ETel’s Stock IPO

Philippine-based business process outsourcing company eTelecare is set to list 28.9 million shares on the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday, November 20.

eTelecare Global Solutions (Stock Code: ETEL) will list its initial shares by way of introduction or without the need for an initial public offering (IPO).

The shares have a par value of P2.00 and the opening price will be based on the closing price of ETEL’s American Depository Receipts (ADR) at the NASDAQ on the trading day prior to the listing date.

I just read this on one of the forums that I am going to daily. How I wished that our company will also do this.  

Turning American

I just love the 80’s song. Whether it be love songs, rock songs, pop — anything you named it. I was listening to this Turning Japanese song when I said — in my case, it is turning American.

Our client is American. So all of our customers are from the US — well, Chinese Americans, Indian Americans, Arabian Americans – you name it, I’ve already dealt with them for sure.

As I’m slowly adjusting into my new world and just silently observing this new dimension I’ve just entered in my life, I suddenly realized that we are losing our own identity with this kind of job.

As you work in a call center, you are forced [or in a more subtle way "instructed"] to become like your client. If you have been  assigned to an American client – just like me – you need to speak, listen and act like them. As you are taught of their cultures and behaviours, you are also unnoticingly transforming yourself into a different citizen. A simple expression of Ay! [when you dropped something, for example, or was taken aback] becomes Oh! or Oh my gosh!

Your housemates can no longer relate to you at times because even in your house, you are still speaking the language you’ve been using while you are at work.

The programs, music, movies that you like so much watching are becoming different. From OPM to Hollywood music or from Filipino movies to foreign films.

I, even admit, that most of my expressions are also in their language already. But I try to minimize this when I am at the house or with just my non-call center friends.

However, one of the positive side of this is that we are doing ourself a favor. We are becoming flexible, adoptable  to changes and being open-minded to other’s cultures. But don’t let this be a reason to look at where you came from.

No Work Is Too Easy

The curiousity is gone after being on the floor for a week. The burn out feeling is rising up. I can feel it very strongly. And I came to the conclusion: so this is why they’re paying high for a call center agent and among some other reasons:

 - I get cursed everyday by my customers and I am not allowed to cursed back.

- You cannot disagree if they want to put you in any odd hours shift just as long as the company requires to have someone on that shift.

- You are more prone to a lot of life-aging behavior transformation. I am slowly turning into a control freak, ice-queen, emotionless human being, Needless to say, adding some health issues to your life.

- You are forced to embrace the culture of your client which is very different from yours.

- You are forced to speak their language fluently or you will be “punished” if you dont.

- You get to abuse coffee, beers and smoking a lot.

- You are bound to be a cold and unemotional human being as you get immuned to irate and endless issues of your customers

…and a lot more things

But in all of these, there is one comment that made me realize that work of a call center agent is just like any other jobs and this is it:

“You keep on complaining that your job is hard. Hey! No work is too easy, dude!”

And I definitely, absolutely and perfectly agree!

The Start of the Career

2003. Another 6 months contract ended. I am talking about my job given by a manpower agency. I stopped for a while when the world around me is still busy. It is always a busy crowd in Makati.

 I was with a friend then. A lot of youngsters in their branded suits and American accents are just a few steps away from us.

 I asked my friend — “When are we going to penetrate the call center industry?” And she replied, “It’s hard to penetrate that. They said you have to be good in English and blah blah blah…”

Well,I like speaking in English [although sometimes I am not grammatically correct just politically] and I am the best English speaking student during my school days.

Above minimum wage, wear no uniforms, parade your best semi-casual outfits, night time jobs that gives night differential pay — HEY! I WANT THIS JOB!

Little did I knew that after 3 months, I would be able to penetrate it.