Working in a call center is not for everyone. There are many core advantages in working as a call center agent. But it is not ever the faint heart. From the outside, it has the glamour and the appeal. You get to be working in a fast-paced environment. We have been setting up call centers for over a decade. We can tell you first hand that main disadvantages of call center jobs.
7 Main Disadvantages of working in a call center
Below are the top 7 main disadvantages of working in a call center. These are the most highly rated disadvantages of call center jobs today!
Delay in Important Information causing customer grievance
Call centers are the majority of time away from the head offices. Many of the call centers are not in the main building. The head offices are somewhere else. Due to the different locations, ambiguity exists. Call centers require updated information. Every minute, a new trend is taking place. Hence, the call centers need to be updated immediately.
Once we were doing a call center training program at a remote location. The development was being done somewhere else. A new bug occurred. Customers know first. Call Center was the last to find out. Call center is the first contact for the customers. This delay causes grievance. This was one of the items identified in our detailed call center training programs at the customer premises. We tend to identify gaps. And then work out way to resolve it.
This is especially true with BPO markets. In business processing outsourcing, the end customers is in another location. In fact in another country. And the product that is being sold is in another place. And the call center is in a third location. This disconnect really creates havoc and dissatisfaction.
Imagine that you are managing the call Center! These kinds of disconnects really causes stress and unnecessary grievance.
No proper scheduling of Job
All call centers are 24 x 7. For this many agents have to rotate the shifts. This becomes a grievance for people who want to set schedules. Any time, the call center team can call you up to take over a left. This typically happens last-minute as well. And many call centers have graveyard shifts. This is the most difficult shift of all. Everyone has to go through these odd timings. Then there is a question that arises. Why do you want to work at a call center? Here, it is personal preference. Not everyone can be adjusted to the change of scheduling.
Health issues
Talking on the call for eight hours takes a toll on the health. Like regular jobs, you do not get the luxury of moving from one place to another. There are no walks when talking to the customer. In fact you also eat at your desk. This causes health problems. Standing or sitting in one location becomes tiresome for the body. This is a reality.
Abnormal sleep patterns
Abnormal sleep patterns is another disadvantage. Many of times you are working in different shifts. And because of this you start sleeping in different times. The body can only take so much. Recent research also shows a call center agents get less sleep as compared to other professionals. Abnormal sleep is one of the core disadvantages of call center jobs.
Travelling from office to work at order hours
Irrespective of the city that you are in, conveyance is always going to be a major issue. Why? Because public transportation is not 24×7. But the call center is. Hence, if you are getting off at an odd time, then it is very difficult for you to find a bus or local transportation. This becomes an issue. This is one of the main disadvantages of call center jobs.
High stress levels
Call Center is one of the most stressful jobs in the world. You are going to be bench-marked by certain key performance indicators. You need to be ready to always have a smile on your face. Every call is being monitored. Any slight dissatisfaction can cause you your job. Therefore, there is a high stress level at the call centers.
Very similar is the case if you are in an outbound call center. There are numbers to achieve. And you need to be responsible to deliver those results.
Being burnt out
One of the major reasons why people leave the call center within one or two years is being burnt out. Daily, you take the same type of calls. There’s only so much you can really take. Hence, being burnt out is a common phenomenon in call center. People cannot work in a call center environment for a long period of time.
Conclusion
This does not mean that you should never apply or even think of a call center. There are certain benefits to working there as well. Depends upon your goals and needs. If you are from the call center industry, we would love to hear from you. Share with us your comments.
