Is it bad to work in a call center?

Being in the Call Center industry for more than a decade now. I often hear a repetitive question “Is the Call Center a bad place to work?” or How bad are call center jobs really?

However, before sharing my opinion on this let’s first understand why this question comes time and again and why people assume that a call center is a bad place to work.

But before that take a brief look at the journey of the call center industry in India .

Journey of the Call Center Industry to India

The call center industry has evolved very rapidly since its inception in the early 2000s.

But in the initial days, call centers were used to operate quietly.

The man who opened INDIA’s first call center Mr. Pramod Bhasin started the first call center with a handful of employees.

In the mid-2000s when a few other call centers started operations in INDIA, their primary approach was to work with international (US) clients, where business operation hours are at night.

Fast forward to today where call centers are an integral part of global business operations. They have evolved significantly, leveraging advanced technology to provide seamless customer support and services. In India, the call center industry has become a major employment sector, offering numerous job opportunities and contributing significantly to the economy.

Also read: Myths and Facts about Call Center Industry

Is it bad to work in a call center?

Now back to the main topic “Is it bad to work in a call center?” . Let me share with you 4 common reasons in brief why People assume so :

1. Night Shifts :

Many global call centers or MNCs like Concentrix, Genpact, Accenture, Amex, etc. have international clients and require 24*7 support hence making night shifts a common necessity as per the Indian Standard timing. One of the major challenges during night shift hours is to maintain a work-life balance as social activities and family time often coincide with regular daylight hours.

Night shifts can disrupt natural sleep patterns, leading to potential health issues like insomnia, fatigue, and weakened immune systems.

2. Stressfull :

Call Centers jobs especially in India are considered stressful for various reasons. Further in this blog I have outlined some primary reasons why call center jobs are considered stressful.

• Long working hours, especially call center agents working in night shifts
• The pressure of meeting the target of KPIs or  call center metrics is another challenge that make call center job stressfull
• High call /chat volume during festive seasons, weekends, or during new product launch
• Handling irate and finicky customers
• No fixed breathers or aux breaks to release stress

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3. No fixed week offs/ PTOs :

In a Call center, there are no fixed week offs or PTOs ( Paid time offs),  rather your schedule depends on the volume of calls or chats and the client’s needs.

For example, if you work for an e-commerce company like Amazon or Flipkart during the festive season, you won’t get to choose your days off or take holidays.

Likewise, if you work in the travel sector with companies like Goibibo, Yatra, or MakeMyTrip, you’ll need to work during the travel seasons like the end of the year or summer season, sacrificing your holidays during these times.

4. Monotonus Jobs

Call Center jobs are considered monotonous and rightly so. As a call center representative, your main job is to handle customer inquiries and resolve them quickly, day in and day out.

If you plan to stay in this industry long-term without any other career plans, you might start to dislike your job.Dealing with calls daily, especially from frustrated and unhappy customers, can become a tedious and draining task.

Also read: How to get quick promotion in your job

Conclusion:

Primarily it depends on the company and the environment you are working in. If you are working with a call center that has just started its operation then you might experience more challenges than working with an established one. Many call centers offer low pay and becoming the only blood-sucking machines for advisors.

Yes, the call center job is stressful and you have to speak to tons of customers every day. Some customers are very aggressive and rude and some are polite and understanding. Sometimes you might have a problem with your pushy manager but you need to understand that they are also under tremendous pressure to achieve the target.

In this globe, every private or corporate job has some KPIs to achieve and if you are not able to achieve then you will have to go with the same pressure and stress as call center people undergo, then Why target only the Call center industry?

Positive Aspect:

Every coin has 2 sides and if you look at the positive aspect. Working in the call center environment can teach you some life-changing lessons :

• Time Management
• Building resilience
• How to deal with challenging situations
• Taste of Corporate Culture
• How to maintain work-life balance

A call center job is not everyone’s cup of tea but if you can hack it, you are tailored for any other job.

So to answer the question

“Is a call center a bad place to work” is “Choice”

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I hope this article on ” Is it bad to work in a call center ?” has cleared all your doubts related to Call Center Jobs  Still, if you have any questions you can contact us at callcentertalks26@gmail.com

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