TIPS ON : CALL CENTER LIFE

 

 

The following post was written by Daisy Casio, Blog owner of ChampLeaders.

For career and leadership advice, feel free to visit ChampLeaders https://www.champleaders.com/

6 MYTHS ABOUT BEING A CALL CENTER SUPERVISOR

 

 

In the world of call centers, supervisors are the 1^st line of managers that interact with call center agents.

Call center supervisors hold a critical role in the careers of agents and sometimes can either make or break it.

With this vital role, it’s unfortunate that sometimes supervisors get the brunt of the complaints and bad vibes from agents.

As a veteran leader in the call center, I’ve heard all the complaints and rants out there.

So, I’ll shed some light on the myths that most often plague Supervisors in call centers to debunk it and set the record straight. 

MYTH: CALL CENTER SUPERVISORS CHOOSE THEIR AGENTS

Truth: Nope, they don’t.
Supervisors are expected to handle the list of employees assigned to them no matter what. If they are difficult agents, it doesn’t matter.
They are expected to try their best to handle these types of personalities. The default is to lead the team regardless of background, experience and proficiency.

MYTH 2: CALL CENTER SUPERVISORS ALWAYS WORK LONG HOURS

Truth: There is probably some truth to this. but this is not by default.
There are a couple of things that come into play in this myth. The list of deliverables vary depending on the requirements of the account and their managers play a role in either helping shorten the listor not. 

So, if the account demands for the list to be a tad bit longer, then yes, it is possible that supervisors tend to work longer hours than usual.
However, I have seen in the past that some supervisors have created a system in place for them to work smarter and not longer so they are able to “honda” (slang for on-the-dot) like the rest of the team.

It’s a matter of prioritization and time management. Some supervisors need work on these skills while some have mastered it.

MYTH 3: CALL CENTER SUPERVISORS DON’T NEED TO TAKE IN CALLS OR DO PRODUCTION

Truth: Supervisors are by default, back up of production.
This means that the supervisors may be asked to take in calls especially in cases where there are a lot of calls on queue.
While the supervisors have duties to complete coaching, answer emails and take escalations, it is also expected to ensure that they are knowledgeable of the work and can do the work if needed.

MYTH 4: IF YOU GET PROMOTED AS A CALL CENTER SUPERVISOR, YOU WON’T HAVE A PERSONAL LIFE ANYMORE

Truth: Like any kind of work, it’s all about balance and priority.
And while it takes time for a supervisor to get into the groove of balancing work and personal time, this is not to be perceived as a permanent occurrence.
I know of so many supervisors and managers that have thriving personal lives. In fact, they are doing so well at work because they have a great personal life that keeps them in check.
They make time to do something else other than work. And with the stress that comes with the job, then believe me, you’ll find ways to have one.


MYTH 5: SUPERVISORS CAN GET AWAY WITH SO MANY THINGS BECAUSE IT’S HARDER TO REPLACE THEM THAN AGENTS

Truth: When I saw this in a forum I was following, I was surprised that this perception is circulating in the net.
The truth is, Supervisors are held accountable for all their actions. And no, they cannot get away with bad behavior.
In fact most of the time, they have harsher punishments than the agents.
Maybe in some centers this is happening, but this is not the norm.
While it’s true that it’s harder to replace a supervisor than an agent, it is not a compelling reason to look the other way for bad behavior.
I think it’s best to groom a replacement or look for another supervisor in the market that has integrity and has a good track record of performance than keeping the supervisor with behavioral issues.


MYTH 6: CALL CENTER SUPERVISORS ARE STUCK IN THEIR JOB AND HAVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE IN THEIR CAREER

Truth: This is not true.

In the BPAP website, BPO professionals are already 1.3 million people.

With all that workforce, there is a strong need for managers. Opportunities are going to be there for call center supervisors.

It’s not a dead-end job and in fact, has a lot of potential for growth not just in operations but in other call center departments as well like Quality, Training and Business Excellence.

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Hopefully you are enlightened on these myths circulating around the net. As a leader that has been in the BPO industry for 16 years, I’ve worked with over a hundred supervisors.

It’s unfortunate that these misconceptions are out there but it’s always good to set the record straight.

Supervisors in the call center are hard-working individuals who truly want to make a difference in the lives of their agents. It is very rare that they are the ones instigating bad behaviors and leading their agents astray.

So, show some love to your supervisor when you get the chance. After all, they are doing their damn hardest not only to meet the demands of the client but also help you in your career in the call center.

Daisy Casio is the creator of ChampLeaders. She has a husband, a toddler and a love for learning something new. She writes about leadership, motivation, career advice and many more. Daisy hopes to share her mantra on being positive and living your best self in the now.