#deertalk

Hey guys, this is going to be my second part to this whole “Call Center Stress” series. The first part was about how to avoid calls to catch a break here and there. You can find that here. Today I wanted to post something about what to DO during those breaks. Here are some tips I've picked up.

The call ends when the customer hangs up. Try to keep the emotions in the call, and be relieved when they hang up. Don't dwell on it once it's done, even if you'll have to call back in a couple of days. Let it slip out of your mind if possible.

Take up meditation. If you find yourself thinking about work a lot, try to focus on some sort of meditation that leaves your mind busy, such as Visualization.

Find a hobby. Some of my hobbies/distractions at work involve watching Youtube videos, making crochet projects (currently a long scarf,) and playing Animal Crossing and Pokemon Sun on my 3DS. All of these things can be set down, and really help to get the call off my mind.

Treat yourself. Whether it's junkfood, a smoke break, or even some discreet pornography, make sure you treat yourself so that you can keep a good mood between and during calls. Mind your health and employment, though!

Drink lots and lots and lots of water. Get yourself a refillable water bottle. I use a simple BPA-free bottle with a built-in filter straw. Make sure you refill it often, as you can never drink too much water, and talking on a phone all day is one way to dehydrate yourself and lose your voice quickly.

Vent about work when you get home. Don't wait. It's most likely that if you share a home with others, they will want to hear about your day when you get home. Do all your complaining and stories when you get home so that you don't dwell on it all.

DO NOT: Check your survey results and stats constantly. Knowing who responded negatively to their call with you only serves to make you dwell on it. Some people are jerks. Some people will say that you sucked even after thanking you for your unending patience and resourcefulness. It's okay. You're best off if you only check your stats 3-5 times a week or so.

Learn breathing exercises. Breathing exercises help bring you into a better mental state by changing your body's physiology. If you get huffy during a call, it will show. You'll become more and more frustrated, you'll start gnashing your teeth, and you won't be able to think straight because you'll be consumed by anger and fear. Try to keep your breaths long and even. It'll really help the customer's attitude too.

If you get in trouble, roll with it. I mentioned in my previous post that it costs a lot to train someone to take calls at a call center. If your stats are floundering or you screw up, take your managers' advice* and just carry on. Don't worry about it.

* Disobey managers who give bad advice. I can give an example. In my workplace, workers are judged by their ratio of positive survey results to negative ones. Some weeks, survey results end up skewing really negatively. Managers always suggest that people who are doing bad take more calls to get more positives, but that's never worked for me or any of my coworkers. They expect way too many positives per negative, so you'll likely end up trying to rush through calls and manipulate people into responding positively, which is one of the worst things you can do for your stats. Instead, brush it off and don't worry about it. This is just your managers trying to manipulate you, not help you.

Pretty interesting movie. Afterward, my boyfriend informed me that it’s called “Stoker” because it’s a modern take on Stroker’s “Dracula.”