Call Center | and just anything under the sun

Let’s talk about the all sacred sleep. How long can you sleep during day time? How long will it take until you totally get adjusted with graveyard shifts and day sleep?

Naalala ko, bago ako pumasok sa trabahong ito, tinanong ako ng nanay kung kaya ko daw bang magtrabaho sa gabi. Dahil sa may katiting naman  akong tiwala sa sarili, sabi ko naman, “kayang kaya, ako pa”. dahil nga napasubo na sa kayabangan, pinilit kong pumasa sa interview, ginalingan kong mag-ingles dahil cute yung nag-iinterbyu, awa ng Diyos, ayun pumasa naman. Nag umpisa ang training, madali lang ang consonant at vowels, sinabihan na kasi ako dati sa kung anong dapat kong ieexpect, pero ampohta, walang nagsabi sa akin na mahirap matulog sa araw.

Ilang araw akong apat na oras lang ang tulog, pumapasok ako sa trabahong namumungay ang mata, parang bisugong lasing ang hilatsa ng mukha. Ang hirap matulog, ang nakakatawa pa, pag tinanong ka kung bakit parang inaantok ka, ang sagot mo; “di ako nakatulog buong araw eh?” Ayan,  diyan mo marerealize na baliktad na mundo mo. Napupuyat ka na sa araw, kaya inaantok ka na sa gabi.

Kinakabahan na ako sa kulang kong tulog, nag research ako sa internet about sleep deprivation para naman medyo mafamiliarize ko ang sarili ko sa kawalan ng tulog at para mawala na din kaba ko sa kalusugan ko. Pero naknanggalunggong, alam mo ba kung anong nahanap kong topic? Eto- How lack of sleep could shorten your life. Diyos na mahabagin, sino naming Poncio Pilato  ang makakatulog sa topic na yan. Parang nananakot.

Eto ang listahang ng mga topics and facts na hindi nagpatulog sa akin ng ilang araw. Pagpalain nawa ang mga author na nagsulat nito, asshole. More »

June 27th, 2009 | Tags: health, Personal Note, Tips and Guides | Category: Attempts at Humor | 170Commentshttp://ronism.net/sleep-talk/Sleep+Talk2009-06-27+16%3A57%3A52Ron

It’s dress down day tonight. That sounds odd. Dress down day tonight. It really sounds odd.  Anyway, moving on, a storm signal number 2 is taking her sweet time getting here in Metro manila.  Aside from the usual pitter patter of rain shower on the roof, the weather outside is manageable. The best thing about this weather anomaly is that; I will not be on my usual corporate attire tonight. No Long sleeve, slacks and topsiders and I know it will feel great. My trusty old Chuck Taylor will feel so right. 

I woke up around 8:30 tonight.  I was expecting Tropical Storm Feria  to arrive this morning (Manila Time) while I was sleeping, So when I woke up I was not sure if she (or he, whatever) has arrived, I slept the whole day, and I was thinking that probably  I missed her tickertape parade.  What I know is that, my bed is singing me back to sleep. With the constant swishing sound of wind and water hitting my bedroom windows, it is hard to resist asking the clock on nearby table to delay her ringing even for just a minute or two.

It is in nights like this when the operations floor of contact centers would sustain a higher than usual number of agents calling in sick. I am trying to resist calling my operations manager and I am also hoping that my phone won’t ring for agents who are not as strong willed as I am. J. I am taking my time. My bed feels so comfortable, I am taking my time, blogging, thinking, resisting calling the operations manager.  I am about to press the publish button on my blog dashboard. Then off to the showers… Goodnight manila. 

June 24th, 2009 | Tags: call center tools, Graveyard work shift, Personal Note | Category: Blogging, Musing | 165Commentshttp://ronism.net/of-storms-and-graveyard-shifts/Of+Storms+and+Graveyard+Shifts2009-06-24+19%3A41%3A21Ron

This piece goes out to those who have tried repeatedly to apply in the call center industry before but was unsuccessful in doing so.

Everybody knows how expensive and how hard applying for a job could get. There are some that have been hopping from one center to another hoping to land a job. Doing so comes with a price, The fare alone could be expensive, then there are times when you could not take your meal on time, then there’s the exhaustion that the Philippine sun could give if you are, let’s just say, walking around the Ortigas Center looking for the next company to apply to. The list could go on forever but you get the point, right?

This is the reason why Job Fairs could be very convenient, that is, if you know what to do. Think about it, During Job Fairs, you don’t have to go from one building to another so you could try applying in contact center offices. That means, you save money (since you are no longer spending on fares) and save your precious energy (since you no longer need to walk from one center to another). Job Fairs are the one stop shop for jobs. It could really be helpful.

So here are a few tips that might just come handy when joining a Job Fair.

COME TO THE JOB FAIR VENUE EARLY. Think about it for a millisecond; you are not the only one looking for work. I’ve been to several Job Fairs before, and let me tell you, Job Fairs could attract a sea of humanity. Several hundreds wait in line just to enter the venue. You don’t want to wait in line for hours and accomplish nothing. The earlier you come, the better your chances are in maximizing you time in applying. More »

June 23rd, 2009 | Tags: call center job, Job Fair, Tips and Guides | Category: Job Fair, Jobs, Tips and Guides | 161Commentshttp://ronism.net/advantages-of-job-fairs/Advantages+of+Job+Fairs2009-06-23+20%3A13%3A50Ron

Let me write in tagalog this time. I have been speaking in English all night.

Ito po ay isang lathalaing gabay na naglalayong tulungan ang mga kapatid na nagnanais pasukin ang mundo ng pagiging call (center) boys at call (center) girls ( ang lalim, hindi ko maarok, nalulunod ako!). Ang mga gabay na nakasaad sa ibaba ay mga tanong na natanong sa akin sa hinaba haba ng career ko bilang call center hopper.

Tell us something about yourself.
-ang tanong na ito ay ang karaniwang intro ng mga interviewer. Bakit? Kasi kahit na maigsi ang tanong na ito naghahanap ito ng mahabang sagot. Gets? Hindi? Bahala ka sa buhay mo!
Ang purpose ng tanong na ito ay para I-gauge ang grammar construction mo, Ang iyong pronunciation (kung paano mo I “pronunce” ang salita), kung may provincial accent ka ba at ang thought organization mo. Medyo nadali lang malaman kung okay ba ang presentation mo sa iyong thoughts and idea, ang sikreto diyan ay obserbahan mo lang ang mata ng nag-iinterview sayo, kung may stupid na ngiti sa  mukha niya at ang mata niya ay mukhang naluluha na para bang nakasakay siya sa roller coaster, ibig sabihin noon, huminto ka muna sa pagsasalita, at I-reorganize mo ang thoughts mo. More »

June 21st, 2009 | Tags: Tips and Guides | Category: Attempts at Humor, Call center Process, Jobs, Tagalog, Tips and Guides, call center tools | 154Commentshttp://ronism.net/most-asked-interview-questions-for-an-agent-job/Most+Asked+Interview+Questions+For+an+Agent+Job.2009-06-21+09%3A04%3A16Ron

My mother always reminds me how important education is. During the time when I was still in college, I use to take those words for granted. I was headstrong then, I still am, but I know better now.   It is only recently that I fully appreciated those words. It’s good she never gave up on me when all I want to do is get out of school and be free. I realize now, how big a mistake that could have been.

Education is valuable. A good education could feed you for a thousand lifetimes, that’s what other people say. I guess I have to agree. Ten years ago, if you want to earn a decent income and would like to work sitting down in an office chair, then you have to have a college degree. If not, you have to settle for a work that requires you to knock on doors or carry things or sell or help on stores, etc.  These are not bad jobs. In fact I admire people doing these jobs. It shows us that Filipinos, despite its difficulties most of the time and lack of opportunities, are not indolent. But a high school diploma ten years ago would not allow you to have an office table. Thanks to the call center industry, since most centers accept under graduates, that the employment opportunities for university undergraduates are a lot better now.   More »

June 16th, 2009 | Tags: Distance education in the Philippines | Category: Education, Tips and Guides | 148Commentshttp://ronism.net/distance-education-in-the-philippines/Distance+Education%3B+A+Chance+For+A+Degree2009-06-16+18%3A03%3A34Ron

Just a quick mention, I am a bit happy about it for now. I started this blog 15 days ago, May 26 to be more precise. I started this blog like any other site admin would do; submitting site to major search engine directories, asking for exchange links and of course anxiously and devotedly checking my stats in www.alexa.com . 3 days passed and alexa.com could not find my site. I have already submitted my site on the first day to be crawled by their bots and everything but it seems it their bots just can’t find its way to my site. It was June 30^th when the bots finally found my site and gave me a ranking of 23,863,773. If that is money, I would be filthy rich. But no complains here, after all, I just started this blog. I am just happy that they finally found my blog even though they could not find my links yet.

Today, I looked at my stats and found a new figure on my rank numbers: 12,644,356. That’s a difference of 11,219,417. I tell you, I am typing this article right now with a funny smile painted on my face. Well a rank of 12,644,356 is not exactly 100,000 but the thing is it’s not 23,863,773 either. So I’m just happy for that stat (for now). That’s a big jump. I must be doing something right. J.  

Too early for a “bragging right”, I know, and believe me, this is not one. Yelo’s World is ranking a lot higher than this. If I reach Bendz’s or Basti’s stats then I will be happy.

June 12th, 2009 | Tags: Blogging, Diversion, search engine directories, SEO | Category: Blogging, Diversions | 139Commentshttp://ronism.net/an-early-rank-talk/An+Early+Rank+Talk2009-06-12+15%3A25%3A02Ron

For some call center agents, call center hopping has become a way of life. I’ve been to four centers, my poor neighbor have no where to go already since she’s been to each one. How sad. (May ilan na talagang kinakarir ang pagiging call center hopper) but don’t take it the wrong way. Agents do not hop from one center to another just for the fun of it. Some actually do the leap for a better paying center, some actually hop around to look for a place where they feel safe and where they feel they belong.

No two call centers are alike. Some center pays really well, and some just hang you dry. Some centers are really modern and some are… well, forget about it. Some call center feels really friendly and  others are  very professional.  If you’ve been to several call centers then you know what I’m talking about.  If you still can’t dig what I am saying, bahala ka na! Joke, eto na lang, close your eyes and think about the time when you are still working on another call center, every time you walk through its doors every start of a shift, how do you feel? Now think about the center you’re working for right now, do they feel the same? Nope, of course not. Each center has a different vibe, a different personality. Sometimes, even at the very start you’ll know if you belong, you feel it in the air if you are home. More »

June 10th, 2009 | Tags: call center job, Graveyard work shift, provincial call center, Tips and Guides | Category: Call center Process, Graveyard Shift, Jobs, Tips and Guides | 136Commentshttp://ronism.net/call-center-hopping/The+Logical+Paradox+Of+Call+Center+Hopping+2009-06-10+16%3A28%3A44Ron

With report coming out that the Business Process Outsourcing industry is looking at a 200 percent growth this year, it seems that more and more contact centers are finally getting out of the comforts of Metro manila and begins to spread its wings towards the provinces. And why not? Call centers in the provinces are saving a lot from wages. Provincial call center employees are receiving provincial rates, comparing it with the wages of agents here in manila, it is worlds apart.  

And come to think of it. People from the provinces (like myself) move to manila for employment. There is a lot of work in the provinces if you’re not choosey. But you have to settle for a lower pay. Government offices are out of the question. If you don’t know anyone from that sector, you’re not going anywhere. The small players in the private sector on the other hand are not so generous when it comes to wages, who could blame them? They too have to make both ends meet. So if you are looking for a job that pays decently. Go to manila, and day jobs that pays well are often taken by people who graduated from top universities in the metro, so most of the time, we apply in a call center where the hiring (sometimes) never stops and offers a pretty decent pay. If call centers continue to expand to the provinces, then we are looking toward better days. There are a lot of qualified people in the provinces for this job; some just can’t come because of different factors. Some just won’t leave the province because of their parents, some have difficulties in the fast paced life of the metro, some lacks the financial means to move here and some just don’t have anywhere to stay here in manila. But the fact remains, a lot of them are qualified to man a phone. And they will, if only the circumstances are favorable. More »

June 8th, 2009 | Tags: BPO, call center job, Call centre, provincial call center | Category: Jobs, provincial call centers | 132Commentshttp://ronism.net/bpo-reaching-out-to-the-provinces/BPO+Reaching+Out+To+The+Provinces2009-06-08+20%3A17%3A23Ron

Work at home call center, have you heard of it? This is old news. Home call centers started in the United States early 2008. Wall Street Journal calls it” homeshoring”. Several companies Hilton Hotels employs close to a thousand home based agents to take reservation calls. A US based company called Alpine Access began recruiting work at home agents last year and plans to hire 1,200 more in the first half of 2009.

Here in the Philippines, the rumors about work from home call centers began as early as 2007. It has been mentioned on several blogs that PLDT would hire work at home employees where they would be provided with internet access so they could take voice call. That plan of PLDT seems to have been shelved.

Early last year, news regarding Callworkz, in partnership with Atlanta-based consulting firm Strategic Link Consulting, recruiting customer service representative to work at home hit the mainstream media. To date, Callworkz is still expanding. Here are excerpts for the press release from their official website: 

Callworkz provides services for the outsourcing needs of international companies through a home-based model that allows call center agents to work from their homes in the Philippines.

FFD Ventures, a corporate client based in Atlanta, Georgia, said Callworkz allows its operation to utilize the most innovative technologies. FFD Ventures has 60 agents working from their homes throughout the Philippines to run and manage its inbound and outbound campaigns.

“With Callworkz, we continue to get tremendous results while knowing that our agents are enjoying the quality of life they deserve,” said David Johnson, proprietor of FFD Ventures.

Silverman said Callworkz is different from other BPO companies in the sense that it combines profitability with social responsibility, on equal footing.

“While we initially will be focusing in Metro Manila, as we expand we will continue our job creation and social responsibility programs throughout the country, capitalizing on newer and innovative technologies,” he said.

 

This has great potential, especially for mom’s who needed to stay at home to be with their kids. If you are interested to apply or just wish to inquire about this work at home customer service job and other rquirements. You could visit Callworkz’s Website at www.callworkz.com .

Disclaimer: The author is not connected in anyway with Callworkz. When applying to any company, always maintain caution. Have a happy Job Hunting

June 1st, 2009 | Tags: Add new tag, call center job, call center tools, Graveyard work shift, Tips and Guides | Category: Jobs | 125Commentshttp://ronism.net/work-from-home-call-center-job/Work+From+Home+Call+Center+Job2009-06-01+20%3A24%3A11Ron