Being an outbound call center agent is a rollercoaster experience. It can be a mix of fun and sheer stress. In this article, we will talk about everything you need to know before applying to a call center, from the perks to the challenges.
As a call center agent, you will get the opportunity to learn multiple skills and the ability to work in a challenging (and sometimes stressful) environment. Plus, you will get paid according to your skillset, which often means that if you are great at your job, you can earn a hefty paycheck.
On the other hand, the experience can also be difficult. Here’s why!
Challenges Of Working in An Outbound Call Center
According to a study published in 2022, the number of outbound mobile calls in Sweden has reached over 10.4 billion. People get multiple sales calls during the day which can annoy them. The stress and anger that builds up throughout the day can make people extremely rude on sales calls. Handling such customers gracefully, and making them feel like you are providing value instead of just cold calling, is the road to success for an agent.
Unpredictable Stress & Workload
As an outbound call center agent, you have to deal with international clients from different time zones. This means that you may have to work at night and even on weekends to handle your workload efficiently. Some call centers have really high quotas that agents need to meet and that can also be challenging especially for a product or service with a low conversion rate.
Besides, sometimes you have to multitask, like speaking with someone across the line and preparing a report. It is not for the faint hearted, so you must learn to work in a stressful environment.
Physical Challenges
It should be no surprise that working in an office for long hours makes you vulnerable to obesity. According to the CDC, obesity prevalence increased from 30.5% to 41.9% in the US from 2017 to 2020. Sitting on a chair and staring at a desktop screen all night can also be extremely tiring.
However, regular workouts can help you to stay on top of your health, even with a sedentary job.
Technical Challenges
Not all outbound call centers have updated software with top-notch features. This increases your workload as you have to manage most things by yourself. Using outdated software can affect your productivity and sales conversion, which can stress you out.
However, those call centers with amazing features like automated calls and forecasting are really a blessing for the agents.
Dealing with Rude Clients
Now, this is the major issue that puts most employees off… clients won’t be friendly with you all the time!
Sometimes they are frustrated or just had a bad day and pull out all of their frustration on the agents. Make sure that you can deal with such situations gracefully, and if you can do so, nothing can stop you from excelling in this career.
Challenges are not the only thing to a call center agent’s job. There are some great perks too and for many people, the perks outweigh the challenges.
Perks Of Working in An Outbound Call Center
Free Training
While working in a call center, you get a chance to learn multiple skills. Be it product knowledge, customer service, or computer skills, you will get free training. This knowledge and skillset can help you to apply for any job that comes your way in the future.
Improved Communication Skills
Now, who doesn’t love to improve communication skills? We all want that, right?
Working as a call center agent, you will learn to speak confidently. You will become better at negotiations, explaining your product/service, learning about people, handling them accordingly, etc. Plus, you will increase the fluency of your first, second or even third language!
Equal Opportunity for Everyone
Working in an outbound call center requires nothing more than good communication skills and fluent speaking in the desired language. You don’t need a degree and that is the good part. There are equal opportunities for everyone to work and grow.
Train Your Patience
Imagine an angry person freaking out on you while you didn’t even make a mistake. How does it make you feel? Terrible – but you are not allowed to respond with anger. You have to deal with your customers empathetically, which is the real test of your patience. Tackling customers based on the information they provide or according to the tone of their voice can alone have a big impact on your successful call percentage.
If you learn not to take things personally and focus on your work, you will soon gain the needed recognition.
Can Work Remotely
Ongoing advancements in technology have transformed the procedure of outbound call centers. Now, they have excellent software that allows agents to manage their work from any corner of the world, meaning an opportunity for remote work. You are not bound to a particular location and can work from practically anywhere!
Great Compensation & Benefits
Here comes the most exciting part: you will often get great compensation based on your performance. If you help your company make some extra sales and deal with their customers appropriately, and surpass your quota, you can earn some extra commission and benefits from the company!
Wrapping Up
Working in an outbound call center is not something everyone can do. If you can’t deal with the challenges, you might just look for another job. Although if you think that you have the negotiation skills, persuasive pitches, and strong rebuttals, you should definitely try working in a call center.
