Call center agents beat unemployment woes

03Mar09

Their desire to be with their families while earning good income at the same time, top their choices, when they could have otherwise earned better salaries abroad or somewhere else. For their choice to remain in the country, they could have joined the unemployed segment.

But not with call center agents, like Sharon Acusta, 30, Joel Calle, 27, and Augustine Escalona, 29, who said their employment with TeleTech in Iloilo City, has given them a better chance to start a career while raising their children and keeping their families together.

Sharon used to work in Brunei as a secretary in a company and could have been given a higher salary and more benefits had she stayed.

“I found it difficult to fight against homesickness and the pain of being not able to communicate with my child,” Sharon said.

She preferred to go home and tried her luck as call center and she is about to complete her probationary period with TeleTech.

Sharon said, with Teletech she has found a good job, with opportunities for growth always within her reach, giving her a strong sense of confidence.

Joel Calle, a Management graduate from Central Philippine University, now a supervisor at TeleTech, had his family as priority when he started to pursue the job as call agent.

Joel is married to a former OFW who is now back to the country, that makes him the sole bread winner.

“My job here at the TeleTech provides me with the chance to take care of my family, while having the best opportunity to grow professionally,” Joel said.

Joel said his job brings him to face greater challengers in developing human relations, in dealing with clients in such a way that they are satisfied and happy.

Augustine Escalona, 29, said he finds his job as call center agent fulfilling first, because this brings him closer to his wife and child and second, because he gets the chance to grow and put into practice his skills in sales.

“Not only do we learn to develop our skills, but we also cultivate patience, discipline, and flexibility, as well as teamwork, for these teach us to realize that we accomplish the job as a team,” Augustine said.

Sharon, Joel and Augustine believe that the existence of TeleTech has provided young professionals like them with good options for employment that does not only give good salaries and benefits but personal and professional growth.

“Now, as call center agents, young professionals get better chance of growing in the job, while earning good incomes,” Augustine said.

They also said that they intend to stay in the job for longer years yet, for they also get benefits like social security, health, insurance and spot bonuses.

Ms. Abbey Valenciano, TeleTech Senior Manager for Corporate and External Affairs, said they offer their people a balanced lifestyle, seeing to their particular needs at all times.

“We have a Lifestyle Passport Program that offers discounts and other privileges for our personnel,” Valenciano said.

Valenciao said that TeleTech is the biggest employer today, with 23,000 employees and a hiring rate of 17 percent as well as a high retention rate.

To date they have more than 1,600 employees at the Iloilo site and they expect to grow some more with the potentials of manpower from the universities and colleges in Iloilo City.

Sharon, Joel and Augustine said they are thankful the government has given support to BPOs in the country, that help them find challenging employment.