For some Filipinos, getting a high-paying job is more important than graduating from college. Thankfully, when BPO industries rose in the country, high school graduates, college students, and even dropouts have been given amazing job opportunities. By being a call center agent, which is the usual entry-level position in BPO companies, they were able to support their families, their own education, and evolve in their careers even without finishing college at all.
A call center post has a lot of potential for growth if one works hard and shows eagerness for challenges. From being a customer service representative that takes international calls in the wee hours of the day, they can become qualified for a supervisorial or managerial position in a reputable back office service provider in the Philippines.
That said, if you’re also a call center agent or interested in becoming one, here are the ways to advance in such a career.
Recognizing the Perks
If you’re not yet quite familiar with what it’s like to be a call center agent, chances are you’ve stereotyped it as a difficult job that requires high educational attainment along with fluency in speaking English. While it’s true that great English speaking skills may be required, high educational attainment isn’t necessary. High-school graduates, college undergraduates, and dropouts can be qualified, as long as they have excellent reading, speaking, people, and computer skills, in addition to their proficiency in the English language.
The backgrounds of call center agents are diverse. You’d find students from both public and private universities working in various BPO companies. It’s because call center work is the best job option for college students, according to Karen Lorenzana and Karl Molina, UP students who made a thesis that tackled how UP students coped with working as a call center agent.
For one thing, the pay is relatively high. Part-time agents can be paid as high as full-time employees in other industries. The English language training is also highly effective, helping many agents improve their skills fast on the job.
And if you excel in your job and seize training and development opportunities, your chances of getting promoted goes higher, enabling you to progress in your career path faster.
Advanced Career Opportunities
The career path of a call center agent or customer service representative is as follows:
- Customer Service Representative (CSR)
- (Remote) CSR
- Customer Service Specialist
- Product Expert or Engineer
- Customer Success Manager
- Customer Service Manager
- Vice President of Customer Success or Chief Customer Officer (CCO)
The easiest way to increase your chances of being promoted is by being punctual. If you’re habitually late, other agents are inconvenienced because they have to compensate for your missed tasks, affecting their own productivity in turn. Therefore, always show up to work on time to avoid having to pass on your tasks to your colleagues.
Follow all guidelines, and strive to achieve your quota. Being consistent in reaching your quota can lead to a supervisorial position faster. Once you’ve been promoted, continue learning through training and orientations, and study industry reports and trade journals. Ask your immediate supervisor about more career growth opportunities. If your schedule permits it, consider participating in training and seminars outside your working hours.
Your attitude matters, too. Establish a collegial relationship with your co-workers, so that transitioning to being their supervisor won’t be as difficult. And lastly, show initiative. Talk to your immediate supervisor about your interest in a promotion, and let them be your mentor. Learn from their expertise, and exercise your decision-making and managerial skills so that they’d be comfortable in endorsing you for a promotion.
As with any job, being a cell center agent also takes perseverance for your progress to be felt, so be patient while working your way to your goals. Don’t make it solely about the money. Also, put a value on the different kinds of growth you’ll experience along the way.
