Listen to your body

I am sick and i don't like it even if it means a sick leave. Rest.

I spent my whole week scouring Metro Manila for relatives that my father wanted to visit while he was here. I understand his need to reconnect with his old friends and relatives here since the last time that he saw them was way back in 1973. Can you imagine that? It does not mean though that he never visited Manila in all those years. He would usually come here for business porpuses. Strictly business. Those would usually last for a couple of days at the most.

While i was with papa visiting relatives during the day, i would come to work at night. I would usually get 2-3 hours sleep. Imagine me dragging myself from my bed after only 2-3 hours of sleep. Believe me, its not a pretty sight and my father pitied me for it which i don't want because he might decide to cancel all his visits to the people he missed for several years.

Up until now, i am still aching all over from all those travels by bus and jeepneys. Then on Tuesday i my voice started to sound hoarse which i simply ignored. I just kept on drinking lots and lots of water and still continued taking my vitamins. Contratry to my usual overyly late meals and unbalanced diet, i was eating nutritious and deliciously cooked meals because papa is one superb cook. Also, I cannot remember a single minute wherein i walked under the rain so i did not worry about getting sick.

That hoarse voice escalated to severe colds and now every single word uttered is an agony for me. i have a very inflamed throath that my agents are starting to notice already. My ears us even affected already. It is such a pain speaking but i have no choice but to talk because i have to do my coaching session. I was already offered by my OM a sick leave yesterday so i can rest but i declined. However, i ended up going on half day yesterday. I went home at around 2 am. I slept the whole time i was at my place. That was more than 15 hours but i woke up with a throbbinh head ache. I tried talking to my self to test my voice but the first few words i uttered were soundless. Nice try Marigold!

On my way home, i cannot control my coughing no matter how much i try for the benefit of the 2 years old cute girl sitting next to me. The fx driver had to ask me to repeat myself twice while i was asking him to drop me off at Textite because he wasn't hearing me. I was speaking soundlessly again.

This is the first time that this has ever happened to me. I used to have painful sore throath but i never lost my voice. I planned to only work on paper works and Jb will do all the talking but it is impossible. I know that as long as i come to work, my situation is bound to get worse but i don't feel comfortable not being around.

I feel helpless like when my outlook is not working or i don't have a calculator beside me at work. But this time, its not just psychological but physical pains as well.

I am already being teased for not being the "usual" me.

I have always prided myself to be one heck of a strong lady. I rarely get sick even though i am only 95 lbs. I am not known to take any precautions, i eat what i like, i was always in need of sleep and i hardly rest even if i am always tired. I thought of my self incapable of getting sick. I thought only "weak" peopke get sick. I was mistaken.

Obvioulsy, i am taking my health seriously already. I hate being told by every one that i look tired and haggard. Its not very flattering but what can i do if i am coughing all day long. .

Helpful reads for Insomiacs

While browsing http://www.inquirer.com/ for interesting aricles, I came across a these articles that I know will be helful to a lot of insomiacs. There are a lot of new tips coming from a professional that sleep deprived people might consider doing:

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20081125-174142/Cant-sleep-Shut-your-busy-mind

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20081125-174141/Whip-up-these-recipes-for-good-sleep

Have a restful sleep! :)

Some frustrating facts about Call Center life

I just arrived from a 2-day off and the first thing i did was to check my emails for updates and reports that needs my attention the most. Here's my list:


1. QA audits for this week encoded on the client's tool.
2. Proximity cards for OJV.
3. BINS
4. Annualization review for the rest of the team.
5. Reply to the emails that needs answer while i was on rest day.
6. Send email blast to the team - Running stats.
7.Update 1 (cannot be specific for security reasons)
8. Update team schedule for next week.
9. News Bulliten
10.Update 2***
11. Sympatico idol prizes 11-07-2008
12. Important Update to the PC Care order Process and Product Description
13. FUTURE SHOP promotion
14. New *** Sign Off Sheet
15. Clean up and sort important documents for the OJV transfer.
16. Send email blast for the commendations received by my agents.
17. Follow up salary increase for***
18.Follow up salary increase for ***
19. Qoutation for id lace.
20. Leave Credits for Ayen.
21. Back up all files.

Of course, not to mention the manager calls and immiediate coachings that i have to do within the shift. These two things does not have to be listed as it is essentially part of every single day.


With that, i set about monitoring calls and this is what is happened. As my audits increases, the frustration and disperation almost bordering on anger is slowly boiling up. Of course, there are moments that makes me smile and proud because so and so did a great job on his or her call however, the dismay is heavier.

What's so frustrating is the fact that they have already memorized the call flow by heart yet still misses on a lot of things. Offering an ownership and apology statements no longer requires them to navigate thier tools or memorize a spiel. In fact, it comes as natural as saying thier names at the opening of each call but they have not perfected it yet. If they happen to do those things on thier calls, there are surely some other part of the call flow that will be neglected or forgotten. It may be offering a recap, an effective probing, ticket writing, etc... I know i have always been considered as "too strict, harsh and expecting too much" but what i find hard to accept is the fact that they know how to do it but can't seem to do it right all the time. Also, they are already working hard and exerting efforts in what they are doing, so why don't do it right? Besides,they are perfectly aware that every single call is captured by the recording system and if at least one of thier less-than good calls are monitored, they will receive coaching logs, care form or even termination depending on the gravity of the offense, yet they still do it. Not to mention the fact that, if they receive any of the corrective actions mentioned above, they will argue, complain and or be overly bothered by them yet they still do it. For sure, no one wants to lose his job yet they do things to endanger thier job security.


I know that they would say that its hard to perfect every single call because the issue and the mood of the callers varries. My answer to that is, a caller's mood can be swayed, changed, or aggravated depending on how they handle the call. Its not that, they have not received a lot of trainings and refreshers for these things. A customer can be educated, angered, consoled, amazed, feel insulted and uniformed. The list can go on and on depending on how a rep handles the situtation.