ONLINE FREEDOM

A Christmas Carol: My Christmas Past, Present and Future

2016-12-15T15:06:00.002+08:00

source: http://artfreaksew16.deviantart.com/art/Christmas-Carol-Poster-design-407320080

Part 1

So this heat made my drowsy eyes unable to succumb to sleep. The temperature adds to the burden of not being able to rest. So here I am left with nothing to do but to combat the atmosphere or think of something better.

In the play "A Christmas Carol" Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by three ghosts: Past, Present and Future. I was able to participate in a production directed by my classmate (King) in high school as our project in English. I was the person in charge of props while the main actor did one hell of a job portraying the role. Impressed until now! It was one of the event in my young days wherein I can say, I'm proud. Since, I got nothing else to do let me visit the past, present and future. My Christmas Carol!

Christmas Past

We are not rich. Yes, I grew up as an OFW kid. I had the latest and greatest stuff. But my mom kept reminding me, "we are not rich". "We have nothing son!" I got used to this that frankly I got pissed and doubting since everyone is saying that my father has a good and high paying job. Well, yes! I live in a comfortable home with three meals a day. I studied in a public school during my elementary, a seminary in high school and college. But I never felt rich. Perhaps it was just merely the perception of people around us. I worked my butt off just like any regular kid. I got used to a Christmas without my father. Frankly, it was fine. It never bothered me. Mom always filled up his role in the family. There were times when he was there. I remember those. I remember because he would allow us to buy firecrackers for the new year. Mom always said, "No firecrackers if your father is not here, it is not safe". Hmm! Me and third brother would always find a way to buy. The only difference is when "tatay" is around he buys it and we do not spend our Christmas money.

I miss those Christmas. I miss the whole family being together. My Most memorable of all was when everyone from my mother side spent the Christmas together. I could never forget it. It was fun to see my aunts and cousins. It was fun being a child at that time. Writing about it even makes me smile to this day. It was never the food that I remember but the people, my aunts and uncles drinking being happy with my grandfather and mother. It was the smiles that beamed on their cheeks. Their red faces when they laugh. I know my mother was very happy. I was. It was fun being with relatives. It is something that I definitely want to go back to.

My Christmas past were never memories of lechon, cakes, etc. What I remember was the smile, the joy and indescribable feeling of warmth in being with your loved ones. It is the joy of being together being one, being a family.

Looking back, I long for those Christmas. I long to be in the table with my aunts, uncles, grandfather and mother but most specially my mother. How I wish I can visit this part of my past to witness it like a child again.

When my mother started to have cancer our Christmas started to change. I started to change. I started not to appreciate the joy of being together until she left us.

I never grew up rich. Our Christmas was never about what's on the table but with who - being together!

end of part 1... to be continued

Ten Decembers in the Call Center Industry

2016-12-11T17:18:00.000+08:00

source: https://www.pinterest.com/sharon55408/philippine-history-culture/

No carols, no going around to see the joy that Christmas brings to the Metro. Ten Decembers ago, I was desperate. I needed a high paying job. I heard of the Call Centers. Confidence brought me to the doors of ELJ building in Quezon City. I had to ask my uncle the directions because I did not know anything in Manila or Quezon City to be exact. I was desperate. I was scared of a Christmas with nothing. I endured the recruitment process that went on for a day. In the middle of it all I was asked to comeback for a final interview. Urrrrgh! Tired but still desperate for a high job I was still hopeful. What attracted me the most was the "sign on" bonus of ten thousand pesos only to realize later that I will get it on my first month and not when I literally sign the contract. I passed and was scheduled for training. I was wave 29 of Amazon.com. I was a call center agent.

Ten Decembers

I sit in a comfortable chair surrounded by a team of sales people on a crunch time to hit their individual quotas. It's a new job. I spent five years with my previous company. That's half of my entire career! But that's a different story! I sit and watch the darkness outside the window. Ten Decembers later, I asked what changed in my life. I am still in this cut throat industry with the desire of being on top consuming me. Maybe the intensity is there. I have people now ready and waiting for the direction that we will take, who to hunt and what to do next. That's a significant change. That's a significant upgrade.

Ten Decembers

I was in a chair asking people how I can help them. Thinking of the next resolution. Lull moments make me think of the past years when I was at home but no longer can. When my mom would cook a lot of food: sweet, juicy, nice and delicious. No more! I am stuck with a headset on my head taking calls and finding a resolution streamed with unending supply of irritated customers.

"How can I help you?"

"Can you tell me more?"

"Please verify your email address."

"What is your order number?"

"Do you want my supervisor?"

"The previous agent was rude?"

"I am sorry about your experience!"

"Let me help you."

Chanted it like a mantra of a dying person hoping that it would save him. If I could get out then I would. I can't though. Christmas offers a lot of guilt to management prompting them to give you stuff to make you comfortable. Good food in the pantry, free stuff on the floor, the bonus and of course the premium pay.

Ten Decembers

Teaches you a lot of stuff. Teaches you that the only way for your family to be happy you have to sacrifice. If you want them to have a sense of heaven then you have to be ready to take shit. Accept this if you want to succeed. It is not an easy job. I know because I spent...

Ten Decembers

Confessions of a Call Center Agent

2014-03-28T08:54:00.001+08:00

by: Silver

In an industry where hopping from one company to another is a subculture that's natural, working in one company is something that is admired, adored, amused and all the good words that goes along with it. I used to ask my mentors for reasons as to why they stay longer. Whatever the reasons were, it did not make an impact that time. It did not make sense. I mean, who wants to stay longer in a company for a long time. I just could not imagine it. Perhaps it was the millennial character in me that was kicking in. It diluted my appreciation of tenure and being anchored into a single place. Loyalty was not a word rubbing into me.

Here's my career summary. I started working right after graduation and that was 2007. So it has been 7 seven years since then. Seven years and I have been with seven companies. My shortest stay was three months and the longest is with the current company that I work for. I have been Claims Handler, Customer Service Rep, Hybrid Tech Support, Travel Specialist, Trainer, Team Lead, Universal Agent and a teacher.

So what made me stay?

The environment! Working in big call centers meant that you are a dot. Being able to mingle with the owners or the top executives of the companies is impossible. The distance between you and them is bigger than the pacific ocean. In eBusiness, you normally see the CEO going around and talking to employees. It's an everyday sight to see him asking the agents about their challenges. Sometimes if you did good you will find a note on your station from him with praises like: "Nice work king of sales!" eBusiness and the leadership team can mix the pressure and leisure of working.

The company! I know that I mentioned beforehand that the company looked small. With 70 FTE mostly doing telemarketing, it was small back then. That experience was humbling considering that I have not worked as a telemarketer. I was a good seller but for people who called in to inquire not me calling them and asking if they would want to buy something that they don't need. So I asked for them to let me start as an agent. I needed to get my bearings straight. Interacting with the agents that I will lead was worth it. Knowing their pain was something that numbers can't describe. But what really helped me was knowing that I did not belong to a team. I was part of a family who cared for each other. Everybody knows everybody. It was in here that I felt human. I was not a seat filler with an 034276 employee number. I felt my individuality amidst the conglomeration of everyone. The pain of adjustment that I normally feel when I start with something new was never felt. Having no relatives here in Cebu that time the company became my family.

Being young! Working for a young company meant that I have an environment with newbies from provinces around the Cebu or Mindanao. Other centers might consider this as dreadful. But I actually felt good and as part of the leadership it was better to work with them. Their concepts and ideas of the industry has not been tainted with the practices of veterans. Training and leading them is a challenge but they will always follow. It makes working easy because you know that they trust your every move or decision. Being with young minds also means being in the presence of people whose concept of the world is different. Their idealism and dreams makes leaders like me remember my college days. It challenges me to seek for better ways. Like them I am millennial but it is really helpful to lead characters like this. They learn from you and I learn from them.

My feet brought me one morning to a company located on the 15th floor of a building near Ayala. Their ad was on a corner of the Sunday paper that I borrowed from my friend. I was desperately looking for a job that time. I have to admit. When I saw the production area I was not thinking of staying for six months. I thought of making it as a stepping stone. The company was obviously small. My experience was shouting out so loud that I don't belong. But I wanted a job. Three years later, I'm the Operations Manager of eBusiness BPO. Looking back at my chaotic past I could not wish to change it. My failures were a potter's hands that made me the person that I am today.

Dreams: Fundamentals!

2014-02-17T01:57:00.001+08:00

picture source: http://thompaul3.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/live-your-dreams-my-dream-is-23986887-1600-1200.jpg

Dreams? What was mine? When I was child I remember that there was a time that i told my mother that I wanted to be a janitor. I saw them one night in our house and she mentioned it. Everyone laughed and one of them told me that it would not be hard to achieve it. Their laugh indicated that it was not a good dream to chase after.

A couple of years later. I changed it to become a soldier. But when I was about to enter high school, mother told me that she would not accept less than the Philippine Military Academy. Then, I entered the high school seminary. I swear I made a lot of dreams there. In contrary though becoming a priest was never entertained for a long time. It was a fleeting thought. That would have depend as to where I am. In front of my religious relative, I wanted to be a priest.

When i entered college it was a different story. I dreamed of changing society and the form of government. I was the idealistic ass who thought that what I did was somewhat honorable. I joined in groups after groups participated in activities that added white hairs to my mother's hair. I was convinced that it was the right thing to do. But after I saw the real deal I had to quit.

I went to Manila to take my chances. My family accepted me back. I was on a roll again. I had different plans though. I wanted to be alone. I did not want to be under the wings of my father. I left them to live in a 5x6 apartment. A small one but the sense of freedom gave me solitude. There I dreamed of success again. I had to do stuff that sometimes unethical but was practiced by the people around me. I learned from them. Money was just a phone call away. Life was a happy one. It was a short lived moment though. My girlfriend got pregnant. She was getting sick of the city. So I had to let her go home. Man, the sufferings that I had that time was enormous. I bore it all because that time it was my dream to be a good father to the kid that we had. She gave birth and I have to move to Cebu.

Life was never better. I had to transfer from one job to another. From one call center to the next. One gave me a chance and saw the potential in me. I became a trainer. It was short lived though and I was given a team in operations. Short lived again and I moved out.

I became a teacher. Convinced that perhaps it was my calling since a lot of my relatives were teachers. I was teaching Koreans to speak English. I was a good one! I was booked from morning till the night. Then, I got tired and a student offered me to help him in making a business in Cebu. Guess what happened? Short lived! It never materialized. I had to go back to the call center world.

I can proudly say that not a lot of people can do what I have done. Perhaps, none of them are stupid like me or just not talented enough. Sad to admit that until now I have never reached my dream. It started to change as I aged. As I reach other priorities in life my dreams become better or harder. That's the lesson that I learned. Honestly, I can settle for a life of a janitor with a happy family. To be able to say good night to your kids and kiss them. To hear them call you father. I can live with that. But my life now is complicated. I got kids with two different mothers. And I'm neither married to anyone. Got a job that offers me the excitement that I long for. So it's more than the complication itself.

So what is my dream? I think I would settle for the the most fundamental one. A family!

NOT A HEAVENLY JOB: CALL CENTER AGENT

2014-02-14T12:00:00.000+08:00

picture source: http://lifetimehealthtips.blogspot.com/2010/06/lifetime-health-problems-of-call-center.html

CALL CENTER JOB? You think it's the best?

The revenue of the BPO industry in the Philippines is big. Most renowned is it's call center wing wherein it employs a lot of people. As a country who uses English naturally there is a lot of talent out there. Talents, that are eager to join.

Philippines is a poor country. A third world country to be more descriptive. Inflation is jumping like a wild horse. The unemployment rate is horrible. A county whose record in the papers of economy is growing but in reality a suffering one. There is a perfect mix that is evident. Us being able to speak English and flexible if not exposed to the Western side of trend is concoction with a superb effect. Not only that, let us not forget that because of the current salary that regular people "enjoy" the average young "Juan" has two choices when he or she graduates. Number one, sell everything that your parents has. This is to pay for a placement fee to hopefully work abroad. I am emphasizing "HOPEFULLY". Number two, to those who has the "talent of the tongue". To those who can speak English, there is a clear path ahead - become a call center agent. Being a son of an OFW I selected the second path. I don't want to produce another one of me who spent my days (up to current) seeking for a father.

Let me get this straight! This write up is not to discourage anyone who wants to join the industry. I write to let those who aspire think - clearly!

Here are my reasons:

1. SALARY: Let me explain it in the best way that I can. If you work for a multi-million dollar call center you will get a lot. But if you work for a Small to Medium Enterprise it's a different case. A big company is like an expensive couch. It has a lot of cushion in it. For the other one though, it has enough to survive and make you comfortable. Here's the irony that you need to accept. Aiming for the big boys would be like passing through the eye of the needle. They have tough filters. So if you're new and is not too confident you might as well think of other options. Both of these companies though measures your salary depending on your skill on how well you glide your vowels during the interview.

2. LANGUAGE SKILL: Not all call center academy gives you a key to the production floor. There is a possibility that some of these institutions are just driven by money, deals that they cut with some call centers with voiced accounts mostly. It's all about sending recruits that were "trained". It's all about the volume of people that they pass-along the pipeline. Motivations that lowers the quality of the people seeking their enlightenment that would help them get the piece of the action. So before you pay for training, think! Free training, is another lucrative way of positively scripting the real intention of the business. It's not free because in reality a partner center pays them and you must go there to apply. If you don't make it there, there are two possibilities. One, you're not ready because. Number two the training module is outdated and ineffective. Which is true to some extent. And there's another one which is, this path is not meant for you. My point? Nothing beats practice, practice and watching a lot of Hollywood movies. I swear it works. Oh, some call centers offer free training wherein you'll get a job once you passed. I think that's better.

3. EXPERIENCE: Hopping from one call center to another is not the right way of gaining experience. Each company that you go to is not a scout badge that you can show around. The more centers that you've been to and have not stayed for at least a year is an anchor that would bring your dreams or career down. It's a way of making it worse for you. Trust me, I've been there and done that. It's a given, you will make that mistake to choose the wrong center. Now unless they are beating their employees suck it up and do your job. Again, trust me I know what I'm talking about. Learn as much as you can in as much as you can from where you are right now. Experience has a different view these days. It is. Number one, how much you learned. Number two, the training that you absorbed. Number three, how well you execute what you learned. Number four, how loyal you are. Number five, how you dealt with the adversities that you encountered. So quitting is not really gonna cut it for you! Let me say this again: "believe me, I know!"

4. LEAVING: When to leave? I cannot tell you the exact time. Here's how I would prepare myself. One, think of it a lot times. If it is an incident that caused you to make the decision. Just breath out and breath in! Think - a lot of times. If you think you are not happy. Do something that would make you, during your rest days. Give it until the end of the year (so that you can get your thirteen month pay and possibly tax refund). OK? Make sure you smile a lot. And if you are manager or a team lead right now... I will make another article for you!

5. NBI Clearance: If you are not ready to spend long hours in a line that moves slower than a turtle don't change jobs! However, they said it's faster these days considering the online option. But honestly, I still haven't tried it.

This job is for people who can suck it up when a Customer is shouting at you. Individuals who can still smile even if 90% of your sales calls is NOT INTERESTED. When you can still be motivated at every time you see your name at the bottom of 900+ agents. This job is not heavenly it's a lifestyle for a special breed!

That's it for now folks!

FUNNY VIDEO!

2014-01-18T08:06:00.000+08:00

PLEASE WATCH THIS AND HIT LIKE IN YOUTUBE!

CALL CENTER HIRING NOW!!!

2013-10-14T13:43:00.001+08:00

CALLING ALL CENTER AGENTS

AND

FRESH GRADS!

CALL CENTER NEWS: Ebusiness BPO Inc. becomes PCI COMPLIANT!

2013-07-25T06:01:00.001+08:00

by: Silver Cepeda

Name a Call Center that has 400 to 600 seats and is PCI Compliant! Let me make it a lit bit harder for you, it must be here in Cebu, Philppines. I think the second filter really made it really hard for anyone to give out an answer. Well, if you ask me about PCI Compliant companies in Cebu I would probably name the big players i.e Convergys, Stream, Teletech and Aegis. They are big but is more than 600 seats. Among the titans that were mentioned I think it's only Qualfon who has the least seats. This was the concept before today!

Scott Johnson, President and CEO of EBusiness BPO Inc entered the BPO Insdustry four years ago. He started with 7 agents. Now, he has almost 400 hundred agents. He dreamed of making a contact center that would be the WalMart for clients. A center that offers quality with an affordable per hour rate - just like WalMart. Knowing the man, I just knew that it would happen. His efforts paid off today - July 25th 2013!Ebusiness BPO Inc got its PCI Certification. It now ranks with the Big Boys in the industry managing to hold on to the identity of being the WalMart of the contact center. Dream come to true for Scott? I don't think so. It is his first step!

Let me give a short decription and history from wikepedia about PCI.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a proprietary information security standard for organizations that handle cardholder information for the major debit, credit, prepaid, e-purse, ATM, and POS cards.

Defined by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, the standard was created to increase controls around cardholder data to reduce credit card fraud via its exposure. Validation of compliance is done annually — by an external Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) that creates a Report on Compliance (ROC)[1] for organizations handling large volumes of transactions, or by Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) for companies handling smaller volume.

PCI DSS originally began as five different programs: Visa Card Information Security Program, MasterCard Site Data Protection, American Express Data Security Operating Policy, Discover Information and Compliance, and the JCB Data Security Program. Each company’s intentions were roughly similar: to create an additional level of protection for card issuers by ensuring that merchants meet minimum levels of security when they store, process and transmit cardholder data. The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) was formed, and on 15 December 2004, these companies aligned their individual policies and released the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

In September 2006, the PCI standard was updated to version 1.1 to provide clarification and minor revisions to version 1.0.
Version 1.2 was released on October 1, 2008.[6] Version 1.1 "sunsetted" on December 31, 2008.[7] v1.2 did not change requirements, only enhanced clarity, improved flexibility, and addressed evolving risks/threats. In August 2009 the PCI SSC announced[8] the move from version 1.2 to version 1.2.1 for the purpose of making minor corrections designed to create more clarity and consistency among the standards and supporting documents.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pci_Compliance

Ebusiness BPO Inc just changed the game in Cebu! The center will become the convergence of solution, quality and high end technology in an affordable package. With the PCI Compliance Certification in its belt Ebusiness can cater to big time players who needs to maintain its distinct high standard quality. It can also help small to medium size enterprises that needs call center solution. It will remain to its vision in being the WalMart of the contact center industry.

So the next time you're in need of a contact center think Ebusiness. High standards with affordable Global Business Solution!

Congratulations Ebusiness...

PNoy's 4th SONA: Ruled by INSENSITIVITY

2013-07-22T18:02:00.000+08:00

by: Silver Cepeda

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/998525_521423154578169_142664815_n.jpg

FACTS:

"MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippine business process outsourcing (BPO) will continue its upward momentum, with annual revenues seen hitting $16 billion this year as the country remains one of the world's top BPO destinations.
source:" (www.philstar.com)

"The BPO sector has been able to exploit the high-skilled segment of the Philippine population, with its strong English-language capability, and service-friendly personality. It accounts for 15% of the country's exports of goods and services, and the Philippines is now the third largest BPO destination after India and Canada."
source: www.asiancenturyinstitute.com

"Though BPO and IT-related activities accounted for a growing slice of GDP last year and provided employment for 525,000 people in the Philippines, the UNCTAD report noted that more needed to be done to maximise developmental benefits from NEMs so as to protect against what it called their 'footloose' nature."
source: www.bpap.org

SAD FACTS:

Philippine politics was my game in College. How I wish I still have the flare of that 18 year old youth. Honestly, I know it was the 4th State of the Nation Address of the President today July 22, 2013. Perhaps I got tired of hoping. For the heck of it I turned on the Television. I was waiting for the words "Call Center". Before I cared so much about the country with the feeling that I can save it. However these days, I am satisfied to care about the sector that I work. I wanted to know if there will be changes or at least additional benefits for us. Thus, I waited!

With the facts mentioned above I could not help but wonder if the President knew about it. I mean, he has been thanking people for their achievements. He has been mentioning people from his cabinet. He forgot to express his thanks to the 525,000 people working in the BPO industry. How can he miss that? You might ask, "what does he want? why is it a big deal?" $16 billion dollars that's a big deal. That's an amount that cannot be brushed off. Yes, it's not that big compared to the revenue generated by the OFW sector. Don't get me wrong, my father is an OFW. I just felt that the efforts of all my colleagues in the industry is nothing when he said nothing. Well, I guess being in the second spot means you'll be ignored.

Working in a BPO is not easy. It's not something that you want and can just jump in. No! To be part of this industry takes skills. I work in a call center and I know how well we pick our agents. Once you are accepted and would come to work your problem does not end there. Each center has it's own metrics, hit or get fired! In addition, you normally come at night. Since the call center boom in Philippines the transportation industry adjusted well. So we have 24hr jeepney routes in major cities. But with it comes the 24hr risk of being robbed. Criminals became flexible and would normally target us because they know about our high end phones, gadgets and thick pockets. Now if you manage to avoid this, it's not yet over. The rise of the industry gave way to fly by night centers. These are the worst. They have agents who work and then the next day they shut down or would change name. Overnight their agents are unemployed. We are also not exempted to the fact that some companies would not even remit our mandated government contributions like Phil health, Pagibig and SSS. It's a painful discovery because when you need it and it's there that you can't use it because the company that you worked for is has been deducting you but not remitting. That's not all... There is that health hazard that makes the job harder.

I hope I was able to establish the fact that this is not an easy fix to be here. We push hard so that our families would have that "above poverty" kind of meals per day. In doing so, we help the economy. In doing so, we help the retail, taxi, house/boarding house industry. Don't you think we deserve the President's thanks? Not mentioning us seemed that he forgot us. It's not just the thanking that I'm disappointed. PNoy mentioned priority bills that would help the army and the rest of the populace. But he forgot to mention the "Magna Carta for Call Center Worker Bill". So I don't know what more to think.

sources:

http://www.bpap.org/media-room/214-the-phil-better-business-process-outsourcing

http://www.asiancenturyinstitute.com/development/203-philippines-opportunity-point

http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/04/02/926266/phl-bpo-industry-revenues-hit-16-b-2013

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/439769/santiago-refiles-magna-carta-for-call-center-workers-bill

eBusiness BPO Inc: CONQUERING BOHOL in ONE DAY

2013-07-19T17:40:00.000+08:00

by: Silver Cepeda

This was somewhere in March. Our client came to check our center. After the formalities of business were met she told us that she wanted to visit Bohol. It was a request that was very pleasing. Time to chill and check out a new place that might reinvigorate our stressed spirits.

Graciously sponsored by Ebusiness we were able to go with the client for a day tour of the ever famous and world renowned Bohol. This place is located in Central Visayas, just in the southeast part of Cebu. From Cebu we had a two hour trip that meant waking up early for all of us since we have to board the first trip out. Since it was summer time, the trip went smooth as silk with a few bumps.

Bohol at last! Our van was right there waiting for us when we arrived. Thanks to the organizational skill of our dearest HR Mylene Balmores. We visited a lot of place and I cannot remember the exact names of it so I would have to apologize as early as now. Let me do the best that I can to remember. Who would forget Chocolate hills? This is the spot that made or still makes Bohol a place for tourist to go to. If not for the concept of the Almighty being I would think that the hills must have been formed by aliens (conspiracy theorist mood). It embodies the definition of beauty. I liked it because the Local Government really made an effort to make sure that the area is clean in spite of gazillion tourist that visits the place. I would say this is my first to really see a place in my on country that is under the Local Government control and is well maintained. Let me see... Loboc River! This is another spot wherein I would have to applaud the leaders of Bohol. The river is as green as the trees surrounding it. What a beauty! There was a strict reminder on the boat that we were in, 100,000.00PHP penalty if caught littering. That's how you should implement rules! The collaborative effort of the people and the Local Government made this river a site that is A-mazing! We visited a beach during the trip which I forgot the name. Trust me it's not Panglao because this place is still not yet developed. How can I say that? It's still free to get in! Maybe let's ask Evan Abellanosa the name of that beach (please comment below).

The animals of Bohol. Our van stopped at a mini zoo and the place where we can find the tarsier. We saw some wild animals such as phytons, ostrich and some really endemic and rare creatures of Philippines. I like watching them. I like the fact that you don't have to climb mountains and cross rivers to be able to see them. I'm not a member of PAWS Philippines but I think watching too much National Geographic Channel and Discovery taught me that these creatures should be left in the wild. I'm sorry but I don't understand the logic of keeping them in that mini-zoo. I don't understand as to why it would be called preservation when they should be kept in a very wide reservation - away from the pollution of civilization. I hope I did not spoil your reading appetite.

Finally, we reached the end of our tour right from where we started! Bohol, I fell in love with your beauty. I'm one of your fan! I salute your local government for keeping your place - a must see destination! Thank you eBusiness BPO Inc.

Since 2007...

2013-07-18T16:37:00.000+08:00

by: Silver

When I graduated from College being a call center agent was never the path that I imagined. I was still in the seminary when me and a classmate was able to get our hands on a classified ad from a Sunday newspaper. We saw the jobs that were available for us. Unfortunately for us no one was looking for a Philosophy graduate. I got scared considering that our graduation was a couple of months away from that time. It seemed that the only option after the College Seminary was Theology and later become a priest. It seemed but somehow I was able to manage to go out of this path.

I was able to land a job. My first was with a British owned company dealing with insurance liabilities of ship owners to its Filipino seafarers. The job was exciting. However, considering the salary and the average age of the veteran employees I got discouraged. I could not imagine myself stuck at the four walls of Pandiman and listen to seamen from all over the Philippines deal with their illnesses, injuries and sometimes death. It seemed all too boring for me with a low pay. I was ready to steam out of that company on my sixth month. I did and I am glad.

I dreamed big. I entered the call center industry. I was a customer service representative for Amazon.com. It was December. So the whole production floor was hyped up with an enormous volume of call that. Our fourteen days of training was cut to seven. We we're suppose to discuss how to resolve fradulent account on the eight day. And guess what, my first call was a customer who's account was tagged as fraud. So imagine me freaking out because I can't open the customer's account. Basically, I didn't know what to do or worst how to resolve her concern. But there's always that Sup call. I learned to love. Transfer the call and then everything is fine (for me at least).

2007 to 2013, the journey was long but looking at it I would gasp for air. In this span of time I lost two women. One, my mother the other my grandmother's sister who has always been very generous to me. I've been to six jobs. I met a lot of people and learned lessons in a very hard manner and sometimes painful.

I am now an Operations Manager of a call center. Finally, I was able to stay in a job. It was a step up that I dreamed of. I love leading a group of people, it's challenging. A challenge that I did not back out. I'm here now. I will always be thankful to the owners of this company who trusted me and took care of me. This center has become my home (don't ask me why). On this six year period I lost two women and found one. Though she's far I can feel her presence with me. All the more reason for me to be thankful.

So what's the deal? Why am I writing? It has been six years of suffering and few mishaps. This year it's different. I definitely know that there will be problems but it's good to know that you have a fan out there who will always say "you can do it" and "I'm proud of you!"

What a year!

eBusiness BPO Inc.: 1st BPO Contact Center in the Philippines to use Virtual 360 TOUR

2012-11-05T12:10:00.001+08:00

by: Silver Cepeda

eBusiness BPO Inc., the first among all the call centers in the Philippines to launch and utilize the Virtual 360 tour. What is a Virtual Tour? By my simple definition: "it is a program/tool that enables people to be in the office and to actually see the facility". This has been used by posh names in the hotel industry to showcase their rooms and accommodations. It gives the viewer a taste of what the company or the facility can offer. In the case of eBusiness it gives potential clients a chance to see its top of the line call center setup empowered by its high end infrastructure. In the call center business it has always been a good idea to bring prospect clients to the site. It materializes marketing or simply proves what is real and what is not. eBusiness BPO showcases its facility with this virtual tour with every corner revealed to a viewer. It's giving you a first hand experience or a taste of the technology and set up that no other center has. It's being there without being there. Thus, allowing clients to be actually in the office without spending thousands of dollars for airline tickets. A concept that the Director of Operations Almira Absin pushed in the company. She has been known as the woman with cost saving solutions impacting and elevating the company's name and performance. This is one way to prove how this company is serious about its commitment to answer and live up to its ever demanding client. eBusiness is the first.

here is the link:

VIRTUAL TOUR

Halloween 2012: A night of FUN with eBusiness BPO Inc

2012-11-05T11:11:00.002+08:00

by: Silver Cepeda

Nov 02, 2012 at 10:00 PM (Cebu Time) I entered the office. The atmosphere was different. Agents are vigilant to the people entering the doors of the company. They were checking out the costumes of their colleagues. The comfort rooms are filled with them preparing for the event. For a moment there, I thought I was in the dressing room of a Las Vegas show that was about to run. Well, it was I think in par! The traditional Halloween run for eBusiness BPO came to life at 10:30 PM as agents on their dress up mode entered the company's doors with funny, cool, hip and scary costumes. The company's aisle became a catwalk for its agents to walk and present their creativity. Yes, it has been the tradition of the company to have this celebration imitating the culture of our American costumers. However, at exactly eleven as laughter boils up to its momentum, we have to stop for awhile. It was time to work and dial in to answer our costumers.

Nov 03, 2012 at 8:00 AM (Cebu Time), Agents logged out of their phones and revved up for the main event - the costume contest. The company also opened its doors to the children, nephews, nieces, etc. of the agents. It was show time. Kids on costumes. Agents on costumes and even the management with its Team leaders and Managers. This is what you call cooperation. The children went around the Team Leader , Manager and Owner's station asking for treat. I think it was an experience that they can't forget as they fill up their loot bag with candies. I never had such an experience when I was child. So, I think the company's little guests must have enjoyed receiving a dosage of sweets that would last for a week. It was a fun filled event that made one say...

"ITS MORE FUN IN EBUSINESS BPO,INC."

Marlon Llagas

Call Center Agent: Faced with Father and Daughter DILEMMA

2012-09-02T02:48:00.000+08:00

source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2012/08/31/79-quake-hits-eastern-samar-240302

The evening of Friday, August 31st 2012 - the whole Philippines was caught off guard with a shocking news.The Eastern side of the country was literally being rocked with a magnitude 7.7 earthquake. I was still asleep then I woke up because the house that I lived in here in Cebu was dancing. I thought somebody grabbed hold of it and decided to toss it back and forth.

Yes, I am a call center agent here in Cebu. I am here to work. Just like my colleagues I'm from a different island of the country. Cebu has always been a place of calm. Hard hitting typhoons never had that chance to hit this city hard - as far as I can remember. People consider themselves lucky unlike the ones living in Manila wherein it's almost automatic that it would flood every time it rains. Maybe this is the reason why Cebuanos are not used to calamities. I can still remember a couple of months ago when people here were in panic because of an earth quake. This relax mode in the city, made me calm and confident that nothing bad would happen here. No typhoons, floods, quake, etc would damage or harm Cebu.

Past eight in the evening, August 31st. It was an event that changed me. I woke up because of the loud noise that I heard outside my room. My housemates were in a panic mode. I realized that the whole house was being rocked. It was obvious that we were experiencing an earth quake. I went out of the door. And when everything seemed to settle, I went back. Instinctively, I checked the Internet for a news. Then I saw an update from my friend in Facebook. She placed in her status that Eastern Samar was hit with a 7.7 earth quake. Some of her friends were already making some comments. And it hit me that me that my daughter is in Borongan Eastern Samar. I started to ask for some updates. I tried to call. I was not getting through. I used both of my phone services but I was not getting anything. Somebody posted that they were not able to do so on their end. The cellphone signal was down in our place. Facebook was still on, so I kept asking for updates. Then, even Facebook went out because the power in our town shut off. I swear I wanted to pound the heads of the owners of Globe, Smart and the manager of ESAMELCO (our power provider). I did not know what to do. At the same time, I remembered that I have agents already on duty. Our office was located on the 15th floor of a building near Ayala Cebu. A team lead updated me that they were sent down. Now, I was confused on who to attend to first, my agents or my daughter. I waited for an update in Facebook. Knowing that our town in Samar is facing the Pacific Ocean, I was restless! The thought of a tsunami after a strong quake bothered me so much. The house where my daughter lives is near the coastline. Switch thought. Everything seemed to be fine in the office. However, no update does not mean that everything is fine. So I went to the shower, put on a shirt and went to the office.

In the call center. The whole production floor did not look normal. I know it was hard for the agents. Being located in the 15th floor while the ground moves is never a good experience - I think! Well, everyone seemed calm except me. I never heard an update. When I left the house I read that there was a tsunami warning raised for Eastern Samar. So I was in a dilemma on whether to be a Manager and take care of my agents or to be a father and worry about my child.

The President of the company approached me. He saw that I was not in a tranquil state. And just like a father he patted my back and said "a tsunami, normally comes after an hour or so". I realized that he was right. I was able to focus. Now, I am manager. Now I can be productive. I received a text later that my daughter was fine. Friday was one hell of a production day!

CEBU Call Center Shows HER FILIPINO Origins

2012-08-31T17:05:00.002+08:00

http://www.ebusinessbpo.com/About-Us.aspx

EBusiness BPO Inc. is a Filipino Call Center. Last August 17, 2012 - the company showed her desire to look back and live out for one night her Filipino origins. The whole center began her journey three years ago with seven agents. EBusiness BPO Inc. at that time she started out with accounts like Lead Generation, Taxi dispatch, etc . She was small. However, now she becomes a mid-size center that has three hundred plus active seats. A growth that made a mark in the industry of Outsourcing in Asia.

The center's dress up day last August 17, was a night filled with laughter and fun. Agents and the management enjoyed the event as they both live out the Filipino spirit. The men wore the famed barong normally used for weddings as one Team Lead would put it. Some agents put on National costumes seen during the Sinulog Festival. It was a moment that warmed the hearts of the people working their as they all step up to showcase being a Pinoy.

Kudos to eBusiness BPO for a job well done! May she continue to show her pride in her Filipino origin as she grows to be one of the best BPO company in the Philippines.

EBusiness BPO: Agents goes TEAM BUILDING

2012-03-12T09:42:00.001+08:00

March 3, 2012 at 8:45am. Some of my agents were roaming around the production floor. It was as if they are waiting for a child to be born. Excitement and the boredom of waiting causes tension. I can feel it. People who were still taking calls were pressured. The rest of the team are waiting for them. An agent was announcing every minute that passed by. I was jumpy already. Our GL, was going through the calls as fast as he can but as detailed as possible. He wished, he was not doing the Q.A. for the calls that day. It was a dreadful fifteen minutes. We cannot do anything. We have to wait until nine in the morning.

I handle up to forty people. Our Team is called the Individual accounts. These are accounts with three to five agents assembled to a macro team of forty agents. I am the Supervisor, tasked to maintain, organize, discipline and make this multi-LOB productive. Nine in the morning was our departure time. Eight fifty nine, sixty seconds before we logged out. Everyone was on their toes - I was!

Team Buildings, have been a traditional yearly or biyearly events for call center agents and their respective teams. A time to bond. A time to travel as a group and get to know each other apart from the daily routine of taking calls/work. An event wherein agents and the supervisor walk on the same level. An event to open doors leading to better communication and understanding.

Twelve noon - March 3, 2012. Our team arrived at Hidden valley in Pinamungahan Cebu. We reached the place after an hour an a half on the road. Preparation for the departure took a bit longer. The reason? Ninety percent of my agents are female. Figure it out!

The place is called Hidden Valley. Well, you really have to have that intention to go there because it is hidden. Let's just say the road going there is not that admirable. It is a country side. However, once you reach the resort every inconvenience would melt away. The staff is very friendly (especially the front desk staff Ate Nin). The place being on top of the mountain gives you an unlimited view of green scenery. The air is so fresh. It is so amazing. I did not have to wait for instruction nor a guide. I immediately went to the pool and tried the water. Guess what? It's spring water - fresh and very cold. Ahhh... Heaven! At night you can only hear the sound of nature. The nasty sound of the city cannot reach this place. You would really feel privacy within the bosom of Mother Nature herself.

So enough with the place and start with the results. The activity indeed gave the team a time to talk. An open forum was held at night wherein everybody was asked to expressed their opinion about the team. I gave the people that I was handling an opportunity to tell me who I am to them. I learned about my strong points and weak points. Also, the event gave me the time to talk to them about company expectations and demands that are necessary for the team to move forward and be more productive. Things like over breaks were given a degree of attention that agents realized they need to commit themselves in preventing it. We ended up the three hour forum with promises to fulfill our own tasks so that the team would move and grow.

The event only lasted for twenty four hours. But the bond that the team has became better. We can now in a way understand each other. As their supervisor, I learned things that I will carry throughout my career. I am proud that I have my team. Thank you E-Business for sponsoring such an event.

if you want to see the place: Note these are not my shots

http://cebuphotolog.blogspot.com/2010/04/hidden-valley-mountain-resort-at-lamac.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42700163@N03/3935781900/

prices:

http://lamacmpc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=46

Disclosure: the author has not been paid to endorse nor to promote the resort and the cooperative that handles it

Call Center Agent visits GSIS Cebu: "A WASTE of Saliva"

2012-03-11T08:18:00.001+08:00

I still believe that the pen is powerful than rage and just pure anger.

My mother's death came as a blow to our family. Although she has been struck with cancer for seven years. We thought we can overcome it because she was a fighter. But then she died.

Last February 20, 2012 my brother called me. I was informed that they have claimed my mother's death benefits. On the 24th of the same month GSIS Catbalogan will send a check with my name on it. Promptly last Feb 24th, I called GSIS Catbalogan. They have informed me that they sent the check to GSIS Cebu, since I am here. They sent it through postal mail (snail mail).

Considering that GSIS Catbalogan sent it through snail mail I went to GSIS Cebu last March 5. It was to give them time. I entered the office and was given a priority number. You can see it on the top. I was #106, goodluck! At 1:51PM GSIS Cebu looks empty. Supposedly there were three counters that were active based on the priority number provided to me. But it was counter 6 that was calling people. When I sat down, I heard the lady on counter 6 calling out number eighty four. So I sat down and observe, hoping that someone might man counter five and four. Thirty minutes passed and no one came. It seemed that I was indeed wasting my time. I have a night job, so it was my bedtime or else I would not be able to work well.

Running out of patience. I approached cashier booth number 2. She was helpful, at first! She informed me that indeed the money has been sent. She gave the check number and register number provided by the postal services (i guess it was a tracking number). You know why I said, I guess it's the tracking number? Because when I asked that lady as to what is the use of it, she said she does not know. So I further asked, is the register number the same with the tracking number. She still said she does not know. So I asked again, why are you giving it to me. She said, she has to. (BANG) What a very honest and senseless answer.

"Miss, where is the check?"

"Dong (a term used in Cebu to indicate that the person saying this is older than you), it is in the post office!"

"Miss, can i get it from there?"

"No, you cant! Because it is under my name."

"Can you track it?

"No, dong!"

"When can I have it?"

"I don't know. Because it is the post office who has your check. You have to wait. It is not under our control anymore!" (BANG, very helpful)

Treating this as a mishap on the side of that GSIS Cebu cashier. I asked her if I can talk to someone higher than her. She willingly sent me to the manager.

manager: "Good morning, what is the problem?"

me: extending my hand. "Hi, I am (name confidential), I came here because it seems that my concern can't be resolved by your people." my hand was never met and we did not shake hand. Very formal!

manager: looking at the cashier, "What is his problem?"

me: "I can tell you but can I please take a seat? And how would you want me to call you?"

manager: "Ok, sit! You can call me whatever you want!" (BANG, very professional!!!)

me: (thinking, can i call you bitch?) "ah.. okay!"

I explained what happened to this manager. She then asked the cashier to call the post office. She came back with an answer that the post office said that they are following it up. What came next was a debate between me and that manager.

manager: "Sir, it is beyond our power anymore. We are not Philpost!"

me: "Who chose PhilPost?"

manager: "Us, sir!"

me: "Then you should take responsibility for it! If I was given the choice I know I would not choose that service because it's crap and inefficient.I thought your mission is to continually improve your service? So who is responsible?"

manager: "I know sir, if you have seen GSIS last 2002 you can see that we have improved!" (take note, that she did not answer all my question)

me: "Who is responsible for my check?"

manager: "Sir we helped you already. We even called the Post Office..."

This is not the shocking part. When I paused to think. This is what this manager just suddenly said.

manager: "Sir, your English is very good. Are you having a vacation here in the Philippines?" (BANG, clear cut topic diversion!!!)

"me: "No, I AM A FILIPINO but I work in a call center..."

manager: "ohhh. your English is good!"

With that note I did not proceed through. It was clear that I was wasting my time already. I was clear that I would not be able to get help. It was clear I wasted my saliva with a plea for a logical explanation.

Last March 9, I went back to GSIS. And they provided me with the same reason. I still talked to that lady on Cashier booth #2. And I ended raising my voice. To the people there who were sitting behind me, sorry. To people of GSIS, I would be glad to repeat it. And for the record, YOU people are the worst. You do not know Customer Service. They said that they have been following up my check. But then, right there this lady cashier noticed that the phone number that she was suppose to call was no longer in service. So, talk about following when she just realized it there. I asked their guard to escort me outside before I end up saying things to the people there. This is how GSIS pays back the dependents of a faithful and loyal government employee. They tell you to wait!

EARTHQUAKES in Philippines: A test of Call Centers’ DEDICATION

2012-02-10T08:05:00.000+08:00

Feb 06, 2012 – the central part
of Philippines
(Visayas) was hit by a 6.8 magnitude (US National Geological Services)
earthquake. People were in great panic. Based on my own observation, the whole
fiasco started at about 11am in the morning. I was watching the news when
suddenly I felt that the whole house was shaking. At the 30th second
of the event I felt the urge or the necessity of going out for safety. When
everything settled down, GMA News TV announced the earthquake for national
consumption. Highly notable was the tsunami alert raised by PHIVOLCS (the geo
department of Philippines).
It was an alert level 2 – a low one. A couple of minutes after, I heard screams
of people announcing that the water was at E-MALL. The said mall was like a
kilometer away from where I live. I got out again and noticed the crowd in a
frantic mode. It was panic time. Children were being dragged or carried by
their parents and at the same time some are crying. Some people were staring at
the sky as though they are waiting for something to appear. Hours after this,
the whole area calmed down for a reason that I can’t still figure out.
Nevertheless, the ground felt like an expectant father – shaking from time to
time. People were still vigilant and nervous even up until now. 

Feb 06, was a day that consumed many lives. The populace that lived near the epicenter of the earthquake was
badly hurt. It was life costly and traumatic for everyone. Though we are far life as we all
know it here in Cebu did not function as
normally as it should be. 

During hiring orientation in the call
centers that I worked with, absence in whatever form or reason is highly
discouraged. Actually, it is an action met with hostility. Any center
supporting all kinds of L.O.B. knows that absence is indeed something that hurts revenue. Less of this would mean more income for the center. Hence,
such action is not tolerated or dealt with aggressively. February 06 was the
day when this concept was put to a test.

The dilemma. Classes were
suspended during the morning. A lot of people were still on a state of shock.
Some brought their families on top of mountains to make sure that they are safe
if indeed the feared tsunami comes. In spite of its lifting after two hours
since it came to existence, the said alert remained to linger on. This was the
situation. For an industry like the BPO or the Call Center
such event should not cause any absences – theoretically. Nevertheless, as an
industry played and controlled by human factor the theory (even how noble it
is) cannot stand when agents themselves don’t show up out of fear – the center
shuts down. I mean any boss would not be able to balance revenue versus the
human concept of fear. Talking to an employee who did not report to work on the
said day she answered the million dollar question as to why she did not report
to work. She said, “my daily wage of six hundred pesos would not be able to
compensate if something happens to my family”. This is indeed a position worth
talking about but one that was answered by some centers.

We know by now that the
earthquakes (plural) that happened on the 6th of February caused
some centers to have a high absence rate on that day, some on a skeletal form
and yet some shut down. In Ayala for example a big call center housed in Cebu
IT tower, employees were asked or did not go to the office. The center shut
down. On the same building another center suffered the same situation or was
forced to shut down due to the situation that was apparently posing as a
standing block. A rumor has it also that some centers have the same fate
located in Mango Ave
and I.T. Park. This is based on my knowledge and
I would love to be corrected if ever there is a need. 

On the night of Feb 06 though, a
remarkable call center was operating at 95% of its employees. In fact, they
were the ONLY center operating in Cebu IT Tower. If ever there are other
entities in that building they are not able to match the rate that this center
had. Their attendance was almost as perfect as possible. It was another day in
the office for the agents working for the center. They may not have the same
perks offered by a call center in IT park that considered the day’s work as overtime
and of course with a different rate. But these people for the company named
EBUSINESS BPO INC was there. The employees were there for no other reason but because they
wanted to work. With the permission of the owners of the center, I asked an
agent as to why she reported to work. She said, “if I don’t go to work, who
will answer the phone? Who will help our customers?” Having said so, I talked
to their Business Development Officer as to the reaction of their clients. He
simply said, “they were amazed with our agent’s dedication.”

Dedication, a word that is hard
to get by these days. It is so because a Filipino employee has a lot of centers
as an option. So if, he/she does not like the current that he/she works with.
He or She can go somewhere else and be accepted by another. With such situation
people can leave an organization or company if they would like to do so. In
addition, on such day when the populace of Cebu
were in great fear and turmoil it was understood if they would not be able
report to work – humanely speaking. Thus making the action of being able to
work and make the center operate is indeed a show of dedication to the company.
There are other call center agents who reported to work on the said day but I
would like to commend that EBUSINESS BPO was able to operate properly because of
its dedicated employees. Kudos!

EBUSINESS BPO INC. has proven
herself that she can support the needs of her clients. A kind of support at a rate beyond
normal circumstances. February six, two thousand twelve marked that day as an
example of this center’s DEDICATION. So if I am a client considering centers to
handle my account, I would say that this center has an A+. I am just making a
comment and not advertising.

Better English in Call Centers: The Gospel According to BO - a Solution!

2012-01-11T05:46:00.000+08:00

picture source: http://virtualassistantsphilippines.com/

Let us start the year with something that is common yet so vital. Something that affects our life in the BPO world or the call center. I am talking about the mastery of the English Language. We know very well that someone who is well versed, has doors opened up for him or her. The language is the bridge for the customer and that person who is using the head set. The mantra that makes everything fall into the right pieces - the English Language.

Being able to speak the language is like having common sense. It is a required skill for someone aspiring to join the illustrous world of call center agents. For an employer it is a necessity that must be imposed for all employee under the company. Fluent speakers are of hign demand especially those who can understand and speak the American accent. This factor is so vital that BPO companies would spend millions to train agents. Train them to reach a certain level wherein customer can tolerate the Filipino influence on acccent and language mannerism. However, this would still pose as a problem. At the end of the day amidst the month long language and culture training, the result is futile or it is not what was expected.

I once heard our Directress of Operations said, "Filipinos are flexible. You train them and they will learn or adapt to it." Yes we can and we have this character. We can easily change. But with the influence of the Filipino mass media changing and adapting to what is needed for your job is something that poses as a challenge. Imagine, as the trainer you are with them for an eight hour session. Then, they go home, sit down and watch the television with either Tagalog or Bisaya as the main course. At home they or we communicate with our loved ones in our own language. So the training, is deemed futile from the start or right after you just finished one. So change or being able to adapt is at minimal level. The environment itself crushes your training module.

So, solutions?

Have you heard of the gospel according to "Bo"? I am not referring to "Bo Sanchez" the famous preacher. I'm talking about BO, the Language and Communication Manager (I hope I got it right) of Convergys Cebu. I have been to many call centers, including the one that I am in right now.No one so far offered a concrete solution that is tangible and simple. He capsulized it with "the gospel according to BO".

I have to admit. If you see the man, for the first time you would feel his "aura" of authority. Well, he needs not to be introduced as the Manager. And if he is reading this write up, I would apologize because I don't know his real name. I know him as Bo. Later I realized that the reason why there is a sense of greatness around him because of his confidence. Confidence because he practices an inner discipline that enables him to be good in what he proclaims. And here is the gospel...

The gospel according to Bo, Chapter 1 Verse 1: "Be Selfish" Think of yourself! This might be so different with the Catholic Bible or gospel. From what I understand he meant for us not to think of others when you speak English. It is given that when you are on the production floor and would follow the EOP (English Only Policy) rule people around you, would glare. Thus, the person who wants to practice the language would either be concious or would wither away. The ridicule and criticism of the people around would discourage anyone. Thus, learning and practice is stifled. If you are a call center agent you would understand what I'm saying or what Bo wants to say. No matter how the center implements the EOP rule, people on the floor would still speak in their dialect. Bo continues with, "no matter how they try to let you speak in your dialect, respond in English. The best way to learn the language is the practice it! Next, thing is to avoid watching local movies or TV program. It makes your listening suffer. They key is not only to talk but to get used to listening to them (Americans)". So indeed, practice makes Perfect!

The thing that I love about the gospel's principle is that it is simple. Simply, DO NOT consider what other's might say. The most important thing is that the individual should practice regardless of the circumstance. We know very well that to be better in English is to always practice. I have followed Bo's Gospel and can proudly say that I am good at this language. Good enough, that doors opened up for me.

I was an agent of Convergys - Sprint Wave 236!

US Anti-Outsourcing Bill: A Challenge?

2012-01-11T01:30:00.000+08:00

picture source: http://www.businesspundit.com/obamas-tax-breaks-and-outsourcing/

January 7, 2012 - EBusiness BPO's Leadership workshop. Our facilitator, mentioned that the looming problem for BPO or Call Center companies is the "US Anti-Outsourcing Bill". I am not a lawyer. However, my simple critical mind tells me that this future law aims to bring back outsourced services to the United States. Thus, we loose our jobs!

Communication Workers of America has 700,000 members. On its ranks are 150,000 customer service representatives. These are the people who were greatly affected when outsourcing became a global economic trend. A decision made by corporate executives to lower down labor cost. It affected many people on both ends of the world. A lot of lives were changed including mine.

Philippines - a country torn by major political divide. The effects of such atmosphere is felt on the country's up and down economic struggles. One day we were Asia's Economic Tiger. And then suddenly, we slumped down and was part of the elite list of third world countries. We became a country that made a mark during the 70's and later as a nation with many OFW's. This economic downpour stopped when the BPO Industry came in.

350,000 people are employed. Lives changed as mentioned. The industry offered hope amounting to $11 Billion dollars as of 2011. A big amount enough to stabilize a country like the Philippines. It made lives better not only for the employee but for others in general. I think it is safe to say that it was a life saver though I am not an economist.

I have been with the industry for five years. I have gained some degree of experience when it comes to how lives are lived here. Now that this Bill looms over our bright horizon - I am perplexed. A Filipino call center agent would instantly loose if the debate starts. 350,000 people would not matter to politicians buying out votes for the 2012 US Elections. We would be like an old version of the television - ON MUTE! Here something to consider. Unlike American Labor Law, Filipinos do not receive unemployment benifits. If we loose our job, then we loose it for good and we do not receive anything from the government. We are left with nothing. Creators of the Bill would justify further that they will not transfer it. But then, they would discourage it. This basically works the same way with the prior argument.

I once had a customer. She had an internet connection problem. Her name was Sandra. She called her internet service provider's toll free line. I received the call. This was how our conversation went.

"Thank you for choosing..."

Customer cuts off..

"Oh, thank you a Filipino!

"uh, okay. What seems to be the problem?"

"There is a problem. And I actually want to talk to a Filipino agent."

"Oh! May I know the reason why, mam?"

"Because you guys are patient compared to Americans."

I wish I can let you listen to the recording. But I can't because I can no longer pull it out. I cannot reveal the company's name also. But our client was one of the biggest Telecommunication Company in the United States. These kind of calls give us the reason to move forward and be inspired to serve our American customers better. If the debacle is about customer satisfaction based on service delivery and completion - Filipinos can compete. But the kind of competition wherein the field is leveled and fair. A competition wherein we are not looked down or is not about outsourcing. But if the whole thing is done through "their" public opinion then it is settled.

The Anti-Outsourcing Bill poses as a challenge.I want to see it in a different way. It is for me a chance for the creators to look at the issue on the worlwide stage. I know as representatives they have to take care of their constituents. I understand that they have to be mindful of their welfare. However, consider this thought. Who would you choose? An employee who can deliver Customer Satisfaction but requires high payment. Or an employee who is a College Graduate, CAN deliver an excellent Customer Satisfaction, CAN easily adapt to the nature of the businesss and does not require high cost payment. I think it's logical to choose the second one.

info sources:

http://www.firstpost.com/politics/anti-outsourcing-us-bill-targets-indian-call-centres-161456.html

http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2011/12/us-anti-outsourcing-bill-why-filipinos-should-be-worried/

Shan Cruz Rivera: His Action not OUR Responsibility!

2011-12-25T15:14:00.001+08:00

picture source: http://beyond-the-norms.org

If you type the name Shan Cruz Rivera in any search engine, the name auto completes! Right then and there you will be routed to websites such as YouTube, AllVoices, etc. The man became an instant star overnight. The first time I saw his picture was on my Facebook's home page. There was someone asking everyone to track him down. There was this brand of being a SHAME for all call center agents in the Philippines. I have to admit that it did not immediately catch my attention, at that time! I let it pass until now. Obviously when I checked YouTube's hits numbering to 9, 154 I can say that it did lit some spark or even a flame since its upload last December 18. Now I discovered that there is even a Facebook Fan Page. Well, it starts with the word hate, etc!

Let me give some insights and comments about all of this. This has become a serious matter since the headline in AllVoices says that the man could endanger the BPO industry in the country. I mean, come on! Let us not conclude and reach that point of discussion. Please consider this, Wikipedia reports that in 2006 there were 160, 000 people that were employed by BPO or call centers companies here in the country. So the talk about an action done by one man affecting the whole industry is something that is shocking. I think the manpower involved here is close to a million. Shan Rivera is a drop of water in the ocean. What I am trying to say here is, he is only one and does not reflect all call center agent!

WNS is obviously the company that he works for based on his ID sling. The company is locally headquartered in Citibank center, Makati Philippines. It has 350,000 employees. That is the information that I got from a website. The center is clearly big. Well, however big they are right now. They have a thorn that's pricking them - Shan Rivera. If anyone in WNS is reading this please correct me if I have some wrong information. But the guy is wearing your ID sling and obviously he was on the production floor when he was filming his glorious moment. The first thing that did not look well was Shan's cellphone. I think that's what he used. I have been with a lot of call centers and it is always the POLICY for people not to bring a cellphone on the production floor. I mean, who knows what they will do with the information. Now, we know what happens! It gets uploaded in YouTube. If security was tight or if WNS had this policy then there no way that people like Shan could've filmed the whole fiasco. So what happened WNS? Do you have such policies of no cellphones on the production floor? If you do have and this person eluded you then you certainly have a problem. I suggest you contact our company and hire our security guard. Man, they are tight! I can't even bring my phone inside even if I am a supervisor!

To call center agents like me. Stop the witch hunt! Shan Rivera is one of us. And like us he has great ideas like filming his call. You must admit that you dreamed of such thing to happen. To videotape a conversation between you and you customer so that you can share the humor. But thankfully you did not! Because you or WE are all professionals. Let us maintain that perception! Filipino call center agents are professionals. I know I am. Shan Rivera's incident is an isolated matter. Or would I say, let us isolate it

Call centers in the Philippines are doing their best to protect their clients. This event does not reflect the attitude nor the culture of a Filipino call center agent. As far as I am concerned we are hardworking people. This incident as I said, is very isolated. I don't blame anyone not even WNS. But they must keep their security tight. If they think its tight then tighter! The industry has fed a lot of families including mine. It has made the country's economy flourished. Realizing the role of it then, WE MUST ALWAYS BE PROFESSIONAL.

here is the link if you want to see the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnX2pY67Izo

A Call Center Agent's solution to Job Burn Out

2011-12-22T04:20:00.001+08:00

picture source: http://jobcontax.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/do-you-have-job-burnout/

by: Silver Cepeda

Made a quick survey over Facebook. I asked some of my friends who worked in call centers located in Manila and Cebu. The question was very simple. Who do you work for? Their answers were quick. Someone answered that he worked for Convergys, others Aegis People Support and another branding their company in all capital letters STREAM! Answers like, "I work for the big ten call center" was a bit off the grid. There were others who deemed to be silent with no answers at all. It would not be important then since whatever they may have said, it was not the answer that I was looking for. For me, they were all wrong no matter how they present it. Well, to go with the flow I work for EBusiness BPO. Unfortunately, this is also wrong!

There is a deadly disease in our industry - the call center! Fortunately it is not related to smoking! Nevertheless, it is still deadly because it kills the person, the agent who is the frontline of production.That disease is called Job Burn Out!

I read an article written by Dawn Rosenberg McKay a career planning professional. Let me summarize her point.

First, Rosenberg defines it as "exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration". It usually happens to people with people that works harder and longer hours to prove their worth. In addition it is also experienced by people who worked for something but then would not receive any gratitude for what they did.Concrete events are when there are no raise and no promotion. The third one that she mentioned as the cause of this is being in the wrong career. You can be in the right career but wrong job!

In a call center set up the effects can be a lot let me discuss a few. It starts when you wake up. When your alarm clock rings! There are two reactions that instantly comes into your head. If its, "I don't want to face my boss or any colleague today so I'm gonna call in sick". That is the start! Next, you go to work and everything feels very heavy like as if the foundation of your twenty storey building is on your shoulder. Then it is starting to crawl up. You feel this way but you are not sick! In fact you just got back from your fake illness. Inbox piles up! The workload is mounting up. And then, you feel that you are not worth anything. The conclusion, is AWOL or resignation.

The solution? Let me say this first. I am not a psychologist. In contrary I am a Philosophy graduate, poised to critically analyze any given situation. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I am not in authority. Hence, I write from my own experience. There is a simple way to resolve this disease when it starts or before it does. Before, I use to wonder why people who are married or with children stay longer in the company or those people who are the bread winners in the family. I happened to talk to one. She was a colleague of mine, a mother with no husband. She said, "I stay longer because of my child!" This conversation made me get the answer that I was looking for. I do not work for the company. Well, yeah I do! But the reason why I work long hours or at night is because of the people who love me.

There is no glory when you think that you work for your company no matter how big the salary is. It is not the "primal cause". I used to answer irate calls from customers who are basically pissed off about something. No matter how my supervisor would convince me to let it go - it does not! Someway or another it goes into my system. And just imagine answering to sixty in a day! But I will let you in to one of my secret. If such an event happen and I feel really down. I go to Jolibee with my daughter and buy spaghetti for her. Watching her devour the whole serving makes me smile and energizes me to answer a hundred and twenty irate callers. My point, think of those people who loves you. That is the secret! If you go to the office thinking that you are doing this because your grandmother asked for a Louis Vuitton handbag for Christmas it is worth it compared to, a reason of pleasing your handsome boss. Her smile is more precious than a pat in the back! Pleasing your boss is not a good goal if you want to stay in the company or in this case a call center. Believe me there will be someone who is or will be better than you. And his standard or the company's standard will definitely change through time specially in this industry. A better concept then is you want to be the best or a top seller becuase it pays high. When it pays high you and the person you love would live better. Always consider the primal cause because it will never change. It is something that you can get hold of. The company's metrics will change as the client's demand increases. So chasing it would cause you long hours, added pressure, and stress. Once you reach it then what's next? Job burn out, that's what's next! Trust me I have done that with my previous jobs. Chase your ambition not because you want to be glorified but because you want to make the people who matters happy. I just want to say that it is all about the reason! Once you have the right one then it is not hard to work at all no matter what your manager wants from you.

Now, what if you are single? The answer to that is not to make your own family. I know that you have your own. And when I say family, I meant the Filipino concept of the word that includes grand parents, aunts and cousins. There is always someone who will show attention, gratitude and care in a constant manner. Once you found that someone. Share your achievements. Make it your goal to make yourself and that person happy. When that happens, your existence in the company has a reason and a higher pupose. Thus, you are motivated to work hard rather than be forced to do so!

So going back to Rosenberg's definition. With my method the agent take to himself/herself an inspiration from the people who loves him/her. Hence, experiencing gratitude with whatever he does. It does not matter now that your boss shouted at you before you logged out because your child's embrace can easily wipe it out. It does not matter if you fail to meet the metrics last month because your grand mother thinks your the best! Then be the best for next month. One cannot be exhausted of emotional strength if you have such a good support system. So change your focus from being company-centric to loved-one-centric for you to have a good output and longer service!

Hence, if I am asked as to who do I work for. I would say that I work for that person below. She is my daughter. Her name is Mishka Mikhaela Cepeda. She is the most beautiful girl in the world! And she is the reason why everyday I want to be a better supervisor.

Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam 2011 Results: Mother of Attrition in BPOs?

2011-12-18T22:08:00.002+08:00

by: Silver Cepeda

I was on the jeepney this Sunday afternoon. In front of me, were two ladies in white obviously the type that is taking a medical course. Suddenly, one of them just broke out exclaiming that she can never make it. The other one calmed her down and reminded her that she was on a public transport. She stopped her dramatic moment. But it did not tone her voice down1. The sobbing lady proclaimed to the people inside (including me) that she the dumbest person on Earth. She continued on narrating the questions where she made mistakes. They were nurses - I realized eventually. While I was still ignorant to the day's event, our ride passed by South Western University. It came to me that today was the famed Philippine Nursing Licensure Exams.

I have been in the BPO industry for almost five years. I may not be the best person to write about this. However, I am also a person who witnessed events that happens after the result of the said exams come out. And it is attrition after attrition. Resignation letters would be the order of the day with reasons such as "Personal and Greener pasture" on its menu list.

On my first BPO job, there was a time when twenty of my colleagues resigned on the night they got the result. Next day, I heard that the total number of people who resigned was seventy for the whole company. Following after that, calls queue up and service level went down. Twenty people, resigned on a single night! That is something. The reason? They passed the board exams for nurses.

It is well known today and in this country that we are encountering an oversupply of Nurses. I think the trend of taking this course started last 2002 or earlier. Yes, I was in high school and was informed that my friends outside the seminary would be joining in. They wanted to work abroad. But due to the OVER supply, they ended up jobless and the BPO Industry welcomed them.

I am not cynical to nurses. I don't hate them. I have to be honest that my aunt is a Chief Nurse, my sister and another aunt is a nurse. Thus, I don't have any problem with them. There is just one trend that keeps on happening. And that trend is a vicious cycle that affects a center's operation. Scheduled leaves or PTOs would have to be cancelled because seats are empty.Simply because, the person who used to occupy it apparently resigned or went AWOL having passed the board exams. This practice triggered some centers to ban nursing graduates. They simply would not accept them. But then again, my trainer in Convergys once said that a nurse happens to be the kind of employee who demonstrates patience on the phone. With this aspect or attitude, they get good customer satisfaction. So there is a dilemma now. There are things that needed to be considered.

There are different reasons why a center suffers in attrition. I am not saying that it is solely because of the board exams' result. Nevertheless, it is a factor. Again, based on my experience. The painful fact is, attrition does not just start after the exams. Sometimes it happens before it. The reason? They need to submit certain requirements and thus they cannot report to work. Whatever the reason is, an absence is still an absence affecting the service level of a center.

The results may not be the mother of all attrition. However, there will be. I think so. The solution to avoid this cycle is not to accept or to ban nurses from the BPO industry. It would be an unprofessional decision. They are still people with a diploma and is a college graduate. So they matter. But what I am saying is, that the nurses who would like to work in call centers should or must have a certain level of commitment. A high one - I hope. I have seen licensed nurses flourished or grew in the industry. In fact a fellow TL of mine is a licensed nurse. And she has been in the company longer than I did. She was and is dedicated with her job. She did not make it her "stepping stone" like some people that I know of.

There is challenge now for Human Resource personnel. They should not be dismissing nursing graduates.They are still future resources of the company. However, they must set up some plans in order for these nursing graduates to work as long as needed. They must do this to assure a center's quality performance.

Call Center Agent visits NBI Cebu: Worst Experience!!!

2011-12-16T20:00:00.000+08:00

picture source: http://computerangel8.blogspot.com/2011/08/cebu-nbi-2011-sucks.html

by: Silver Cepeda

Last December 09, 2011 I was asked by the HR personnel of my company to submit my NBI clearance or I will not get my salary. Having exhausted all the excuses that I can remember, I complied. So I was scheduled to go there last December 13, 2011!

Before I start to write anything here. Let me tell to you what I did before I went to the subject of my exploration today. I was on a ten hour shift. Managing agents, being trained for a new account and listened to calls for Q.A. purposes. These events happened on that period. In addition, it was at night because I'm a supervisor in a call center. Here is the tale.

The place and the people. Immediately upon entering the red gates of N.B.I. Cebu - the one near Capitol, the long line would be apparent. It would diminish ones hope to finish the requirement at the soonest possible time. But trusting on my priority number which was one hundred eighty three I managed to convince myself to proceed. It was itself a miracle! A quick note about the people that I saw there. There are beautiful girls, not so beautiful, fresh grads, job seekers fulfilling requirements, people going abroad, foreigners, old people, vendors of many stuff, etc! It was a conglomeration. Amazing!

The timeline:

0920H - I entered the gates of NBI

0951H - I was waiting for step 2. I was falling in line. But more like waiting for the Police intern to call my number. Based on the form that I filled up, my number was 574. A great change! Since I was not doing anything I can't help but notice the man from whom I got the form. I call him man on stripes on step 1! He was sitting idly giving the Clearance Form which would sometimes drop because he was lazy! Am sorry but he looked like the perfect guy manifesting the word.

0955H - Since it seemed that I was going to wait forever, I continued to explore. Next guy was the man on Step 2! Based on what I saw his job was to sit down and check if the clearance was properly filled up! Later on, I got the name of the man. He is NBI personnel Ronulfo M. Caes. He suddenly grabbed a stick of cigarette, lit it and puff. I thought, Government establishments were a non-smoking area. He was outside but he was handling a very "important" transactions. I do smoke but this guy did not show discipline. Bad! he was in a very relax state of existence while the people paying for his salary is suffering. We can't even find a place or a chair to sit down because they are all used!

1000H - I needed a break. The last person that was allowed to sit down under the tent had a priority number 415. I was still far so I went to the canteen. It seemed that the place had a lot of customers because their food display was limited! Price was normal!

1015H - At my left side were two Koreans who were having a hard time time filling up the clearance form. Their driver was obviously having a hard time explaining. The woman who must have been fed up stood and went outside. Few seconds later he had a man wearing an NBI ID. He assisted them.I was not able to get his name unfortunately.

1027H - The NBI man, wearing the office's ID went filled up the Koreans' form. Very helpful! He had some discussions with the woman. Cash was given, if I am right it was 600php. That was what I saw in his hand! I can't say if it was given to him or what. What was clear though was that their application for the NBI clearance was expedited and was asked to wait on step 4 window. The NBI personnel went inside the office. The whole canteen was filled with wild eyes caught up in disgust. There was definitely a silent but felt booing done! As far as I can count, there were at least eight people including me who saw it! I mean I can also pay. But I followed the correct process! But I am not claiming that he was bribed or what.

1120H- Had to go on Lunch! Never had breakfast so my stomach was on protest...

1201H - I entered the gates again! The place looked lighter. Obviously some applicants went on lunch.

1205H - Step 3 window closes! Talk about service. But I don't have choice. I have to stay and stand in line!

1215H - I noticed that the NBI staff processing on Step 4 continues on. They kept printing and calling applicant's name. Now this time with a twist. They played a graduation hymn. There was a sudden giggle around. It offered a relief.

1221H - I noticed people gathering up near the CR. Then I came to realize that they were police interns doing their On the Job Training. Note, they were standing next to the CR.

1235H - I was still standing on queue for step 3 window. Amazing!

1239H - I went to the CR. I counted 12 police interns doing nothing but standing there. Well, their bosses are on lunch so what can they do?

1248H - Step 3 window opens up! Finally... People stood up but I remained. The line curved twice - perfect S.

1306H - Done with Step 3 window. Immediately went to step 4 window line.I counted the people in line. I was approximately not less than the 200th person. Great!

1312H - Noticed that there are 6 police interns standing near the gate. They are apparently doing NOTHING! I saw that they are from Mater Dei College.

1326H - I entered the 2nd layer for the line heading step 4 window. Five more layers to go! The line is like the chicken's intestine. Very complicated!

1343H - I needed a smoke break. No movement yet!

1415H - My eyes in pain, knees shaking, back aching and body - very tired. I have to quit! This is too much. I have to retreat and continue this tomorrow!

The problem! The lines are too long and the wait time kills people. That is the problem. I know I am not the only person who had this experience. A lot complained. This was even brought up in the news. But is seems that there is no solution to the problem. Why? People who go to NBI have jobs. They or we cannot just waste out time there and wait. This is non sense. In a call center set up for inbound, if the queue is very long and the wait time for each call is long it means that the service level of the site is down or LOW! If NBI Cebu is a call center then that day or that time their service level sucked. In short, inefficient!

The solution. There are four windows in NBI Cebu. The first window (Step 3), is okay because apparently that guy works fast. But an additional window for this would be wonderful. Similar case goes to the three windows for step 4. They need to add because this is the step that has a lot of people waiting. There is an influx of Police interns in NBI as I have narrated. They are doing nothing! Why can't they add computers and have a regular employee supervise the interns. The people in this place must think and think faster. I can't just accept this as a tax payer.

Dawn Mass: A confession of a Call Center Agent!

2011-12-16T02:35:00.000+08:00

by: Silver Cepeda

The Christmas season started here in the Philippines since September. People would start counting as to how many days are left before that mythical date, December 25! But tomorrow the whole Catholic church would formally start it with the Simbang Gabi (Dawn Masses).

When I was in the seminary dawn masses marked the beginning of my agony since I have to wake up earlier than the usual 5am. Adding insult to injury the whole ordeal takes nine days. So I have to wake up early like four in the morning. I dreaded it! No one actually had a choice, it was either the chapel or the prefect of discipline's office. So it was the chapel. The prefect's office was not a good place to be. But then, the laziness that I felt that time would somehow disappear seeing people from the outside world. We would normally invite them for our dawn masses. Considering that they have to walk and wake up earlier than me, I would just suck it up and attentively attend mass. Our former rector would then tell us the reason why we have the dawn masses. I would say for my four years of high school in the seminary I have memorized the explanation behind. According to him, "We celebrate the dawn masses as a symbol of waiting in the darkness. For the world was in darkness before Christ came into the world". Thus, when he came we were saved. We basked in the light of God's salvation. This is further symbolized by the sun rising up at the end of the mass. Perfect timing!

Now those days are over. I am in a call center or have been in a call center for the past five years. I have never attended a single dawn mass. There was one time when my former company held that. There were people who attended it. But I stayed a little bit far from them and just went up. I had choice this time. Thinking of it right now, I might admit that it was not a good decision. So for those Catholic call center agents. I am not endorsing the said practice. I am not that religious also. It's all up to you! Nevertheless, an idea crossed my mind right now.

We work and sacrifice for those people that we love. I mean working at night is something, right? Something very hard to do! That is why we are paid higher compared to others. WE do this all for the sake of the people we love. There is a similar person who sacrificed for us two thousand and eleven years ago. He is Christ! He became man and lived among us. He saved us by dying on the cross. He died but lived again! So on this Christmas Season, I think it would also be appropriate to sacrifice for him by dragging our feet towards the church's doors. I know that I will!