How to survive Working in a call center
Call centers in the Philippines are known as one of the most toxic work places. So for a call center Dad like me, the best advice I can give to survive in a call center -- is to simply toughen up and adjust.
While it is indeed true that some call centers in the Philippines have accounts that are technically a walk in the park, most call center environments are still so hard to survive in. If that's the case, there are some steps you can take to get through it without losing your cool or getting overwhelmed by stress.
Call center survival Tips.
Accept that there are some things you can't control.
To survive in a call center environment, you must accept that there are some things you can't control. You're going to want to try and control every situation, but sometimes it's just not possible. You can't change the fact that the last caller was a jerk or that your co-worker is always late—but while those things may be out of your hands, they don't have to ruin your day. Just because he said something rude doesn't mean you have to let it upset you; just brush it off and keep doing what makes sense for you.
Call center survival requires you to toughen up.
Most busy call centers in the Philippines have toxic environments that won't make everyone feel comfortable—and if there are people in your call center who are making others feel uncomfortable, then you just need to ignore them. You need to realize that a call center is still WORK, and you go there for the money and not have fun.
Surviving Call Center environments - mean you should avoid taking things personally.
Avoid taking things personally. It’s easy to be hurt by a toxic caller or colleague, especially if you care about them or want to be on good terms with them. But in most cases, you can’t change the way they behave. So why bother getting upset?
Remember that call centers were designed for callers who have problems. This is why if someone is being rude to you, remember that they are projecting their own issues onto you—not because of who you are as a person—and it may have nothing at all to do with what happened earlier that day or last week. Perhaps they're having an issue with the product, maybe they had a disagreement with their superiors, or maybe they just woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning.
Being in a call center means you cater to angry callers, and colleagues who may be unfair. Focus on the job and just work.
Your self-worth cannot be eroded simply because someone else doesn’t appreciate or respect it. Instead of taking things personally, remind yourself that these feelings of worthlessness have nothing to do with your own self-worth or value as an individual; they are solely an outward reflection of their toxic behavior toward others.
Survive toxic colleagues in a call center.
But when you're dealing with a toxic colleague in a call center, what's the best way to handle things?
Calmly confront the problem and keep communication lines open. If you're dealing with someone who is actively trying to harm your well-being, it's important not to fall into their trap. The key here is constructive criticism—you want feedback that will help you grow, not an onslaught of anger or judgmental language. But if you sense that something has gone awry in your relationship, don't be afraid to address it head-on. If they've said something hurtful or made a decision without your input, let them know how this makes you feel without attacking them personally (see below). Stay calm and rational in these conversations; no matter how upset they may make you feel at first, remember that getting emotional will only turn any situation into an argument where everyone loses out.
Don't take anything personally: One of the hardest parts about working with a toxic individual in a call center is figuring out how not to take things personally when they lash out at us or our work—but we must try! When someone says something mean about our appearance or personality traits during a stressful interaction at work, don't immediately assume that they're talking about YOU specifically—they could just as easily be projecting onto another coworker who annoys them more than anyone else does (and maybe even hates themselves for being so needy!).
Last tip on surviving toxic colleagues in call centers - ignore them completely.
How to survive supporting the customers in the call center.
1. Make sure you have gone through the training, and you know what to do with the problems that may be presented.
2. Write everything down - you cannot completely recall what is the problem during a call. To get back to the details and to make sure you understood the problem - you should write it down and learn to paraphrase.
3. Listen actively - this means you listen with your mind. Make sure you think as you go through the call.
4. Show empathy - remember that these are people with problems. So try to listen and put yourself in their shoes.
5. When in doubt, call them back. If you do not know the answer, always try to ask for more time or promise to call the customer back. If callbacks are not allowed, then state that you will escalate the concern and will get back to them. You cannot realistically resolve everything during a call.
6. Honor your word. If you say that you will get back to them during a specific time or day- then make sure you do so.
Find support from other people who can help you in the call centers.
Find support. It's important to have someone you can talk to when things get hard, someone who will listen and help you figure out ways to manage your stress. Find people you can trust or help you out with your actual call center work. Stick with the veterans, and those who have good reputations in the office - then try to be their friends.
By working toward these goals, you'll get better at surviving toxic call center situations as they arise and avoid being overwhelmed by them.
A good way to not be frustrated by a toxic call center environment is to focus on the things you can control. These are:
Your own behavior and interactions with others in general
The amount of time you spend letting toxic situations get to you
When it comes down to it, we're all just humans who sometimes say hurtful things and behave in ways that make other people feel bad. Work toward bettering yourself as an individual, rather than focusing too much on what other people or the callers are doing wrong.
Get ready to survive and thrive in a call center environment!
As you prepare to face new challenges, remember that you have the power to choose your reaction. You can let toxic people drag you down or empower yourself in the face of adversity by finding ways to cope with stress, improve your product knowledge, building strong relationships with allies and friends, and learning how to manage conflict effectively.
By working toward these goals, you'll get better at dealing with toxic situations and will multiply your chances of surviving call center problems as they arise, and avoid being overwhelmed by them.
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