This may not be the
most rhetorical and eloquent commendation in the history of customer service
but I am truly proud of this.
*************
*************
It’s not every day
that a client gets out of his way to write of his appreciation of the good service
rendered him.
I was so delighted I
thought of framing this letter if only to remind myself of my realization that
I actually love what I am doing.
And to immortalize
the joy this letter has given me and the gratitude of Mr Antonio Uy I thought
of writing a blog entry out of it.
No, I won’t narrate a
blow by blow account of how I assisted this client but rather share a short
story of how miserable I was doing something I thought I would never ever learn
to like.
In the call center where
I work I came to be known as the “irate customer service associate”, a label I
myself coined as an admission of guilt.
I used to loosely
joke about it around the office back when I thought I was invincible because of
this reputation.
I was too caught up
with the thought that I needed to protect myself from the agents who seizes
every opportunity to terrify you, take advantage of you and belittle you in an
environment where most of them believe they are greater than us.
Somewhere along the
way this idea was planted in my head and a couple of more encounters with these
superior beings cemented my belief that they are my enemies and I was doomed
from then on.
I have created a hostile
and unsympathetic facade towards them to shield myself. I took it by heart to
the point where the facade was no longer just a facade it eventually became who
I am, in their eyes.
The fear that I have
unknowingly instilled to a number of agents and their secretaries backfired when
it developed to hatred and I just woke up one day and realized that this group
of people who hated me have grown exponentially.
My reputation as the
arrogant CSA has spread like an incurable disease that even the innocent and
the kinder ones were not spared.
I was not happy being
a customer service associate and every day at work became a fight for survival for
me but, sadly, I can’t afford to lose the job.
I was spiralling
downwards as I amassed complaints after complaints from the agents and the
clients alike and this didn’t go unnoticed.
Soon I was in and out
of the “aquarium” where my supervisor/ manager would patiently talk to me about
duties, responsibilities, commitments, chances and the freedom to choose every
time I will receive a complaint.
I needed to shape up
and though I know exactly what I should do I have too much pride I refused to
do it.
God must have heard
the pleas of the people who sincerely care for me He finally woke me up from
the nightmare of my own doing.
He sent me the wakeup
call I was sure would come, not once but twice and the rest is history.
The damaged
relationship I have with some of the agents and their secretaries may never be
fixed and the negative label attached to my name may take time for me to clear but
as long as I have people who sincerely believe that there is still good in me
and hope for me, I will continue trudging that road to recovery.
This commendation coupled with the heartfelt encouragements of real friends and the incessant guidance of my immediate managers will aid me as I try to make a more positive label for myself and as I take a shot to improve myself to becoming an effective customer service provider.
*********
A couple of other commendation from apprceative clients.......
