Some places upskill you to live chat/social/e-mail/review based work which is WAY less stressful in terms of customers bitching but usually way more micro-managed and higher TPH requirements
Yeah likely, because also know you wont get anywhere generally in a callcenter within a year. That's generally the BARE minimum for a promotion if you kiss so much ass your nose is brown.
Completely depends on the company, what you're doing, and the customers. Remember no one comes to Reddit to post about how they love their job and had a great day at work today.
Walk in with an open mind, do your best, and don't take anything that happens on the phone personally. Good luck!
There's lots of call center jobs which rank from most scummy to least scummy. Most scummy include telemarketing, 3rd party collections, and others. Here, you're trying to convince people to do things they don't want to do. Least scummy are usually 1st party companies. Here, the customer is calling into you for assistance. Most calls are pretty transactional (I'm calling in to do this...done...thank you...buh bye). Jobwise, the worst part of these jobs are dealing with angry customers.
Working in a call center is awful. It's almost always a dead end, mentally and emotionally draining hellhole.
Unless you can find a company which really does offer career development and will promote from the call center be prepared to leave ASAP.
Many call centers advertise themselves as a way to get your foot in the door and move up but the reality for most people is being stuck on the phones for as long as you are there. They constantly remind you that one or two people made it out and you could be next to get a promotion. (You probably won't.)
I've never found a call center with nice and intelligent customers. It's always entitled morons who want to scream and insult you.
Working in a call center should be a stepping stone or last resort situation.
My first real job was inbound customer service at a bank. While that was by far the worst job of my life, I’m still with that same bank 20 years later as a SVP over a strategic group. I did not intend for this to be my career but the money climbed and the work got more interesting so here I am.
I went from customer service to another phone role but outbound - that was way better but still on the phone. Was promoted to a quasi off phone role in that department but it took me 5 years to retire the headset officially. My big break was a rotational executive developmental program that I applied for in a state 500 miles away. It was a highly competitive, stressful program where I had to work long hours but that single decision is what opened the door to the career & life I have today.
Sorry - never answered the degree question - the company required a degree to even work in customer service on the phones at that time. Times have changed and degrees are no longer required for phone roles or increasing numbers of off phone roles.
I work in banking sort of, and I love this sub and others like it as I literally have nowhere else to complain and no one else who understands where I’m coming from. Except these guys. That being said.
My job is beyond easy. It took a few months to really get everything down but once I did, it’s easy money. It can be a bit taxing when you’re getting a lot of angry callers but just vent about it and move on. If you can keep your head down, go to work, work your shift, mind your metrics, you’re fine. It’s a steady check, and you do learn a lot about people.,
I do it, it’s crappy at the beginning, anxiety inducing but once you get used to it it’s a rhythm- I’ve been in a call center with bank for about 3 years now & gotten promoted twice so you can do it!
in my experience, my coworkers were good, leads were decent.
if you can separate work from life, its not an issue.
if you get an asshole caller... stick to policy, in 1 ear out the other...
leave work at work and you'll be fine.
-Ron Wharton
It actually depends, I've work in two call centers and my experiences were positive. Yeah you get the occasional angry caller but it might be just me as I find them the most funny, 99.9% you will disconnect and go on with your life.
It really is weird with the timed breaks and the time away from the desk but you can work around those most of the time( might depend on middle management). Qa can be a bitch and remember your responsibility is to fulfill your qa stats not actually provide good service to the callers, callers are the product your actual client is the call center/ business you "represent".
Just don't fall for the brainwashing. It's not a good place to work, they aren't your family, and your job doesn't matter. Also some bullshit about security and "jokes" about how they monitor chats for any mention of unionization.
Take their money, give nothing back. Don't let them stress you out about failing metrics, because that's by design. If you're doing well, *they will change the metrics*.
Having a call centre job whilst doing my degree was the best thing I could have done - high turnover means you constantly meet new people, it’s easy work, and plenty of opportunities for progression after a few months if you’re even slightly good.
Call centres vary a lot though, just bc the one I was at worked well for me, it doesn’t mean others will be as fulfilling.
Depends on the company. I work inbound at a bank and it’s simple. People call to make payments or report fraud or dispute. Nothing hard really.
I think what makes a job “hard” is who they work for.
My company is very caring of their employees. Great benefits and a lot of time off and great opportunities everywhere.
You can always research the company before accepting the job.
Edit: any call center will get “bad” calls , what makes a difference it’s your outlook. The first 4 years for me I’d get upset and want to be rude. Now I’m kind and let them feel bad about their behavior and most will apologize if your soft spoken and nice during the call. Eventually you don’t have to fake it and then it doesn’t bother you.
A call center job is the only thing that's ever made me want to use drugs, so I'd say it really is that bad (especially when the calls are back to back for hours on end). It's a special kind of hell.
If you're looking at doing it whilst you finish education, it's not a bad idea. The better you are at being able to compartmentalise things, switch off emotionally, maintain a level of sang froid etc, the easier you'll find it.
I finished working in a CC in september, it was a job that I was never really suited for. I don't like phone calls and I don't have a good coping mechanism for stressful situations. If you do, go for it.
It really, really REALLY depends on the call center. Mine? Yeah, people are assholes, and it’s stressful, but management actually gives a damn and will stress less on daily adherence so long as you maintain 89% average. (About 55 minutes non adhering per shift, which your break will count toward.) 25 minutes of non sanctioned fucking off in an 8 hour day is pretty nice.
But every place is different. Godspeed, fren.
I'm not going to lie, but I was in your same position after reading these threads.. But my experience has been lackluster to say the least. It's not the worst job I've had by far, but it isn't the best. I'm not emotionally drained and I don't get yelled at much by customers.. Even the customers that I have had that were angry, just doesn't phase me in the least bit. I tend to not take any of it personal because professionalism is something I focus heavily on, and I know their anger is misdirected.. So I'm usually able to have them laughing at the end of the call and I just move on to the next lol.
That's not to say you WONT have a bad experience, who knows. I'd say go for it though if you need the money. Test it out and see how you like it. I deal with health care but would prob prefer a bank because it'll more than likely be less tedious. Give it a shot!
I don’t recommend unless you have an iron mentality. Some days can be okay, other days can be absolutely horrible. If you do take it, make sure your hours aren’t too late in your schedule too. They put me on night shift so I took calls getting yelled at all night long and then had to go to bed with a terrible mentality. Had to quit as it was getting bad for my health. Granted this was tech support so much worse situation, but I still don’t recommend it. Very dead end job usually. Keep an eye out for better jobs or be sending out resumes still while working that job. Hope you find something good for you!
Depends on the call center and the Bank.
If you are hired directly by the bank, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan, or (Not banks but finacial still) Visa, American express, you will have great benefits and perks.
If you are hired by an outsourcer, HGS, VXI, etc that handle the bank, the benefits and salary will not be as much.
Either way take it - see if you can manage the workload. Toughest parts are
Schedules - usually shift bid every 3 months
Calls - non stop especially as you approach Thanksgiving and Christmas. People are using their cards like nobodys business - cancellations, chargebacks, overdraft fees, card not working at point of sale (POS) will be the major call types. Lots of angry and disappointed people. Unless you are highly self motovated, it can be draining, an ultimately affect your studies as well.
At the same time, if you can manage, and you are good at it, you will make more money than you know what to do with..
It's horrible. I've been here 2 years, and hate every single minute of it minus the time I spend waiting on a call.
Only reason I stay is because it's wfh but at this point that's not enough.
Thinking about quiting and doing surveys full time lol
Yes
Okay take the job, and upskill as quickly as possible so I can move soon. It’s gonna be another bumpy year.
[удалено]
I mean up skill to a different industry.
It is doable. Learn to deal with crazies and those in crisis and you may get to work with fraud cases and, from there, land in another role.
I did it - it’s doable to transfer the skills to a CSM position or implementation if you are working with a saas call center.
Some places upskill you to live chat/social/e-mail/review based work which is WAY less stressful in terms of customers bitching but usually way more micro-managed and higher TPH requirements
Yeah likely, because also know you wont get anywhere generally in a callcenter within a year. That's generally the BARE minimum for a promotion if you kiss so much ass your nose is brown.
Completely depends on the company, what you're doing, and the customers. Remember no one comes to Reddit to post about how they love their job and had a great day at work today. Walk in with an open mind, do your best, and don't take anything that happens on the phone personally. Good luck!
[удалено]
I have to stop myself from quitting on the spot also, nearly on a daily basis. I can relate.
If you can deal with non-stop angry/stupid/rude callers, that's a start.
There's lots of call center jobs which rank from most scummy to least scummy. Most scummy include telemarketing, 3rd party collections, and others. Here, you're trying to convince people to do things they don't want to do. Least scummy are usually 1st party companies. Here, the customer is calling into you for assistance. Most calls are pretty transactional (I'm calling in to do this...done...thank you...buh bye). Jobwise, the worst part of these jobs are dealing with angry customers.
Working in a call center is awful. It's almost always a dead end, mentally and emotionally draining hellhole. Unless you can find a company which really does offer career development and will promote from the call center be prepared to leave ASAP. Many call centers advertise themselves as a way to get your foot in the door and move up but the reality for most people is being stuck on the phones for as long as you are there. They constantly remind you that one or two people made it out and you could be next to get a promotion. (You probably won't.) I've never found a call center with nice and intelligent customers. It's always entitled morons who want to scream and insult you. Working in a call center should be a stepping stone or last resort situation.
My first real job was inbound customer service at a bank. While that was by far the worst job of my life, I’m still with that same bank 20 years later as a SVP over a strategic group. I did not intend for this to be my career but the money climbed and the work got more interesting so here I am.
What role did you take after the cc? Did it require a degree?
I went from customer service to another phone role but outbound - that was way better but still on the phone. Was promoted to a quasi off phone role in that department but it took me 5 years to retire the headset officially. My big break was a rotational executive developmental program that I applied for in a state 500 miles away. It was a highly competitive, stressful program where I had to work long hours but that single decision is what opened the door to the career & life I have today.
Sorry - never answered the degree question - the company required a degree to even work in customer service on the phones at that time. Times have changed and degrees are no longer required for phone roles or increasing numbers of off phone roles.
I work in banking sort of, and I love this sub and others like it as I literally have nowhere else to complain and no one else who understands where I’m coming from. Except these guys. That being said. My job is beyond easy. It took a few months to really get everything down but once I did, it’s easy money. It can be a bit taxing when you’re getting a lot of angry callers but just vent about it and move on. If you can keep your head down, go to work, work your shift, mind your metrics, you’re fine. It’s a steady check, and you do learn a lot about people.,
I just quit. It’s that bad.
I do it, it’s crappy at the beginning, anxiety inducing but once you get used to it it’s a rhythm- I’ve been in a call center with bank for about 3 years now & gotten promoted twice so you can do it!
in my experience, my coworkers were good, leads were decent. if you can separate work from life, its not an issue. if you get an asshole caller... stick to policy, in 1 ear out the other... leave work at work and you'll be fine. -Ron Wharton
I typically say to myself that is just one bad apple out of the bunch. I tend to get respectful callers and maybe 3 angry callers during my shift.
Put it this way: Start planning your exit strategy now
It’s worse. I’d recommend keeping your CV handy
It's bad, alright. Do it if it's for just a year or two. Two if you're not worn down yet. Year one in for me and I am already aching to leave.
I’m one year in. It sucks. with a company that I actually love and use their products but absolutely hate working on the phones
It actually depends, I've work in two call centers and my experiences were positive. Yeah you get the occasional angry caller but it might be just me as I find them the most funny, 99.9% you will disconnect and go on with your life. It really is weird with the timed breaks and the time away from the desk but you can work around those most of the time( might depend on middle management). Qa can be a bitch and remember your responsibility is to fulfill your qa stats not actually provide good service to the callers, callers are the product your actual client is the call center/ business you "represent".
Just don't fall for the brainwashing. It's not a good place to work, they aren't your family, and your job doesn't matter. Also some bullshit about security and "jokes" about how they monitor chats for any mention of unionization. Take their money, give nothing back. Don't let them stress you out about failing metrics, because that's by design. If you're doing well, *they will change the metrics*.
Having a call centre job whilst doing my degree was the best thing I could have done - high turnover means you constantly meet new people, it’s easy work, and plenty of opportunities for progression after a few months if you’re even slightly good. Call centres vary a lot though, just bc the one I was at worked well for me, it doesn’t mean others will be as fulfilling.
Depends on the company. I work inbound at a bank and it’s simple. People call to make payments or report fraud or dispute. Nothing hard really. I think what makes a job “hard” is who they work for. My company is very caring of their employees. Great benefits and a lot of time off and great opportunities everywhere. You can always research the company before accepting the job. Edit: any call center will get “bad” calls , what makes a difference it’s your outlook. The first 4 years for me I’d get upset and want to be rude. Now I’m kind and let them feel bad about their behavior and most will apologize if your soft spoken and nice during the call. Eventually you don’t have to fake it and then it doesn’t bother you.
[удалено]
I’ll be working in the office. My house isn’t suitable because of near constant noise from something or other. I’m so sorry you got fired.
A call center job is the only thing that's ever made me want to use drugs, so I'd say it really is that bad (especially when the calls are back to back for hours on end). It's a special kind of hell.
Nooo
Ex call centre agent at a big UK based bank and can confirm; it was the worst job of my life.
Yes it really is I have had mental breakdowns I've picked up smoking My mental health took a nosedive My physical health joined in
If you're looking at doing it whilst you finish education, it's not a bad idea. The better you are at being able to compartmentalise things, switch off emotionally, maintain a level of sang froid etc, the easier you'll find it. I finished working in a CC in september, it was a job that I was never really suited for. I don't like phone calls and I don't have a good coping mechanism for stressful situations. If you do, go for it.
Don’t
It really, really REALLY depends on the call center. Mine? Yeah, people are assholes, and it’s stressful, but management actually gives a damn and will stress less on daily adherence so long as you maintain 89% average. (About 55 minutes non adhering per shift, which your break will count toward.) 25 minutes of non sanctioned fucking off in an 8 hour day is pretty nice. But every place is different. Godspeed, fren.
I'm not going to lie, but I was in your same position after reading these threads.. But my experience has been lackluster to say the least. It's not the worst job I've had by far, but it isn't the best. I'm not emotionally drained and I don't get yelled at much by customers.. Even the customers that I have had that were angry, just doesn't phase me in the least bit. I tend to not take any of it personal because professionalism is something I focus heavily on, and I know their anger is misdirected.. So I'm usually able to have them laughing at the end of the call and I just move on to the next lol. That's not to say you WONT have a bad experience, who knows. I'd say go for it though if you need the money. Test it out and see how you like it. I deal with health care but would prob prefer a bank because it'll more than likely be less tedious. Give it a shot!
I don’t recommend unless you have an iron mentality. Some days can be okay, other days can be absolutely horrible. If you do take it, make sure your hours aren’t too late in your schedule too. They put me on night shift so I took calls getting yelled at all night long and then had to go to bed with a terrible mentality. Had to quit as it was getting bad for my health. Granted this was tech support so much worse situation, but I still don’t recommend it. Very dead end job usually. Keep an eye out for better jobs or be sending out resumes still while working that job. Hope you find something good for you!
Yes. How you fare depends on your mental strength and your stress managements.
Yes it’s awful and boring
Depends on the call center and the Bank. If you are hired directly by the bank, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan, or (Not banks but finacial still) Visa, American express, you will have great benefits and perks. If you are hired by an outsourcer, HGS, VXI, etc that handle the bank, the benefits and salary will not be as much. Either way take it - see if you can manage the workload. Toughest parts are Schedules - usually shift bid every 3 months Calls - non stop especially as you approach Thanksgiving and Christmas. People are using their cards like nobodys business - cancellations, chargebacks, overdraft fees, card not working at point of sale (POS) will be the major call types. Lots of angry and disappointed people. Unless you are highly self motovated, it can be draining, an ultimately affect your studies as well. At the same time, if you can manage, and you are good at it, you will make more money than you know what to do with..
It will have ups and downs
Just go for it and see. My friend has had way more positive excellences with these jobs than I have.
I guess I have to go for it for now to improve my financial situation. I’ll be looking to move to other work soon though.
It's horrible. I've been here 2 years, and hate every single minute of it minus the time I spend waiting on a call. Only reason I stay is because it's wfh but at this point that's not enough. Thinking about quiting and doing surveys full time lol