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The Myth about Call Center Agents
by Marife Zamora, VP/Country Manager- Convergys
The Booming Call Center Business
Wall Street Journal refers to the Philippines as the "perpetual sick man of Asia" that is now "making an unexpected recovery". The call center business is at the center of this boom:
- It has created a 24/7 economy - cities and economic zones that literally never sleep.
- It has generated a ripple effect - boosting the business of support industries such as education, real estate, transportation, food and retail, etc.
The myth about Call Center Agents
A common statement, however, made of the call center industry is that our agents are glorified telephone operators. Allow me to correct that notion: Yes, agents do take calls, and they facilitate the smooth exchange of information, but their competency goes far beyond operating a switchboard:
- They need to have excellent communication skills
- They must possess the cultural knowledge, attitude and understanding of communication to guide the customer throughout the call. Confidence and presence of mind, stemming from a mastery of the
language, are absolutely vital.
- When they deal with difficult customers, they must be effective negotiators in order to reach a solution to satisfy both their client and their customer. No script can anticipate such situations.
There also seems to be a lack of appreciation of the opportunities that the call center industry offers not only its employees but the country at large. Allow me to compare the benefits we derive from both the call
center industry and the overseas Filipino worker community:
- The OFW community contributes country revenues in excess of US$ 12B annually. But, sadly, this comes with the social cost of families having to deal with physical separation
- 2007 revenues for the call center industry is US$3.5B. This has given many Filipinos the option to remain in the country, with their families with the option for career growth opportunities for many young
individuals. The typical age of our call center agent is from 21-26 year.
The global call center industry is projected to reach US$130B in 2010. There is more than enough business for Philippine call centers to double or even triple their revenue. When this happens, we would see more
stores, food outlets, merchandise sales and numerous economic benefits brought about by a highly-paid, gainfully-employed, assertive youth. We have such great prospects for our country!
Convergys in the Philippines
To stress our growth potential, let me share with you Convergys' own story in the Philippines. Convergys Corporation is the global leader in providing customer care, accounts receivable management, human resources and billing services. We are a leading public company and have been one of Fortune's Most Admired Company for 7 consecutive years.
We have over 78 centers worldwide with more than 74,000 employees. in the United States, Canada and India, and of course, the Philippines. We are indeed very proud of what Convergys has accomplished in the
Philippines. Here's a brief look at our milestones....
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