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.

Better English in Call Centers: The Gospel According to BO - a Solution!

picture source: http://virtualassistantsphilippines.com/

Let us start the year with something that is common yet so vital. Something that affects our life in the BPO world or the call center. I am talking about the mastery of the English Language. We know very well that someone who is well versed, has doors opened up for him or her. The language is the bridge for the customer and that person who is using the head set. The mantra that makes everything fall into the right pieces - the English Language. 

Being able to speak the language is like having common sense. It is a required skill for someone aspiring to join the illustrous world of call center agents. For an employer it is a necessity that must be imposed for all employee under the company. Fluent speakers are of hign demand especially those who can understand and speak the American accent. This factor is so vital that BPO companies would spend millions to train agents. Train them to reach a certain level wherein customer can tolerate the Filipino influence on acccent and language mannerism. However, this would still pose as a problem. At the end of the day amidst the month long language and culture training, the result is futile or it is not what was expected.

I once heard our Directress of Operations said, "Filipinos are flexible. You train them and they will learn or adapt to it." Yes we can and we have this character. We can easily change. But with the influence of the Filipino mass media changing and adapting to what is needed for your job is something that poses as a challenge. Imagine, as the trainer you are with them for an eight hour session. Then, they go home, sit down and watch the television with either Tagalog or Bisaya as the main course. At home they or we communicate with our loved ones in our own language. So the training, is deemed futile from the start or right after you just finished one. So change or being able to adapt is at minimal level. The environment itself crushes your training module.

So, solutions?

Have you heard of the gospel according to "Bo"? I am not referring to "Bo Sanchez" the famous preacher. I'm talking about BO, the Language and Communication Manager (I hope I got it right) of Convergys Cebu. I have been to many call centers, including the one that I am in right now.No one so far offered a concrete solution that is tangible and simple. He capsulized it with "the gospel according to BO".

I have to admit. If you see the man, for the first time you would feel his "aura" of authority. Well, he needs not to be introduced as the Manager. And if he is reading this write up, I would apologize because I don't know his real name. I know him as Bo. Later I realized that the reason why there is a sense of greatness around him because of his confidence. Confidence because he practices an inner discipline that enables him to be good in what he proclaims. And here is the gospel...

The gospel according to Bo, Chapter 1 Verse 1: "Be Selfish" Think of yourself! This might be so different with the Catholic Bible or gospel. From what I understand he meant for us not to think of others when you speak English. It is given that when you are on the production floor and would follow the EOP (English Only Policy) rule people around you, would glare. Thus, the person who wants to practice the language would either be concious or would wither away. The ridicule and criticism of the people around would discourage anyone. Thus, learning and practice is stifled. If you are a call center agent you would understand what I'm saying or what Bo wants to say. No matter how the center implements the EOP rule, people on the floor would still speak in their dialect. Bo continues with, "no matter how they try to let you speak in your dialect, respond in English. The best way to learn the language is the practice it! Next, thing is to avoid watching local movies or TV program. It makes your listening suffer. They key is not only to talk but to get used to listening to them (Americans)". So indeed, practice makes Perfect!

The thing that I love about the gospel's principle is that it is simple. Simply, DO NOT consider what other's might say. The most important thing is that the individual should practice regardless of the circumstance. We know very well that to be better in English is to always practice. I have followed Bo's Gospel and can proudly say that I am good at this language. Good enough, that doors opened up for me.

I was an agent of Convergys - Sprint Wave 236! 

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

Love: Fallacy in the World of a Call Center Agent

first published: 05 April 2010 at 10:05PM

by: Silver

They say or I can say that sometimes the word "love" in this industry is just a game of fallacy. They say one can never be serious in engaging into a commitment. Well, sometimes it is true. In this world created by fabricated imagination, people here sometimes don't dare to intrude inside the boundaries of reality. Thus, making a world of our own wherein rules are subjective and sense driven!

You live, you work, and sleep. This is the pattern that defines the life of a call center agent. Our life! This entirety makes up our mundane days and that is it. As you or we go on, we are consumed by the influx of a force that overwhelms everybody. This force makes us think of how hollow we are. That the truth about the production floor is, it is filled with people but just an empty stage of individuals. But then for a moment you saw a different being, a creature that would make this mundane existence worth living. A color amidst the pitch black carpet of the man-eat-man world that we live in.

There are people in this world of our own. People that we call friends. Unique and identified by the his/her own set of problems. But no matter how we are all separated by individuality, once we hear that beep. We all answer and deliver the undying opening spiel. We say it with care and attention giving out a tone of all out care. With such, the borders of geography is minimized or at least closed. We become one with the customer. For a moment we connect and then they are gone. We wait for the next beep. In a slow fashion people here becomes a used-up brochure with a load of knowledge waiting to be poured unto the next customer. The situation changes but the receiver still remains to be the agent - the call center agent! However, all of these negativity melts away when the person of interest walks into the floor. A newbie that your heart exclaims for!

As days pass. The hollow floor and its empty dwellers seemed to be getting into your nerves. You are on the verge of getting fed up. But in this "hollowness" someone new sets up a challenge.A perfect being that alleviates your soul at every glance. Talking to the person makes you both feel that you are "legos" thrown into world to find each other and be united. It does not matter who the person is. It does not even matter as to what his/her sexual preference is. The person becomes your inspiration. You continue to stare and appreciate. The magic of having that "first-time feeling" causing ecstasy. The feeling that allows you to be rejuvenated. So now you gloat at every smile. Not even considering for a moment that it was not meant for you. You are blinded, dumbfounded and assured that you feel is the real deal!

The following days you make a slow and steady approach. And at the same time being careful that your simple gesture or words would reveal your true card. The conversations with the person became you new favorite thing to do. While at it you enjoy the state of being amazed at every pixel of that picture perfect picture in front of you called, colleague. Then eventually a perfect match is forged as if heaven and earth commanded it to be!

Both of you now confessed about the desire that you have for each other. Hence, you talk, date, comfort each other, and you hold hands as the calls queue up. You finally brand each other as lovers. You thus, continue to be drugged by an invisible morphine making you realize that the things you do in the office's sleeping room is escalating. Weeks passed by and then both of you concluded that lunch breaks are not enough to release your desires and "love". You try to do it in your boarding house but then the old land lady sees both of you. Eventually, you find yourselves in Recto, Quiapo, Pasay, and for those in Cebu there is Colon, Osmeña Blvd or the one near SM. You now know what is the best time to enter with lesser people. You continue to be drugged with the magic of your LOVE for each other.

Months passed and the contacts with the conversations got lesser. You notice that you are comfortable to be away from each other. You both know that the relationship is on its way down the sink. As your last move to patch things up, you meet at your favorite place. And for the last time you made love. But then everything goes sour. It is over! His/her words has no more spark and bubbles. With this conclusion coming into you like waves of guilt, you now think of the people outside your world. You think of your two year old daughter, your wife, your boyfriend or girlfriend  that you left behind outside our world.

Now you lay on you bed, alone! You stare at the dead ceiling. You are thinking of tomorrow because you have to go to the OB GYN secretly. You know a life is inside you and your husband does not know. It was because of the last ditch to patch things up. Now, you fully realize that you should have not entered into the quicksand of fallacy that our world offers. The fallacy of LOVE! Or should I say, the sense and desire driven love...

Call Center agents:Not the Average Juan dela Cruz

by: Silver Cepeda

Call center, the most sought after job in the Philippines. As of March 2011 it ranked as the second (http://businesstips.ph). So there are many thoughts that go with this job. There are many speculations about its nature. I can still remember the amazement of a friend’s father when I told the process of my job. He gave me a gaping mouth followed up with a big “wow”. He could not believe that someone from Cebu can fix an internet connection of a customer in Texas. Well, it is one positive comment! In another case, I attended a friend’s party in Manila. I was filled with disgust when someone exclaimed that mostly call center agents have AIDS.  The thought of using the word “mostly” disgusted me. I am not! I do not hate people who have this disease. But I also don’t have plans to have one. So what are call center agents? Are they the new hero for this country or just the average Juan dela Cruz?

Call center agent, a person who works in a BPO company that takes call. It might take a long while if I would explain what BPO is. Let me put in a very simple flow. Say you have a company in Manila. Let us say the nature of the business is online buying and selling. Now, people would call on a minute’s basis to buy and sell items. Now you want to save money by lowering your labor cost. As the owner of the company you know that people who are hired in Manila has higher pay compared to, if you hire someone from the provinces. You got the same quality but different pay. So you look for a person that has a center, say in Eastern Samar. And that center can provide you with good service in terms of providing you qualified agents to answer your customers’ calls. As has been discussed previously province rate is lower that to a city rate (considering the Philippine set up). There is a plus since you only have to pay them or the site owner in the province and does not need to worry about facility, etc! Hence, outsourcing is born. And the people who are taking calls are center agents. Normally, though the term “call center” is used to address people who are in the outsourcing business. If you understand it, then we are fine if not I would love a comments!

The world was at its knees during the recession period not so long ago. Countries like America suffered so much. Some of its renowned companies that belonged to the fortune 500 lost its luster or died along the way. However, in spite of this unfortunate development, Philippines did not suffer that much. Outsourcing became the trend that time. For a company owner in the United States, it was an assured way to maintain operation while saving some money or lowering down labor cost. While here in the Philippines it was an industry that boosted the economy. Dollars were still dollars and thus we became stable. Now, BPO is an industry worth $14B! This is second to the OFW’s generated dollar revenue. The industry’s (BPO) growth could have never been realized if not for those people who stayed up at night and talk to irate American customers. The industry grew and so did the country. Sacrifices were made and here we are! A few weeks ago a report was shown in CNN branding Philippines as the new call Center KING! That is something…

Thus, I can say that call center agents are not just the average Juan dela Cruz not that I am undermining somebody or what. I am just expressing an opinion. OFWs get a lot of privileges because they more dollars. I think a little bit of respect is fine also for people in the BPO industry. It starts with removing the prejudicial term of “AIDS” infected. Because come to think of it without them or us, this country could never be as such at least economically speaking.  

BPO Companies in the Philippines puts food on the Table

by: Silver Cepeda

The Philippines has been invaded! But before you react to anything, it is best to read the rest of this article. Wednesday, December 1 CNN showed and proclaimed that Philippines is the new call center KING. Are we? The article highlighted a call center wherein agents were taking calls. If my memory serves me right that was E-Business. It is one of the few call centers or should I say BPOs that invaded the country. So let me calm your mind. This is not a hostile invasion. This is the type that everyone loved.

There was a time wherein the employment situation of this country was about to hit the pavement. People decided that it was better to go abroad than be stuck here and rot. It was dark ages. There is a scene that I cannot forget at that time. I was with my family sending my dad to Saudi. He had to work there because in his own words, “there is no more money in the Philippines”. It was a painful departure. So painful that I was committed to make sure that I will not leave my own family for monetary purpose. It was a promise made at a young age. It got stuck and thus I never left the country.

Years after, a dad with a degree in Philosophy – this was where I stood after my graduation. It was tough as I can imagine. The future was blurring. Clearly no doors would open for someone whose degree does not have a concrete “belongingness”. However like a zap of miracle I found myself in a BPO company’s doorstep with a resume. I was there to apply and got hired at the same day. It was my first but definitely not my last. In there I found many people who were like me – lost. They did not know where to go. They only had one thing – English speaking skill. In this place we belonged. In this place we flourished and grow with our family.

BPO companies in the Philippines are such a growing trend. A growth that saves a country called the Philippines. They are like an energy source that rejuvenated the economy of this country stricken with crises. This year’s predicted revenue for the industry is at $14 Billion. And that is not in peso but in shining dollars. Economists would say that it is second to OFW’s generated revenue. Well, it is safe to say that they are the ones responsible for the food that my daughter eats and the high class milk that she drinks every night. Not only for mine, but also for the many sons and daughter whose parents would slip out in the darkness of the night to work. BPO, an acronym which my most precious girl in the world memorized when asked where his father works. I was able to make my promise stand – thanks to my American employer!

On Philippines being proclaimed as the new call center KING – it’s appropriate. It has been the lifeline of many people in this country. Thus, it has expanded. It has built an empire. It has been revered as such then. As I said, it is the only invasion that we have ever welcomed and loved!

Living the “life” of a Call Center Agent

by: Silver Cepeda

Call center agent, a person works at night and speaks very good English. This was the definition given by a jeepney driver. It was a very simple definition that seemingly covers everything about call center agent. However, it is not. 

What is a call center agent? How do we live this lifestyle? It is really simple and easy? Is it fun? What are the main challenges as a call center agent? If you are bothered by these questions, I would say that you are on the stage of joining this industry or a newbie who wants to stay longer and wants to know the secret. If you want to live the life, there is indeed a code that we must observe.

First, there is no such thing as an easy job. Before you decide to sign any contract we or you should know that the company is paying you to do something that other’s cannot. Accept this, and I can say that you are ready. You have overcome the first obstacle by realizing that this industry does not take slackers kindly. There are things called metrics here. This is the reason why I love this industry. Everything that you do on the phone is measured. You are always weighed. Your efficiency is presented on an excel files with colorful lines and bars. In this line of work, you have to improve, perform and adjust as soon as possible or else that air conditioned production floor is not meant for you. It is unlike government agencies where the “suck-up” or the one with “connections” moves up the ladder. Here, if you are a performer then doors open for you. If not, then your life ends with a well rehearsed speech by you supervisor that simply means you are fired.

People who are able to adjust and perform get to stay. Now, when we say “stay” in the call center world it means existing with a posh lifestyle.  You are paid above the normal rate. I would say maybe bigger than that of your elementary teacher. However, one needs to be reminded that when you spend so much you have to earn much also. My mother used to say, do not spend on something that you cannot afford – save for it! There are many people that did not prosper because they can’t “manage” their finances. Saving money – no matter how illustrious it is must be followed. It is fun to have a lot of money. But it’s more fun when we save for something later.

Smoking and drinking are vices that seemed to stick with the name of a call center agent. The relationship has become so close that one would think it is synonymous. It is not! It has never been. Many agents would say that it relieves stress. So we drink and smoke. However, there are people who decided not to. It might sound impossible. But it is. Fortunately, these people who are not into these are the ones who do not get sick easily. They can report at whatever time because they are healthy. They don’t have absences because they are healthy. There are merits and demerits when it comes to smoking. But as a piece of advice, think of the future and imagine what you are if you continue this habit. So think!

Living the life of a call center is not easy. It is a path that needs total focus and dedication from the person. That is the secret! Because if one is not focused then he/she cannot overcome any obstacle and would always find a reason to leave the company that he is in.