Back to Work

So the March break is over. The kids will be back to school on Monday morning likely with some coaxing and maybe a bit of force. This also ends my week of staycation. I had high hopes of getting many household chores done but with the weather being so nice I found myself enjoying the fresh air and just being away from work. I think I might also need some coaxing Monday morning! You see, there are days when I pull into the parking lot and want to turn around and go home (I actually did one day). At work we joke about this as I am not the only one who feels this way but it's not really a joke at all. I wish I didn't have to feel this way.

I only work three days a week (Monday to Wednesday), ten and a half hours each day but for me this is more than enough. My four days off each week are as follows: Thursday wind down and destress, Friday try to get some chores done and Scentsy, Saturday is for visiting and Scentsy, and Sunday is my day to stress over having to go to work on Monday. For those of you who have worked in a call centre you will understand why I say this. For those of you who have not...don't. Okay so some people may like call centre life but personally I find it very restricting and somewhat demeaning. Every second of your day is monitored. I understand that the company needs to be accountable to it's client for it's employees but if I need to use the restroom and it takes me five minutes I don't appreciate someone coming to check on me. I am not a child! I also understand that calls need to have some sort of a time limit but each customer is different and some require a little more time and a personal touch. I consider showing compassion and that you care to be good customer service. Being in customer retention I am under the opinion that even if a customer still cancels an account they are more likely to come back if they have had a good experience with a company representative. This brings me to people who don't care. Please understand that this is my job. If you have a problem with the company please keep in mind that I am just an employee and have done nothing to you personally. You do not have the right to call me names. I know that hiding on the other end of the phone it is easy to do so but I am a person with feelings. The fact that my company says I can not defend myself against you does not mean that you have carte blanche to humiliate me verbally. I have had customers who are so mean that they have made me cry. 

Of course all calls these days are monitored for quality purposes. Calls are listened to and agents are coached on what they may need to do differently. It always seems that no matter how well you think a call went there is always something that you have not done well enough. It's always "this was great but". As I said I know that I am not the only person at my company who feels this way. The turnover rate is very high due to this unhappiness. Another problem is the fact that with it being so busy we are stationary for long periods of time which is unhealthy. We have been noticing posters around the building with great ideas to get in shape including going for a walk at lunch. I'm sorry but if I'm there for ten and a half hours my half hour lunch needs to be for a meal. We are often given treats which include things like chips and chocolate. I won't say I don't like those but I definitely don't need them. I would prefer something healthy like fruit (grapes are quiet to eat).

I could go on but I won't. Maybe my rant tonight will help me to avoid spending my entire Sunday stressing about Monday morning. Okay so it probably won't but it's making me feel better right now! For those of you listening I hope you have a job that you like! If not keep your chin up and know that you are not alone and be glad in these troubled times that at least you do have a job. If you have cause to call a company with a complaint, remember that the person who answers the phone could be somebody's mother, sister, daughter, father, brother, son, or friend and that they are doing their job. Treat them as you would hope to be treated yourself. Remember a little kindness goes a long way and you may just help to make someone's day a little more bearable. For now, goodnight and have a great tomorrow!