Ring! Ring!

(terms and definitions)


Part 1

Ok, this time it's about some terms or definitions, or words that usually used in the BPO industry. It may have some gay lingo because well it is used in this industry, especially when you have them in your team. We use it sometimes as a form of expression especially when you're in operations. It's like a glossary of sorts, and yes, this is just the beginning of my worthwhile and ongoing experience with this industry.  Sorry it's not arranged because I just used random thoughts for this, whatever comes to my head and yes, this might be long. Very long.


Floor - it's the term used for the working area itself, you'll see the cubicles, stations, chairs, computers and the dreaded headset and yes, hardphone itself. This is where you work, you live, and sometimes, almost feel die for the work, especially if the customers are not good to you. It's a pretty noisy place. 

Pantry - the place you eat, other words, it's like your canteen in school or restaurant in work. They sell food, or other stuff, even prepaid call load. Don't expect the concessionaire has good food to serve because it depends in the concessionaire itself. Number one rule there is CLAYGO. After you eat, especially if you're using the pantry's plates or utensils, bring it to the proper disposal for cleaning or well waste management. It's quite tedious sometimes but well, you don't want to be reprimanded by security for not bringing used plates to the wash area. Geez.. Or how about leftover food or boxes from takeouts/deliveries. Just simply follow the pantry's rules. 

Ops - short term for operations. This is where the org chart works, your OM to TL then you, agent, CSR or drone. 

OM/Senior TL/Higher Boss/SAMO - Operations Manager for short. Higher than your TL, makes the final decisions, makes your life miserable if she/he wants to. Approves decisions beyond your TL's limit or yours, and yes, sets goals for the cluster, ways to decrease the number of agents or keep them. Also, if they are available, conducts final interviews before you leave the company.

TL/Boss/AMO(in one center that's the abbreviation) - Team leader, he/she will be your guide, friend or enemy, tormentor or savior. Sets goals for yourself and the team. Makes initial decisions about your calls, sup calls, credits, adjustments, returns, others,  or for yourself. He/she will make your life easier in the floor or living hell if you can stay put. The one will back you up especially if everything fails after you've done all the solution. The one who might leave you in times if he/she doesn't know what to do. Can be your reliable friend or worst enemy as days goes by. It depends in your working relationship with him or how the whole team works with him. That same goes with other TL's in other teams, some of them you don't want to approach or some you'll approach them first before your own TL. 

Team - a group of people under the same ranking or work, under a team leader. For short, slaves of TL's, OM's or even the company itself. It may composed of same attitudes (which never happens) or different ages, attitudes or preferences (which always happens) that working hard achieving the same goal. Passing the stats or if possible, higher scores over the goals. Don't be surprised at the first day you're quiet with your team. As days goes by, you'll work with them, and there are people that don't care. Some guillible, noisy, fun to be with. Some just don't want to go along or well, doesn't mingle even in team meetings. Some just disappear which is pretty normal in this industry. If the team goes well, all of you should be happy, if the scores are down and did not pass the stats... Hope and pray that you'll be working with the team until next month or say goodbye to them. Yes, at those times, there will be heads rolling and finger pointing which sometimes, demoralize the team. Don't forget the never ending coaching and motivation you'll get at those bad times. In good times team morale is sky's the limit, in bad times, everybody is thinking of getting out. 

stats/metrics - it's a measurement how you or your team performs in a certain time. It ranges from daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly for others and yes for yearly appraisal, yearly stats. These numbers composes in each skill you need to perform which I'll discuss later. You'll see it below. Some stats are not numerical wise but more of descriptive format like other companies do but it gives the same affect to the agent. It's either you pass or fail. Yes, don't explain or reason out when it comes of failing performance, the TL or OM will just tell, the stats shows otherwise. They only use those reasons for coaching and feedback purposes to improve your performance. Numbers does show. Just accept these numbers. 

agent/CSR/rep/colleague/team mate - your job, simply customer service representive, inbound customer service representative or simply you're the representative of the client you are working for. Serving customer's needs or wants. 

inbound - customers calling the company. customers calling in for service request, sales, technical support, disputes, complaints, modifying service, general information. It depends what is the client does. Or your company does. Yes, even customers that are lost in a certain place, they call us. 

outbound - agents or representatives of the company calls the customer about the company's services. Usually it's for sales, selling a client's product or services, like sh*t cleaner or credit cards, mobile phones and even membership cards. Anything that your client is selling.. You call customers to follow up disputes, or returns that requested, credits that are promised or broken promises. You also call customers who doesn't pay bills or deliquent customers that sneek out not paying what they ordered. As long you will call the customer from your hardphone, that's outbound. You even call them to check if they are ok with the services you provided. Damn.

In house company - BPO companies that the owner itself is the main office overseas. It's like they did expand their business here even not really giving the services like those in their main office overseas. Good example, JP Morgan chase, they don't have like a local bank here but they do have an extension office here for their financial services from their US clients only. If you are an employee of these companies, meaning you are indeed an employee not a representative or a contractor. However, other companies does have branches here not only for outsourcing work but also expansion of business here in the country. 

3rd party/outsource/contractor - BPO companies that are servicing companies from overseas. Companies that decided to outsource or branch out, move their other business operations or services without putting up an expansion office in the country. These companies has the biggest share working in the BPO industry because not all in house or big companies want to put up branches here due to well big expenses and hassle. These companies earn through what bulk of work they can handle from their clients. A good example of this, well let's go with the biggest, Convergys. They cater a lot clients and most of their clients came from different big US telco companies. You are working as a customer service representative of a US telco company but you are not with that US telco. You work for Convergys and no one else. 

Outsourcing - type of business strategy that moves a function of business in a company's operations from their homeland or mother country to a different country who is qualified to do the work. Example, an US satellite provider decided to pull out the inbound customer service function from Denver, CO to well, here at Makati City, Philippines. Reason? Instead paying around $8-$10 per hour (not sure the hour pay rate) in Colorado, that can be translated here as a one month salary of an agent who has almost the same skills. Cost cutting and savings plays a role in a company's decision to move business elsewhere. Simply saving money. 


For now, that's it.. More terms at the next one. I decided to cut this one because, you might get information overload. =) It's a lot, I got carried away..  I think this part will have more of this kind.. hehe