The Initial Interview

For call center applicant newbies, passing the initial interview is the hardest of them all.

Do you know why? 

It's because some of the initial interviewers speak fluent English with an American accent to boot. Sometimes, you'll be so mesmerized and won't be able to grasp what the interviewer is saying at all. To applicants who haven't had a trained ears for an American accent, it maybe difficult for them to provide a good response to the questions thrown at them.

Here's a piece of advise: Pay attention and anticipate unusual questions.


Interviewer: How would you describe a red apple to a blind person?


Additional advise: Be creative. ;)


Fun Facts:
  • Convergys prefers one-on-one interviews but be careful how you answer because they'll eat you alive.
  • 24/7 likes to group applicants for initial interviews. Aside from the interviewer asking you questions while the other applicants listen, you will also take a listening exam during the initial interview.
  • Initial interview at Teleperformance is also held by group. Expect questions like "Who is your favorite hero and why?" Be specific and make sure you stand firm to your answers.
  • Teletech's initial interview is simply self-introduction. It's mostly done with a group as well but it's not as nerve-wracking as the others. Don't worry about accent. They're not too particular with it.
  • IBM's style is similar to that of Teletech's but be mindful about your pronunciation.
  • Initial interviewers at Telus prefer 2 to 3 persons at a time. They too are not that particular with accent and questions are mostly about one's self.
  • Dell go for 1-on-1 interview as well and mostly focus on your technical skills since they usually hire those who have past call center experiences.
  • Initial interview at Stream is easy. They usually do the talking. They mostly confirm what you have in your resume.




Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

The Reasons

I have been asked a lot of times why I chose to work for a call center company. It seems like some people can't understand the reasons why a graduate of a 4-yr bachelor's degree spend his time working in a call center environment than pursuing a career that's in lined with the course he took up way back in college.

Honestly, I like a lot of opportunities. If I have my way, I'd like to be a singer, an actor, an astronaut, a pilot, a backpacker, a CEO and the list goes on and on.

But then, I can't say all those things directly to a person who asks. So, I limit it to the following answers:

  1. The salary of a new agent even tops what an engineer of a manufacturing plant earns monthly.
  2. Freedom - A call center agent only needs to log for 8 hours (9 including 1-hr lunch) work. After which, he is free from any stress. With other companies, you have to worry about reports and even have to go overtime without pay.
  3. Extra-curriculars - Who says we're all work and no play? There are a lot of activities that an employee of a call center can join. There are different groups and clubs you can sign up for. Want to sing your heart out? Then, join a singing contest organized for a recreational event.
  4. Additional benefits - Where can you find companies that give out 10-15 days PAID vacation leaves in a year? Or one that will give you HMO? How about educational assistance?

Now, here are some reasons why others kept urging you to switch careers or as to why they seem to hate call center companies (of course you can't tell them right in their faces):
  1. They are simply not fluent in English.
  2. They got rejected when they applied for a call center position. Bitter! lol.
  3. Their salary is small but their workload is too much.


Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

13th Month Pay is just around the corner

Yey! It's just a few days before everyone gets their 13th month pay in their ATM accounts.

Depending on your company's policy, your 13th month pay can be credited as early as last November but not as late as Dec 23.

I used to have my 13th month pay on the 5th of December with my previous company. The current company I'm in will be releasing it this 13th of December. I think it's a way to lighten the mood. Lol!


Agent 1: Kelan ang 13th month pay natin?
Agent2: Sa December 13 pa. Kaya nga 13th month eh!



FYI:
- 13th month pay is non-taxable if it doesn't exceed Php30,000.
- 13th month pay is based on your monthly basic salary and is pro-rated. What do I mean by pro-rated? It means that if you just started working for the company you're 13th month pay is computed as:
Basic Salary / 12  X  number of months of stay



We also received another good news from our management as well. Our Tech Premium fee was increased by almost 300% and it has started December 1. Now, that's what we call as GOOD NEWS!




Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Thanksgiving Day is a Petix Day!

For those agents under US accounts, today is a good day for them. It's a PETIX MODE day!!! Yoohoo!

Like Christmas and New Year celebrations, Thanksgiving day is one holiday that Americans celebrate the most. That being said, US callers will be busy and the volume of calls will be less especially in the evening. The petix mode will extend until the next day which is a Black Friday as well.

Yehey! Less calls, less stress for agents!


Fun Facts:

Thanksgiving day is celebrated every fourth Thursday of November in the US while Thanksgiving day is observed on the second Monday of October in Canada.

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving day in the US. This marks the start of the holiday sale season. Although Canadians do not have that special day in their calendars, most will cross the border to avail of the special discounts offered by stores in the US.



Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Tongue Twisters

Expect to have your tongues twisted during Cultural Training days. Brush up on your soft th and hard th, your s sounds and your ph sounds. Sounds familiar? lol!


Here are the most common tongue twisters given by trainers:

She Sells Seashells by the Seashore.

Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Pepper. Did Peter Piper Pick a Peck of Pickled Pepper? If Peter Picked a Peck of Pickled Pepper, where is the Peck of Pickled Pepper Peter Piper picked?

How much Wood Could a Wood Chuck Chuck if a Wood Chuck Could Chuck Wood?


Now here are our Filipino Tongue Twisters:

Ang relo ni leroy ay rolex

Minekaniko ni Moniko ang Makina ni Monica.


I'm not sure though if our Filipino tongue twisters would be of help to you. lol! And yes, this topic was inspired by Kim's commercial of Goya Twister. 


Miss Classic's line: What are friends are for?



Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Call Centers and the English Language

Call center companies are sprouting like mushrooms not only in Metro Manila but all over the country. And with the growth of the Call Center industry in the country, it is but normal to see their ads everywhere. You'll see them in MRT/LRT stations, buses, ad boards in the streets and even in underpasses in Makati area. They have also taken over the advertisement pages in your favorite broadsheet or local newspapers. They even proliferate in your favorite job boards online like Jobstreet and JobsDB. However, after all those numerous ads they show each single day, how come each call center company is still looking for 200 new agents and even sometimes others look for up to a thousand new agents to fill out their seats?

The answer: Declining English Proficiency in the Philippines.

I've been with the call center industry for a few years now with 2 call center companies. And during those years that I've worked for this industry, I've seen new comers and I can really say that the new graduates these past few years aren't as proficient in English as was required by the call center companies back then.

I am not going to say I am very fluent in English. Heck, if I am to rate myself, I'll give me an 8 (Of course during an interview, I'll say I'm a 9 if the interviewer asks me about my English proficiency. lol!)  Sad to say that most of the new comers rate even lower than me in terms of fluency in English. What's surprising is that they even come from great universities here in Metro Manila while I was a graduate from a little college in the North. Added to that, I was with one of the top call center companies in the country which was known to accept only 2% of their applicants. Do you get the picture?

I just started with my 2nd call center company recently but I've applied to various companies before then to check which one will give me the best offer. And I can't believe what I've seen or heard during those interview sessions. There are some companies where they interview applicants by groups of 5 or 10 where you get to hear other applicants struggle in terms of pronunciation, sentence construction and grammar. There are even companies where the interviewers actually suck (excuse my term) in the use of the English language as well.

Oh well, I hope there would be a big change in our educational system. And I'm hoping they again enforce English Only on subjects that are supposed to be taught in English. That way, students will be compelled to speak the language. As they say, "With practice comes perfection."

My tips for those who'd like to hone their skills:
  1. Read English books - If you don't like educational books, then, read English pocketbooks.
  2. Watch American movies
  3. Watch US TV series
  4. Practice, Practice and Practice

**This is a repost from my other blog: http://usappinoy.blogspot.com


Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

The Power of Powercycle


And yet another self-help tip from me.



Powercycle is simply turning off your modem and router for a few seconds then turning them back on. This is a very useful troubleshooting step and mostly resolves 80% of sync no browse** issues.

The best way to perform a powercycle is to unplug and replug the power cords of your modem or gateway and router. Now if you are using both a modem and a router, it's best to perform a sequenced powercycle. What do I mean about that? First, turn off your modem by unplugging its power cord, then, followed by the router. After about 10 seconds, turn the modem back on first. Wait for the DSL light (might be a Link light for some modems) to turn solid green before turning the router back on.


**Sync No Browse is a state where the modem is detecting a DSL signal from the phone line but the computers aren't able to pull up websites. The DSL and Internet lights on the modem are always solid green.




Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Team Building Locations

Here are the most common TB locations frequently used by Call Center employees:

  • Pansol, Laguna - You're either new or not a call center agent if you haven't been to any resorts in Pansol. My teammates and I used to joke about it. Pansol naman para maiba. (Let's go to Pansol for a change.) **with a matching sarcastic tone**
  • Linden or any similar hotel suites - If you're team is just looking for a place to drink booze, then, these suites are the best picks.
  • Videoke bars - Tight on budget? There's Muchos near MetroWalk or anywhere in QC circle is fine.

Now, for those who have allotted some money for their Team Building or those who won a prize money from their respective companies, here are the top destinations:
  • Batangas resorts like Blue Coral, Kabayan and Munting Buhangin
  • Puerto Galera - If you can't afford to go to Boracay for its white beach, then, try Galera.
  • Boracay - Station 1 houses the exclusive and expensive hotels and resorts. Station 2 is the 'party station'. Although hotels are still expensive at Station 2, they're cheaper than that of Station 1. The good thing about Station 2 is that most of the bars and parties are located here. Station 3 are for those who are trying to spend less on hotel accommodations in order to spend more on parties at Station 2. lol! **Oh yeah, the pic above was taken at Boracay in one of the team buildings I attended.



Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

The Irate Caller


Caller: Your f*%&ing service sucks! I've waited 50 minutes on your stupid automated system just to be transferred by a f&%*ing idiot to you. So don't ask me what I'm calling about because you should have that f$%^ing information in front of you!!!

toot... toot... toot.... **call released**


LOL! But seriously, how do you deal with an irate caller?

A colleague once asks me how I keep my composure sometimes because even if my callers are irate I'm not usually affected by them. So here are my answers:

1. Don't listen to them when they rant. If you have a team conference, chat with your teammates instead. Just let the customer say what he wants to say. Once he calms down, ask for the issue.

2. Don't interrupt. Just let the caller rant all he/she wants.

3. Stop apologizing. They get more irritated if you do that. Don't say the line, "I understand where you're coming from."

4. Engage yourself on other matters while the customer is shouting in your ear piece. Try to check possible causes of the call. Check previous documentation from agents, perform some line tests and so on. Once he's done talking, ask him about your findings and go from there.

5. Use your company's abuse script if the customer tends to shout all the swear words that can't even be found in the dictionary. If they want to be respected, then, they should learn to respect you as well.




Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Wasiwas Mode

The act of ending a call without arriving at a correct resolution to a caller's concerns is called 'Wasiwas'. The term is also known as 'Para-Paraan' or 'Ways-Ways'.


Have you already seen the movie Real Steel? If you have, then, you should be able to recall the scene where Charlie (a role played by Hugh Jackman) received a call from the people he owed money from. Do you remember what he did on that scene? That's a Wasiwas mode. If you haven't watched the movie yet, I suggest you do so. It's a good film. ;)


Agent1:  Tara, lunch break tayo! (Let's have our lunch break.)
Agent2: Sandali, tapusin ko lang tong call ko. (Wait up, I'll just finish this call.)
Agent2: Caller, remove the splitter and plug your modem direct to the phonejack instead.
**Call got disconnected**
Agent2: Na-wasiwas ko na call ko. Lunch na tayo. (I just did a wasiwas mode. Let's go grab some lunch.)






Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Veteran Moves to Lower Down AHT


AHT or Average Handle Time is comprised of 3 components namely; Talk Time, Hold Time and ACW (After Call Work).

Legit way to ensure you're hitting your target AHT is ensuring that you're troubleshooting effectively and within your scope of support, not placing the customer on hold and not using ACW by completing your notes before the call ends.

Admittedly, that's not easy. Right? I know you'll agree with me. Lol!

So here are some veteran moves to lower down AHT. Take note that the following tips WILL NOT GUARANTEE success and may even be the cause of your termination. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

- To lower down your talk time, ask your customer to remove the dual line splitter and have the modem directly connected to the phonejack. This technique only works for those tech support reps that handle DSL connection and only if the customer is calling from the phone connected to the same dual line splitter. lol!


- Remember that Hold Time is computed by the total number of minutes you use the hold button over the total number of hold times you made. So, in order to lower down your hold time, you'll need to add a lot more divisor. Do a 1-second hold on some of your calls. This will only work if you're using the hard phone.


- As for ACW, instead of pressing the ACW button, press instead the AUX button. Don't do this regularly or better yet don't do it at all!

There you have it folks. Again, following those veteran moves can get you into trouble. But hey, if you want a different career, then, that's the easiest way to do it. lol!



Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Wireless Connection - Limited or No Connectivity


Yeah, I know that I mentioned that I will do away from technical stuff but from this day on forth I will post one or two tech info each month. Well, hopefully this will help bring down the call volume for DSL tech support centers out there. Or probably not. Haha!

Alright, Limited or No Connectivity issues for wireless on WinXP computers are mostly the common issues that we, Technical Support Reps receive on a daily basis. So, what triggers that error? It's down to four factors:
- wireless key or type mismatch
- wireless interference
- wireless adapter driver issue
- gateway/router

How to resolve Wireless Limited or No Connectivity issue for WinXP. Follow the steps in order:
1. Check if the wireless password you're using is correct. Check also if the wireless type on the router is set to WEP key or not. If it's set to WPA, then, I suggest you change that to WEP encryption.
2. Change your wireless channel. Go for channel 9 or 11. Or try to tweak the channel until you get it.
3. Disable/Reenable the wireless driver. You can find that under Device Manager / Network Adapter's list.
4. Powercycle (turn off/on) your gateway/router. Last resort is reset but only do that if you have only one device connecting wireless or all your devices are failing to connect wireless.

If the steps are not clear or you'd want a step-by-step instructions, feel free to drop a comment.


Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Video Clips During Training Days

During CCT (Cultural and Communications Training), a trainer will always show you some clips/videos to improve your communication skills. Mostly, the videos they show feature the common mistakes we encounter when we speak in English.



SBC Packers - This is a classic video clip and in the 3 call center companies I've been with, they always show this video clip. Pack that sheet! Pack that sheet!




Maritess VS the Superfriends - Another great clip from Rex Navarette who made the clip above.




Now, how about an audition for Music Idol? "Ken Lee... Tu libu dee boo douchu..."




Or a different version of the song, "Jesus Take the Wheel"?




Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!


SupCall anyone?

For those who are not familiar with the term "Supcall", it's a coined word from "supervisor" and "call" which means a Supervisor-requested call. Here are the reasons why a customer would be requesting for a SupCall:

  • The caller got irritated with the agent because they can't resolve the issue
  • Agent has a condescending tone and that the caller felt mistreated **although in most cases, the agent will not pass the phone to his supervisor and instead release the call to avoid getting a sanction**
  • Immediate request due to a bad experience with another agent
  • No particular reason. Some callers think they can just request for anyone
I'm proud to say I only get the last 2. Okay, I probably had some from the first one when I was still a newbie. lol!


Supervisors avoiding supcalls? You bet. There are a lot of them out there. I'm not sure as to why they have the title of a supervisor if they won't accept a SupCall.

Personal Experience with a supervisor from a different team:

Me: Hi, Supcall please. My TL is not around and there are no 'floorwalkers' available.
TL: I'm sorry but I'm doing audits. Try to look for other TLs.
**Here comes one of his agents**
Agent: TL, tara yosi tayo.
Supervisor: Sige pare. Kanina pa nga akong walang ginagawa dito.                             
       WTF!!! 


Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

NCNS? - No Way!

NCNS - No Call No Show. Simply put, agent is absent and didn't call an hour or 2  before his/her shift to explain why he/she will be absent.


"I can't go to work today because I have CEPHALGIA."


What the hell is that?! Well, that's the explanation that one of my colleagues once gave to our Command Center in order not to be tagged as NCNS. Look that word up in the dictionary, then, laugh out loud!

I guess he ran out of reasons or types of illnesses he can use as an excuse. Haha!



Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

The Reason Behind the Name

BuhayBampira - In english it means "Living like a Vampire". And why did I used that as my website's name? It's because call center agents here in the Philippines are awake at night and asleep during the day. We're just like the vampires in the movies. Kuha mo? (Understood?) lol! ;)


From this day forth, I'll be sharing some bloopers from a friend of mine. Let's call her Miss Classic.


Caller: What is my system password?
Miss Classic: A as in Apple. F as in F*ck... oh Foxtrot! O as in Zero. I mean O as in Oval...




Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

Petiks Mode

Also spelled as 'petix' or 'peticks'.

Meaning: A state when a call center agent is logged in on the phone but not taking in calls. And no, the agent is not on break schedule either. He/she was either pulled out for a training, coaching and meeting OR simply lucky that there are just few customers calling in for the day.



Normal call scenario:

Agent: Please close all the windows that are open on your screen.
Caller: Okay, I'll do that.
---after 5 mins---
Caller: Sorry, it took so long.
Agent: That's alright. Now, could you please open control panel?
Caller: How do I do that? And what will I do about these many Internet Explorer programs on my screen?
Agent: Ahm... Didn't you close those windows down earlier?
Caller **laughs**:  I thought you were asking me to close the windows in my house.



Closing Spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for visiting. Have a Nice Day!

The Vampire Diaries

Wait, you're mistaken. This is not a review of that TV series. This is an account of my life in the call center industry. Uh-huh. You've heard it right.

I've been with the call center industry for the past 6 years of my life and surprisingly I'm still alive and kicking! Don't worry, this blog won't focus on troubleshooting internet connection (yep, I'm a tech support agent) but rather on a whole lot of stuff: bloopers, hearsay, supcalls, floorwalkers, relationships and the likes. Ahaha. Just kidding.

Hmm... I see some eyebrows raised.


Nagtatanong: Call Center ka?
Agent: Hindi. Tao ako na nagwowork sa call center.



Closing spiel: Again, this is Yallit and thank you for reading. Have a nice day!