Ring! Ring!

Final part

(terms and definitions)


QA - Quality Assurance is the meaning of this two letters. It is defined checking quality of your work or call. Of course, the people behind it are called QA specialist, QA supervisor, QA team member or simply QA. They are not your friends when it comes to work. They will be your gatekeepers, your enemies and yes, they will say it's time to go. Although that's the case before, now their responsibility comes down to simply reminding us to keep up the scores. They also assigned to do calibrations of process and coaching to agents. As one of my previous OM says, it's the most boring job in the company. How can't I agree? All you do is to listen to calls of all the agents you are assigned to and evaluate them. Not only that, you will also do some reports and well, scold some agents for poor work. hehe But I love that role, well but the problem is you will not have that many friends in the production floor especially if you're kinda strict. However, as an agent, you need to check this metric.. Because if you don't or you've been careless about your QA scores (some of the centers have QA and NPS seperately), then be worried about staying in your job. 

NPS - Net promoter score. A new way of checking how the company really connects to customers by having a scoring system involving promoting the company to others because of the outstanding services they got. Or should I say, for better wording, customer experience! hehe Anyway, this new metric that it used now by almost all big companies are sweeping the industry because of its complexity. I mean, why score people who will say I love this company because of great service, I'll promote this to my family and friends which most of the time not true. Definitely, I believe, this metric won't really convert like those companies believe sales or expanding business to new customers but this. With harsh financial times and competitors doing great marketing strategies other than customer service make this metric simply unbelievable. In fact, for call centers, this metric will be a burden in the future. Remember, this metric is right minus wrong. For example, you get a score a positive 100 in one call but you got a total average of -100 for 3 calls, it's negative score in your NPS and you will need a lot calls to catch up and make it positive. Sad to say for those negative calls even it's not your direct fault why the customer felt that way, unlike QA you can dispute it, this one.. No dispute, it's final. =(

alam na - you know what to do. hehe You know what will happen in your call/work. 

Open door/Open book/transparent policy - Meaning, the center has this policy that you can say whatever you want to say directly to the higher ups. Well, it rarely happens something happened from above doing this as a reaction to a certain problem. But well, because of the diversify nature of this industry and the needed efficiency of the business, they have this. 

Higher management - These are the positions that well, manage all down under. Like director, SOM, Call Center manager, Account manager, CEO, CFO, or sounds something executive in the position title, they have authority and they rule. But nice thing about the industry, you can call them just the first name or nickname, or just call them like I do, Boss and then name. hehe 

Workforce management/Resource center team - This is the team who responsible checking the headcount of the center. This where all kind of reports are generated from AHT, absenteeism, tardiness, QA, VL, SL and other stuff that the higher ups wants to see. They are also who reminds that if you're in a long call or if you want to set up auxes or meetings and yes, breaks as well. They give you the schedules for your work and determine what schedule you'll be working with. 

HR/Human Resources/Employee relations - This is one of the integral parts in a center or any business perhaps. HR department. They are the ones who release payroll, disputes in payroll, plotting of VL which now you need a reason to rest!! SL, sanctions, performance appraisal, parties to set up, rewards and recognition and a lot more they do. Geez, ah I remember if a lot of agents visiting HR everyday, meaning the company is not really good. I just realized that. They also execute policies or mostly admin work, especially processing loans from government or private banks. They can be your helper or worse, tormentors especially if they lack of competent people. hehe Ah don't forget, they also the ones who screen the newbies, like hiring/recruitment.

The Account -  Of course, this might be long.hehe But nah I'll give a simple explanation of this. A BPO/call center cannot work without the account. The account meaning it can be a US which is the most stressful kind of customers you'll have.. UK! A great account because of their pleasant accent and intellectual customers. Just be careful how you sound and 2 accents that until now, I can't understand. Scottish and Welsh. Bloody hell. hehe

Australian which for me, the easiest to work with, the understandable accent they have and just as intellectual like the British but can be harsh or if you're lucky, racist. But not all of them of course, around 5%-10% of my calls are quite hard to deal with. But definitely, they're fun to talk with. 

The account can be a telecommunications from mobile, landline, internet or even TV services, financial services like banks, IT services like computer after sales service or troubleshooting help, sales of certain products or services, hotel reservations, online reservations, even online gambling and a lot more I can say that can be outsourced here. For a detail account of it, check the next chapters later. 

One tip for newbies, just grab an opportunity to work in any account to see if you really feel working in this industry or to the said account. Just enjoy working one and if you feel stagnant or stressed, there is a lot outside. hehe

Tip for veterans, just avoid US accounts. Even the pay is really enticing and huge, but now, the stress and health concerns about working into it are not really rewarding. Better find a dayshift or midshift, and yes, avoid telco accounts. That's a truth! hehe


For now, I know I missed a lot terms to write here but at least I covered around 50% of it according to what I've experienced. 

The next ones will show what I've experienced and yes, places/companies that I can recommend  or rant as well or even what I heard about them. Just wait for the next chapters, they are quite revealing. =)