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Never a Dull Day in the Life of the Call Center Agent

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor

The stigma that generally attaches itself to the call center agent profession is one of a mundane career or just something to fill the gap when hunting for a “real” job. Not everyone views the opportunities in the call center as the potential for a long-term and exciting career. In doing so, they may be missing out on key opportunities.

A Manila Standard Today report shares a fresh look inside the world of the call center agent. Marilyn Ventenilla, a Teleperformance (News - Alert) Philippines communications and marketing manager, shares that working in a call center offers an exciting opportunity for a long-term career. These individuals not only receive pay that is above minimum wage, they are also given incentives for performance and the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment where promotion and offshore opportunities exist.

A number of senior executives started out as calling agents and moved their way up through the organization. Agents who prove their worth are able to become team leaders, then supervisors and assistant call center managers before advancing even further. These employees tend to love their jobs and stay for the duration at Teleperformance. In fact, in 2012, the company honored 400 employees who had spent at least five years working for the brand, including some who celebrated 10 to 15 years.

One of the elements that keep these individuals around for the long-term is the challenge that comes with the job. Taking customer calls is no easy task and people call in for different reasons and from different countries. The role the agent plays is very consultative as the customer is bringing problems and seeking answers.

And the answers they are seeking are not to just basic questions. Agents need to be able to offer callers real solutions that improve their experience with the company brand. This demands strategic and logical thinking, as well as the ability to take the customer to the next level. Agents able to demonstrate this not only create a loyal customer, they are also perfectly poised for leadership positions, according to Ventenilla.

This demonstration of leadership does not come without expending energy, however. That’s why Teleperformance offers a variety of non-monetary benefits to employees in the form of limitless coffee or tea, access to affordable meals in the cafeteria and sleeping quarters on-site. A lounge, gym and other facilities are also available.

Teleperformance is on the right track in its approach to customer service as it starts with the agent first. Agents who are more satisfied in their work are better motivated to deliver a satisfying experience for the customer.

With a happy agent base, the organization can then focus on creating the optimal customer experience. A Customer Think blog highlighted five steps to improving performance of the call center, which included rewarding agents according to customer satisfaction ratings. It’s also important to monitor, respond to and measure social media posts and questions. Intelligent routing of the CRM or call center software ensures the customer gets to the right person at the right time, and call center agents properly trained to handle all interactions ensures better results. Finally, integration with the CRM platform assures that agents have access to customer information for a more personalized experience.