Are you the one people flock to when they have a problem because they know you can solve it? Do you keep your cool under pressure and enjoy helping others? Want flexibility from a role? If the answer is yes to all then you should consider working in a call centre. You’ve got the character for succeeding in the industry but what else do you need to know about this line of work?
The skills
If you’ve got previous experience of working in a call centre that’s perfect, but you don’t need to come from a direct background in it in order to conquer the calls. Retail and sales roles have the same transferrable that are required for a contact centre. These include working with customers face to face, on the phone and online channels including email, dealing with complaints and understanding and serving a customer’s needs to the best that you can.
Working in a call centre is rewarding but there will be times that you could be talking to customers who are angry, upset or just really want someone to talk to. Possessing compassion, empathy, patience and a calm head is important. Remember that no matter what your mood might be prior to work, as soon as your shift starts you’re ready and happy to help customers – you’re the person people will attribute and base the company on, be sure to create the best impression every time and build that rapport early on. Basic IT skills, a keen eye for detail and a drive for hitting targets for the benefit of you, your team and customers would make you the ideal candidate in a call centre too.
The hours
Call centres tend to offer both part-time and full-time employment with flexible working hours that are broken down into multiple shifts over the week. Full-time working hours are typically 35-40 hours, the same as office workers and there can be opportunities to work overtime when you are looking to earn more. The flexibility is something that is a great appeal to those who work in call centres as they have a level of power and control over when they want to work, as long as they work the hours set.
The role and career progression
The day to day duties of working in a call centre can differ but they typically involve:
- Answering calls, emails and online channel queries
- Telesales or market research calls
- Dealing with customer orders, payments, issues and complaints
- Providing expert advice on products and services
- Supporting customers to solve problems
- Updating and cleansing customer records on computer databases
As your career progresses you could get involved with training new starters and low performers, monitoring calls for quality control with opportunities to be promoted to team leader, trainer and even management. Working in a call centre also allows you to develop skills that are required in HR roles too.
Now you know what it take to work in a call centre are you ready to take the next step and find a role in one? Our consultants across all of our UK branches will be able to help match you to the right call centre role for you and can get your career started in the world of telecommunications. Take a look at our current roles now.
