One of the most commonly asked questions surrounding call centre jobs is indeed whether or not it is the right choice for a candidate. Yes the hours can be long and the environment can be quite competitive when it comes to making sales.
However, there is an even brighter side to the profession: one that rarely gets exposed. There are rewards, job satisfaction, and security like no other.
Working in a call centre.
Something that call centre employees rarely admit is the fact that they love their job. When in the centre, there is no time to feel bored; sitting around watching the clock as monotonous tasks continue to fill their desk.
In fact, the stresses of the job are not reportedly an issue for call centre employees. Angry customers rarely phase a dedicated call centre worker and provide a much-needed sense of importance in their role. This is quite significant since quite a few candidates are looking for meaning in their jobs. They will find it within a call centre; the work is never “pointless”.
Personnel staff often feel valued in their roles, too. Call centre staff reportedly enjoy being able to deal with more than just inbound calls and can become responsible for outbound calling to senior staff members at a range of companies.
This can be important when candidates hold competencies in other languages besides English, since the multi-national nature of businesses and call centres can often mean interacting with native speakers of other languages.
Having bilingual staff on board can help utilise these other languages besides English for the business' benefit and allow candidates to remain in touch with their other proficiency. It may also help command far higher starting rates at the interview table.
Personal interests.
Sales agents who work in call centres are often able to utilise their personal interests when securing a job. After all, with such a booming demand for call centre personnel in the United Kingdom, there is little reason for candidates to choose to get involved with a product that does not gel with their personal likes and interests.
This helps create a good atmosphere within the call centre, which has long been one of the key requirements of a centre manager's role. Of course, there will be various motivational techniques to keep staff productive and engaged, but the overall engagement comes from the candidate's own desires to get involved with the products and services being handled.
Engagement.
A lot of call centre candidates make specific mention of the horror stories that come from their work. Angry customers call up and vent their frustrations regarding the terrible service or faulty products they purchased. The reality of the case is that these calls make up the very slim minority. Call centre staff usually have dedicated complaints personnel who can field these calls and are specifically trained to deal with them. General operatives are unlikely to deal with angry calls.
Call centre jobs: making a decision.
The fact is most of us love to have a good conversation with our peers and this is what makes call centre staff excel within their roles. The best communicators amongst us will not have trouble fitting into the call centre environment since it is all about communication. Talking to a diverse range of people can also be very satisfying.
Fortunately, long gone are the days where call centre work is isolated cubicle work with no interaction amongst the staff members. Many call centres have team building activities that help foster good interpersonal relationships amongst the team and help keep the mood within the centre upbeat and positive.
Is it right?
Only candidates can answer questions regarding whether or not the role is right for them. Indeed, it can be a great choice for those who are more extroverted in nature and want to get involved with various clients and customers at all levels of communication. There are few barriers to entry and many centres hire candidates based on holding basic qualifications like GCSE English and Maths. There are also opportunities for call centre work nationwide.
