How to Handle your very First Call

So you're all excited about that first call. You make sure the headset is working, your tools are up, confidence level is high, and then you hear the beep. Suddenly, everything that you've learned from training seemed to have just disappeared.

This is what happens most of the time during the first call that you would be taking. But as a newbie, you have absolutely nothing to worry. 99 % of the first calls that newbies take end up like this.

So here now are a couple of tips to help alleviate the nervousness that you would be feeling:

1. Sleep

I can't stress enough how a good night sleep can help you relax more when taking that first call. If you did not have enough sleep the other night, try taking some tea. I don't usggest taking coffee or caffeinated drinks since it could cause more anxiety.

2. Sit with a person you're comfortable with

Having a seatmate that you're comfortable with is also a very important thing to keep in mind. One of the reasons why newbies tend to feel nervous during this time is the thought of commiting mistakes. Obviously you don't want that person who makes fun of everyone to be sitting next to you during this time. So with with a friend, laugh at your mistakes, and learn from them.


3. Make sure a senior is around

Aside from sitting with a friend, try looking for a sit which is near the pros. A supervisor, a tenured agent, or a team leader around is very handy when you're looking for a solution for that very difficult issue the customer just told you about.

4. Bring your notes

During the first calls that you would be taking, I suggest taking your notes with you.

5. MAKE A SCRIPT

The most important tip that I can give you is to make a script. You can forget about the first four tips that I have listed here but never forget to make a script. Making a script is not only advisable for call center newbies taking their first call but also for experienced call center agents taking their first call in a new account. Start with your opening spiel, verbiage for various scenarios, and finally your closing spiel. With a percentage of your brain free from having to think on what to say next, you now have a better chance on resolving your customer's concern. While a script does not guarantee that your first call would go smoothly, it would definitely make a difference!

The Mysterious Chabacano Accent

Most people (even native Chabacano speakers) fail to realize that there is a distinct Chabacano accent. This Chabacano accent is more pronounced in very early migrants and would not exist in people who migrated to Zamboanga only in the late 19th century. Among Zamboangueños, possession of this accent is mostly a source of ridicule, especially among those that have it and those that do not. Those who have it are mostly referred to as 'de monte' or from the mountains by those who do not. The main reason why they are being branded as 'de monte' is because these people are usually from far flung villages in the mountains.

The characteristics of the Chabacano accent consists of a missing s, g which is pronounced as c and d pronounced as t. A missing s can be found in words such as escuela, pescao, fiesta, dos, and tres. These words when pronounced with a Chabacano accent would be pronounced as eh-cuela, peh-cao, fieh-ta, doh, and treh respectively. G pronounced as c can be found in words such as itlog, bag, and ilog. These words, when pronounced with a Chabacano accent would be pronounced as itloc, bac, and iloc respectively. Meanwhile d pronounced as t are present in words such as watawad, edad, and ciudad in which case they are pronounced as watawat edat, and ciudat respectively when pronounced using the Chabacano accent. Note that in the words edad and ciudad, the middle Ds are pronounced as soft Ds but the end Ds are pronounced almost like a t.

People who have this accent also seem to utilize a lot of dead/archaic Chabacano words. When a Zamboangueño listens to a de monte speak, he would be awed at how deep the Chabacano words would be.

What is puzzling about the manifestation of the Chabacano accent is how it came to be and how uncannily similar it is to the Spanish accent.

There is more to learn about Chabacano. Although the Chabacano accent is something that has never been touched by any article I have seen in the internet, I am hoping that linguists and historians would conduct in depth studies on this aspect of the Chabacano language. Moreover, I am hoping that through this article Zamboangueños who have this kind of accent would look at themselves as an integral part of the Philippines' shared past with Hispania and should therefore see their accents more of a source of pride rather than shame.