Experiences of a call centre?

[Bimgy85]

Have you ever worked in a call centre?

I wouldn't like it as a career but perfect for a bit of money short term. However I can't understand people there years who see it as their career.

What's your good/bad experiences of call centers?

Mine: the variety of people, hundreds of people from all different walks of life , regular breaks and good structure, lots of friends of the same age and older/younger

Bad: so so so so repetitive, you're a number on a conveyor belt,doesn't matter if you do a good or bad job tbh as you're very replaceable.

I absolutely loved my job in a call centre. I did a big supermarket customer services for about a year after coming home from travelling. It taught me so much about communication, listening, de-escalating aggressive customers, problem solving I could go on and on. I had so much fun in my team as well. I was shocking t hitting my targets but you'd struggle to find a customer who was not satisfied after being on a call to me, my booth was covered in thank you cards. No I didn't see it as a career long term but its not the worst jobs and there are opportunities. I'm now a nurse and I definitely still draw on the skills I'm built in the call centre.

15 years. Pleb job. £26k for 21 hrs a week

I started working in a call centre to earn money while at uni.

18 yrs later, I've moved to different locations through promotion and different t companies for development. Up until last year I ran call centres across multi sites, managing 2000+ people. Great salary (higher tax band) and feel it's a worthwhile career.

For those that treat it as a career, there's nothing wrong with that. You make your own opportunities in life, and in work.

Yes I agree it has taught me listening skills and that everyone's life is so so different. That I got to see for the first time.

And also I agree yes a pleb job and I remember when I started I didn't see it as a 'job' just something absolutely everyone could apply for and get. No criteria needed, just apply.

£26k for 21hrs per week is a pretty good salary. Pretty sure you'd be earning more than the nurse above your post.

I'm not really sure what your aibu is.

But when I worked in a call centre for a large financial organisation I had full access to online training programs to specialise in different areas, was seconded to a more complex team as they were impressed with my work and could have progressed to more senior/interesting roles if I'd stayed. - I left to retrain at uni.
I started as one of a team who replaced an automated system btw so it was mind numbingly repetitive at first.

I started at a call centre 9 years ago as a temporary 6 month job. I have worked my way around a variety of roles in the company and am currently a workforce manager in charge of scheduling for over 900 staff.

Not all call centre jobs are on the phone. Of my 9 years, 3 were spent on the phone in various roles. The rest have been back office, management or support roles.

I worked in one for a year.

Some nice people, some absolute dickheads. I still have 2 close friends from when i worked there (1997 ish).

Some lovely customers (huge bouquet arrived one day from a Porche club ) some absolute twat customers. Some good perks.

I'd do it again. I'd be happy for DS to do it, builds stamina!

DH worked in one and hated it, but it was due to the micromanaging culture in his particular centre. I think it would also depend on the type of call centre eg helping people to book appointments to donate blood may be easier than dealing with irate Tesco customers who received squashed fruit/wrong goods in their home deliveries.

I did for a few years. I worked for a fab multi national company who treated their staff well and where the salary and targets were competitive. The people in the main were lovely and it was a good experience

I then moved and worked for a bank. They took bonuses off you for being ill, even with a gp note, they timed toilet breaks and I worked for THE most bitchy team I have had the misfortune to work in. It was so awful I went off with stress for a bit as I was crying all the time and dreaded going in.

I think it all depends on the company and your colleagues. It can be great or absolute hell

I worked at one for about three months when I was 20. Was for a gas/ electric company in the middle of winter - can imagine the calls we got.

Supposed to be providing customer service but ALL the focus was on sales. People would ring up desperate, down to their last pound on the meter and we would be encouraged to sell them products like insurance or boiler cover.

For people who work hard and enjoy a team environment, there are some prospects - becoming a 'team leader' is really the ultimate power.

Money was terrible, hours were terrible, intelligent conversation didn't exist and the only thing I took from it was to get a proper career.

I work in a call centre for one of the big six energy firms .... been there 17 years this year. Mostly do off the phone work now. It's the people I stay for - it most definitely isn't for the job but it's a good wage for part time hours so I can't grumble too much

I don't have the temperament for it, well certainly didn't in my younger years when it would've been useful, , I went to a few interviews and of course always flunked the group argument/test.

Ten years or so on, I'd fucking hate it.

It depends what the role is. Cold calling people trying to sell broadband is different to customer service. I work in a call centre and I love it, the hours are massively flexible, the money is good as it’s a huge company and there is career progression if you want it.

40+k for a call centre job.. really?!

Not really a call centre as such, but I worked for a insurer in a role that involved taking 10-15 customer calls a day and I loved it.

This was my first proper job and I learned so much about how to be comfortable talking on the phone, how to handle difficult people etc

My DH worked at a certain tv media provider. Sounded like absolute torture

Yeah some really really nice people and some really really horrible ones.

I work in a call centre for the NHS Dealing with daily queries about entitlements etc but what really shocked me was that most of the letters I ever received were from a bloody call centre and that department was just made up of people answering phones paid at minimum wages not an actual government department.

Worst job I’ve ever done but I met some nice people and it made me get my arse in gear and start my career.

I started in one 16 years ago as a part time job whilst at uni. 2 kids and a lot of role moves later I'm now a team manager on £35k+ depending on bonuses. However I worked part time/flexi when the kids were younger so not really bothered about career progression until a couple of years ago. The opportunities are there if you want them, or you can come in, do your job and go home if you're happy with that. I'm grateful for secure employment, great benefits (obviously dependant on the company) and I have made some bloody amazing friends for life

I did. It was a sales based role. A lot of people do make it their careers and there was one guy I was working with who was making £2k a week on commission.

It wasn't for me though and I wasn't sad to leave.

I think a lot of it depends on the call centre - whether it’s inbound or outbound, dealing with customer service or sales, the nature of the business etc - can all hugely influence how the job is l

Worked for a bank call centre for 5 years after I finished uni, got promoted up to management before leaving to get into HR.

It had a fantastic social side- every Friday night there was a night out to the pub or nightclub, most people were in their early to mid twenties and single so there was a lot of camaraderie.

It was very unionised so staff felt very secure, and it felt more like an office where we took calls rather than a typical call centre.

Ive worked in a call centre for nearly 20 years. I’ve worked my up and around a little but now I work 3 days a week with hours around school and the money is fair.

I have a perfect work life balance, and work for a fantastic company who really treat their staff well. The job can get a little monotonous but is only 3 days a week. Very few companies would offer the hours I work with massive flexibility. Can’t put a price on that!

It is such a marmite job! Ive worked in the same call centre 10 years, on mat leave now but looking forward to going back. It's 100% one of those jobs you can either do it or you can't, it is stressful! I love it because I'm paid well, work school hours and I feel like I can help my customers. I can see why customers hate call centres I get annoyed with other departments as well!
It's obviously not a career as such but it's good for people that need jobs with funny hours like students or mums, we have lots of older people working part time too. Anyone that works in a call centre have a look at call centre probs page on Facebook its so funny and accurate