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Could You Handle Being a Call Center Agent?
If you are currently looking for a job, then you may find that there are quite a lot of opportunities available if you would be happy to work in a call center. Many companies have call centers and contact centers in house, and there are also some big outsource call centers who hire agents to represent all the different companies who are their clients.
With generally comfortable working conditions, plenty of coworkers to bond with, and often the possibility of working part time, call center work can be appealing to a lot of people, especially moms returning back to work. However, dealing with (sometimes angry) customers on the phone for hours at a time can be quite stressful and demanding, and requires some specific personal qualities. Some of these are described below.
Can You Stay Calm Under Pressure?
One of the key skills you will need if you want to work in customer service as a call center agent is the ability to remain calm, even if someone is venting at you angrily. Remember that people often call contact centers because a company has done something wrong, like made a mistake on their bill. It may not be your fault as an individual, but it can often be human nature to rant at the first human representative of that company that you get to speak to. A good call center agent will be able to remain calm and help the person, and hopefully turn their attitude toward the company around. Some people, however, cannot deal with these kinds of customers without getting upset or angry, which can cause them to behave in an unprofessional way.
Are You a People Person?
It seems obvious, but you really do need to be someone who loves to talk and help people to handle working as a contact center agent. If you find dealing with people all the time and keeping up conversations in social situations mentally exhausting, you may not enjoy this type of work at all. You also need to be very confident in taking control of a situation and working towards a resolution with your customer – remember, sometimes you may also have to say no to people, for example if they are asking for unreasonable refunds.
Are You a Fast Learner?
A call center agent does have systems in place to help them, but will have to be very knowledgeable about the products and processes of the company or companies they represent. This means you may often have to learn about new products or promotions very quickly. You will of course be given training, but you need to be able to recall what you have learned instantly when it becomes relevant during a conversation with a customer.
Call center work is not easy, but for the right type of person it can be enjoyable and rewarding. If you think you would be well suited to this kind of work, why not start applying for call center jobs and see where it takes you?
