You’ve probably heard a dozen stories about the call center life. Some are overly exaggerated, while others are surprisingly true. Here are some of the myths that they say about working for a call center

Myth 1: You have to master an American accent

False. It’s not actually required to have any sort of accent while working for a call center. This is perhaps one of the most common myths there is. What actually is important is to have a neutral accent so that you can be understood by your customers. Customers don’t actually mind it as long as you clear and understandable. It’s more about getting the message across rather than sounding fancy.

Almost a hundred people call in per day and have varying accents themselves. There is no true “American” accent. And quite honestly, if English is not your first language do not attempt an accent unless you are absolutely sure that it is good.

Myth 2: You don’t have a career in the BPO industry

False. In the BPO industry there is definite growth, career-wise. There are a lot of managerial

positions available. It is not only limited to a desk job anymore. In fact, it’s not only limited to office work, either. There are millions of IT jobs available. There is also advertising, marketing and health care. There are a lot of healthcare professionals who prefer to work in a call center since they get to practice their field and earn quite well.

The BPO industry is perhaps one of the fastest growing industries in the world. In 2015, the Philippines earned a staggering $22 billion in revenue and has employed millions in their country. Other countries are also looking in to join the BPO game. Bangladesh, Japan and South Africa are making their moves in creating new call centers.

Myth 3: It’s an easy job to do; Anyone can work in a Call Center

False. Not everyone is suited to work in a call center. It takes a certain skill and a lot of patience to work for one. It’s also quite demanding. It’s not just talking. It’s mainly about multi-tasking; juggling several programs while listening to a person talk is no easy task. It also takes a lot of stamina to endure the long hours. 

The main problem call centers have is not about the quality of their customer service but rather the attrition rate agents have. There is a great tendency that those who cannot take it anymore, drop out of the call center entirely. This is a fairly common issue in contact centers. A lot of people quit because of the pressure and the stress of the work. So if you know a call center agent who’s lasted more than a year, pat them on the back. They’re probably really good with their jobs.

Myth 4: Agents don’t care about customer service

False. Among the most common myths, agents not caring is among the top most. This is not

always exactly true. Companies invest big amount of money to enhance customer service. Extra training, quality equipment, extensive screening process are among the things companies do to ensure that they can provide the best customer service. Agents actually care a lot about the customers. Sometimes they tend to extend a couple of extra services to those who ask politely. If you ask any agent, the main reason why they tend to get a bad call is because the customer is already angry to begin with. Although not all customers are like this.

Perhaps customers tend to forget that call center agents cannot give everything they want as they have to abide by the company’s rules. People also tend to talk about their negative experiences more than their positive ones. In a regular shift, an agent tends to get only one or two bad calls out of twenty. People don’t talk about good agents enough.

Myth 5: People who work in Call Centers are uneducated

False. Although it is true that there are agents who did not finish college who work in a call center but most agents actually have a degree. It is not that easy getting in to a call center these days. The screening process is quite rigorous and there are some companies who do not accept undergraduates. 

There are also certain technical requirements such as computer literacy, a basic understanding of marketing and basic writing skills that companies use to screen their agents.

Working for a call center is a real job perhaps even more difficult than some. If you know any call center agent, you can be quite sure that they are talented, skilled and hard-working people.

Sources:

http://blog.playvox.com/infographic-10-call-center-myths-debunked

http://careers.domesticandgeneral.com/busting-the-top-5-myths-about-working-in-a-contact-centre/