Jobs? Eee

[Gray]

Well at this time ive been at my current work place for 2 and a half years and it has recently been degrading the past few months were its more stressful than anything.

With it being a call centre, certain targets have to be met, call observations, attendence, finishing breaks on time etc are all taken into account and after a 3 month period you see if you have got above 85% to a point where you get a bonus. Which is nice.

Now, me personally, i have never given a shit about money, there seems to be far too many other things which are a cause for concern, like, a new job for instance.

Im a person who doesnt like "change" too much, if they continually change procedures on certain elements, it gets too much for me to a point where at the end of the day, i get stressed and feel as if i have had enough - however, the day ends, and then i just start all over again forgetting the previous shift.

A few months ago, work sent me and a few other teams on a training course/seminar to some posh hotel, the training was part of something called "Mary Gober Worldclass Customer Services" or some shite like that, there was some elementals as i mentioned that i didnt particularly like or personally agree with - but we completed the course, and went merrily on our way.

This month / Next month, theyre rolling out new Call Observation sheets which are based on this Mary Gober training, O2 want us to get it drilled into us by next month to deliver "World Class Customer Services". Some of the points are, we HAVE to use our Full names, something i have never being comfortable with, and we HAVE to sell "something" to the customer [This can be anything from a text bolton, to just a standard free phone number].

Now, i had a call observation done on me a few weeks ago using our old call obervation forms, and i was constantly getting 85% which is all fine and dandy, however they have now changed it all, and on the new ones i didnt get too much - well, i didnt calculate it, but by the way my manager was actually blitzing my observation today means something is going wrong.

There was an ultimatum which has been given.. I either start using this new observation form [Which i dont agree with] or i end up going onto some developement, my manager doesnt want me to do this though because he apparently hates paperwork. Yay. But if im still not willing to do this, theres only one outcome...

Now, the call observations havent been the only thing thats bothered me, for the past few months, i was consitantly changing team, and generally it takes me a long time to settle into a new "environment", meet new people etc, some managers i liked, some managers i didnt. Now, the manager i was with previously was actually awesome, i never had a problem with her, and the team felt great, it felt homely and stress free.

But because my hours differed i was sometimes on my own in some cases, but they didnt bother me, until one day, my managers manager come by sticking her hore in saying because im on my own on such-a-day, i HAVE to change teams, thus i was forced out without really my managers consent, and against my will.

My new team is okay, my managers a great guy, fun to be around... But it seems if i aint delivering, things may start devleoping dark clouds between us, which i dont particularly want. Theres also talk about making the team into a place were customers upgrade, which is nice - only we have our own department who do upgrades, and they get commision - its apparent that we wont.

Which leads me onto my new problem - i dont want to be stuck in customer services no more, i want out, the problem is i dont know what i want from my life, i dont know what i want for a job, which isnt helping me in any shape or form. I ideally want something active.. its not good just being couped up on a chair all day listening to whinging bastards on the phone, i want more.



Aint been on holiday in years.. perhaps thats all i need to get me back into it all, but i just feel too stressed at the moment, dont know what way to turn

 

[Ch3tan]

Right as someone who has to manage teams in a retail environment, there is nothing I hate more than a colleague who will not accept change or constantly questions the reasons behing new ways of thinking etc.

At the end of the day you are getting paid to do what the company want you to do, and if you can't evolve and accept that then you should quit now and save your manager the hassle.

 

[Tom]

Fucking hell Gray that was like a Ronnie Corbett joke.

 

[Gray]

Dont know what joke or where, but alas...

Now, i have been in this job as i say for just short of 3 years, i have been a person who has [in the past] and always will [in the future] dislike to much personal change revolving around my life and workplace.

A few changes i can handle, as long as theyre none-too close together, but if its consistant change on a monthly basis i have to take a step back and tell myself this isnt what i like.

I have found over the past year that i havent been enjoying myself anyway, its the same old repetitive thing, week in, week out with no change

Come in, log onto systems
Take a call. Deal with the call [Pay bill, Setup MMS, General enquiry etc]
Call finishes.
Take Break
Rinse repeat for hours on end. It gets repetitive and boring.

In many of my One-to-Ones with my managers of past and previous, many of them have said that i show a sense of "not caring". This in itself is actually true... Ive gotten to the point were i feel like a drone, and just dont care about it.

Alas, so i dont like change *shrug* im sure millions of people dont either, i get on with it, just like them - however this time it seems to have broken the camels back in the sense, and it seems too much. A lot of my other collegues feel the same - Last week i had one talking to me about how she hates it - i at the time didnt mnd it until tonight.

Im just trying to think what i want to do.. But i cant because i feel blank on the issue of having a new job. Customer Services [Phone wise] is out of the question after now. Retail maybe.. But i dont know, i always liked the idea of office work - but i want to get into some active job of sorts.

Hm.

 

[evzy]

Kinda gotta agree with Ch3tan - you could be in a lot worse in the way of work - all the previous generations of my family on the male side have worked down pits etc - I work in an office and though it gets on my tits now and then - I can sit n spam FH and generally I make it my mission to have a laugh and enjoy it as much as possible, chat to people, get them laughing and just get a decent atmosphere - it makes working so much easier when you have a smile on ya face... and when I am not in the mood - I just drop the height of my chair, chill the fuck out and dont speak to anyone except occasionaly a few of my mates on the phone...

Used to work in a sales enviroment and never understood people not bbeppy moving teams n shit - think of it as an easy way to make more friends, and if you havent got a woman - think of it as the easiest way ever to pick up one - if there aren't any in the team you are in that you would ~ahem you know, chances are one of them is friends with one either in work, or out of work.

Lot easier to pick up women in the office than down a fucking coal mine I reckon

~edit~

If the job has become repetative then start looking for a new one - it will be a lot easier to move within a company but outside of the company you could blag your role up a bit more to a new employer - 3 yrs of customer service and sales - maybe look for a team leader / training role or something if you want to stay in a similar enviroment.

 

[TdC]

Greylet, I feel for you mate, but you're going to have to take the change and deal with it. A company is going to be ever-changing by nature, and it's going to make you go with it through training, moving through different departments etc.

You will have to adapt to your changing circumstances and learn to use them to your advantage, really. Remember that courses and things are a nessecary part of being in a company, and that you can use them to better yourself and keep your position secure.

 

[Gray]

Yeah, there is seemingly many things that i dont agree with, in a way, my own small [big] gripes about things... The problem with changing teams is with every new team, theres a high chance youre going to be getting a new team coach.

That in essence means what you have been learning the past few weeks is gone, out of the window. My previous coach was great, although she was leniant in a sense, i felt like i was getting somewhere, again i was getting high marks on my [old] observations. I also like staying on teams because i hate moving around from team-to-team, i dont like the pushed-from-pillar to post scenario.

My new team coach is insanely strict, my first few observations were also blizted, even though they was on the old observations which i had done ohso well on previous, shes been on holiday so i had been getting various other observations done by several people who seemed to think i was doing pretty well.

The new observations though have blown it out of the water, just not good enough.. I managed to nick a form which is explaining "what is expected of me", its marked out of 116/100. Now tell me, how does that make sense?

Apparently the 116 is "world class", and in the other column is marked 100/100, this is the "standard" form. On the new form its split into sections, like call opening, knowledge on services etc.

The ones i have an issue with is the call opening, i have to give out my full name - Nowhere in a million years am i EVER going to go

"Welcome to o2 Select, youre speaking to Alan Gray can i take your name please?"

Why? How the fuck do i know who this person on the other end of the line is? All i have is information on my screen about a mobile number - it could be anyone, they want us to "personalise the call" but im fucked if im having to resort to that.

Another one was enthusiasm, now, i dont know, the way i speak to my customers is fine i feel, they never have any problems with it, ive always been told its always calm/collective and clear, so i may not be overly enthusiastic, gee-whizz...

Now, barring the actual issues with the observations, i also have great difficulty in dealing with customers who have complaints. In the customer services i work in, they expect the earth and the sun, you explain the procedure and its "WELL, im a Select customer! I shouldnt have to pay for that!". Eventually what happens is, they cause me to repeat myself.. and i seriously hate repeating myself, because it gets to me as well.

If someone requests to speak to a manager... This is where everything gets ugly, you even walk upto a manager saying "i have a manager callba..." before you even finish the sentence theyre out the door on a fag break or whatever, leaving you to explain to the customer why no one is available to take the call.

I have a general problem with everything at work at the moment, its getting to me - The management side of things is annoying, the new procedures are annoying, the holidays are annoying, but worst of all.. some customers are annoying. THIS is why i want to get out of it.

Its mainly to do with im bored and tired of taking the same things week in, week out - i want to do something new, this is what ive been trying to explain the past 5-6 posts... I just dont know where i want to go or what to do - but i dont want to be in this job no more -.-

 

[Raven]

sounds like a load of shit to me, i would look for another job, no job is worth getting stressed about.

 

[leggy]

To be honest mate you don't sound that suited to a call centre environment. Who is though? Call centres are all about constant change and repeating yourself

Try being Scottish and speaking to broad cockney's every day (had to do this in a temp job for BT). I stopped repeating myself and starting making up words. They understood me better after that.

What are your qualifications like? I'm not about to suggest doing a course for the sake of it as I believe a significant portion of higher learning is worthless. But it might be worthwhile looking at what you really enjoy. Get hold a college prospectus and think about doing a part time course to fill any gaps in your education. Then try for a job that you might be satisfied with. Stick with the call centre in the time being though as you need some way to pay for your beer.

I do think it's important to know that most people don't 'enjoy' their jobs. They can be generally satisfied with them but enjoying work is usually beyond most of us

I'm an exception to the rule at the moment but I'm sure that'll change in the near future. It's still all a bit new to me here.

 

[Xtro]

Gray - leave your job. It's obvious you hate it, its not what you want to do and be thankful you aren't the right sort of person for the job.

Why? Because call centres are soul sucking nuclear waste barren pits of Dante's Inferno like hell. Get the FUCK OUT.

I thought Ch3t was a bit high and mighty with the first post at first but he is right - you are not the sort of person for that environment so no wonder its making you unhappy.

But its a problem - you don't like changes yet you don't like repetition Tough one.

I would really go and seek professional advice and get to your careers office and speak with an advisor. Study definitely is a serious option, not sure what level for you though.

Am I right in assuming you're in your late teens/early 20's btw? If so mate its probably what most people your age are thinking - "what the fuck do I want to do with my life?"

Don't let it get you down too much.

In the meantime - go to Careers. Research job market, what quals/experience does they type of stuff that interests you need?

And finally - could you just walk into a temporary job in a warehouse or something for a total change? Most agencies are utter utter dogshit but a few are ok, find out who is in you area and talk to a few. A very short term solution but it might get you out of the cycle you're in now.

I resigned without anything to go to, got a job 2 days after I handed my notice in. I wouldn't advice quitting without something to go to though

Good luck anyways.

 

[evzy]

Maybe try prostitution and then the call centre's will either seem great or even worse - either way it will help you decide!

 

[DaGaffer]

Notwithstanding the horror of working of working in a Call Centre in the first place, I think if you're going to carry on working in that area, you're going to have to get used to more and more of the types of changes you're facing. Doing outbound sales stuff is a pain in the arse, and most customers hate it anyway, but hey, its a business, right? (Of course if you turn out to be any good at it you could get a job in telesales and probably earn a damn site more money...). As for giving your name out, I routinely ask for the CS rep's name these days because I've been let down so often with failed promises from CS staff, so I think its fair tbh.

(Just posted this sat on the Skytrain in Bangkok, how cool is that? There seems to be Wi-Fi everywhere )

 

[Gray]

In many cases i dont mind giving out my full name - however i dont agree with it when its at the very beginning of the call. If the customer asks for it out of interest maybe halfway through the call, or at the end - 90% of the time im fine to give it - the other 10% i feel somewhat insecure about them, so i give them my extension.

Ive been out of school for 6 years nowf, finished my GCSE's and what not, they was none too great, but the only thing i wanted, and the only thing i seriously worked on was IT. I went to college for 2 years, and it was a complete waste of space, i learned fuckall.

At the end of it, they give me an NVQ or two in PC Maintenence, i thought "WOOOO! now it begins!". First job was declined, second job just as much, i believe i gave up complete hope when i sent in a CV to PC World and never recieved anythin back - you know things arent going well when that happens.

So, instead my "career" turned into a hobby, and now its not even a hobby no more, all of what ive learned is more or less vanished as i havent done anything in more than a year. Which sucks loads, because i loved working on PCs.

Advise is something i have thought about taking up, but the last time i filled out some stuff [albeit a good few years ago] it gave me options on things i never thought about nor liked, so that felt annoying, unless maybe things have changed now.

Im not a person who likes jumping from job-to-job mind, if i went for one, id have to be in the mindframe that i have t stick to it for a long time, i think theres a careers centre close by to me... Although aint been in town for a while now.

And dont worry about ch3ts, more often than not hes seemingly overly-critical on any of the posts i make, win lose or draw, bless him,

 

[TdC]

tbh I get well fed up with all the "John"'s and "Susie"'s calling, but isn't there a policy for not giving out your real name? I'm actually amazed that my helpdesk at work does it tbh.

 

[Lazarus]

well, just finishing a drawn out arguement with my ex-CC company, I DO see the benefit to the customer of having the name of the person you are speaking to - it works great as I was just about to speak to my lawyer and names, dates, times and conversation transcripts help out in legal matters.

 

[Tilda]

I'd carry on reapplying for IT jobs G.
PC world are generally shit, them not replying was not necessarily because they didn't like you, but because they probably lost it.
Be persistant, theres nothing to stop you from continually applying while your still are at the call centre. Additionally, if you have a failed application, ring up their HR/recruitment and ask why it failed, and what you could do to improve your application/interview and then do it!

Good luck

 

[tris-]

Now, i had a call observation done on me a few weeks ago using our old call obervation forms, and i was constantly getting 85% which is all fine and dandy, however they have now changed it all, and on the new ones i didnt get too much - well, i didnt calculate it, but by the way my manager was actually blitzing my observation today means something is going wrong.

same happend to me when i worked for wanadoo. i was one of the top mother fuckers then soon slipped to retard standard. i made sure to tell them their form was shit and the whole new system of dealing with customers was shit. they didnt change it ofc, but then i just did a shit job to piss them off.

pay rises still came in, so who am i to complain.

if you dont like change then mc donalds is a goood job. it only changes about 4 times a year when they bring a new food item out that you need to memorise

 

[evzy]

same happend to me when i worked for wanadoo. i was one of the top mother fuckers then soon slipped to retard standard. i made sure to tell them their form was shit and the whole new system of dealing with customers was shit. they didnt change it ofc, but then i just did a shit job to piss them off.

pay rises still came in, so who am i to complain.

if you dont like change then mc donalds is a goood job. it only changes about 4 times a year when they bring a new food item out that you need to memorise

That reminds me...wheres mah fries beatch????

 

[tris-]

That reminds me...wheres mah fries beatch????

i dont deal with fries and the tills, thats for the super retards

 

[evzy]

So its your fault I still had a pickle on my burger... git!

 

[Ch3tan]

And dont worry about ch3ts, more often than not hes seemingly overly-critical on any of the posts i make, win lose or draw, bless him,

I guarentee thats how your manager feels when you cannot do what is asked. It is not overly critical, it is the harsh truth.

You dont enjoy your job, so find something else and leave, just dont fool yourself that other jobs will be different. If you can't do what the company wants from you, then they will always find a way to get rid of you.

Cv's get lost. Do you think you are the only one that sent a CV into your local PC world? Retailers get swamped in CV's, you think they have the time to reply or look at each one? Especially if they aren't even recruiting at the time.