Taking a Chance

Good morning everyone! I hope you are doing well. We woke up to snow this morning. I thinks it's the second snow storm we've had this winter.

Here is an update on my life. Back in October I took a leap of faith and quit my job of 4.5 years. I had applied at this company,(a call center)it will remain unnamed. They offered me a seasonal position. The money would have been great, but I didn't want to quit my full time job for a seasonal job. I had another interview with another company and that job would have been good, but the job that had offered me a seasonal position called me back and offered me a full time position with an offer of money that blew me away along with great benefits. I'd be stupid to turn it down. With a leap of faith I jumped at the chance to better myself and learn a job I had never done before. I was reassured that that the learning curve would take six months to a year to learn. The computer system was complex and the processes were hard to learn. I was asked in my interview if I had the patients with myself to learn, because they would teach me if I didn't get frustrated with myself if I didn't pick it up right away.

So, I gave my notice at my job of 4.5 years. I wanted to leave on a good note and gave notice as you should, as I wanted to be rehirable. It's important when you are applying for jobs, because employers ask if you are rehirable or not. I missed about a week of training in the new company. They said that they'd work with me though.

I'm not afraid of hard work, or facing challenges especially if it betters me as a person and gives me a chance to learn something new in my career since I have to work. (Most of us have to work)

No one talked about goals, or numbers. Just focus on learning the processes and everything else will fall into place they said. I did exactly as I was asked and came in early to start working before my shift trying to soak up everything I could. I asked questions over and over again. I listened to everyone around me trying to pick up how they handled situations and I learned.

Getting on the phones the first time was scary. I remember the first few days, I was unsure, because every phone call I needed help with. Every situation was different, I had customer's yelling, unreasonable people, then I had the customers that had great experiences and just straight forward requests. It was normal, all of the other new people were going through the same thing I was. They had coaches that helped the new people and explained things in detail. I was told that even people who had been there a long time still had to ask questions and learn new processes.

I took in a huge amount of service calls, took credit card information and received calls on complicated issues. In fact, I sit next to the supervisor and he hears my calls all day long. He told me I had a knack of getting phone calls that were complicated and complex. They take follow through and time to complete.

I learned that I have exceptional customer service skills, I follow through and make sure I get back to the customers with their issues.

Little did I know this was a problem. This follow through, took me off of the phones and yes the computer system keeps track of everything you do. This is not a problem. I work my ass off and don't goof off, so I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Out of the blue my co-worker from my old job contacts me, says she is going to be the manager and she wanted to know if I want to come back to be an assistant manager. it was a great offer, but at the new company the money is still way better. I need to think about the future and retirement. My husband and I are finally able to pay the bills and put money away for retirement. I am one of those people who doesn't have a retirement. I'm trying to catch up this late in life.

It was January when this offer came through. I had heard rumors in December about the people who bought out the company would be making changes and restructuring. In January I began seeing a trend of people leaving, hearing more rumors abut payroll and changes. People who had been hired were leaving, even full time people. It was scary. I was insecure, because I'm not even four months in, I'm still learning, but it's a struggle learning the processes and where to find the information needed to help customers. I love being there. I love the complexity of the situations and love working with customers, but I questioned if my job was safe.

I decided to be honest with my supervisor, probably something I should not have done. I've never had a break in life and I can be insecure and my confidence isn't there. I asked if they were going to lay off people. My supervisor was in the process of having one on ones with all the employees under him. He told me he'd have my meeting with him.

He told me, he had never seen anyone be a magnet to some of the most complicated calls he had ever seen. Like he said, he sits next to me and hears the calls, he has assisted me with the calls and has heard every time I have asked for help on calls.

He told me my sales numbers were great in December, but the month of January was really bad.

I have to be honest, no one had said numbers were important up to this point. I was told to learn the processes and the computer system. Also, considering they have me in the service Que, taking service calls and not sales calls, I'd say that assessment wasn't fair of them to hold against me. I feel they had set me up for failure. I can't control the calls I get.

On the bright side, he also told me that I had some of the best customer service skills he had ever seen. My follow through was great, he said if I told a customer I'd get back with them, they knew I would, because I did. This follow through takes me away from the phones though. He said he wanted to get me out of the service Que and into sales, because he thought I'd be great at the sales end, which would improve my numbers. He said sales calls were easier and funner as well. He asked me about the opportunity with my old job. I told him it was financially smarter for me to stay at this company. That I needed to make it work. He seemed to understand.

I met my friend at the old company after about a week and let her know that I had to stay at the new company, because it was a financially smart move for my husband and I's future. I had to give it all I had. She understood.

A week later, I was asked to come back in for a follow up meeting. I had a sense of doom. My supervisor asked me if I still had an opportunity with my old company. I said I turned it down and they had hired someone else. He said, that since my numbers were really bad and I still had to ask questions about the processes they needed to see an improvement. That they had to watch payroll and changes were being made. He said he didn't want there to be any surprises.

So, there you go, my job was on the line.

I can't help but think I was set up for failure in this job. I think the timing is impeccable that they are letting go all of the seasonal people they hired for the peak season and here they are telling me I had to improve, or my job was on the line even though I was told from the beginning from everyone that it takes 6 months to a year to even start to get comfortable with the computer system and the processes.

My supervisor said he'd set up more training for me. This actually meant that they were going to start documenting my failures.

I went home that night truly upset. I've worked hard my whole life, I've always had to work and the chance at a college education had always been out of reach. My schooling consists of on the job training and the university of hard knocks.

Do you know how difficult it is to stay strong and positive when it feels like everything is working against you?

I actually like the job I'm at now. Despite the black cloud that is hanging over my head at this job. The drive to Seattle everyday, really sucks, but the job itself is something I really enjoy.

I got called in again for another meeting, this time with my supervisor and his boss. I thought my job was gone. To make a longer story shorter, I was told I had to improve. They told me they felt I was struggling and they wanted to make a plan to help me, that they would do everything they could to get me where they thought I should be. That they had invested a lot of time and effort in my employment and if they didn't see improvements that they'd have to start thinking about exit strategies, if this job was not a fit for me. I was told I was still asking basic questions, that I should have already gotten down.

My immediate supervisor did stand up for me and say that I had some of the best customer service skills he had ever seen, and I had the bad luck of getting some of the most complex calls like a magnet. I expressed that I didn't feel that all of my questions were basic. A question I had asked a week before was thrust at me like it was bad. It had been a basic question.

They said, they'd meet with me weekly for a couple of weeks, because if I didn't improve, that we'd have to start looking at exit strategies. So, yes they are documenting my every move. I can't just quit though. I have to try.

I still think it very interesting that they are letting people go left and right. They had invested the same time and energy into them as well. The company is now a privately owned company and changes are happening because of the new owners. If they are going to let me, go, then so be it. Let me go, but don't try to make me feel like it is my fault. Especially when I had been told by everyone that the learning curve is normal. I had been told by the seasoned people there that I was by far not the worst.

I'm a fighter and I don't give up very easily. I cry a lot, I'm feeling very insecure and not very confident about the future of my job, but I still show up to work everyday and give it 100%. I still show up early and start work before my shift even starts to try to learn.

On average I get more good surveys from customers than bad. I even got a glowing review from a customer who when out of her way to email in to our leadership. I got an email from my supervisors boss telling me to keep up the superb work.

I know they are still documenting my failures, but at least no one can say I have a bad attitude, or have given up. I will keep going until they decide to let me go.

I have to live in faith, that what happens is meant to be.

I have no idea what my future holds for me. I pray everyday for a miracle.

A real experience in the life of a writer. What can I say.