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No Holds Barred: A compilation of rants, raves, movie and book reviews, R & R escapades, relationships, office workloads, and stories to ponder. For this year, this is also going to be our wedding blog. Updates and Review on Wedding Suppliers will posted here...Honeymoon experience and other escapades will also be posted.

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Four Years of a Call Center Career Journey

Saturday, July 14, 2007

June 14, 2007 marked my 4th anniversary as a "working girl."

This is really a long overdue post. I should have posted this one a month ago pa. My mind is just pre-occupied with too many things especially with a small business I am venturing to. Secret na lang muna yon. Hehehehe

I can't believe that I've been with my present company for two years already. In a call center environment where the employee turnover rate is outrageously high, one would say that I've been with the company long enough to get burn out, to feel bored or to be too familiarized with the in and out (especially chismis LOL). Luckily, I got wonderful co-workers that make my stay here worth even for a little more time (didn't I say in my previous post that I'm planning to leave mid 2008?). Out of that two years, I spent less than a year being a quality assurance specialist before becoming a QA Team Leader. ahHhH, time really flies so fast. I am really surprised as I count the years when I graduated from college that I have been in the call center bandwagon for four years already. Yep! That's right. The moment I step my foot out of the U.P. campus, call center has been my haven. But penetrating this indurtsy wasn't that easy at all. I have experienced rejection din naman. That was when I applied in INFONXX as a call center agent without even knowing what does a call center agent really do. All I know back then is that call center agents are earning good money but they have to work on a grave yard shift (which didn't really bother me since I am a night person talaga). When I applied in their Makati RCBC office, I could still remember that applying for that position was like enrolling in U.P. ---super haba ng pila at ang dami ng tao. Nakngpating!I was given a series of test (which I all passed by the way) but not the final interview. On my final interview, I could still remember that the interviewer asked me to pronounce "Des Moines" and "Sioux Falls." Pakshet, I really didn't know how to pronounce those words. Malay ko bang key cities in Midwest U.S. pala yon. When she asked me what I know about call center, I stuttered and can't even remember the things that I said. Mental-blocked talaga.To make the long story short, I was not hired. That was my first attempt applying for a job. Because I was too disappointed (but not unmotivated) in finding my spot in the call center industry, I hurried back to Ortigas and went to Netopia to search Jobstreet. com.There I found Ambergris Solutions--- looking for a sales person for a north American computer company. But before going to their office, I researched first what a call center rep really does.

I hurriedly went to their office. I even took a cab because it was already 3:00pm and I really didnt know where exactly Ambergris was. I didn't know where is Discovery Suites during that time (imagine mo naman, nasa megamall na ko at ung Ambergris eh nasa harap lang ng podium, ADB avenue kasi.) I just had two cross two blocks (ang shonga-shonga ko talaga!)When I entered the building, feeling ko, probinsyana ako. Ganda kasi ng interior ng Disovery suites. Feeling hotel setting talaga unlike other call center offices. Unlike in INFONXX where I had to wait for two excruciating hours, I was immediately interviewed by Ambergis' HR people. It was so quick that the only thing I can remember was that I was asked how do I define success and walla! I started on the next business day. (It was Friday by the way.) Later on, I found out that Ambergis was conducting mass hiring for Dell Computers.

I admit, I was a little frightened over the fact that I could barely burn a cd without turning to a guide. Way back mid 2004, the only thing I know is to surf the net, send/receive emails and of course, ang walang patumanggang online chatting.

My very first call center stint in Ambergris, Discovery Suites (October 2003)

Anyway, since my Dell and Ambergris days to this moment, I have learned a lot. Now I can reformat/reinstall my HD and Windows OS. Kaya ko na rin magbaklas ng computer from video card to sound card to memory and reinstalling another hard drive. I no longer have to call our stupid DSL tech support hotline kasi mas marunong pa akong magtrouble shoot kesa sa kanila. LOL I can now even explain what a cache is for in a lay man's term.

From a computer sales person to a Level 1 Dell technician to quality specialist to QA Team Leader. That's my career path in the call center industry (if you would consider a call center as a career, really). In the four-year period that I have been a working girl, one year was (and is) dedicated as a QA Team Lead. In that short period of time, I know that I have proven my worth not just to the management but also, to the people that I (handled) am handling. There even came a point where was asked to handle 27 people with 3 different accounts...kamusta naman yon? tao lang. Napapagod din...I think dito ako namayat ng husto. LOL arRRRRRRgGgHH!!! As I develop and recommend people, a lot of them have already been promoted. HmMmm, let's go fast rewind.

1. Aaron C. - from QAS to Helpdesk Associate. When the interviewing manager asked for a recommendation, I told him that Aaron was my DSL tech support guru for helping me troubleshoot our DSL connection (miski hindi naman totoo...LOL)

2. Andre dl P - QAS to account coordinator. Even though he has a terrible attendance performance, know that he can handle the job very well so made sure that attendance wouldn't matter during the selection process. (bad bad supervisor..LOL)

3. Xylo C.- This one s one big child with ADHD.. LOL (Mwauhugs.. know you are reading my blog). Xylo was promoted even without applying. We have a love-hate relationship. He 's like a younger brother to me. He is good. In fact, too darn good that would let him learn the tricks of the trade of being an EPS (employee performance supervisor). When the time came that our department needed some temporary QAA, I was quick to recommend him. He became a permanent QAA in less than 6 months, even without applying. He s now vying for the ES position and from time to time, he would go to my workstation to seek some advise on how he can manage the team more effectively. (he s a temporary EPS Now). I was deeply honored when he asked for my recommendation as he is trying to enroll himself in of the masteral programs in U.P.

4. Bryan C. - More of a silent worker who would just do his job. Together with Xylo, I recommended to him to our manager because I know that Bry is an deal QAA who would just do the job effectively and efficiently. I'm crossing my fingers that he would get (1 of the 2) the EPS position especially now that Sheng (also my former QAS) is gong to deliver their first baby.

5-. Ayell- QAS to back u trainer- to account coordinator. I couldn't think of any other words to describe this girl but WOW. She's really a fast learner and she knows her accountability.

6. Mike, Andy, Dino and Erika- These are the best people my team. They have proven their worth that is why all of them became an EPS.

Right now, I am grooming my QAA, James, to be the next EPS.

My bestest friends in our Department: Moi, Erika and MJ (Si Eunice ng Ana Luna--- sya ung batang kontrabida pero in fairness, bait-bait nyan..mas maldita pa ko sa kanya eh ...LOL)

Having said these things, a lot of QASs (both old and new) are asking me if they could be a part of my team. Bukod daw kasi sa mukhang "swerte" ung team ko when it comes to promotion, masaya daw sa team ko. It seems that we are all "buddies" here. Di mo mararamdaman ung supervisor-QAS barrier. That's why also have "ampons" when hold team-building activities. When I was still an agent I had this"feeling that there a wall between me and my supervisor" and frankly speaking, that really sucks. So I told myself that when the time comes that I'm gonna be a supervisor, I'm gonna break those barriers. Ayokong maging power tripper and kupal na team lead. Up until this time, whenever my people would introduce me to other people as their "BOSS", I am very quick to say that "Hindi po, we're friends." I also feel awkward whenever my people would call me "MISS/MADAME THET" on the floor. A simple THET will do.

It really feels great knowing that people in our company respects me without me imposing or asking for it. Sabi nga ni Bea ng PBB, "ang respect, di in-impose yan...ine-earn yan maricris...LOL"

OhHh well, I got so much stores to tell but I am afraid that this post is long enough to keep my readers entertained. Lately, I've been thinking of resigning because I am really frustrated with how things are doing with the company. I could have just accepted an offer from another company with 5 grand higher than my current rate but what is holding me back, really, is the people that have been all dear to me. When I told a few friends about this, the only thing that they sad is that "Pano naman kami? Alam mo namang kaw lang ang nakakantindi sa amin. You are the only person we know who is not afraid to say what you think is wrong."

I am still contemplating.

I don't know. Maybe I am just a people -oriented person. Sabi nga nung sa kong QA, pede na daw akong maging Miss Congeniality ng QA Department. (work peace...LOL).

I would like to end this post with this note: Pay me for my work but I don't do it for the money.

When the QA Dept. was still young. One of those pigging out session at Saisaki (June' 06)

One of those "walang kamatayang" EK team building

One of the Saturday early morning drinking sessions...(sa bahay nila Xylo)

Qwest Launch party wth the American and Canadian Expats @Elbow Room, MetroWalk Ortigas

Halo-Halong Team Members :)

Halloween 2005

Friends from QA-TPG

Magdamag na kumagan at karaoke sa Laguna...

Labels: career, celebrations

posted by ruther @ 6:42 AM

5 Comments:

At 7/14/2007 8:12 AM, Anonymous said…

ayun ..
ke haba ng post .. hehe

well, congratulations and more power to your work miss thet!
At 7/14/2007 9:15 AM, Anonymous said…

thanks sa greeting sister! :-)

Nice to know you're enjoying your job and the people...

one day siguro share ko rin mga pinagdaanan ko kaya ako napunta dito.. :-) for now... mag isip muna ko ng gastusin ng buntis.. :)

Cheers!
At 7/14/2007 11:38 AM, Ai Dihayco said…

Gud Jab thet!
At 7/14/2007 7:12 PM, Anonymous said…

dont work too much, baka malimutan mo ko.
At 7/15/2007 4:40 AM, Anonymous said…

Here's to a longer working hours! Hehehehe! Congrats!