Dreams: Fundamentals!

picture source: http://thompaul3.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/live-your-dreams-my-dream-is-23986887-1600-1200.jpg

Dreams? What was mine? When I was child I remember that there was a time that i told my mother that I wanted to be a janitor. I saw them one night in our house and she mentioned it. Everyone laughed and one of them told me that it would not be hard to achieve it. Their laugh indicated that it was not a good dream to chase after. 

A couple of years later. I changed it to become a soldier. But when I was about to enter high school, mother told me that she would not accept less than the Philippine Military Academy. Then, I entered the high school seminary. I swear I made a lot of dreams there. In contrary though becoming a priest was never entertained for a long time. It was a fleeting thought. That would have depend as to where I am. In front of my religious relative, I wanted to be a priest.

When i entered college it was a different story. I dreamed of changing society and the form of government. I was the idealistic ass who thought that what I did was somewhat honorable. I joined in groups after groups participated in activities that added white hairs to my mother's hair. I was convinced that it was the right thing to do. But after I saw the real deal I had to quit.

I went to Manila to take my chances. My family accepted me back. I was on a roll again. I had different plans though. I wanted to be alone. I did not want to be under the wings of my father. I left them to live in a 5x6 apartment. A small one but the sense of freedom gave me solitude. There I dreamed of success again. I had to do stuff that sometimes unethical but was practiced by the people around me. I learned from them. Money was just a phone call away. Life was a happy one. It was a short lived moment though. My girlfriend got pregnant. She was getting sick of the city. So I had to let her go home. Man, the sufferings that I had that time was enormous. I bore it all because that time it was my dream to be a good father to the kid that we had. She gave birth and I have to move to Cebu.

Life was never better. I had to transfer from one job to another. From one call center to the next. One gave me a chance and saw the potential in me. I became a trainer. It was short lived though and I was given a team in operations. Short lived again and I moved out. 

I became a teacher. Convinced that perhaps it was my calling since a lot of my relatives were teachers. I was teaching Koreans to speak English. I was a good one! I was booked from morning till the night. Then, I got tired and a student offered me to help him in making a business in Cebu. Guess what happened? Short lived! It never materialized. I had to go back to the call center world. 

I can proudly say that not a lot of people can do what I have done. Perhaps, none of them are stupid like me or just not talented enough. Sad to admit that until now I have never reached my dream. It started to change as I aged. As I reach other priorities in life my dreams become better or harder. That's the lesson that I learned. Honestly, I can settle for a life of a janitor with a happy family. To be able to say good night to your kids and kiss them. To hear them call you father. I can live with that. But my life now is complicated. I got kids with two different mothers. And I'm neither married to anyone. Got a job that offers me the excitement that I long for. So it's more than the complication itself. 

So what is my dream? I think I would settle for the the most fundamental one. A family!

PNoy's 4th SONA: Ruled by INSENSITIVITY

 by: Silver Cepeda

 

 https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/998525_521423154578169_142664815_n.jpg

FACTS:


"MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippine business process outsourcing (BPO) will continue its upward momentum, with annual revenues seen hitting $16 billion this year as the country remains one of the world's top BPO destinations.
source:" (www.philstar.com)

"The BPO sector has been able to exploit the high-skilled segment of the Philippine population, with its strong English-language capability, and service-friendly personality. It accounts for 15% of the country's exports of goods and services, and the Philippines is now the third largest BPO destination after India and Canada."
source: www.asiancenturyinstitute.com

"Though BPO and IT-related activities accounted for a growing slice of GDP last year and provided employment for 525,000 people in the Philippines, the UNCTAD report noted that more needed to be done to maximise developmental benefits from NEMs so as to protect against what it called their 'footloose' nature."
source: www.bpap.org

 SAD FACTS:

Philippine politics was my game in College. How I wish I still have the flare of that 18 year old youth. Honestly, I know it was the 4th State of the Nation Address of the President today July 22, 2013. Perhaps I got tired of hoping. For the heck of it I turned on the Television. I was waiting for the words "Call Center". Before I cared so much about the country with the feeling that I can save it. However these days, I am satisfied to care about the sector that I work. I wanted to know if there will be changes or at least additional benefits for us. Thus, I waited!

With the facts mentioned above I could not help but wonder if the President knew about it. I mean, he has been thanking people for their achievements. He has been mentioning people from his cabinet. He forgot to express his thanks to the 525,000 people working in the BPO industry. How can he miss that? You might ask, "what does he want? why is it a  big deal?"  $16 billion dollars that's a big deal. That's an amount that cannot be brushed off. Yes, it's not that big compared to the revenue generated by the OFW sector. Don't get me wrong, my father is an OFW. I just felt that the efforts of all my colleagues in the industry is nothing when he said nothing. Well, I guess being in the second spot means you'll be ignored.

Working in a BPO is not easy. It's not something that you want and can just jump in. No! To be part of this industry takes skills. I work in a call center and I know how well we pick our agents. Once you are accepted and would come to work your problem does not end there. Each center has it's own metrics, hit or get fired! In  addition, you normally come at night. Since the call center boom in Philippines the transportation industry adjusted well. So we have 24hr jeepney routes in major cities. But with it comes the 24hr risk of being robbed. Criminals became flexible and would normally target us because they know about our high end phones, gadgets and thick pockets. Now if you manage to avoid this, it's not yet over. The rise of the industry gave way to fly by night centers. These are the worst. They have agents who work and then the next day they shut down or would change name. Overnight their agents are unemployed. We are also not exempted to the fact that some companies would not even remit our mandated government contributions like Phil health, Pagibig and SSS. It's a painful discovery because when you need it and it's there that you can't use it because the company that you worked for is has been deducting you but not remitting. That's not all... There is that health hazard that makes the job harder.

I hope I was able to establish the fact that this is not an easy fix to be here. We push hard so that our families would have that "above poverty"  kind of meals per day. In doing so, we help the economy. In doing so, we help the retail, taxi, house/boarding house industry. Don't you think we deserve the President's thanks? Not mentioning us seemed that he forgot us. It's not just the thanking that I'm disappointed. PNoy mentioned priority bills that would help the army and the rest of the populace. But he forgot to mention the "Magna Carta for Call Center Worker Bill". So I don't know what more to think.

sources:

http://www.bpap.org/media-room/214-the-phil-better-business-process-outsourcing

http://www.asiancenturyinstitute.com/development/203-philippines-opportunity-point

http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/04/02/926266/phl-bpo-industry-revenues-hit-16-b-2013

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/439769/santiago-refiles-magna-carta-for-call-center-workers-bill

EARTHQUAKES in Philippines: A test of Call Centers’ DEDICATION

Feb 06, 2012 – the central part of Philippines (Visayas) was hit by a 6.8 magnitude (US National Geological Services) earthquake. People were in great panic. Based on my own observation, the whole fiasco started at about 11am in the morning. I was watching the news when suddenly I felt that the whole house was shaking. At the 30^th second of the event I felt the urge or the necessity of going out for safety. When everything settled down, GMA News TV announced the earthquake for national consumption. Highly notable was the tsunami alert raised by PHIVOLCS (the geo department of Philippines). It was an alert level 2 – a low one. A couple of minutes after, I heard screams of people announcing that the water was at E-MALL. The said mall was like a kilometer away from where I live. I got out again and noticed the crowd in a frantic mode. It was panic time. Children were being dragged or carried by their parents and at the same time some are crying. Some people were staring at the sky as though they are waiting for something to appear. Hours after this, the whole area calmed down for a reason that I can’t still figure out. Nevertheless, the ground felt like an expectant father – shaking from time to time. People were still vigilant and nervous even up until now.

Feb 06, was a day that consumed many lives. The populace that lived near the epicenter of the earthquake was badly hurt. It was life costly and traumatic for everyone. Though we are far life as we all know it here in Cebu did not function as normally as it should be.

During hiring orientation in the call centers that I worked with, absence in whatever form or reason is highly discouraged. Actually, it is an action met with hostility. Any center supporting all kinds of L.O.B. knows that absence is indeed something that hurts revenue. Less of this would mean more income for the center. Hence, such action is not tolerated or dealt with aggressively. February 06 was the day when this concept was put to a test.

The dilemma. Classes were suspended during the morning. A lot of people were still on a state of shock. Some brought their families on top of mountains to make sure that they are safe if indeed the feared tsunami comes. In spite of its lifting after two hours since it came to existence, the said alert remained to linger on. This was the situation. For an industry like the BPO or the Call Center such event should not cause any absences – theoretically. Nevertheless, as an industry played and controlled by human factor the theory (even how noble it is) cannot stand when agents themselves don’t show up out of fear – the center shuts down. I mean any boss would not be able to balance revenue versus the human concept of fear. Talking to an employee who did not report to work on the said day she answered the million dollar question as to why she did not report to work. She said, “my daily wage of six hundred pesos would not be able to compensate if something happens to my family”. This is indeed a position worth talking about but one that was answered by some centers.

We know by now that the earthquakes (plural) that happened on the 6^th of February caused some centers to have a high absence rate on that day, some on a skeletal form and yet some shut down. In Ayala for example a big call center housed in Cebu IT tower, employees were asked or did not go to the office. The center shut down. On the same building another center suffered the same situation or was forced to shut down due to the situation that was apparently posing as a standing block. A rumor has it also that some centers have the same fate located in Mango Ave and I.T. Park. This is based on my knowledge and I would love to be corrected if ever there is a need.

On the night of Feb 06 though, a remarkable call center was operating at 95% of its employees. In fact, they were the ONLY center operating in Cebu IT Tower. If ever there are other entities in that building they are not able to match the rate that this center had. Their attendance was almost as perfect as possible. It was another day in the office for the agents working for the center. They may not have the same perks offered by a call center in IT park that considered the day’s work as overtime and of course with a different rate. But these people for the company named EBUSINESS BPO INC was there. The employees were there for no other reason but because they wanted to work. With the permission of the owners of the center, I asked an agent as to why she reported to work. She said, “if I don’t go to work, who will answer the phone? Who will help our customers?” Having said so, I talked to their Business Development Officer as to the reaction of their clients. He simply said, “they were amazed with our agent’s dedication.”

Dedication, a word that is hard to get by these days. It is so because a Filipino employee has a lot of centers as an option. So if, he/she does not like the current that he/she works with. He or She can go somewhere else and be accepted by another. With such situation people can leave an organization or company if they would like to do so. In addition, on such day when the populace of Cebu were in great fear and turmoil it was understood if they would not be able report to work – humanely speaking. Thus making the action of being able to work and make the center operate is indeed a show of dedication to the company. There are other call center agents who reported to work on the said day but I would like to commend that EBUSINESS BPO was able to operate properly because of its dedicated employees. Kudos!

EBUSINESS BPO INC. has proven herself that she can support the needs of her clients. A kind of support at a rate beyond normal circumstances. February six, two thousand twelve marked that day as an example of this center’s DEDICATION. So if I am a client considering centers to handle my account, I would say that this center has an A+. I am just making a comment and not advertising.

US Anti-Outsourcing Bill: A Challenge?

picture source: http://www.businesspundit.com/obamas-tax-breaks-and-outsourcing/

January 7, 2012 - EBusiness BPO's Leadership workshop. Our facilitator, mentioned that the looming problem for BPO or Call Center companies is the "US Anti-Outsourcing Bill". I am not a lawyer. However, my simple critical mind tells me that this future law aims to bring back outsourced services to the United States. Thus, we loose our jobs!

Communication Workers of America has 700,000 members. On its ranks are 150,000 customer service representatives. These are the people who were greatly affected when outsourcing became a global economic trend. A decision made by corporate executives to lower down labor cost. It affected many people on both ends of the world. A lot of lives were changed including mine.

Philippines - a country torn by major political divide. The effects of such atmosphere is felt on the country's up and down economic struggles. One day we were Asia's Economic Tiger. And then suddenly, we slumped down and was part of the elite list of third world countries. We became a country that made a mark during the 70's and later as a nation with many OFW's. This economic downpour stopped when the BPO Industry came in. 

350,000 people are employed. Lives changed as mentioned. The industry offered hope amounting to $11 Billion dollars as of 2011. A big amount enough to stabilize a country like the Philippines. It made lives better not only for the employee but for others in general. I think it is safe to say that it was a life saver though I am not an economist. 

I have been with the industry for five years. I have gained some degree of experience when it comes to how lives are lived here. Now that this Bill looms over our bright horizon - I am perplexed. A Filipino call center agent would instantly loose if the debate starts. 350,000 people would not matter to politicians buying out votes for the 2012 US Elections. We would be like an old version of the television - ON MUTE! Here something to consider. Unlike American Labor Law, Filipinos do not receive unemployment benifits. If we loose our job, then we loose it for good and we do not receive anything from the government. We are left with nothing. Creators of the Bill would justify further that they will not transfer it. But then, they would discourage it. This basically works the same way with the prior argument. 

I once had a customer. She had an internet connection problem. Her name was Sandra. She called her internet service provider's toll free line. I received the call. This was how our conversation went.

"Thank you for choosing..."

Customer cuts off..

"Oh, thank you a Filipino!

"uh, okay. What seems to be the problem?"

"There is a problem. And I actually want to talk to a Filipino agent."

"Oh! May I know the reason why, mam?"

"Because you guys are patient compared to Americans."

I wish I can let you listen to the recording. But I can't because I can no longer pull it out. I cannot reveal the company's name also. But our client was one of the biggest Telecommunication Company in the United States. These kind of calls give us the reason to move forward and be inspired to serve our American customers better. If the debacle is about customer satisfaction based on service delivery and completion - Filipinos can compete. But the kind of competition wherein the field is leveled and fair. A competition wherein we are not looked down or is not about outsourcing. But if the whole thing is done through "their" public opinion then it is settled. 

The Anti-Outsourcing Bill poses as a challenge.I want to see it in a different way. It is for me a chance for the creators to look at the issue on the worlwide stage. I know as representatives they have to take care of their constituents. I understand that they have to be mindful of their welfare. However, consider this thought. Who would you choose? An employee who can deliver Customer Satisfaction but requires high payment. Or an employee who is a College Graduate, CAN deliver an excellent Customer Satisfaction, CAN easily adapt to the nature of the businesss and does not require high cost payment. I think it's logical to choose the second one. 

info sources:


http://www.firstpost.com/politics/anti-outsourcing-us-bill-targets-indian-call-centres-161456.html


http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2011/12/us-anti-outsourcing-bill-why-filipinos-should-be-worried/

Shan Cruz Rivera: His Action not OUR Responsibility!

picture source: http://beyond-the-norms.org

If you type the name Shan Cruz Rivera in any search engine, the name auto completes! Right then and there you will be routed to websites such as YouTube, AllVoices, etc. The man became an instant star overnight. The first time I saw his picture was on my Facebook's home page. There was someone asking everyone to track him down. There was this brand of being a SHAME for all call center agents in the Philippines. I have to admit that it did not immediately catch my attention, at that time! I let it pass until now. Obviously when I checked YouTube's hits numbering to 9, 154 I can say that it did lit some spark or even a flame since its upload last December 18. Now I discovered that there is even a Facebook Fan Page. Well, it starts with the word hate, etc!

Let me give some insights and comments about all of this. This has become a serious matter since the headline in AllVoices says that the man could endanger the BPO industry in the country. I mean, come on! Let us not conclude and reach that point of discussion. Please consider this, Wikipedia reports that in 2006 there were 160, 000 people that were employed by BPO or call centers companies here in the country. So the talk about an action done by one man affecting the whole industry is something that is shocking. I think the manpower involved here is close to a million. Shan Rivera is a drop of water in the ocean. What I am trying to say here is, he is only one and does not reflect all call center agent!

WNS is obviously the company that he works for based on his ID sling. The company is locally headquartered in Citibank center, Makati Philippines. It has 350,000 employees. That is the information that I got from a website. The center is clearly big. Well, however big they are right now. They have a thorn that's pricking them - Shan Rivera. If anyone in WNS is reading this please correct me if I have some wrong information. But the guy is wearing your ID sling and obviously he was on the production floor when he was filming his glorious moment. The first thing that did not look well was Shan's cellphone. I think that's what he used. I have been with a lot of call centers and it is always the POLICY for people not to bring a cellphone on the production floor. I mean, who knows what they will do with the information. Now, we know what happens! It gets uploaded in YouTube. If security was tight or if WNS had this policy then there no way that people like Shan could've filmed the whole fiasco. So what happened WNS? Do you have such policies of no cellphones on the production floor? If you do have and this person eluded you then you certainly have a problem. I suggest you contact our company and hire our security guard. Man, they are tight! I can't even bring my phone inside even if I am a supervisor!

To call center agents like me. Stop the witch hunt! Shan Rivera is one of us. And like us he has great ideas like filming his call. You must admit that you dreamed of such thing to happen. To videotape a conversation between you and you customer so that you can share the humor. But thankfully you did not! Because you or WE are all professionals. Let us maintain that perception! Filipino call center agents are professionals. I know I am. Shan Rivera's incident is an isolated matter. Or would I say, let us isolate it 

Call centers in the Philippines are doing their best to protect their clients. This event does not reflect the attitude nor the culture of a Filipino call center agent. As far as I am concerned we are hardworking people. This incident as I said, is very isolated. I don't blame anyone not even WNS. But they must keep their security tight. If they think its tight then tighter! The industry has fed a lot of families including mine. It has made the country's economy flourished. Realizing the role of it then, WE MUST ALWAYS BE PROFESSIONAL. 


here is the link if you want to see the video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnX2pY67Izo

Call Center Agent visits NBI Cebu: Worst Experience!!!

picture source: http://computerangel8.blogspot.com/2011/08/cebu-nbi-2011-sucks.html

by: Silver Cepeda

Last December 09, 2011 I was asked by the HR personnel of my company to submit my NBI clearance or I will not get my salary. Having exhausted all the excuses that I can remember, I complied. So I was scheduled to go there last December 13, 2011!

Before I start to write anything here. Let me tell to you what I did before I went to the subject of my exploration today. I was on a ten hour shift. Managing agents, being trained for a new account and listened to calls for Q.A. purposes. These events happened on that period. In addition, it was at night because I'm a supervisor in a call center. Here is the tale.

The place and the people. Immediately upon entering the red gates of N.B.I. Cebu - the one near Capitol, the long line would be apparent. It would diminish ones hope to finish the requirement at the soonest possible time. But trusting on my priority number which was one hundred eighty three I managed to convince myself to proceed. It was itself a miracle! A quick note about the people that I saw there. There are beautiful girls, not so beautiful, fresh grads, job seekers fulfilling requirements, people going abroad, foreigners, old people, vendors of many stuff, etc! It was a conglomeration. Amazing!

The timeline:

0920H - I entered the gates of NBI

0951H - I was waiting for step 2. I was falling in line. But more like waiting for the Police intern to call my number. Based on the form that I filled up, my number was 574. A great change! Since I was not doing anything I can't help but notice the man from whom I got the form. I call him man on stripes on step 1! He was sitting idly giving the Clearance Form which would sometimes drop because he was lazy! Am sorry but he looked like the perfect guy manifesting the word.

0955H - Since it seemed that I was going to wait forever, I continued to explore. Next guy was the man on Step 2! Based on what I saw his job was to sit down and check if the clearance was properly filled up! Later on, I got the name of the man. He is NBI personnel Ronulfo M. Caes. He suddenly grabbed a stick of cigarette, lit it and puff. I thought, Government establishments were a non-smoking area. He was outside but he was handling a very "important" transactions. I do smoke but this guy did not show discipline. Bad! he was in a very relax state of existence while the people paying for his salary is suffering. We can't even find a place or a chair to sit down because they are all used!

1000H - I needed a break. The last person that was allowed to sit down under the tent had a priority number 415. I was still far so I went to the canteen. It seemed that the place had a lot of customers because their food display was limited! Price was normal!

1015H - At my left side were two Koreans who were having a hard time time filling up the clearance form. Their driver was obviously having a hard time explaining. The woman who must have been fed up stood and went outside. Few seconds later he had a man wearing an NBI ID. He assisted them.I was not able to get his name unfortunately.

1027H - The NBI man, wearing the office's ID went filled up the Koreans' form. Very helpful! He had some discussions with the woman. Cash was given, if I am right it was 600php. That was what I saw in his hand! I can't say if it was given to him or what. What was clear though was that their application for the NBI clearance was expedited and was asked to wait on step 4 window. The NBI personnel went inside the office. The whole canteen was filled with wild eyes caught up in disgust. There was definitely a silent but felt booing  done! As far as I can count, there were at least eight people including me who saw it! I mean I can also pay. But I followed the correct process! But I am not claiming that he was bribed or what.

1120H- Had to go on Lunch! Never had breakfast so my stomach was on protest...

1201H - I entered the gates again! The place looked lighter. Obviously some applicants went on lunch.

1205H - Step 3 window closes! Talk about service. But I don't have choice. I have to stay and stand in line!

1215H - I noticed that the NBI staff processing on Step 4 continues on. They kept printing and calling applicant's name. Now this time with a twist. They played a graduation hymn. There was a sudden giggle around. It offered a relief.

1221H - I noticed people gathering up near the CR. Then I came to realize that they were police interns doing their On the Job Training. Note, they were standing next to the CR.

1235H - I was still standing on queue for step 3 window. Amazing!

1239H - I went to the CR. I counted 12 police interns doing nothing but standing there. Well, their bosses are on lunch so what can they do?

1248H - Step 3 window opens up! Finally... People stood up but I remained. The line curved twice - perfect S.

1306H - Done with Step 3 window. Immediately went to step 4 window line.I counted the people in line. I was approximately not less than the 200th person. Great!

1312H - Noticed that there are 6 police interns standing near the gate. They are apparently doing NOTHING! I saw that they are from Mater Dei College.

1326H - I entered the 2nd layer for the line heading step 4 window. Five more layers to go! The line is like the chicken's intestine. Very complicated!

1343H - I needed a smoke break. No movement yet!

1415H - My eyes in pain, knees shaking, back aching and body - very tired. I have to quit! This is too much. I have to retreat and continue this tomorrow!

The problem! The lines are too long and the wait time kills people. That is the problem. I know I am not the only person who had this experience. A lot complained. This was even brought up in the news. But is seems that there is no solution to the problem. Why? People who go to NBI have jobs. They or we cannot just waste out time there and wait. This is non sense. In a call center set up for inbound, if the queue is very long and the wait time for each call is long it means that the service level of the site is down or LOW! If NBI Cebu is a call center then that day or that time their service level sucked. In short, inefficient!

The solution. There are four windows in NBI Cebu. The first window (Step 3),  is okay because apparently that guy works fast. But an additional window for this would be wonderful. Similar case goes to the three windows for step 4. They need to add because this is the step that has a lot of people waiting. There is an influx of Police interns in NBI as I have narrated. They are doing nothing! Why can't they add computers and have a regular employee supervise the interns. The people in this place must think and think faster. I can't just accept this as a tax payer.