Call Center

a comedy written by Aaron Markey we did for a class project. I did sound design and original score on it.

[shyla]

Working in a call center really drains you. Especially when you get that one call 1 minute before break, or before it's time to go home.

[MoistCrumpet]

I've worked at a call centre before. Right now I'm watching this while on break at my new clerical job that requires no customer service or sales. Life does get better.

[BaneTrogdor]

This is literally the WORST job EVER ! It gets the life sucked out of you, after a while you become a zombie with bloody eyes, unable to feel anything ! Dead inside ! And the pay is absolute garbage !

[nickmagrick]

If I had to describe working in a call center, it would be this. "When you gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss gazes back into you".

[kerkhamo]

yup life in a call centre when speaking to people with half a braincell is demoralising I know not everyone can be brainboxes but jeez you get an idea of how thick the world really is when you work in a call centre

[jessicak]

I’ve worked in call centers and it sucked my soul to hell. One place was so bad my entire personality changed. I was depressed, miserable, anxious...it was so toxic. I got offered a significant raise to not quit. Instead I demanded I work less hours instead of the raise. They agreed. 2 weeks later I was verbal assaulted by a coworker and walked out crying and never walked in. Now I’m happier than ever getting my MA degree. Don’t ever ever work at a call center. You are better off working at a restaurant or another job.

[mrpeanutbuster]

Thats what im always telling to myself before taking calls
DONT FORGET THE HOLY
MUTE

[discardmyfriends]

That avoiding a supervisor escalation is so accurate

[swordfish]

Being in the Call center is the worst part of my life!

[Rotoshmoked]

dude wtf solid actor this is brilliant. i thought it was an actual movie scene

[dionpremjith]

Yeah bro, I'll have a number 9, a number 9 large, 2 number 45s, one with cheese, one with extra dip and a large soda.

[cleanexpressguate]

Thats exactly how if fell working at a Call Center, we get call after call all day long its horrendous, its a torture. Is not the customers fault it is just the kind of work.

[direktedemokratie]

A Callcenter is a horrible place and a horrible work at all. Funny movie and brilliant to publish this. Everybody should know, whats really going on up there. Thanks a lot for this video!

[AM-llwg]

You didn't mute your call - verbal warning
You were playing at your desk - written warning
You thought for yourself and took your eyes away from the screen - fired

[shrugitoffsa]

I can absolutely relate to this. The customer heard my conversation with some my teammates behind me. Customer got upset and asked to speak to supervisor, and she successfully able to talk to one. It was kind of nerve wracking for me. I hate her. lol

[ScaryMannJK]

I just turned in my two weeks at my call center gig after three years. Over twenty years in customer service, six of which were in a call center of some sort. I cannot wait until I clock out for the last time

[Rising_Phonix_]

When I worked at a center, we have metrics. If we dont we can be fired. These can include promoting things, surveys, the level of empathy, and (as weird as it sounds) whether we said your name 3x during the call) we also have metrics on how many calls per day and my center had a 16 minute maximum call before a supervisor tapped your shoulder asking whats the holdup. All we get all day is angry people in a hurry who dont want to help troubleshoot or pay for a tech. We have a script. If we dont follow the script (or workflow tree) we can get fired. Supervisors are rarely around. We can have 8 supervisors for 300-400 agents. Supervisors dont have power over agents in other departments. Sometimes the registration department is lazy and uses Jan 1 2001 as a birth date. Account verification is required by federal law for any action that might effect or alter the service. If an agent puts you on hold with music, we cant hear you. Silent hold, we can. In 2 months on the floor, 2 people had a stroke or heart attack from stress. We are given 3 weeks to train theory, tools, troubleshooting and call flow. 2 weeks under a trainer and then on our own. Calls come in by an automated switcboard. If the call drops before we finish notes and close the log, we can be written up. We get 7 minutes a day for breaks. I was 38 seconds late from a break and got yelled at for 10min by 2 levels of supervisors. The bubble listens to many calls and watches every screen and can see the entite floor. Every call is recorded and analysed by a private contractor company. Weekly and sometimes daily reviews are done for "coaching purposes". We have AHOD where our center gets flooded and have wait times of over an hour. By the end of it we just want a drink or smoke or sleep. My fastest call after verification was like 1 minute. My longest was over an hour and involved a supervisor taking over my call and conferences with the dispatch supervisor to get a tech out. I had a 97% customer satisfaction but was still "coached" on mu level of empathy. It felt fake for me to have tears so I dont know what they wanted from me. I was raised to solve problems. The best way i know to show I care isnt to sit there and say we apologize, but rather fix the issue. But to each their own.

All in all, it wasnt a bad line of work. It was the metrics that made it miserable.

Be kind to the agents. It's not a fun job. If the agent isnt getting good results, ask to talk to a supervisor, escellate to the public relations department. Those comments get red flagged and a department automatically jack into the call to hear whats going on. Ive never had one speak though but ive seen the red flag notes appear on the account as I was doing other notes. Especially when a customer threatens to sue. When that happens, we arent allowed to talk anymore except to deescelate.

My advice? Do basic troubleshooting if you can. Get your documents in order and know your account info. Make sure your verification stuff is correct when you start service. That last one is a huge issue where I worked.

[angrygrim]

Oh he didn't answer in 5 secs zero on his QA

[twigthewonderkd]

i think i might be the only person who genuinely likes working in a call center and helping people because it makes me feel good knowing i can take someone who was confused and upset but make them happy...

[GoCrazyBaby]

Customer service is draining, people get mad when you’re trying to help. It doesn’t matter if I have 10 decent calls in a row, once I get that one douchebag it’s like my whole day is clouded. Before I started working at my call center I thought, “why would I get mad? These people don’t know me.” But at this point it’s like a personal stab in the back😪