The American Accent and the Filipino Call Center Agent

The “American accent” has never been so needed these days; if one plans to join the league of call center agents, most aspirants think that one has to sound very American. This goal however, has overshadowed the more important skills to become a successful call center agent.

First of all, there is no such thing as an “American accent” these days; the United States is such a melting pot that English is spoken in different variations depending on which region of the US you live. So as a Filipino learner of American English, we don’t have to exaggerate our vowel and consonant sounds to the point of sounding so artificial! It becomes extremely overacting when you hear call center agents start aspirating their T’s when referring to their hometown in Tagbilaran! What’s more funny is that some agents can sound so deceiving with their fake American accents, but if you listen closely, they can simply talk in circles..thus, the AHT (average handle time) is consistently high!

The need to sound “American” should not cloud the other more important aspects of a call center agent’s skills like rapport, active listening, analytical skills (so you can immediately understand and resolve the customer’s problem), probing skills and the list goes on; sounding “American” is truly just a bonus. Generally, American consumers do not mind a slight “accent” as long as his concern is resolved right away; it can even turn out to be a kudos call!

Everytime the One Core Business Innovations team sets up call centers; they emphasize the other more important skills which not only helps the customer but will more than likely make him a satisfied one. No need to sound like an American, simply neutralize the accent. One does not have to pronounce the color RED like someone from the South, its enough to pronounce it with a soft E but definitely not with an ”i” We go for neutral.

What makes an effective call center agent is not so much with the accent he uses but his ability to resolve a customer’s concern on the first call, at a short period of time along with a very friendly and helpful demeanor…the American accent becomes the icing on the cake…

Call Center Sourcing and Training in Cebu

It is good to notice the emergence of businesses catering to training and sourcing future call center agents. The sad reality though is that despite the academe  producing hundreds of graduates every semester; not very many who apply in this specific industry are easily accepted. So training centers help enormously in polishing the skills of these applicants so they have a better chance of getting accepted.

When the team of One Core Business Innovations set up an outbound call center a year ago; the recruitment challenge had a different twist since the skill set of outbound agents are quite different from inbound. We found out in the course of running the sales production floor that it is not a guarantee for agents who have good communication skills to succeed; some get terminated for not hitting their sales quota.

So the challenge of training and sourcing centers is to properly profile and screen applicants before endorsing to the center partners; it is not necessarily an easy task but the proper profiling can be a big help.

As the industry has steadily increased its demand for more qualified agents to help sustain major accounts from North America to Europe to Australia; the role of training centers remain invaluable.

Call Center Training Challenges

Cebu  City has become a favorite destination for major call center companies; to support the need for qualified agents, various training centers specializing in call center training has responded to that need.

When the first few major centers opened shop in Cebu (early 2004), there was not a problem conducting job fairs since there were literally hundreds of qualified walk-ins. However, as more centers opened up, sourcing for applicants who’s skills match what are needed has become a challenge.

Since the management team of One Core Business Innovations worked for call centers before, they know the frustrations of managing new employees endorsed by the Sourcing Department. It can oftentimes become a blame-game between the different departments.

The classic cycle usually starts with the recruitment and sourcing department feeling the pressure to meet a ramp ;  the training team blames sourcing for hiring applicants with mediocre skills, and finally Operations “haunts” training for endorsing “run of the mill” agents when they start taking or making calls on the floor.

There really is no point blaming each other; for one thing,learning curves vary. However, a good call center training has to be an ongoing pursuit; from independent training centers, to calibrating with the sourcing team to get the more “trainable” applicant profiles, continuing on to providing learner centered modules with properly trained trainers; and constant training needs analyses for agents when they start working in the production floor. Continuous training should go for both new and tenured agents.

Although One Core Business Innovations train and endorse to different call centers in Cebu City; they also work closely with their center partners in finding out specific reasons why some applicants fail the selection process. OCBI knows the importance of providing feedback to those who did not make it so concrete action plans may be taken to work on their skills or behaviors as needed. These applicants will then have a better chance at getting accepted when they do decide to re-apply.

At whatever stage the person is in his quest to land a call center job; different doses of training will be needed not only to ensure his acceptance but also his success as a call center agent.

Call Center Trainings in Cebu

There are numerous training centers in Cebu City specializing in preparing their trainees to work for the call center industry. From free trainings (sponsored by TESDA) to programs with different durations and price tiers, you name it.

One Core Business Innovations recently joined the bandwagon of training centers; as former call center industry practitioners the OCBI management team is confident that they can bring in more targetted modules into the trainings; prepare the trainees better understand not only the perks but also the challenges of becoming a call center agent.

One of the attractions of the industry is the attractive incentives and salaries it offers to prospective employees; sign up bonuses scream right before your eyes as you read the sunday papers. This is usually the first touch of information people get ;and one of the best ways to prepare to join is go through a good call center training. Although the skill preparation may be addressed, the applicants may not be aware of the flipsides of the story.

Call Center trainings of One Core Business Innovations always include preparing the trainees to understand the realities of the industry, like:

1. Graveyard shifts (shift bids might be as often as every two weeks) – understanding the realities of the work schedule will allow applicants to honestly assess their current health situations; especially for those who belong to the 35-55 age bracket.

2. Educational attainment – even if the industry accepts applicants who have completed at least 2 years of the same major in college, one might have challenges going up the organizational ladder without a Bachelor’s Degree. OCBI encourages trainees to find a way to complete their education (even 6 units per semester) while working full time in the call center.

3. Health hazards – the job is prone to multiple unhealthy lifestyles. Fast food eating, smoking and no exercise. One has to make extra effort in including an exercise regimen as well as eating healthy food. Following a healthy lifestyle also ensures that issues on absenteeism and productivity are addressed.

These are just a few of the “flipside” items taken up on every One Core Business Innovations call center training; so we are assured that not only do the applicants get a better chance at being accepted but they can effectively manage the work dynamics of the industry therefore not becoming an easy statistic in the company’s attrition figures.

“Is there a career for me after 40?”

This was the first question a good friend of mine asked over dinner. Well, I answered that “Not only does life begin at 40, so can a good second or third career!”

Career opportunities now are quite different from a few years back; you don’t have to leave the country to get good employment. As long as your skills and experience are impressive, you have a good chance at getting hired in any branch of the Business Process Outsourcing industry.

Among the sourcing pool of One Core Business Innovations, job aspirants belonging to the age bracket of 35 years and up has increased. Profiles range from manufacturing company officers, full time moms who have not worked for at least 5 years, early retirement beneficiaries etc.

The One Core Business Innovations team spends time processing and guiding them in their career choices and decisions; giving them the real picture of industries they are not familiar with but are eager to join, the most common is that of the call center industry.

One thing great about the BPO industry, whether its medical transcription or the call center is that age is not an issue. As long as one has acceptable English communication skills,  computer literate and is physically fit to work on the night shift hours ; they have an equal chance like anyone else!

One Core Business Innovations makes sure that expectations are levelled off with these “second coursers”. While call center perks like food allowance, unlimited coffee, competitive salary and night differentials are shared; call center realities are also discussed like:

1. Graveyard shift (depending on the call center; shift bids might be every two weeks and can take a toll on one’s health)

2. They might report to a 23 year old Team Lead.; managers may be as young as 27!

3. Screaming customers can fill their 8-hour shift.

You get mixed reactions after these discussions; some decide to have OCBI place them in non-call center industries instead; others however become excited and are ready to take on a different twist and challenge to their careers.

We oftentimes encourage this specific pool of job aspirants to join the call center industry; for there is truly a NEED for more mature managers in this industry! (but this is another topic )

Yes, there can be another career after 40! In fact, another exciting journey has just begun…