What happens (activities) in training?

THErealTORPEDO

Hi! I haven't worked in a call center before but I'm considering to shift to this industry. For the benefit of industry shifters and newly grads who are planning to work in a call center, can you share some of your experiences during training? Like some PEXers, if not most, I also have a stage fright as I'm not really spontaneous in English especially when speaking in public and I heard there are activities when you have to talk in front of others after being given a certain topic.

In this regard, please indicate:

1. Name of the call center and your position
2. Experiences/specific activities/memorable moments during training and what newbies should expect?
3. Tips on overcoming stage fright (especially after hearing agents who are so fluent in English) or any tips that you can give to survive the training period.

Thank you!

Love Lee

Hi! Sige I will help you with this okay.

You usually start the day by introducing yourself, work experience and whatever is asked of you (like hobbies, education, why work in a call center to name a few).

Depending on the trainer, there are activities that are fun and boring too. Common games played during training are Charade, Pinoy Genio, etc. so to keep the trainess awake...specially ifd the training is graveyard.

Most of the time there will be discussions and exchange of ideas....question and answer portion......just like any training class.

You will learn about the American culture, accent training (depending on the call center and that is if you are handling an American account). You need to pass this before you proceed to Product training. Expect exams daily or weekly depending on your trainer.

Stage fright....hmmmm......first is relax......don't let your emotions get the better off you......do not ever feel that those who have a call center experience are better speakers compared to you.......in short....do not underestimate yourself. Just imagine like you are talking to a friend and keeping him updated on what's been with you. Aside from which, you need to psyche yourself and have that confidence that you can do it......remember....if you passed the series of interviews and exams, that only mans that the company sees the potential in you....so prove them right. And lastly.....PRAY!!!! It's the best source of encouragement and the cure to all fear!!!!! Good luck and God bless you.........

THErealTORPEDO

Sa lahat ba ng mga trainings na nadaanan nyo, were all of your batchmates fluent na talaga sa English and speak like its their native language? Or meron din naman na nahihirapan to find the right words? I once applied in Etel matagal na when call centers were still few, mga early 2000. I passed the initial interview and the computer based exam and while waiting for my turn for the voice recognition exam ba yun basta yung may script na babasahin mo, i heard 2 of my seatmates talking..walangya ang gagaling mag english sobra! as in flawless, pure english with american accent!..kaya sabi ko mali ata ako ng napasukan, the guy was a fil-am tapos yung girl na kausap nya mukang mayaman na english ang medium nila sa bahay (yun yung narinig ko sa usapan nila hehe). Sabi ko ganito ba talaga culture dito kahit casual conversation talagang pure english? after all the exams my name was called, together with the others, for the final interview scheduled the next day kasi ginabi na that time. di na ako sumipot for the final kasi natrauma na ako hehe..i've avoided the call center industry since then. Ganun pa din ba ngayon, flawless english pa din mga nakakapasa?

nageinna

hi there,actually we had the same experience. when i applied at a call center company just few days ago. so first i had the intial interview, group interview siya and dun palang i felt intimidated na kasi lahat ng kasabayan ko dun sa initial interview eh with call center experience na compared to me na fresh grad pa lang, then fluent narin sila sa english and yung iba may accent na talaga. but then i decided to go for it, pag pumasa eh di ok if di naman credit to experience nalang. ayun pumasa naman.

yung last stage which was the final interview, one on one na siya with the hr, i knew i had some grammar lapses then dahil sobrang kaba talaga ako that time but buti nalang the hr who interviewed me was very nice and understanding. she said those few grammar lapses were forgivable naman and matututunan ko sa training.

so there, di naman kailangan na super flawless ka sa grammar, as long as you can construct sentences well and you have basic grammar knowledge you don't have to worry since ma iimprove mo nga naman yung mga flaws mo when you undergo training. so if you really want to work in a call center, i suggest you go for it. even if you get rejected at first don't stop, you'll learn from those rejections. just be confident and believe in yourself.*okay*

as for the training naman, wala pa kong masshare since my training will start on march 25 pa. so there. hope this helps.;)

[email protected]

training talaga pinaka masaya pag nag work sa cc once nag take calls malungkot na di na peteks puro metrics at kunsimisyon. kailangan maintindihan ka ng amerkano kakausapin mo. kadalasan reklamo ng mga kano mga indians di nila maintindihan. kung pwede lang di sa cc industry aalis ako dito lagi ka na lan nakapako sa trabaho. naniniwala ako na me buhay pa pag uwi mo galing office. kung gusto mo mahasa ka sa ingles mag sales ka mawawala hiya mo.

lonewolfe

THErealTORPEDO wrote: »

Sa lahat ba ng mga trainings na nadaanan nyo, were all of your batchmates fluent na talaga sa English and speak like its their native language? Or meron din naman na nahihirapan to find the right words? I once applied in Etel matagal na when call centers were still few, mga early 2000. I passed the initial interview and the computer based exam and while waiting for my turn for the voice recognition exam ba yun basta yung may script na babasahin mo, i heard 2 of my seatmates talking..walangya ang gagaling mag english sobra! as in flawless, pure english with american accent!..kaya sabi ko mali ata ako ng napasukan, the guy was a fil-am tapos yung girl na kausap nya mukang mayaman na english ang medium nila sa bahay (yun yung narinig ko sa usapan nila hehe). Sabi ko ganito ba talaga culture dito kahit casual conversation talagang pure english? after all the exams my name was called, together with the others, for the final interview scheduled the next day kasi ginabi na that time. di na ako sumipot for the final kasi natrauma na ako hehe..i've avoided the call center industry since then. Ganun pa din ba ngayon, flawless english pa din mga nakakapasa?

Ako hindi flawless english ko pero nakakapasa ako sa mga exams and interviews though wala na ako sa cc ngayon. Kung may alam ka sa basic trouble shooting ng pc or network try mo applyan tech support. Dun hindi kailangan Brit or American accent ka basta importante naiintindihan english mo at marunong ka mag multi task (you talk, listen, thinking for a resolution while typing)

Kaya ako noon kahit gusto ko subukan mag apply ng customer service hindi ko magawa dahil siguradong sa accent ako babagsak kahit pa pumasa ako sa mga exams.

THErealTORPEDO

nageinna wrote: »

hi there,actually we had the same experience. when i applied at a call center company just few days ago. so first i had the intial interview, group interview siya and dun palang i felt intimidated na kasi lahat ng kasabayan ko dun sa initial interview eh with call center experience na compared to me na fresh grad pa lang, then fluent narin sila sa english and yung iba may accent na talaga. but then i decided to go for it, pag pumasa eh di ok if di naman credit to experience nalang. ayun pumasa naman.

yung last stage which was the final interview, one on one na siya with the hr, i knew i had some grammar lapses then dahil sobrang kaba talaga ako that time but buti nalang the hr who interviewed me was very nice and understanding. she said those few grammar lapses were forgivable naman and matututunan ko sa training.

so there, di naman kailangan na super flawless ka sa grammar, as long as you can construct sentences well and you have basic grammar knowledge you don't have to worry since ma iimprove mo nga naman yung mga flaws mo when you undergo training. so if you really want to work in a call center, i suggest you go for it. even if you get rejected at first don't stop, you'll learn from those rejections. just be confident and believe in yourself.*okay*

as for the training naman, wala pa kong masshare since my training will start on march 25 pa. so there. hope this helps.;)

yes it does.*okay* thanks ha. by the way would you mention the name of the call center?:) I still can't get over the trauma kaya hesitant pa din ako mag apply but I'm sure I'm gonna get over it soon at makakapag apply uli ako and hopefully i'd pass.

if you have time please share us your experiences during training ha when it starts para other newbies din may know what to expect and they can prepare for it somehow. especially pag may mga toastmasters type ng activities. parang scary naman ata yun hehe. i remember nung college ako during a prepared extemporaneous speech, nag black out ako dahil sa stage fright kaya kung ano ano na lang napagsasabi ko kahit parang wala ng sense basta matapos lang hehe. but i'm sure i've improved since then.

THErealTORPEDO

any activity sa training where you'll be asked to show your talent whether singing, dancing, acting or kung ano pa man? para maprepare ko na talent ko in case i pass in the future hehe.

THErealTORPEDO

[email protected] ok lang yan tsong..ganun talaga and may buhay pa naman talaga after work. though im a bum right now pero where i used to work ganun din ang feeling ko, parang yun na lang ba talaga ang buhay, parang we're living to work and not working to live. kaya importante din ang lumabas minsan and mag enjoy. so mas ok pala kung mahaba haba ang training para mas mahaba ang petiks? hehe

lonewolfe- it's a relief to know na may mga nakakapasa naman na hindi flawless english. pero bakit gusto mo mag customer service eh di ba mas marami mas gusto mag tsr dahil usually mas malaki sweldo? so sang industry ka na ngayon?

blue_sapphire21

masaya sa callcenter.. definitely you'll have fun especially during training. as they've mentioned, puro games.. masaya, and wala pang stress.

ok ang mga tao.. so far sa experience ko. flexible ang mga tao.. regardless of age, sexual preference, religion.. ok naman.

pag nagdecide ka magcallcenter.. kelangan decided ka na willing kang magwork sa gabi including sat and sun, and maging routine na calls ka everyday.. except for some callcenters na iba ang account and shift.. so...

Godbless..!

THErealTORPEDO

hi blue sapphire, so from what call center ka? does the English Only Policy starts in training? what specific games or activities did you have?

freshbabe

Basta my opinion with this, "training term in the callcenter-- either english or product training", "it" will always be THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT IN YOUR CALLCENTER LIFE..

aside sa let's say RECOGNITION & TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITIES

It will either be the "happiest" or the most "frustrating part"
it only gets frustrating if "let's say you did not qualify, natanggal ka & the company cannot accomodate you to transfer to a different account kasi baka sa standing mo na rin sa training, or the trainer won't let you do so". It's REALLY CHALLENGING & THE MOST ENJOYABLE PART of being a callcenter agent.

- ENGLISH TRAINING (2weeks), PRODUCT TRAINING (4weeks)/
or for outbound accounts ACCOUNT HISTORY/THE PRODUCT TRAINING (1week) or ACCENT TRAINING (1week)/PRODUCT TRAINING(1week)

-English Training

You do FUN THINGS TOGETHER... "games & acquainting yourself with your batchmates(games to which you can further know your batchmates & how they view you as a person), discovering each & everybody's TALENTS & SKILLS. The trainer most of the time has this quality of wanting to test your ability to speak infront of a crowd (it might either cause you to tell PERSONAL STORIES (lovelife, your personality, your life-background, deepest darkest secrets, your preferences).

If it's nothing personal mostly it's about the ACCOUNT that you are assigned with (what is your concept of it, or how would you deal with it, knowledge about it) and of course your expectations with the trainer & the training, the goals you had & beliefs of why the company can be a TOOL FOR YOUR CAREER SUCCESS.

And of course the trainer has their moments too... (sharing their views of themselves, the company, how they started, their personal life, how they can inspire you to be the same as them & the obstacles they think that you might encounter in the job).

The environment is a LECTURE TYPE of ENVIRONMENT. Kaya you also deal with everything related to your job. What you have to learn, & most of the games are educational perse it is not just a thing you do for "killing time",kasi it's more of related to being exposed with american culture, english & being able to test your ALERTNESS & EXPRESSING YOURSELF, MORE ON HOW TO BUILD RAPPORT & TEAM WORK, BEING AT EASE WITH PEOPLE (BATCHMATES) for a short period *2weeks-english training*.

-Product training

You're mixed with the whole training batch or other batch (with same account). Or it might be the same people but frustrating part is "the pass & fail status" (may natanggal na sa english training & it can be your closest friend/s, so you see yourself adjusting to that part & get re-acquainted with someone/group you are not close with)

Kasi when you're in PRODUCTION or NESTING PERIOD (taking calls), everything gets to be routinary & yung bonding with colleagues is LESSER & not that FUN... (stress environment-job)
kasi nga you're not there to do such & & the reason why they call it WORK.

Compared sa training. Sa production kasi you're all preoccupied with kaniya-kaniyang status niyo sa work. Or if you really are enjoying the work environment kasi you are disposed na din to different teams. Mga ka batch mo sa training di kayo pare-pareho ng TEAMS.

And you might see yourself relating with a batchmate sa training na di mo naman naging close. And siyempre you're batchmates so kapag naging team mates kayo more than likely, kasi magka-batchmates nga kayo edi mas maiisipan mong sumama sa kaniya/kanila... compared sa long time employees na nakapaligid na magkakasama/magkakakilala talaga na.

Different break times. So it's like adjusting again with a NEW ENVIRONMENT with the LONG TIME EMPLOYEES, TEAM LEADER'S ATTITUDE & RULES, THE SUPERVISORS AS WELL, & WORK EXPECTATIONS.

THErealTORPEDO

hi freshbabe, thanks for comprehensively sharing your experience

parang kinakabahan na agad ako ngayon pa lang na hindi pa ako nag aapply dahil sa mga nashare mo hehe..inevitable pala talaga ang public speaking pag sa call center...i dread it the most hehe.

nakakalungkot talaga no pag makilala mo na batchmates mo ng husto then may matatanggal sa kanila then you'll have to deal again with other people pag nasa floor ka na..tapos mga luma na mga kasama mo..malas na lang kung masusungit at hindi accommodating sa mga newbies. sana kung sino na lang yung nasa training sila din yung teammates mo sa floor.

lonewolfe

THErealTORPEDO : Gusto ko lang ma experience noon kung ano buhay sa customer service puro tsr kasi experience ko sa cc.

Im working again sa cruise ship though may mga times na namimis ko din yung buhay sa call center lalong lalo na yung mga irate na callers haha!!! nakakamis din pala sila.

Training : Pinaka masaya talaga sa training. First day nyo syempre required ng trainer na bawat isa introduced yourself, then you might be asked if you're still a virgin (meaning if its your first time in a call center). May daily assessment at final assessment for four weeks hanggang sa maka graduate na kayo papunta sa floor (battle field)
Kapag na nasa floor na, dun magkakasubukan kung sino tatagal.

princ3sz

treasure the idle moments sa training.you won't have the leisure of extending your breaks kapag timed ka na sa phone.hehe

training yung pinakamasaya.getting to know stage pa kayo and also,petix.enjoy while you still can.

floor is hell.goodbye petix.hello hundreds of calls waiting.hehehe.^_^

THErealTORPEDO

princ3sz wrote: »

treasure the idle moments sa training.you won't have the leisure of extending your breaks kapag timed ka na sa phone.hehe

training yung pinakamasaya.getting to know stage pa kayo and also,petix.enjoy while you still can.

floor is hell.goodbye petix.hello hundreds of calls waiting.hehehe.^_^

hehe..buti immune na kayo ngayon sa everyday irate callers. is there such thing as being immune to it? o kahit matagal ka na minsan nabibwisit ka pa din sa mga nagmumura?

lonewolfe wrote: »

THErealTORPEDO : Gusto ko lang ma experience noon kung ano buhay sa customer service puro tsr kasi experience ko sa cc.

Im working again sa cruise ship though may mga times na namimis ko din yung buhay sa call center lalong lalo na yung mga irate na callers haha!!! nakakamis din pala sila.

Training : Pinaka masaya talaga sa training. First day nyo syempre required ng trainer na bawat isa introduced yourself, then you might be asked if you're still a virgin (meaning if its your first time in a call center). May daily assessment at final assessment for four weeks hanggang sa maka graduate na kayo papunta sa floor (battle field)
Kapag na nasa floor na, dun magkakasubukan kung sino tatagal.

sang cruise ship ka na ngayon? sa cruise ship wala ng training training, sabak agad hehe..kasi nga naman given na that you have the experience and training sa land. hehe..wow, so i'd be called a virgin pala pag pumasok ako sa call center hehe. that's new.

princ3sz

hehe..buti immune na kayo ngayon sa everyday irate callers. is there such thing as being immune to it? o kahit matagal ka na minsan nabibwisit ka pa din sa mga nagmumura?

nah...no such thing as immunity man.nakakainis pa din.pero kapag pinagkwentuhan niyo na teammates you'll just laugh it out.hahaha

THErealTORPEDO

princ3sz wrote: »

nah...no such thing as immunity man.nakakainis pa din.pero kapag pinagkwentuhan niyo na teammates you'll just laugh it out.hahaha

nyay..sobrang stressful pala talaga sa call center..pero ang gusto ko din kasi maexperience dyan eh yung fun after shift..yung drinking spree or breakfast and bonding after work or after training with your batchmates..tapos umagang umaga..di ko pa natry uminom ng umaga hehe.

princ3sz

hahahaha!yun lang masaya talaga bonding.team building,company outing.masaya din yung kwentuhan kapag yosi break.
minsan yun na lang hinihintay namin para energized na ulit mag take ng calls.basta ok ang teammates mo and yung TL mo,you won't really feel the stress so much.

siyempre kapag payday lalo.weehee.hehe

lonewolfe

THErealTORPEDO : Sa Celebrity Cruise. may training din na kailangan sa amin. 4 years na ako sa cruise ship noon before ako pumasok sa call center bumalik na lang ako ulit ngayon.

May TSR position din sa barko ang tawag Technical Support Officer. Target kong applyan yung position na yun kapag nagkaroon ng hiring since kaya ko naman gawin yung trabaho na yun isa pa may experience na ako sa technical support.

TSR na lang applyan mo malaking tulong din yung experience sa troubleshooting. Hindi natin alam baka balang araw magkaron ng demand sa computer technician sa abroad.

Ngayon nga kapag tulog or naka shore leave yung TSO namin at may problem sa network o computer ako na tinatawag nila. One time nga may passenger na may problem sa loptop nya, pinaresolve nila sakin yung issue na naayos ko naman. Tuwang-tuwa yung passenger binigyan pa ako ng $100!

THErealTORPEDO

lonewolfe wrote: »

THErealTORPEDO : Sa Celebrity Cruise. may training din na kailangan sa amin. 4 years na ako sa cruise ship noon before ako pumasok sa call center bumalik na lang ako ulit ngayon.

May TSR position din sa barko ang tawag Technical Support Officer. Target kong applyan yung position na yun kapag nagkaroon ng hiring since kaya ko naman gawin yung trabaho na yun isa pa may experience na ako sa technical support.

TSR na lang applyan mo malaking tulong din yung experience sa troubleshooting. Hindi natin alam baka balang araw magkaron ng demand sa computer technician sa abroad.

Ngayon nga kapag tulog or naka shore leave yung TSO namin at may problem sa network o computer ako na tinatawag nila. One time nga may passenger na may problem sa loptop nya, pinaresolve nila sakin yung issue na naayos ko naman. Tuwang-tuwa yung passenger binigyan pa ako ng $100!

wow..talaga? so nasa Celebrity ka ba ngayon or paalis pa lang? galing naman..tagal mo na pala sa cruise ship. ano pa mga nasakyan mo na before? Sa PTC na ba ngayon celebrity cruises? big time ka tsong, ang ganda ng Celebrity! Lalo na pag gabi! ang ganda ng night lights nila parang 6 star hotel sa gitna ng dagat. at...ang laki ng sweldo dun! hehe..ang yaman na nito ni lonewolfe

what if you don't have a technical background? papasa ka pa rin ba as TSR kahit na basic computer operations lang naman yung alam mo? like for example ako na madalas na internet/user lang?