 4 months and am constantly on the look for a new job...never been in a job this short before and feel it may look bad to prospective employers


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    #2
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users Posts: 28,680 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    cashisclay wrote: »
    just a quick one, started work in a call centre for a bank, never previously worked in this kind of work, background was mainly in hr & hospitality, can't really get over the pettiness and the "big brother" aspect of someone constantly listening to calls and then be told 1 call out of the 80 odd you took today was bad. ..here's a warning..work "colleagues" are also a joke..everyone for themselves attitude and constant fear of non renewal of contracts ...realistically how long can you stick these jobs??????does anyone have any experience with this kind of job????...i've been at it about 4 months and am constantly on the look for a new job...never been in a job this short before and feel it may look bad to prospective employers

    Having started off in such a place myself years ago (though it wasn't quite as bad as you describe) the general thing was that if you lasted 6 months in it, you'd usually be there for a while as you could move up or into different roles. I myself was with that company over 7 years and did various things but was only on the phones to customers for about 8 months.

    That said, I then moved to another callcentre where they did micromanage like you describe and staff turnover was massive.

    It's not a job for everyone though. As well as the internal pressures you end up getting stick from pissed off customers over things that you have no control over, but as you're the only person that they can get on the phone you get to listen to it.
    By the sounds of it this just isn't your kind of work (especially given your background in HR/hospitality). No shame in that and I doubt it'd affect your job prospects either way.

    Could be worth asking your manager what the options are for moving up/sideways in the place though but you'll usually have to be there at least 6 months and hitting/exceeding your targets consistently for this to be considered.


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    #3
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    _Kaiser_ wrote: »
    Having started off in such a place myself years ago (though it wasn't quite as bad as you describe) the general thing was that if you lasted 6 months in it, you'd usually be there for a while as you could move up or into different roles. I myself was with that company over 7 years and did various things but was only on the phones to customers for about 8 months.

    That said, I then moved to another callcentre where they did micromanage like you describe and staff turnover was massive.

    It's not a job for everyone though. As well as the internal pressures you end up getting stick from pissed off customers over things that you have no control over, but as you're the only person that they can get on the phone you get to listen to it.
    By the sounds of it this just isn't your kind of work (especially given your background in HR/hospitality). No shame in that and I doubt it'd affect your job prospects either way.

    Could be worth asking your manager what the options are for moving up/sideways in the place though but you'll usually have to be there at least 6 months and hitting/exceeding your targets consistently for this to be considered.

    No problem with meeting the targets. I'm up for review in 2 months and am meeting all of them for an offer of a 18 month rolling contract. Would it be an option to move like this in an organisation? To make things worse someone got let go today for being considered to be "unsuitable" even after meeting their targets... Just think asking for a change wouldn't be a good idea


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    #4
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users Posts: 28,680 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    cashisclay wrote: »
    No problem with meeting the targets. I'm up for review in 2 months and am meeting all of them for an offer of a 18 month rolling contract. Would it be an option to move like this in an organisation? To make things worse someone got let go today for being considered to be "unsuitable" even after meeting their targets... Just think asking for a change wouldn't be a good idea

    It depends on the company. I had joined when the company was only there about a year so there was plenty of opportunity for rapid promotion and movement if you wanted it.

    If you're hitting your targets and are interested in staying, then I wouldn't be shy at all about asking for more responsibility (acting team lead, coaching etc) or about the possibilities of moving elsewhere in the place.

    Bottom line really is that if you don't, someone else who is just as sick of taking calls and dealing with the same stuff you are will. You've already said it's a very competitive workplace so take your chance if you get it :)


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