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With every ring comes a muted prayer: ‘Let this not be an irate caller.’
AT least that's how I think every time I'd hit auto in.
Whoever said that in life - one should expect the unexpected - knew that he would probably be reincarnated as a call center agent. Every person you speak to is different, but still, it would be fun to try to categorize some of them. Let's take a closer look at who's talking on the other end of the line.
MR. DOOMSDAY
You could almost swear that there is steam coming from his mouthpiece to your headset. It's relatively easy to know if you're a virgin on the floor with the type of caller on the other line since you'd (a.) already feel like a mass of quivering nerves, (b.) be pale and look like a victim of calamity, (c.) never remember the last time you inhaled, and/or (d.) almost peed on your station.
For seasoned agents, though, silence is the best weapon before giving a rebuttal to this kind of caller. It is acquired through experience. So, if you are a newbie, don't worry if you encounter this type of caller the first time. There are people who are really going to make your ears hurt. Just hope that your quality coach isn't hearing you whimper.
Mr. or Ms. Caller only has one powerful line: 'I want to talk to your supervisor!' Looking on the bright side, at least somebody else gets to take the call off of your ears, and it would even be brighter if the supervisor isn't on the same floor as you.
I AM SANTA
Ho! ho! ho! It's Christmas - even in June. This caller is the complete opposite of the previous type, which goes to show that not everybody is out to make your shift worse. Laughing and rapport are common with him and you would actually enjoy the call for once. It is a subtle way of getting you to do what he wants (definitely better than screaming, of course).
His favorite line: 'Could you do a favor for me? Oh, you are so helpful, etc.' If you are lucky enough, this type of caller might even give you a commendation.
The most common way of letting you know,Ihat you got the gender mixed up is: `I am a girl, it's just that my voice is deep during the morning'; or `Ma'am, I'm a man'. The safest way of dealing with unidentified or "ungenderized" voice is asking
HE OR SHE
For some, it is hard to judge the gender by just hearing the voice. This is just one of the unexpected things that an agent will encounter over the phone. Depending on his mood at the time of your blunder, he might just laugh it off or get offended.
The most common way of letting you know that you got the gender mixed up is: ‘I am a girl, it’s just that my voice is deep during the monring’; or ‘Ma’am, I’m a man’. The safest way of dealing with unidentified or ‘”ungenderized” voice is aking the caller’s name before addressing him.
BORED
The phone just happened to be there, the number to your call center just happened to be there, and he just happened to be there - at home without anything else to do.
He may not have a favorite line, but you can imagine the background filled up with the song "Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely" every time you speak to him. Although you may feel that talking to this type of caller is pointless, still, you have to accommodate him. Don't hang up, OK.
ESCORT SERVICE
It's either he has dialed the wrong number or he doesn't have a date. Inquiring about your account is just the introduction to a hidden agenda. His pickup line starts with asking your number, if you are single, and what you are going to do on a Friday night. Good luck, though, if he hasn't realized that you are not on the same continent.
PRANKS
Call centers can never be rid of this type of caller. Some are into playing absurd jokes while others tend to be obscene. The technique in dealing with them: breathe in and breathe out. And don't take them seriously.
While it is tempting to release the call immediately, you should never do that. What you can do is say that the conversation is already inappropriate and that there are other clients needing to be attended to before giving your closing spiel. It is not surprising, though, if you are already cursing in the background or banging your keyboard while on mute.
CALL CENTER SUKI
Even before you say the standard "How may I help you," your suki already has an answer. It's one of those times that you can't help but feel that your entire spiel chart is in front of him.
His favorite line: `Well, that depends on your company's account.' Don't get him wrong. Although it seems that he can take over your job and you're only there to be a typist, don't get demoralized. Think of it as one of those calls that needs to be addressed. At least you get to save up your talk time for your metrics.
Listen to the type of phone pals that you have and learn from them. It's a good way of passing your shift and before you know it, you're already logged out. :)
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