subject: Qualities for call centre work [print this page] Qualities for call centre work Qualities for call centre work
Despite the popular misconceptions of working in a call centre, jobs in telesales and teleservice can be quite demanding. Although there is usually little in the way of required qualifications or training - most centres will provide specific training for different systems, clients and campaigns - the work requires certain personal qualities that not everyone possesses.
Some of these qualities are specific to the type of work you're contracted to undertake as a call centre agent. If you are making outgoing calls, then the chances are you're probably in a sales department - this obviously requires a different approach than handling incoming calls, where you will most likely deal with incoming customer enquiries. For example, many people lack a willingness to sell products to others, particularly over the phone.
Some qualities though are inherently useful to call centre jobs:
Typing speed:
One of the most vital skills for a call centre worker. Generally you will be called upon to enter data directly from the conversation into a system and it can often be hard to convey this to an agitated or confused customer. A faster typing speed allows you to take details without the need to ask people to slow down or repeat themselves - allowing you to resolve enquiries quicker and be more productive.
IT skills:
Strong IT skills are vital for call centre work. Each centre will generally use a different internal computer system and often customer enquiries or even sales can only be handled by accessing different databases, entering data and completing campaign-specific processes. A solid understanding of user design principles and the ability to get to grips with new technology fast is essential.
Perseverance and patience:
Two sides of the same coin, the split refers to the difference between outgoing and incoming calls. For sales, surveys and other outgoing call jobs you'll often need to be persuasive and overcome initial resistance. Sometimes this can be extremely adverse but maintaining a polite, positive and persistent attitude is essential to convince a prospective customer/lead. Conversely, incoming calls can often involve dealing with customers who are confused and are unsure how to articulate their enquiry, or don't have the details you need to resolve their enquiry to hand.
Memory:
Having a good memory can be a vital boon to call centre work. It will allow you to deliver information to common questions without the need to check databases each time, to take contact and other details from calls easily - and above all, allow you to recall your centre's policies, procedures and other such information when you need to.
Bilingual skills:
Although these will likely be required if absolutely necessary, they are a huge benefit to anyone looking for work in a call centre. The ability to understand another language opens up new areas of work and can be essential when your centre is contacted by someone who has difficulty speaking the native language of your country. After all even if you don't speak their language, there is the possibility that they also speak the same second language as you - for example, people across Europe converse in English.
