For any of you that have worked in a call centre before - any advice?

[copynpaste]

In or outbound, what advice can you give? Specifically motivation advice. My cousin just got a job at BMO Mortgage claims dept - he handles incoming calls from people claiming insurance on their homes and does outbound to call customers who have filed online for a claim and schedule appts for them.

Hes only been at it for a week now but he told me hes had enough and doesnt know if he could do this 5x a week Mon-Fri for 9.0hrs a day (only half hour lunch).

He just said its incredibly repetitive and monotonous. And the 9hrs plus only half hour lunch makes the day drag on unbearably.

I told him he needs to stop clock watching but i know thats not easy when youre doing something not that fun.

So hes just looking for any motivation advice, so he doesnt lose his mind. He said hes just looking to do this job for maybe a few months but after one week doesnt even know if he can go past 2 weeks haha.

[Euro838]

Quit?

[BigMass]

he sounds like a normal human. Too bad the world we live in is fucked. He can cover over to my place and we'll jump off the 25th floor together.

[space_eyes]

tenure = better hours?

[dandia89]

if he's desperate for money, thats motivation. you can't make yourself work at a shitty job unless you have something better to look forward to.

[Speed_69]

If he doesn't like the amount of hours he needs to put in, he needs to start looking for a new job or company to work for.

For me personally, I'd be happy to get to work 4 to 5 hrs OT because I would love the extra money.

[thrasher22]

Tell him to start looking for a new job? That'll take his mind off things when he's there

I used to work in a call center and it was the worst job I have ever worked. You spend all day getting shit from people who don't respect you or are already pissed off. Why convince him to stay at a job he hates when there is probably something better out there.

[broken_legs]

I was introduced to beyond.ca whilst working in a call center.

It changed my life.

I recommend that your friend finds a seat in the corner and surfs ebay for car parts while reading ask leo. People only know that you aren't paying attention to them on the phone if you get quiet for a really long time.

[masoncgy]

Yeah, call centre work is pretty weak. I worked in one in all of it's capacities (front line to sr management) for about 5 years and while it was fun when the company was small, once it evolved into another corporate entity, it was awful.

Customers will rag on someone on the phone for almost no reason... and most of the time, people are phoning in because they themselves are incompetent idiots and can't figure out the most basic thing on their own, or they are calling to complain. It's one or the other...

You will tire of it after awhile... then never want to talk to anyone on the phone ever again. I watched amazing agents go from being happy & top of the class performance-wise to absolutely miserable in a few short months.

I still hate talking on the phone and I have been away from that environment for over 3 years.