chronicle of a call center agent

I was checking my blog posts earlier when i strangely noticed that i have not shared anything about my work. I may have shared some rants about my frustrations on some issues but i never had a chance to invite every reader of this blog how it feels to be like a call center agent.

Thus, this post is conceived to answer the question " What does an agent do?"

Here are the chronology of events.

My shift starts at 10 PM and i have been awake since 2 in the afternoon today. I knew i never had a good sleep but i was hoping that there will be no bulk of calls at work.
A typical call center agent goes to work an hour before shift depending on the distance of workplace from home. As for me, i am so lucky for having a fifteen minutes (or less) ride from home to Ayala where i work.

9:45 pm
i was at the office.
checking my company email for updates, reports, announcements, private message and spams to delete!
set up my tools & took my headset and jacket from the locker.

10:00 pm
i go on avail. (avail means available. in call center jargon, that means that you are now ready to receive calls)
i was reading some emails.
check friendster, blog, g4m, myspace and other cyberspaces.
i also replied comments and check some blogs that have viewed mine.

10:45 pm
i had my first call from Lakewood, Ohio.
customer was checking on the status of her returned merchandise. I informed the customer about the items that were received and the refund issued. customer insists that she was not credited for an item. i double check the refund status and found out that she was already credited for all items including the one that she claimed for $ 88.00. as usual, i aplogized to the customer for not sending her an email.

after the call, i checked some friendster message. i was glad i had one from joe! a man of letters i met from yehey trivia chat. i replied to his message and checked my blog once more. i saw some message on my shoutbox. it was a message from rey and zhang my fella blogger. i managed to reply of course.

11:13 pm
i received my second call from Blytheville, Arkansas. the customer had a weird name. after asking her name and verifying her billing address, i asked the customer how to pronounce her name and she was kinda pissed off! in this industry, to establish rapport with your customer, you have to address them on a first name basis. customer was asking for a manager at the onset of the call and i could not transfer her immediately. our managers were in New York and it would be very embarrassing if a call like this will be transferred to them. customer was asking for return sticker (the sticker will waive the shipping cost). she will be returning a tuxedo she ordered for her son for refund. she said it was totally different from what has been posted in the website thus she will send the item back. advised customer to wait for the return materials so she can return the item to us without shipping cost!

i checked my phone for some message. i saw nothing! hide it below my desk and double checked the tone settings making sure it is in silent mode!

11:30 pm
i pressed break on my avaya phone and took my first break. it was a 15 minutes break. i went downstairs from seventh floor and lighted a cigarette. i was busy scanning my cellphone hidden under my jacket. i'm glad the guards didn't notice it!

11: 45 pm
i pressed avail and worn my headset.
i immediately got a call! i checked the incoming calls update and there were 3 waiting!
customer was calling from Budapest, Hungary. he was cheking about the underwear model contest and check if he has been choosen as finalist. i advised customer that we will be notifying him through email should he qualified for the contest and passed the screening.

since i was curious, i tried a profile search at friendster using his email address and bingo! i got his profile! a good looking fella and gifted with his personal assets! if i were a judge for the contest i will surely include him in the finalist.

12:00 am
another call came!
customer called from Cape Coral, Florida to place an order. since she was a first time customer i created an account first before placing her order. i lose my temper for this granny. she could hardly speak english and speaks like being chased! i tried asking her how to spell her name but she can't do it. eventually, the order was succesfully placed and i gave her the order number.

and another.
customer called to check on her order status. he called from Secaucus, New Jersey. advised the customer that the item is in transit. also inform customer that the shipping method is 5-7 days under USPS.

another one.
Phillip called to check for store location. he wanted to order an item online but the item was no longer available. i tried location the item in our outlet store and found the item in Soho, New York. gave out store phone number to the customer and advised him to arrange shipping!

12:45 am
i have not finished documenting my three consecutive calls when another came. she called from Romania and wanted to franchise our merchandise for retail. i advised customer that we do not allow franchising oppurtunity. also gave the corporate email address so she can forward her business proposals to the marketing director in NEw York.

12:53 am
a vietnamese customer called to check order status. advised customer that the order was not captured by the system. also advised about held amounts. as an online store, everytime you clicked on submit button held funds are automatically incurred. the amount of the order will be put on hold for processing. since our store only charges the credit card upon shipment, the held amounts will be released after 2-3 days.

i checked my blog again. my cellphone vibrates. it was my cousin forwarding a message. i felt sleepy now. the aftermath of me being awake since 2 pm. the room aircon sucks! i already have a jacket and a blanket.

1:17 am
i can't stand it anymore!
my eyes are starting to close by itself. i can't even bow my head on the desk cause my supervisor is next to me.

1:22 am
i got a call from Federal Way, Washington. customer called to cancel his order. i tried to pull up the customer's order but he don't have any record. i asked for the customer's last four digit of the card he used and i notice that the order did not go through due to invalid billing information. advised customer to call his bank but he said his bank informed him that he had been charged for $600. i advised customer that the charges he saw are only funds on hold since everytime he submit the order, funds are being put on hold by his bank but he don't have to worry since as an online store, we only charges the credit card upon shipment of a confirmed order. depending on his bank's discretion, held funds are released within 2-3 banking days.the customer was so rude! he's not understanding me! he could hardly understand my explanation. i asked customer about his bank's phone number for the immediate release of his held funds and the customer hang up.

it was my wake up call! i awoke literally on my nap. some men are just born stupid and we were arguing for almost 20 minutes. i started becoming haggard!

1:48 am
i got another call from Connecticut. customer wants to reinstate an order and changed shipping info. order failed due to invalid billing information. advised customer to call his bank. also advised customer about held funds.


2:00 am
i pressed lunch and took my one hour break. i set my alarm clock and headed to the sleep room! i need to sleep!


3:05 am
i go on avail. i was over lunch for 5 minutes. i didn't hear my alarm clock. i was so asleep that i wasn't able to hear it.

3:32 am
i had another call and he's an indian. he called to request for return materials.

4:13 am
customer called to ask for a promo code. promo code usually entitles them for a free shipping discount or a 20 % off on their orders. but we are not allowed to disclosed or give promotion codes to customers. i advised him to look for codes placed randomly on the websites.

4:45
customer from chicago, illinois called to place order. order was declined due to billing issues. she don't have enough balance on her card and insists to have 2 thousand dollars on her account. customer was shouting and cursing! she had been using profanity. i was so relaxed. i did not stoop on her! i advised her to call her bank so that her thousand dollars will be released and for the order to go through.

5:05 am
customer called from las vegas to request for price adjustment. advised customer to wait for an meail response from our e-commerce department for the refund.

i went to the pantry real quick and grab a coffee. i felt so cold and a hard coffee is just the solution!

5:25 am
a rude man called from West Lafayette, Idiana to check order status. order was already delivered. advised customer to check the local post office and call USPS to verify where the package was delivered.

5:31 am
a man called and it got disconnected.
i am so glad to have calls like this! i would even be very glad if their are prank calls and ghost calls to lower my AHT (average handling time)!
in my account, we are only allowed 6 minutes per call!

5:41 am
a customer from Gainesville, Georgia called to check order status. order was shipped yesterday and advised customer that order is in transit.

5:48 am
a canadian customer called to place an order on the US website. advised customer to visit the canadian website. also inform customer that she must have a billing and shipping address in the country where she belongs!

i was so pissed off by my officemate. he is so noisy! he was given a new schedule yet he still can't understand his shift! and they are mumbling at the my back!
my workmates were discussing about the christmas party. they are filing for leave during the party. it will be friday and i have my shift. it will be the second christmas party that i will be celebrating it at my desk!

6:35
there was a very long downtime! i had a power nap and t'was very effective.

6:45
i took my last break. it shouldve been 5:15 but i forgot to take it. my supervisor allowed me to do so before i logged out.
time to smoke, again!

7:01
end shift!
i cleaned my desk, washed my spill proof mug and shut down my pc.
its time to go home and rest!


my day is not so stressfull. i am looking forward to have more production the next day.
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.”