TRUE STORY: Working in a Call Center Will Help You Become Successful

Working in the BPO Industry as an agent has both its advantages and disadvantages. Though some may say it is a dead-end job, I believe that my experience as a call center agent had greatly helped me become a successful freelancer. Currently, I am a Marketing Manager for a publishing and consultancy firm and my background in sales and customer service as a call center agent has equipped me with the necessary skills that made the job easier. 

In this article, we interviewed former BPO employees who are now gainfully employed in a different industry. We asked if they find their experience/ training as a call center agent relevant or helpful to their current occupation and here are some interesting answers we got.

Name:  Renee Barian
BPO Experience: More than 5 years
Current Occupation:  Offshore Consultant / Operations Manager

The BIG YES will have to go to "experience." Though the Call Center Training does a lot to improve your conversational and interpersonal skills, the best lessons and the best tool that was added to my arsenal came from the 1st hand on the job experience itself. 

Having been able to handle multiple accounts/campaigns in different BPO companies pave the way for me.  It gave me a better understanding on every objective I am setting my eyes on to land a job.  The more you are familiar with what is in front of you, the more convenient it is to come up with a plan to hit whatever you're aiming for.  This is what your Call center experience will give you.

At work, you'll learn how to handle stress in any given situation, come up with a marketing strategy of your own, and eventually add more knowledge about new and exciting things in the background. Because of this, it was just easy for me to be confident and use whatever I have gotten from my experiences to meet the desired qualifications of a job or a position that I want to get.

Name:  Andrew
BPO Experience: 1 year
Current Occupation:  Transport Service Provider based in Qatar

Yes, my experience in the BPO industry had taught me about system navigation and multi-tasking which is helpful in my current job. 

Name: Maria Jelica
BPO Experience: 3 years
Current Occupation: Virtual Assistant and Ecommerce Specialist 

Yes. There are a lot of skills I've acquired from working at a call center that I am able to use in my current job. Like customer service, multi-tasking with the tools, email and chat support and a lot more.


Name:  Abigail 
BPO Experience: More than 5 years
Current Occupation:  SunLife Financial Advisor

I believe that my advantage is that I was able to handle different types of accounts and held different positions in the call center industry. This helped me really excel in my current job. I am trained to handle difficult customers. I learned how to adjust to different types of people where my patience and critical thinking ability are tested in resolving issues and coming up with different plans on how to grow the business. These are skills that I am able to apply to my current job as financial advisor. I am persistent and trained on how to handle rejection.


Name:  Leslie
BPO Experience:  3 years
Current Occupation:  Nurse

I am now a staff nurse here in Germany and my call center experience really helped me have the necessary skills or say practice to communicate effectively with other people especially with foreigners. 


Name:  Al 
BPO Experience: 1 year
Current Occupation:  Software Engineer

Yes. I'm currently assigned in a support role where interacting with developers is a daily task. It helped because it's easier for me communicate with them to solve whatever issue they have.
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As you can see, working in a call center is not a dead-end job. Instead, you can use this as a stepping stone towards your dream job. The experiences that you get can equip you with the necessary skills that you may need in the future. 

For fresh graduates, don't be discouraged to apply in a call center. It's a practical option given the compensation and benefits. Just make sure that you continue to grow professionally.  Robert Kiyosaki, one of my favorite authors once mentioned in his book, Rich Dad Poor Dad "Instead of simply working for money and security, which are important, take a job that will teach you a skill."

Starting the year with Gratitude

The holidays are finally over and here we are on the first working day of the year. I am both excited and overwhelmed with the things that needed to be done including the work-related concerns that piled up during the holidays. 

This is actually the longest Christmas vacation that we truly enjoyed. School was on break starting December 13. Val did not have to report anymore and I was on-call as early as December 15 and stayed offline beginning December 20. 

If you are wondering how we spent our holidays? We had two hotel staycations which I am going to blog about soon. And the rest are all chill days either spent by going to malls to do a little bit of shopping or we just stay at home to binge-watch The Big Bang Theory. 

It was very simple but we had the much need rest to recharge for the upcoming year. Binge-watching may sound lazy but I got a lot of takeaways and lessons that we can apply in our real lives. 

In Episode 9 (Season 10) - Sheldon gets extremely jealous when his rival, Bert gets a grant of over $500,000 for his geology research. He was even more jealous to learn that Bert really did a good job and his paper was remarkable. The jealousy that Sheldon was feeling has negatively affected him that he was unable to concentrate on his own work and that he even injured himself. 

However, what struck me the most is the words of Amy (Sheldon's girlfriend) - Amy told Sheldon that he should appreciate the good things in his life. He has love, his health and a roof over his head. 

This is the same thing that we need to do in our lives. We must not dwell on what we don't have. Instead, we should learn to appreciate what we have. We are loved and blessed more than we will ever realize. Let me share with you one of my favorite essays: 

So, this 2020. I decided to Start the Year with Gratitude and here are some of the things and people that I am thankful for: 

 .

I am thankful for a house full of fur. It means I have dogs who are playful, happy and love me unconditionally. 

I am thankful for the dishes that need to be washed, it means that my family and I had a good meal. 

I am thankful for a busy work schedule, it means that I have clients who trust me that I can help them with their business. 

I am thankful for the non-stop messaging notification sound, it means that there are people who values what I have to say. 

I am thankful for the delivery guy who keeps on waking me up so early in the morning, it means that I have packages from friends and family.

I am thankful for the medicines that I need to take, it means that I am alive and have the opportunity to heal and be healthier.  

I can share endless things that I am thankful for and this is the main reason why I am so positive that 2020 is going to be a great year.  How about you? What are you grateful for? Are you also willing to start the year with Gratitude? 

How to cope with loss of a loved one?

Losing a loved one is the hardest and most painful reality of life. It is something that we cannot control nor even predict. There is no cure or medication to ease the pain. For most of us, only time can heal the wounds. 

Losing your spouse, parents, children or anyone from your family may be the most challenging since aside from the emotional loss, confusion, and grief, there are a lot of practical decisions that you have to make. There is paperwork that needs to be fixed including hospital bills that need to be settled. Just imagine you have to do this in just a few hours despite the fact that you just want to lay down and cry. 

So, the big question is how can you prepare for this? How can you make it easier for you and your family? 

No one can be fully prepared about death but let me share some tips on what you can do: 

1. Talk about it - Though the topic of death may be taboo for the majority, it is just practical to discuss it with your family. The concept of "The Bucket List" is a good way to start the discussion. Talk about the things that you want to do or achieve before you pass on. Later, you can also share the things that you want in case something happens to you. 

Giving them the direction on how you want things to be done will give them comfort as they follow your lead. It is easier for the surviving family to think that they have granted your final wishes and preferences. 

2. Tax and Estate Planning - This is not just for wealthy families but also for middle-earners or investors who are very keen on planning their family's future. 

Some of the reasons why you should consider estate planning are the following: 

• Protection for your children. Making sure that it goes to the right person or the appropriate trustee is assigned. 
• Avoids family conflicts. Whether we admit it or not, family disputes arise when money is involved. Much more huge amounts from inheritance. 
• Minimize cost and taxes. Tax and Estate Planning helps you minimize cost and taxes when transferring the estate or property. 

3. Know where you can get support and guidance on what needs to be done - when you feel lost or overwhelmed what you do, find a service provider that can assist you in making funeral and burial arrangements. In Bacolod, there is a company that stands out among service providers because they provide excellent customer engagement whose main goal is to make things easier for their clients in their moment of grief.

Teresa Development Corporation has been in the business for more than 50 years. According to TDC's funeral director, Albert S. Montelibano they understand that their clients are anxious, worry a lot and don't know what to do. Thus, TDC will help you throughout the whole process such as processing death certificates, provide guidance on what do to before and during the wake, etc. TDC ensures detailed assistance, guidance in all the preparations and the promise to make things easier for their clients. 

4. Check your options and make practical decisions

As mentioned, one cannot be fully prepared to die but there are things that we can decide as early as now such as: 

• Should I get a memorial life plan?
• Do you consider cremation or would you like the traditional way? 
• Where would you like your final resting place to do be? (This is true for those who reside in a new city but most of their family is in the province.)

Personally, I have believed that the land is for the living and thus, I personally prefer cremation and then they, can just scatter my ashes in the forest or throw it in the sea but Val's question hit me hard. "Mommy, what if I miss you so much and want to visit you?"

To be honest, I had no answer until I learned about TDC's newest project, Christ the Redeemer Columbarium Complex. It is the perfect place where they can store the ashes of your departed loved ones. 

And this is not just your typical columbarium, it will have viewing chapels, a restaurant, beautiful lobby, high ceilings, etc. 

In this way, families can celebrate life in style. They can visit and celebrate the life of their dear loved one who passed away in style and comfort. Here's a sneak peek on what you can expect from the Christ the Redeemer Columbarium Complex.

The Amethyst features the vault where urns will be placed. 

The family suite features a family room, restroom, and kitchenette for those who want more privacy. 

For more information about Teresa Development Corporation and the Christ the Redeemer Columbarium, you may contact them at (034) 434-5555 or follow them on FB at Teresa Development Corporation Funeral Services

Win a Free Classic Donut or Cash when You Buy a Dunkin Donut Coffee

Christmas is definitely my favorite time of the year ever since I was a child. The food, time off from school and the gifts that we give and receive just make the season festive, happy and memorable. 

As children, the joy and excitement we feel during the Christmas season can be encapsulated in one word: aguinaldo. The term refers to gifts received, specifically, during the holidays.  As grown-ups, we find ourselves on the other side of giving with younger relatives now expecting their presents from us. However, no matter how old we are, there is always a child within us who is giddy with happiness when we receive an aguinaldo.  - (I am totally guilty!) 

Thus, I was very excited when I heard about the Dunkin’ Donuts Aguinaldo In Every Cup promo. This holiday season, you can have that “just got a gift” feeling every day with the Dunkin’ Donuts. Every time you purchase one 12-ounce cup of hot or iced Dunkin’ Coffee, you have a chance to instantly win a Free Classic Donut or cash  — P500, P1,000, P5,000, and for the lucky ones who will surely have a Merry Christmas, P20,000.

 To get your Aguinaldo, peel the perforated coupon found on the side of your Dunkin’ Coffee cup that says “Open your Holiday Surprise!” and “Peel Here.”  It’s best to do this after finishing your drink because the excitement might make you spill it.

Your Aguinaldo is waiting for you in any of your Dunkin’ Coffee favorites like Dunkin’ Brewed Coffee, Dunkin’ Black Iced Coffee, or Dunkin’ Iced Coffee. 

So, are you ready for some Christmas feels?  Then get your Dunkin’ Donuts Aguinaldo In Every Cup from now until December 15, 2019, only.  

Hurry and run! Promo is ending really soon.