Much has been said about the call center work both against
and in defense of the industry in the social networking sites as well as in the
mainstream media.
I will attempt to pitch in and contribute in the discussion,
albeit late, not because I feel there is a need to correct the misconceptions
but because I want to address my fellow call center professionals.
The Perception of
Financial Supremacy
The first thing that comes to mind when someone learns that
someone is working in a call centre is that, that person earns a lot.
While it is true that call center professionals generally
earn more compared to most of the working population in other industries, I
feel that this reality also is the roadblock why the profession has yet to
receive the respect it deserves.
When a call center professional receive a negative comment
about his/her line of work the most common and immediate reaction has always
been ‘at least I earn more than you do!’
This has got to stop my friends. Not because it is not the
reality but because the reality of the call center profession is larger than
that.
So What If We Earn
More?
The Philippine economy in the last few decades have been
relying highly on the revenues being generated by our OFW friends until the BPO
industry started to peak.
Today and in the last decade the annual revenues generated
by the BPO industry is undeniably one of the strongest force driving the
country’s economy in the form of tax, job creation and boom in food and in
commercial and residential realty.
It is said that if we compare the two the
BPO work outweighs the OFW work in terms of direct economic consequence.
This is because for every one employee employed in the BPO
industry there are approximately five jobs that are created elsewhere.
This observation is validated by proliferation of 7eleven
and Mini Stop stores in BPO areas as well as fast food chains (Jollibee, McDo
among others), the boom of food stalls, condominium units (either rented or sold)
and most importantly office spaces across the country.
If we take the BPO industry out of the picture Makati, BGC,
Ortigas, QC, Cebu, Davao would be a lonely place. Imagine how many buildings
would not be occupied or constructed at all?
The truth is, the Starbucks barista should be smiling at you
my friend because your BPO employment necessitated the growth of coffee shops in
the country and so is the local and national government for the huge amount of
tax that you and these industries generate monthly.
Simply put, the BPO industry pumps the blood that other
industries need to survive and thrive.
But I Am A College
Graduate!
Oh this one is the most painful misconception because it
underlines the fact that the profession is not recognized much more respected
both by those who are in it and outside of it.
There are a lot of BPO workers who up until now thinks that it
is not a profession and it is just sad and I think that it stems from the fact
that they see it merely as a means to get their bank accounts filled twice a
month.
The truth is, there is more to the BPO industry than answering calls.
You can be a people manager- not any different from an
office worker or a business manager. You can be in training and people
development- not any different from any corporate training professionals. You
can be a quality or reports specialists- not any different from analytics
professional in other industries who crunch numbers 9 hours a day!
Or you can be a world-class call center associate- not any
different from a hotel staff who maintains the best customer service with
guests and customers!
So what if it was not your course in college?
My friend, no one said that you have to derive your
self-worth from your degree. The best doctors and teachers out there are the best
not because they have applied what they learned, they are the best because they
deeply and genuinely care about people they deal with and that passion is
translated to what they do.
Simply put, it is not what we do, it is the value we put in
what we do that matters.
Something Has To
Change
The recent onslaught of non-stop rains is a testament to the
waterproof commitment and dedication of the call center professionals in this
country.
My friends, there is dignity in with the fact that we have
explored different means to constantly go to work, leaving home with a sick
family member or a baby or worse risking our own safety so we can perform our
duties.
This is what I meant when I said that our defense or
knee-jerk reactions towards criticism should not just be confined in the
argument of who earns better.
By leaving the debate of salary to facts, we establish
ourselves as professionals who are beyond monetary gains (although, mind you it
is very important!)
We should establish ourselves as professionals who are
highly flexible and dedicated worthy of respect and recognition not because we
earn more but because just like them we think about our families and we believe
that this profession is the best way to provide and improve the lives of our
loved ones.
A diploma is only wasted if it is not used to its maximum
potential. The BPO path is not any different from any other professional paths.
There is also a need for us to stop the superiority complex
(which is a defense mechanism) and the extreme sense of entitlement.
Let us start to be more appreciative of the things that we
have. A lot of the people I know in the industry constantly ask for more- and
there is nothing intrinsically wrong with that- except that we have to
constantly pause and say thank you.
I will not enumerate the benefits that is exclusive to our
industry, you know what they are and I suggest that you start appreciating them
for what they are.
Simply put, a person cannot be happy by demanding more. A
person can only be happy if he/she starts to appreciate what is at hand and
look at the future with optimism and resolve that he/she can be the best in
what he/she does.
