To hate call centre work?anyone worked in one?

[redbedled]

A month ago I started work in a call centre and I hate it.
My last job was in a department store for 8 years which I loved but it closed down and this feels like torture.
Yes the money is better but it's giving me anxiety (already had it but it's getting worse)
It's a sales role,8am till 6.30pm
I have to get up at half 5 to catch the 6.15 bus then I'm not getting home till 8.15 pm.
It's mom -fri
The people I work with are really loud and cocky and a lot younger than me.
I'm late 30s and shy and just want to take calls and go home but it's not like that.
Are they all like this ?
Everyone slags everyone off.
I feel like a fish out of water.
They record your screens so watch every move you make,you have to sell on every call (even if you miss sell ) they take advantage of elderly customers or lonely customers who think you want to chat to them (I do ) but then you have the team leader in front
Sell
Sell
I'm feeling sick every day.
I can't sleep
I'm getting 3 hours a night
I don't want to let people down by quitting but I can't stand it.

I worked in one 25 years ago it was inbound and very soft sell but completely soul destroying with a high turnover of staff. Very large organisation and I got a role in another part of the organisation which was completely different. Call centres have been described as modern day sweat shops. I’d hold out until things to start opening up if you can then move into something you feel happier doing. It honestly isn’t you I understand exactly how you feel.

That's another thing
You aren't allowed to work from home.
You don't wear a mask in the building.
There's zero social distancing.

I used to work on an insurance claims line - possibly the most toxic place l have ever worked and l have never ever had mental health issues before or since but cried most days working there.
Just keep in your mind it's not forever and get that CV out there OP.

I worked in one for a utility company. I HATED it. I'd get lonely elderly people calling and desperately wanting to chat a bit but I had to hurry them off the call as I had to keep all calls to within a time target. My boss would listen in to calls secretly all the time which was very stressful. I had to account for any time away from the phone eg toilet breaks etc. And got loads of anise from customers.

I have quit a job before because it was affecting my mental health. There's no shame in it. If you've only been there a short time, you needn't even put it on your CV. Just say you were busy homeschooling or something.

NC as this is outing. I work in a call center for a Housing Association, taking repairs calls. It is the worst job I have ever had. I am so sick of being screamed at, spoken to like I'm dirt and threatened. The few nice people I talk to are massively outnumbered by the nasty, aggressive ones.

Today has been miserable.
I've had to order McDonalds 20 chicken nuggets to try and save the day.
Honestly ..if I didn't try and make light of the situation I would go crazy .

Just a update -I walked out today

That sounds absolutely horrific. I'd be applying for everything and anything to get out.

Ah, should have read the update!
Well done, good for you.

Good luck OP l hope you find a better job soon!

So glad you've walked. I work in telecommunications, I've done sales in the past, nothing as bad as you describe but it wasn't for me but the hours suited me. It sounds like a horrid environment.

I worked in quite a benign sales job in my youth and I still used to get the fear. It was awful.

Well done for putting yourself first and walking out. There's something better waiting for you for sure.

Sorry wrong link.
If you can drive;
amazon.co.uk/]]

It’s the job not you. Don’t get stuck there op. Your hours/commute sound awful for a start. Good luck with job hunt.

There's no such thing as a 'typical' call centre job ime.

You'll get shitty, pop up call centres flogging PPI and mobile contracts that are soul destroying and unlikely to be good for you or any of their customers.

But there are plenty of excellent jobs that are call centre based for larger companies. Due to the backing of a large company and the number of people they employ, career progression opportinities are often plentiful, as is the ability to complete professional, recognised qualifications ime.

Not specific to the op btw - but I know plenty of people that sneer at 'call centre jobs' and workers and consider it the lowest you can sink -(as clearly shown by some posts on this thread too).

I also know a number of people that work in call centres with no more than GCSE's to start with and now comfortably earning £30/£40 or £50k salaries with excellent pensions and benefits.

I had a job in a call centre years ago selling car insurance. It was scripted and at the end of the call we had to say "would you like to go ahead with this" even if the quote was £2000 more than the customer had already been quoted elsewhere. The customer used to laugh you. It was soul crushing

It was scripted and at the end of the call we had to say "would you like to go ahead with this"

They were missing a trick. The first rule of direct sales (as drummed into my in my first shitty call centre experience) is you never ask a closed question.

'How do you feel about that?'. 'So what are your thoughts?' make it harder for the person (victim?) to say no!

Oh I'm so glad you got out, i ended up in centres for 3 years, it was awful. And the bulk of it was for a very big, well-known "good" company. They were fair with staff, mostly, but the targets and volume of calls, never mind the nasty customers, was unbearable.
I hit rock bottom mentally just before I left, had no option as couldn't get a job related to my degree, and it was all I could get. Thankfully I was able to do some further qualifications which got me into the sector I wanted.
I have a friend who is currently stuck in call centre work and is feeling quite low, it is soul-destroying.

Yes me for many years.
The good thing is when your shift finishes you don't have a mental list of tasks to complete tomorrow like other administrative work.
Different places, sales is particularly awkward as is customer betting worse job ever, the abuse was awful especially if they'd a big loss.
Now although furloughed my job is a nicer customer service role the majority of clients are lovely.

was scripted and at the end of the call we had to say "would you like to go ahead with this"
That was a must in the betting company on all calls, then pause and add "have a lovely day" I got an error once as my pause wasn't long enough.

@FredaFlintstone

There's no such thing as a 'typical' call centre job ime.

You'll get shitty, pop up call centres flogging PPI and mobile contracts that are soul destroying and unlikely to be good for you or any of their customers.

But there are plenty of excellent jobs that are call centre based for larger companies. Due to the backing of a large company and the number of people they employ, career progression opportinities are often plentiful, as is the ability to complete professional, recognised qualifications ime.

Not specific to the op btw - but I know plenty of people that sneer at 'call centre jobs' and workers and consider it the lowest you can sink -(as clearly shown by some posts on this thread too).

I also know a number of people that work in call centres with no more than GCSE's to start with and now comfortably earning £30/£40 or £50k salaries with excellent pensions and benefits.

Having worked in a few this was my experience. Some were utterly shit - a sales one in particular was very grim and I quit quickly - but some are ok. So much depends on the company.

Last one I worked in was a large bank/insurance company and quite a few people I worked with are still with the company, having moved up or sideways in to other roles.

Fucking hated them. Got fired from one for refusing to sign someone up to a financial product that was so unsuitable it would have ruined them. Then walked out after 3 days, went to lunch and couldn't make myself go back.

In fact I hated it so much I went back to college and retrained so I could get a proper job!

I worked in a call centre for 3 years. It was soul destroying . I left to do a Nursing degree and became a registered nurse . I then spent some time on the wards and now work in a call centre again! As a nurse advisor. It's still scripts and still just as dire. I am returning to clinic face to face . Wouldn't wish call centres on anyone so bad for your mental health.

Well done for leaving. That sounds horrendous and it was clearly going to damage you to stay there