I was once a call center agent...

Seven months ago, I was one of the countless call center agents who, hoped to earn money to help with the finances. Although my job was not to sell products over the phone, but I'd say, it probably was as hard as having to make a lot of sales in order to meet the daily quota. I was chosen out of 42 trainees from our batch - together with my other two good friends I met while doing the training - to be assigned on the inbound calls or costumer service. Meaning, we were the ones receiving calls from clients with problems regarding their creditors, credit score, debt management, and everything that concerns money and credit card bills. They're the clients who enrolled in that debt management program and they pay their creditors through us. As part of the job, we basically were the ones who automatically deduct a certain amount of money from their bank accounts and pay their debts directly to their creditors on the scheduled payment dates. Clients call us for updates, concerns, inquiries, rescheduling of their payments, and merely just checking on stuff such as; clients would ask if the payment had been sent off or they'll inform us ahead of time that their next payment would be insufficient short of amount due to some unavoidable circumstances, to name a few.

At first, I was reluctant to do the job because I, being in the medical field, have no idea about anything that has to do with money. We had to do accounting and not just that, we also had to be extra careful with handling money matters as a single mistake could trigger to a lot more complicated situations and we don't want that to ever happen. We have to avoid any delay with the transactions of clients' payments because they will be in trouble if their payments don't meet the deadline and reach their creditors' hands on time. It can affect their credit score and it is not a good thing for them. I don't know that much on how it really affects them, but we were told to impede that from happening. Not only that, I also had to prepare myself on how to properly deal with the clients, especially on how to address their concerns the right way. In all my life, I haven't talked to foreigners that much, except for family members abroad who speak English and of course, my husband. I don't know them so I could think of nothing on how I'd be able to treat them aside from the fact that they are our clients. I've learned that it's also a nice way if you will step a little bit out of the agent-client boundary and actually talk to them and treat them as "acquaintances", not just mere clients. It somehow helps build rapport between you and them and it lessens stress and tension especially on your end. All those stuff, we needed to learn and grasp in a short two-week training period!!

I worked at the company which originally is based in Florida, U.S.A. for three months (January to March, 2008). I had to file for resignation on the third month because my husband was coming here for a three-week vacation at the time. Since I was only a new-hired employee, I wasn't entitled yet to any leave of absence and I could never put my husband as my second priority, especially that he was leaving for deployment and we seldom spend time together. Three weeks would be too much and they didn't allow me to file for LOA (Leave of Absence), so I had no choice. I didn't want to work at night, leave my husband alone and then come home in the morning, dead tired. I'd rather not have him come over here if that would have been the case, and I will never do such thing.

During my three-month stay there, I must say, I learned a lot of things that I forever will be grateful for. I learned, above all, how to deal decently with different people of different characteristics and races. Some were friendly, some were all right, and some weren't nice at all. I had been cussed at, been called an idiot, among others. I must admit that one time - it was my very first time to receive a call like that - I burst into tears when a client from Miller, Nebraska said profane words and cussed at me. He was the very first one to get to do that to me - he simply was so mean. The fact that I couldn't defend myself at the time, was the one that actually made me cry. I got so upset. I was told later after the incident that if we get callers like that old man from NE, we have the right to inform them that we'll end the call if they won't refrain from using profane words. From that time on, I had always been prepared just in case I encounter a caller like that again. I learned how to deal with situations like that where you have no other choice but to pretend you don't hear anything. You can't complain. That's part of the job - such a sad truth and bitter part of it. My co-agents at the time told me that their experiences with "mean" clients were even worse than the ones I encountered. That gave me comfort, all right. But the impact of his hurtful words lingered long enough for me to not forget everything I know about that caller from Nebraska. Up to now, I still know what his full name is.

Life on the call floor can be fun, too. In fact, I had more fun moments than the bad nights. Everybody knows everybody. Everyone was kind and helpful to us, the newbies. They imparted their knowledge to us and made sure we were good to go before they had us do the actual taking of calls. I met really nice people and made friends with them. I miss them actually and how I wish I'd see them again one day. I miss my batch mates during our training; AJ, Yek, Jen, Ate Aya, Ate Apol, Jeoff, Ate Bibing, Sari, and a lot more but I already forgot their names. And of course, I miss the people on the 6th floor - where I used to work. Our TL, Miss Jem, who was very kind, nice, approachable, and very helpful. My co-inbound agents; daddy Dong, Ate Fe, RM, and the rest of the PFF team. I miss spending break times with them. The 1:30 to 2:00 AM meals, the 4:00 - 4:15 AM coffee break or however you want to spend it with. The talks and laughs as we lined up along the porch just outside of the building's cafeteria while waiting for our time to be on the floor, a quick walk around Eastwood and a lot more of beautiful memories I can only recall so much.

I feel sad that my time working with them needed to be cut short, but it was worth it. I had enough memories of them to last me for years and everything I've learned will be of great help for me in the future. At least now, I have ideas about financial matters - creditors, credit scores, and how things actually are processed and how they work when you are in a debt management program.

Lastly, I just want to say a few words to the clients out there. If you don't like call center agents calling you, bugging you to buy products from them, refuse them nicely or at least show them a little respect. It won't hurt you if you do so. Who wants to be ill-treated and cussed at when all you're doing is just to earn a living? Nobody, right? No one, especially those who are working hard, deserves a treatment like that. We are all the same. They do that for a living and I'm sure we all know how hard it is to earn money nowadays. I know for the fact that some CC agents can be quite annoying, too especially when you're busy and you suddenly receive a call from one of them and they don't leave you alone till they get what they want and some can be too persistent to the point that they're already taking much out of your time. But, may you not forget that at the other end of the line is a human being who, like you has feelings, too. If can't like them, at least respect them.