tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49531446962154830182024-03-20T19:46:57.696-07:00The Secrets of Staying Sane and Thriving in a Call CenterThis is all about the Philippine Call Center Industry from the Perspective of a Call Center Hopper turned Manager.Maya Jambaloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09602405408279405591noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953144696215483018.post-59320694521859422962013-11-28T19:15:00.001-08:002013-11-28T19:15:14.859-08:00Ode to the Graveyard Shi(f)t (by Lon Jambalos)<div>
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I'm singing goodbye to the 10 Million Fireflies</div>
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The midnight bus chase and </div>
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The streets of sleeping vendors<br />
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Drowsy zombies drinking San Mig Light at 5 AM on the steps of 7/11<br />
With the cool breeze and the puff of cigarette<br />
We sighed our dreams to the dawning sky<br />
For money, for freedom, for love and for some normalcy in our lives<br />
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Goodbye to the solitary parades along Ayala on business holidays<br />
I owned the empty stretch<br />
With my heels going click...clock...<br />
Click...clock... and nobody hears it.<br />
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This is for the Sleepy Heads.<br />
The Day Sleepers.<br />
Graveyard Fireflies toiling in the night<br />
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Can't stay awake in their stations<br />
Can't fall asleep on their beds.<br />
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Lulled by the moon...<br />
Stirred by the sun!<br />
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Coffee pulsing in their veins.<br />
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Shock absorbers.<br />
Scapegoats.<br />
Shopaholics.<br />
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Here's a Toast to the nights you brace<br />
With courage and a faked twang<br />
You try to do the impossible<br />
Of understanding...<br />
Those who doesn't want to be understood.<br />
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Note about the poem: <br /><span class="timelineUnitContainer"></span></div>
This
is something I wrote on October 1, 2010 when I finally got a day job
after working night shift for years in the Call Center. The song
Fireflies was playing the background. And I remember how in one poem, I
used the term Graveyard Fireflies to refer to Call Center Agents
(graveyard for 'graveyard shift' as well as a metaphor for the kind of
work we do).<br />
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©2010 Ma. Leonor Jambalos. All rights reserved to this poem.</h4>
Maya Jambaloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09602405408279405591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4953144696215483018.post-91216847751604337782013-11-28T19:01:00.000-08:002013-11-28T20:37:28.182-08:00About this Blog<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBD7U8OBI9Uoh4Uzh4desMYlqSC5PyNcHtzGxLNJy7cl51ViaZ3BJ8gPCv7VI-__BM-UqrsKxRfMJgrSybcOxdqDzW1YT1-Rv3teWAPLVMnDUjLOnQzwbx1IjrVQXY7FUypbul3prLYoz/s1600/preggy+and+pampered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBD7U8OBI9Uoh4Uzh4desMYlqSC5PyNcHtzGxLNJy7cl51ViaZ3BJ8gPCv7VI-__BM-UqrsKxRfMJgrSybcOxdqDzW1YT1-Rv3teWAPLVMnDUjLOnQzwbx1IjrVQXY7FUypbul3prLYoz/s320/preggy+and+pampered.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's me with the red jacket when I was pregnant and working at my messy desk. I was totally spoiled by my team with my own special chair, a stuff toy and an ottoman.</td></tr>
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I wanted to write something I consider myself an expert on--and it is the Call Center Industry in the Philippines. I started working for a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company in 2004 and worked my way through call center hopping and eventually towards management positions. This industry financed me through college and graduate school, fed me and my family and to which I owe so much I can only repay by sharing my hard-earned wisdom.<br />
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This is for:<br />
1) The curious outsiders: who wants to know what we do in a call center aside from taking calls and those fishing for information on whether this job would suit you.<br />
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2) The insiders: those who are in the Call Center Industry and wants to survive, thrive while staying sane<br />
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3) The future outsiders: I guess these are the ones who are burnt out and wants to know how to get out of the call center industry. Also for those who are not in the industry anymore but would like to either reminisce or share your past glory days of NTE's and DA's with a smile and a dose of laughter for your days/nights of folly.<br />
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This is a collection of poems, stories (of me and my friends), anecdotes, jokes collected by me and previous colleagues about the Call Center. Of helpful links and tips on interviews, trends, products and services, and career opportunities specially catering to call center workers.<br />
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If you are ready then let's begin our adventure in the Call Center limbo! Maya Jambaloshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09602405408279405591noreply@blogger.com0Metro Manila, Philippines14.406749732817127 121.0404968261718814.283743732817127 120.87913532617188 14.529755732817128 121.20185832617187