Just a Glimpse

Just want to re-post this article from a blogger giving you a glimpse of being a call center agent. No matter what account you are as long as you're receiving calls from a live person that would be it.

One reason for re-posting this article, I was looking for a picture to be added on my blog and planning to make an article as well. Ive selected that pic on top and seen the origin of the pic (Chronicles Of Techie )and read this article.

Yesterday while I was getting ready to leave, my colleague who mans the support desk called out for me and said “Dhiman a call for you”. My manager who sits in the cube next to me looked up in awe and said “a caall for you on support linea ??”, well I myself was surprised as I donot support any applications. I replied to my friend “Are you sure its for me” he got angry and retorted “Ya man she’s asking for you. Do you think I am joking?” I knew he cannot joke with support calls, so I started walking towards his desk wondering who could “she” be asking for me directly ?
Hesitatingly I picked the receiver and spoke “Yes Dhiman here, How may I help you?” trying to sound like

a support desk personnel, the caller responded “can you be little clear I can’t understand you” I repeated the same this time a bit louder and slower as I had seen the support guys speak slowly while on call. The line was crackling with lot of disturbance and I couldn’t listen anything but thought she said “Can I speak with Dhiman” I said “Yes ma’am Dhiman here, How

can I help you” then she said “No no I am looking for Dhiman”, I was getting irritated it was already late and I am stuck here with somebody who’s playing pranks or what anyway I controlled myself and politely said “Ma’am you ARE speaking to Dhimaaan” to which she replied “I am asking for Dhiman i mean D-A-I-M-Y-N, a lady does she work there ?” I was stunned for a moment and didn’t know what to say or do and quickly said “Oh ma’am I am sorry I think you got to a wrong line, there’s nobody by that name here” hearing it she promptly apologized and disconnected. I kept receiver and scolded my colleague “Hey this call was for someone else and you called me” He smiled and said “Man you spoke to her yourself tell me how do I figure out who she means”. Then he laughed and said “Just see what we have to deal with everyday”.

Well he was right I myself had spoken with her. I smiled back to him and said “yeah I understand” and returned to my seat. Then started thinking about the plight of thousands of “call center agents” who have to deal with this kind of accents whole night yet provide great service. No doubt they are trained but still its really difficult. At the same time I felt bad for the caller as she had to waste so much of time just to know that she had got to wrong number. I was told by my collegues in US, UK about the hard time they have talking to Indian counterparts but they never faced any difficulty with me.
Anyways this was a freak incident and the caller was patient enough and didn’t get annoyed but with the ‘agents’ sometimes it does get worse.Thank God that I don’t need to take calls directly but kudos to these ‘agents’ who do it day in out and yet are able to chill out.