One Life at Call Centre!!

Since Renowed writer Chetan Bhagat had copyrighted the name ‘One Night At Call Centre’, I came up with my own custom designed name for my blog.

The moment of being speechless when I got a job at call centre was momentary. If you are speechless at a Call Centre you are FIRED!!

With loads of dreams and ideas, I stepped into that place and spent my next 6 month there. If at all I speak decent English today, the credit goes to that place which has the best training team.

My six month tenure was split as follows:
Month 1: Soft Skill Training
Month 2: Pre-process Training
Month 3-4: Process Training
Month 5: Floor Training
Month 5.5: Call Shadowing
Month 6: Reach the breaking point and Quit..!! (I am not a loser in life. You will prolly feel the same if you were to be in my position then)

So you might be wondering if I actually worked in those 6 months???!!!
Answer: Yes. For a month and that’s when I realized that this is not my purpose of life!!

After an amazing induction at Chancery hotel, we were welcomed to Whitefield Building. It was a group of 50 plus people and we were divided into 2 groups based on the communication level and project specifications.

I was sitting next to a guy who was havin an amazing accent (not fake though). He introduced himself as Sachin. One more frend for life. We started with introduction and it was jus getting started.

Then came Gayathri, our lead trainer and voice coach. I was surprised with so many different types of job out ther in real world. Next one week was her time and she made us say A-Z, vowels, intonations, consonants, rolling Rs n Ts. It was nice experience and great learning. We were so amazed with people taking calls on floor and badly wanted to do it. But al trainers warned us that training time was honey moon period and were asked to enjoy.

The moment I say honeymoon, I remember this girl, Lavanya..! Sober, silent, sittin at one corner and always smiling. My immediate CRUSH..! Within a week, we were speakin to each other and it was fun spending time with that group. Last day of the week, we had final assessment and it was hell. We had to speak in front of high end recorders and any error would be pointed. Wit some fear, I performed that test and I was good. I was very satisfied and felt that my English was highly improved. I actually spoke for 30 min in front of the whole group without any hesitation and that was our final assessment.

Once done, we were waiting for the results and there came the vendor manager Suhail. He had some papers in hand n started: Guys it was nice having yo here. We have the results for this level of training and sad note is 2 haven’t cleared this test!

I was very confident that it was not me as I fairly performed. Then he started calling out names n my name was second. I was Twitan Certified Professional..!!

Finally two guys were not called n they were given another chance to perform and we as a batch moved to next level. Lavanya still intact!! 

I missed Sachin since he was in different project. I had to replace him and found Harsha, most daring guy and was of same mentality as mine. We started with t breaks and then went out on midnights when training breaks were given. It was fun to roam around at 2 AM night at white field, eat bread omlet.

When I mention night outs at office, I remember this strange incident. Once we were loafing in one small street wher we met this guy who offered us to meet call girls. We were super excited but no guts to move ahead. So we said wil meet him some Saturday and went back to office dreaming bout how it would have beeeeen,,.,!!

Now we were at pre-process training and were clubbed with another group. Intitially we were not ok with that group since they had better babes..!!!
Gradually we gelled well since al those babes were our friends!!  you see its human tendency to get attracted and once close, the attraction will fade…!! This cannot be the case in married life though!

Ther I got to meet Shiva, the reason giver. My Excuse Guru….!!
We were informed that we will be under one manager n one project. Since it was confirmed, we started hanging around together and play TT.

Nothin much was ther to learn in pre process training n it was even more borin with some sick trainer. Most of them were dozin off during those days. Days passed and we passed this stage tooooo..!!

Process training was entrance to hell..! We were asked to take mock calls and then I realized the real pain in taking calls. Our trainers were deliberately putting us in dicey situation to test our endurance. Me, shiva and harsha faired well. The best part was my English had drastically improved. I was confident, clear!

All were selected and 4 month passed! All that I gained in these 4 months were 4 good frens and good communication skill.

We were on the floor and since we were freshers, we were shadowing tenure callers. I was shadowing this guy name Tirthadip. He was magician on calls. I call him Intonation Expert. He used to play over the phone n sell the product. He taught me the tricks of the trade.

Then it was one more guy whom I respect even now. Being a coll drop out, he was the most respected men in Indian Call Centre industry. Fritz was his name. He believed that god sits next to him while he’s on cal.

To give yo a brief idea about his skills, usually the expected sales for a day was 5 in 8 hours and the best caller in industry was givin average sales of 10 in 8 hours. Any guess how much this guy used to give..???? Whopping 22 sales and his personal best being 27. No one in the industry dared to get close to his record. He was lucky to sit next to me (though it was other way round). I was in the best team and there was Fritz in it. Whenever I felt low or couldn’t get a sale, this guy used to take a call and get me one..!

It was May 2005 and I was asked to take live calls. I was tensed and my first call went on like this.

Tring. Tring…!
Cust:Hello
Me: I was tryin to reach Mr. XXX
Cust: Yo guys don’t have better job. Phatak..!!!! (Call Dropped)
Me: I felt this was the best job and this guy is telling there is better job..!! 


I called my Lead, Bernard, Gem of a person and hard worker n told wat happened. He was like chill. This is the most common thing that can happen in this industry. I was convinced. Suddenly from some corner I heard people clapping. When I turned, I saw people congratulating Harsha. I was surprised and ran to him n asked wt happened for which he said “Macha my first call in life is a SALE!!”

This is first time in that comp history that such an incident happened. WE were so happy. Me harsha an Shiv went for celebration break!!

Next 4-5 days went normally. Then one day we heard harsha shouting again. I was happy for him thinking he got another sale. But scene was different. He wanted his original marksheet back for some reason and manager said it cannot be given. He was least bothered n shouted at manager sayin HE NEEDS IT..! they asked him to quit. Immediately he took a paper resigned and left for the day (rather night)!!

Me n shiv were very sad. Dropped him til the gate n came back. It was then that I decided that after studying so much, I shouldn’t be here. But I was not I n mood to study as wel. My saturation was not yet reached. Next 2 weeks we had low call quality an only tenure guys were asked to take the cal. It was during those days, me n shiv got addicted to Table tennis, give all kinda reasons and jus run to get a table. We played for more than 4 hrs a day, sweating n stinking.

One day I was put in a shift where I was not able to sleep, go to gym and eat properly. I had lost 10 kilos in 2 months. My customers were very abusive and couldn’t take few calls where they abused India as country. That was hell. I was not great performer at calls as well. I fell sick very often. This was not ME…!

I decided to join MSc n completed the required formalities and joined Al-ameen college. I thought I can stil manage with college n work but my thoughts went drastically wrong. I fell ill once again and I had lost 15 kilos. I was like dead animal. I couldn’t lift 5 kilo dumbbell.

June second week, I decided that I will not work n wil study well. I told dad, ma n they were happy with my decision.

Next day I informed Bernard bout my decision and he was ok with it and processed as required. I was on my notice period. I was mentally happy; my focus was back on college.

Last day was ok. Jus a 10 min exit interview and I was done!

Wished everyone goodluck and missed Shiva n Sachin. Lavanya too..!! I was like a free bird, no more calls, no night work, just college, gym n frens.

Past 6 months was a total learning phase of my life. My English improved and my idea about crucial and booming industry of India 2007 was strong. I knew what was happening in the wee hours when rest of the world sleeps.

So many families are dependent on those night shifts, fast pace life, going against the body system and earning their bread!

I respect those who work in call centers, learn n earn for themselves, families, and takin India to a better economic level paying due taxes.

All I wish is those hard earned taxes should not go to wrong hands.!


Call Disconnected….!!!!!!!