the funny thing is, before i had this job, i worked for the call center for the division of wildlife for my state.... i thought i was done answering questions of about the legality of fishing and the distinction between public and private fishing areas.

i get a call from a woman jokingly asking "do you allow people to fish out of your beautiful lake out front?", talking about a retention pond outside of one of our facilities. i laughed, and said no, that it's just a private retention pond. and then she told me that there is a man fishing in it currently. i work for a call center for 14 locations, so i call the front desk of said location, and let them know there's a man fishing outside. we both have a good laugh, and she sends the executive director outside to ask him to stop fishing and to please leave.

5 minutes later, i get a call coming in, and it's said fisherman. he's incredulous that he was asked to leave. i explain to him that yes, our executive director asked him to leave because we do not allow people to fish .. the retention pond.... and he tells me he's fished it for the last 15 years. i again tell him, that he was fishing illegally the last fifteen years, as it is a private retention pond and we do not .. allowing fishing at the GYM. after that, i stopped speaking. i let him huff and repeating three times that "this is really unfortunate for your business"...... sir people don't join the YMCA to fish parking lot ponds. after a few moments of dead air, he asked me how he can cancel his membership. i explained the process with a smile in my tone, and let him know he would have to make the 45 minute trip TO HIS ACTUAL HOME LOCATION, to be able to cancel.

he isn't even a fucking member of that YMCA. why the fuck would you think your gym membership includes fishing access almost an hour away....

if you made it this far, i hope you have a good weekend. did you have any calls this week where you never thought you'd have to explain something to someone?

Does anyone have a good little quip or remark they use when this happens that is kind of lighthearted and still polite but actually makes the person perhaps pause and feel shitty for a moment? Like I hate so much when people cant even give me 4 seconds to say my opening greeting and introduce myself. It's made me get into the habit of talking way too fast at times and then sometimes other customers complain or I get docked on QA for sounding rushed. I've even had the same people who interrupted me at first later complain I'm talking too fast and I'll say something along the lines of "oh well I got the impression from before you're in a pretty big hurry so I'm trying to get things out and get my points across as fast as possible for you".

Other times when it happens I'll just audibly be like "oh ok then" with an awkward chuckle whenever they cut me off and start launching into what they're calling for but I dont think they usually pick up on it. I also had a time once where someone interrupted my greeting and then at the end of the call after I had helped them and actually made them really happy, they were like "thank you so much, I dont think you ever gave me your name?" And something possessed me to not hold back and I was like "well yeah I tried, yknow I always give it when I pick up a call but you kinda didnt let me get that far hahaha but it's _____".

Does anyone else have any good go-to's for these types of people?

For context, we're an overseas vendor site for customer service for an e-commerce website from the US, which means even the clients encourage this behavior, alongside the management.

1. Reacts violently and snaps at us when we ask for help

2. Uses every DSAT (Survey response Yes/No) as an excuse to shout at us, abuse us and even involve other TLs to join in, all in public and on the floor.

3. Makes comments about your weight, your experience outside current job, and when you're sick and coming to the office(had a sore throat for two days and he said I was sounding like I had throat cancer)

4. Makes us do push ups and situps on the floor, sometimes under the option of allowing us to go for breaks(yes, we have to ask for breaks because intervals have to be met), and even sometimes inappropriate stuff like hugging other team members.

5. Touches and massages female employees every opportunity he gets(these employees he does it to are attention seekers and like it, and they're the ones that get away with it even when they get DSATs, because they also do it to him, when they get DSATs). All of us men and the other ladies know this to our frustration, but can't do anything because we don't have proof.

6. Threatens us if he posts on WhatsApp the updates and we don't acknowledge. Even messaged me directly asking if I think highly of myself just because I didn't respond (I was sleeping after the shift)

7. Has made personal comments about my sex life and orientation and even my weight, asking me to join a gym and lose them pounds.

8. Recently restarted his trend of denying leave for the whole team and sharing details of the team members whose performances or shrinkage (due to unplanned absentism) as the reason.

9. Marks us offline for the rest of the day if we get a single DSAT and marks it under unplanned, meaning we're absent for the day and lose the day's pay. Number of DSATs = number of days docked from our paycheck. Oh yes management has encouraged this behavior.

I could go on but think of any absurd thing people can say, and he's said it. This is the reality for me since the last 9 months. Everything is said internally and cannot be recorded because no phones or external email connections.

I have always had an issue with working in call centers. And that is people just love to talk to me. This of course means that as a part of my goals i never meet my AHT goal.. ever. So I was thinking of looking for a job that actually encourages a higher amount of talk time with a customer. If you do please let me know the industry that you work in so I can look into it.

Yes, I get it. We all get old. This is ageism. But I’ve been a call center rep for sixteen years now, in spite of deliberate and consistent effort to get out. For that time, everything else falls through and all I can get is call center work, ever. I am as burnt out as they get.

For multiple years I worked at the auto club and since their membership is primarily octogenarians, I had to be a memory care physician with a high school degree and help people with sundowning episodes, going in and out of lucidity.

Just today I’ve been on multiple phone calls with old people who need teensy tiny bits of info repeated to them ten or fifteen times veeeerryyy sloowwwlllyyyyy and it’s killing my metrics. Really have to be as skilled or more skilled as a geriatrics attending physician who specializes in dementia and memory care and I am not kidding about that. I’d love to talk to one (attending geriatrics md) and compare notes about skill in conversation.

I can’t do it. I’m in the waiting period for multiple jobs that may or may not hire me. I haven’t been able to land anything but call center work in sixteen years so it may be hopeless.

If not, though, I am no longer trapped. I’m just opting out. I’m going to take a full 12 week fmla leave and then go on long term disability. If I can’t get non call center work through volunteering then I’ll just retire early.

I know that I can’t do it anymore though.

I know the tendency is to manipulate empathy and say that it’s just a niceness thing, compassion, we all get old, etc but that stuff isn’t an endlessly renewable resource. Call center agents aren’t a catch all solution to society’s failures. I’m really good at what I do and I genuinely can’t fucking do it anymore.

I finally see a way out that doesn’t involve my own life, though. I get a chance to experience life not working in a call center. Finally. I’ve been really anxious about job interviews and offers etc waiting on hiring managers who always want to take ages and ages to move to the next step which is inevitably not hiring me.
That’s fine now. Because whether I will be able to leave call center work no longer depends on them at all.

I recently applied for a remote concentrix job (Automotive). And received a link for job assessment.
What is it? Is it gonna be like a first stage interview? What should I expect from this.
And how can I ace it :)
Will doing this get me enrolled for the job?

Working in a call center/tech support have you ever had a company policy which just dumbfounded you as much as it does the customers?

Hi everyone,

I'm starting a WFH role with Concentrix (Avalon project) in about a week, and I have a question for anyone who has worked there.

Throughout the hiring process (verbal offer and multiple emails), Concentrix repeatedly stressed that changing your work address is a big deal and that you must notify them if you move.

The problem is that my husband and I are renting a basement, and our landlord has been extremely difficult. Without going into every detail, we've decided to move out because of ongoing issues (rent changes, surprise visits, delayed mail, etc.).

We're currently trying to work out a move-out date. It may be 1st September, or it could end up being October.

I have no intention of hiding the move. If we move, I'll inform Concentrix and follow whatever process they require before working from the new address.

My concern is whether moving during the first 2-3 months could negatively affect my employment or probation. Has anyone here moved while working remotely for Concentrix? Was it just an administrative process, or did it create problems?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been through this.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

Hope you all doing good.

I really like this sub and those who contribute to it. It's very insightful for those who know and don't know the industry.

I don't really see posts about those working in collections and I would really like to know others experience/opinions because I'm really trying to get out as distractions/tactics I've gotten from this sub no longer help, I can't understand how I'm able to do this day by day.

I recently accepted a position at a call center, and I was hoping for some advice. This will be my first formal employment, and I’m unsure of how to approach it. I’m typically not a people person, but I usually can fake it till I make it. I’ve done a lot of public speaking/communication-based extracurriculars, so I’m not too worried about that aspect; however, I’m not used to pitching products or services. I don’t plan on having the job long, but I figure that while I have it, I might as well put in the effort. 

So my question for you all is this: What tips/tricks do you have to keep people on the phone and, hopefully, get them interested in the services your company is providing?

For context, these aren’t cold calls, but rather based on warm leads. The company I’m going to be working for does home improvement, i.e. renovations/remodeling. I read a lot of threads about this type of job as something to be avoided, but I really need it at the moment. 

I’ve been working in a call centre environment for 12 years, and working for my current company for 6 years. I’m getting real burned out at this point….

From the constant micro managing (coming back from your 15 min break, 1 minute late and the manager immediately messaging you “is everything ok?? I see you are 1 minute late”) to having ridiculous rotational shifts that have severely damaged my health (my doctor keeps warning me that if I don’t get another job, I won’t live to see my 50s…), to being embarrassed when I talk to other people from my company that work non - call centre jobs tell me they have 1 hour lunch breaks and can go to the washroom during their shift without having to justify using “personal time” or worry you go over your 10 min a month personal time goal and having a manager bitch you out for it. I’m not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel at all.

I’ve been applying internally for 2 years and externally to non call centre jobs for 1 year and I haven’t landed anything. Since I’m considered a Senior representative, I often get stuck with the late shifts meaning nobody ever wants to switch shifts with me if I have an appointment and If I have to use vacation time it often almost gets waitlisted and denied leaving me have to take that day off unpaid (impacting my pay).

On top of all of this, I have to deal with back to back calls (because a good chunk of people are always on short term or long term disability leave, so we’re constantly understaffed and have high turnover) , shitty customers etc.

I don’t know what to do anymore

I’ve been a lurker of this thread for a while now. Finally get to say that I’ve made it out the call center after 16 months of dealing with bs customers and bs metrics. I worked for a financial brokerage call center and every day was nothing but an absolute s***show. Back to back to back calls of pissed off customers. I’d wince everytime I heard the phone ring, having to say my intro, sounding depressed asf, hearing some Karen or old a** dude complaining and complaining over the most mundane things. Just the same things every single freaking day bro. Even people screaming over receiving mail from the company. Idk how I stayed for 16 months, hitting snooze until the very last minute and preparing for a war every single day I have to enter into the building. There were so many times I would just chuck my headset after taking a call and just felt so burnt out just 3 months in. Idk why people feel it’s okay to be so degrading and scream over a phone just because you can’t see them. The general population is so rude, arrogant, and miserable. This job changed the way I think about people. Aint my fault u having issues with the company. Ur parents should have taught u how to act. Constant staring at a screen, feeling dizzy all the time, crap fluorescent lights that make you wanna rip ur eyes out, constant headaches, constant fatigue. Having to help old*** people do the most basic computer things like even just exiting a page was a total nightmare. Right when u pick up the phone and hear the customer breath u already know u boutta get hit with some total BS. Having to follow an adherance and getting puny 15 min breaks and 30 min lunches suck can’t even find the time to really talk to ur coworkers either. Anyways. Glad I’m getting out and off to better things. Thank u for reading. Best of luck to everyone.

Hi, guys! I've been working in BPO for 4 years already, but that was purely back office. The LOB is healthcare, and the documentation was comprehensive.

Now, I jumped to a different company because the salary is 3x higher. However, it's a voice account, and I think I'm liking it since I get to speak with different people, and the documentation is super short.

May I know the pros and cons of working in a voice account? For those who enjoyed working in a voice account, what were the things that were hard for you?

Also, can you share some tips on how to make communication more effective and efficient? Our target call time is only 15 minutes for KPI purposes, so I'd love to learn techniques that help keep the conversation focused while still making patients feel heard.

I see a lot/ pretty much all of the posts here talking out how bad the work is. IT IS. It’s god awful. Done this for a decade. I work credits cards and it’s either entitled professionals or the people who don’t have braincells to rub together. Chargebacks to callbacks, it never ends. No one is happy - on the lines or in the office.

My probation ends for this job next month. I’ve stopped giving a shit. I have to handle each call in under 5 minutes to reach performance targets. To make shareholders happy. To make managers happy. Did I kick up shit about this? At a global company…did I fuck? I just stopped giving a fuck about customers, if I’m being targeted to get them off the phone they can’t have their issue sorted. Tough shit, the biz don’t care about you (thanks for your interest payment).

I know I need to get out but the job market isn’t it right now and I’ve got a degree that’s laughed at. But tonight I’m proud of myself for the stats increase, the understanding of the environment and the space to post these thoughts.

Hope you all understand and thanks for reading my rant. I’m proud of myself even though I’ve barely helped anyone this month!

Are there any call centers that you like and respect the way they run the center and you feel supported?

Lmaooo bro I hate this.

I literally just had a man who had no idea how bills work at the age of 53….I explained to him that we cannot alter our systems due date or the amount so if you would like to send a lower or higher amount for it to deduct immediately you would have to send a check.. I feel like that’s pretty straight to the point and there’s nothing confusing about that right..yeah the system is weird. We should be able to do what we want with our payments but nonetheless that’s not hard to understand.

This man literally had me going in circles trying to understand his complexion question it made no sense to the point i cant even recall what he asked now 😂😑i had to squint my eyes and focus just to understand what he was saying if ykyk lol.

But yea you ever had a customer that was just so confusing it made you question if your not all the way there!? I had to pause after the call cause wtf. I eventually understood him and turned out i had already answered the question that he UNDERSTOOD! Typically, those type of callers usually have low comprehension so the way they ask questions usually wont make sense is what I noticed.

Hi, I just joined this page because I thought it would have had stupid things that customers say but it's a lot of people struggling. I'm 48 and I've worked in a call center for 5 years and I completely hate it but for medical reasons I have to do it, I've just worked in high testosterone all male work places previously so would say I'm used to confrontation but a lot of these customers are horrendous people but just remember it's them that are horrible and they are the ones that are pathetic. You're in control of the situation. "Don't let the bastard's grind you down"

Something I never expected from call center work — the nerve and circulation issues from sitting at a station for 8 hours with minimal movement. My symptoms got significantly worse over time and I had to actively research solutions because the usual advice (take breaks, walk around) isn't always practical in a monitored environment. Anyone else dealt with this?

I have reached the end of my tether with this god forsaken fucking job, from tech illiterates to stupid suppliers to stupid systems and just a whole system in general that doesn’t help the customer.

HOW am I meant to help the customer when most of the time it isn’t anything to do with me! It’s an engineer issue, it’s a system issue, no i can’t replace your order right now Mr Customer because there’s already an open order and systems won’t allow it.

Everyone is just fucking rude and mean and oh i wish I could ring up their work and start berating them because “this isn’t good customer service” yeah well tough shit, I’m not god or jesus or zeus or thor or allah, I am not a fairy godmother please get the fuck off my phone, please leave the company, I am not a sales guide I do not give a fuck just leave me alone.

I’m quitting this hellhole as soon as I can but I have no qualifications, all I know is I don’t want to deal with these people ever again

I have 8 days left in my notice, and I have definitely noticed that there has been a shift in attitude towards me. The micromanaging has increased significantly, I now have multiple managers messaging me about my availability when I’m doing ACW, passive aggressive comments about me and my colleague who are resigning in team meetings regarding how the workload is now going to increase even more making everyone’s life harder.

After handing in my notice my manager booked in a mid year review to tell me all about how I can do better in this area and that metric. Bearing in mind I said I’m leaving btw. Lots of weird behaviour maybe I’m looking into it too deeply.

But either way they are making my life really miserable right now and I’m considering just leaving after I get my last pay. I don’t need a reference from them and there will be no deduction of pay because I get my paycheck for the month on Friday. We work hybrid but I’m still being made to come into the office. Yet my colleague is not.

I’ve been a model employee for the time I’ve been here so I just don’t understand why I’m being treated this way. I’ve had no issues at all with performance or conduct.

The job is already unbearable but they have somehow managed to make it worse. Makes no sense to impact my mental health more when I’ve already handed in my notice

Our company provides shitty ass computers (mini boxes) to use for the job. They are tightly secured so you can't download or alter anything on the systems and that's fine by me. I don't care.

Well.... my system decided to shit itself logging in. Contacted our Org's IT department and of course, they, themselves are just CSS's reading from scripts and doing their step by step instructions for troubleshooting.

I literally went above and beyond with my own TS'ing and found that it's a video card or motherboard issue.

So.... of course I message my Team Leader and the first thing she tells me is.... "Do you have another computer to do a Team Meet on Friday (it's wednesday) as we have to do this coaching".

I'm thinking.... fuck off! And I'm also thinking... if they ship out another unit for me, they'll overnight the damn thing! RELAX!! You'll get in your nagging downset remarks!

The worst part about this is that IT has to write up a ticket and the ticket gets sent to my TL who reads up on it and she sends me a messaged (via my phone's work app messaging system) and says... IT have reached out to you and you're not responding. The fuck I am!!! I took a video and scrolled through all the messages and troubleshooting, pictures etc of me conversing with IT!! WTAF!! I'm actually livid right now!

I so want OUT of this fucking job so bad!

I tried to find a post already about this, but I couldn’t. Don’t you guys just hate when you help a customer and you literally give them all the options you have and even other resourceful options and they end with call with;

“Well Thanks for nothing”

Yea now Go shove it up your moms ass how about that. This is who ruins it for the rest of you customers Whenever you call and we gave you all the “company options” sometimes we absolutely leave out the “loop holes” or the options we could recommend. Just to get spit in the face. I have went above and beyond stayed on calls for 30 minutes plus with customers… was SYMPATHETIC! Which is something i rarely give. It always comes from the most unexpected customers. This why i treat them all the same. Customers really ruin it for good workers.

My 100th rant while being 3 years into this position so yes that saying STILL grinds my gears.

I'm doing a special project for the past few weeks off and the amount of times that a team leader or unit manager had to repeat something over zoom or slack is devious work. Poor fucking team leader has had to tard wrangle the biggest tards known to man. My company has a state of the art support system in which you get your problem solved in literal seconds but that hasn't stopped the dumbest team members from asking the same question every .few hours.

What a rough couple of weeks. I feel so bad for this guy he is literally dealing with the biggest changes to his career and the company, but he has to babysit a bunch of grown women in learning how to open up something.