Hi everybody.

Thought I'd start a topic so that we can all share our daily routines with each other (in terms of call centre work or your related discipline) - from this we might be able to identify variations in cultural and role-based working practices and so on.

So, to set the ball rolling, a day in the life of...

John Clark, Administrator, CallCentreVoice

Obviously every day is different and brings a new challenge; however, most days start for me at around6.30 to 7am; as the guy in charge of this site, I'm always checking to see that things are moving smoothly along; breakfast therefore involves me checking that the site is up and answering email (plus my daily ration of Kellogg's Frosties, but that's another story).

My work is largely biased around consulting, so I can be working in a number of locations in a given week. Typically I'll take the laptop off to client site and check up a few times during that time; on the days when I'm working from the CCD office, I'm researching new content or helping with the design and development of our products. Lunch is usually on the hop, a quick CCV check and again at the end of the day. Evenings are usually spent either relaxing to music, going to the gym, working on CCV/CCD or beers at the weekend. The price I pay for a varied working lifestyle is that it frequently expands into my evenings and weekends, but that's the penalty that I'm happy to pay...

Now it's your turn, you can talk about your day in any way you like... maybe concentrating on different aspects of what you do and the issues you face...

Look forward to reading about it...

John

Go on, folks, have a go - I've done my bit, now it's your turn ;-)

OK I am game! Day here in Minnesota call center usually starts by booting up PC; check snail mail box and e-mail, then check out CALL CENTRE VOICE! Keep it in the background all day...just to check on stuff! I am responsible for making sure training happens when it is supposed to happen, that it is as good as we can make it, and for tracking all training times, test scores, hours for trainees/trainers, developing materials, doing our in-house Train the Trainer (would love to be able to hire self out to do T/T for other organizations...we rock *lol*) Do a lot of research into accelerated learning, adult learning, using technology in learning without losing the 'human touch' (we do expect our CSRs to deal with people, so I think training is a good place tostart :-)
Break for caffeine here and there - gotta engage that ol' raphe system in the grey matter - no lunch, makes me sleepy! Seem to be the 'mom' on the floor in a lot of ways; people always seem to think I can make it all better! Guess there areworse reputations to have! Once home I admit I do have a hard time shutting off my brain; love my work and am always trying to think of ways to do it better (my hubby claims my dayrunner is part of my anatomy; gotta have it handy to write down the ideas I will forget if I don't! 40 has a way of making your brain not remember stuff as well as it used to...) relax by camping, reading, gardening, playing with grandbabies...never enough sleep! But that's my day in the life ...woke up, got out of bed, draggeda comb across my head and all that :-)

Get into the office about 8.30ish. Boot up the old PC and check e-mail, hotmail and the BBC website for news for a few mins. Slip out of my leathers into something more comfortable and get the kettle on. Once suitably refrshed with coffee get down to dealing with my current project. At the moment this will mean contacting the client with any latest updates, researching costs or logistical issues for quotes, or putting together documentation or designs for the work.

Spend a lot of time liaising with other Proj Managers in the office and ensuring any changes are processed correctly, and that the schedule is still on track (which invariably it isn't!). Chase up suppliers continously and usually have a couple of 'discussions' with BT, C&W and the like!

If it's quiet I'll always log into CCV, see if anyone is in the chat room and catch up on the forums - also look at friendsreunited.co.uk (thanks Audrey!).

Lunchtime is a sandwich and the crossword - bit of surfing and then back to the project work.

Leathers back on and then hop onto the motorbike for a quick 20 minute dash back home. In my time off I play snooker once a week with some mates.. the occasional night in the pub.. or just relax at home. Sometime I go SCUBA diving at weekends round the coast (which is a bit chilly!!).

That's it in a nutshell. Someone else to have a turn now. :)

Bye folks
James

A day in the life of a Customer Service Advisor.......

Arrive in work at least half an hour before I'm due to start my shift so that I have time to boot up my PC, which often takes 15 mins.

Open all applications neccessary to do my job.

Read all the urgent communications sent advising of new processes, faults etc, because I rarely have time to do this after I've logged in to my 'phone

Start fielding calls at start time. Resolve Customer queries, requests, complaints, typing memos and coding calls whilst trying to concentrate on what the customer is saying and provide a sensible response, to maintain the targeted stats and have no "not ready" time between calls.

Take incessant calls until 15 minute break after approx 2hrs.

The same again until lunch time, when I treat myself to something tired and un appetising from the staff canteen. Quick breath of fresh air and then back to the same.

The same again until next 15 min break.

The sameagain until it's time to go home.

Ensure I'm never even a second late to start, or resume after a break and work after my finish time if there are calls in the queue.

Anybody fancy a swap for the day?.... For half a day?.....An hour?....10 mins?
No takers?