Jason White, Contact Management Associate

People Oriented

People Oriented

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"There's a lot of interaction with people. You want to be happy dealing with the customers so that they feel that they're dealing with someone they want to deal with.

"Other than that it's pretty much open for everybody. The sooner you get in the sooner you'll get your career started."

Tag Team

Tag Team

I work with 4 or 5 other CMAs per shift. They're a great bunch of people. We each have our own different projects to look after, although we will overlap to help one another when need be.

We have our own specific tasks and then there are the overall tasks that we all work at. So it's definitely a group effort and we help each other out when it's needed.

Technology

Technology

I use software programs specifically designed for the call centre industry. They're generally highly graphical, visual tools.

'TKS' provides global views of the support projects, so you can see what's going on in the call centre and can keep it running smoothly.

'CRDB' provides a means for keeping track of your agents, putting them into groups and tracking how many calls are coming in and how many are answered within a certain amount of time.

Match To Expertise

Match To Expertise

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"In one project there might be 'Tier 1' calls which are the normal routine calls. Maybe someone has a problem that the Tier 1 agent won't solve so they'll give it to a 'Tier 2' agent, which is a different skill.

"They're answering different types of calls, the more difficult calls. And that agent will be a little more advanced."

Real Time Support

Real Time Support

I work in the 'Command Centre' on the service support side of the business. I monitor customer service projects on a real time basis to make sure there is nothing out of the ordinary happening.

When customer calls go up, I make sure that the right people are there to answer them. We're basically troubleshooters. We look after any questions or concerns.

Where I Work

Where I Work

Convergys provides customer care, employee care and next-generation billing services for hundreds of the world's top companies using Most advanced technologies and highly skilled Customer Service Representatives.

Their Winnipeg facility is the largest contact centre in the city, Providing support around the world from up to 860 workstations.

Teacher Family

Teacher Family

My grandfather was a professor of English at Brandon University. My grandmother taught English and my mother is a teacher as well. That's why I originally wanted to go into education.

Manitoba

Manitoba

I like the people. It's a great province. The temperature is pretty much okay...I don't mind the winters. The temperatures don't bother me.

I like the outdoors. There are lots of lakes and camping sites to go to.

Home and Work

Home and Work

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"I have a regular shift. It's a static shift and there's nothing to take home...like, home is home and work is work. And it's pretty easy to differentiate."

Daily Pattern

Daily Pattern

At the very beginning and at the very end of your shift it's faster paced. During the middle it's fairly steady. It's usually a fast enough pace that you're not looking at the clock saying, 'Why won't this end?".

Overtime?

Overtime?

I'm rarely asked to work overtime. If someone's sick we'll certainly work until the job's done. Everybody's quite happy to do that. But it doesn't happen often.

Sunday Night

Sunday Night

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"My last shift was fairly quiet, Sunday night. I did the usual; came to work and found out what was going on with all the different projects. I set up my programs as I do. I have a little routine that I go through every day. Then I start making schedule modifications for the agents as they come in.

"We handle special requests: agents getting their teams changed in the different programs that we have. Then of course there's the regeneration of the schedules at the end of the night. And that's pretty much my day."

Demand Fluctuates

Demand Fluctuates

Monday to Saturday is the busiest part of the week. Sunday is a bit quieter. Most of the traffic is during the day or early evening.

Weekly Pattern

Weekly Pattern

We mostly handle overflow support calls for our clients. When their lines fill up the calls spill over to us. It varies day to day depending on how many client projects are open and what hours those projects are open.

Some clients don't operate on Sundays, so it's a little more relaxed. Monday through Saturday, more projects are open but there's usually more staff to deal with the demand, so it balances out.

Loves Numbers

Loves Numbers

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"I love numbers. I love working with numbers. At home I do spreadsheets on my own. I play with accounting programs. I keep my own hockey stats. I'm very much into statistics."

Important Work

Important Work

I think my work is important. Without the coordination, without someone watching over everything, almost like an air traffic controller, things would still go but they wouldn't go as smoothly.

Customers would be unhappy and our clients would lose business.

Path At Convergys

Path At Convergys

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"I've been here a year and already I've been promoted twice. I started off as a FedEx Customer Service Agent. About 3 months after I got here I became an SDP which is a Supervisory Development Program agent. And an SDP is a Team Leader in training.

"About 4 months after that I went into the command centre and I've been there since."

Education

Education

A high school diploma is enough to qualify you for hiring at Convergys. They'll develop you from there. You also need people skills, problem solving ability, some familiarity with computers and the Internet and be able to type reasonably well (20 wpm). When you apply they assess you for all that.

While you're in high school, math, English, computers and maybe economics would be good courses to take to prepare you for this career.

Convergys Training

Convergys Training

The entry program was tailored by a local college to fit with what Convergys needed. It gave background in dealing with customers. There was a math course and a basic computer skills course.

I think that everyone should take this course, regardless of where you're going in life. The teachers were really great too.

Before Convergys

Before Convergys

I took a small business program after high school through the Ministry of Education. It taught basic computer skills and business skills and we created a small business. It was valuable, but it didn't last.

Since then, I've done a variety of different jobs. I worked in a lumberyard, building houses in the middle of winter. It got a little cold sometimes!

I've also worked on oilrigs and at other call centre type jobs. All that experience helps, but I'm pretty happy to be here.

Skills

Skills

People Skills
You've got to be willing to be friendly with everybody. Even if you're having a bad day personally, you've got to come in with a positive attitude and let the customer know that you're here, quite willing to help them.

Business Skills
A firm understanding of how the call centre works is essential.

Other Essential Skills
Math
Basic computer skills

Convergys has a great training program before they put you on the floor but of course these skills will help you.

Advice

Advice

Get in here as fast as possible. The sooner you get in the sooner you'll get your career started. It's a great place to be. As long as you're willing to put in a reasonable day's work, you'll do well here.

You shouldn't come in here looking at it as a job to do until you find something else because you're going to be missing out on an big opportunity.

Advancing Technology

Advancing Technology

Convergys is always working on improving their systems for handling calls and solving customer problems.

That means I have to keep up with technology, but it also means that I have the ability to make decisions better and quicker, and that makes my job easier.

Booming Industry

Booming Industry

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"It's an expanding industry. It's just booming. There are so many possibilities for getting yourself a career in the call centre industry; it's just incredible. It's definitely not a last resort. If I had known about Convergys a long time ago I would have been here.

Professional Development

Professional Development

The company has excellent opportunities for someone who wants to grow in their career.

For instance, they'll sponsor you to take courses that will help you along with your job. Or,if you pay the tuition for an approved program up front and you get a certain minimum grade, they'll reimburse you.

So it's a wonderful opportunity. They help you along going up, whatever you need.

Job Market Info

Job Market Info

The links below take you to federal and regional government information on employment, education, salary ranges and long range prospects for this career.

The official name for Jason's occupation is 'Supervisor: Customer Service and Information' and its NOC* code is 1213.

Job Futures

Manitoba Labour Market Information
(Select Manitoba, the Area in Manitoba, NOC code 1213 then click Search)

Human Resources Development Canada

*Each occupation has an official name and unique number called the 'National Occupation Classification' code or 'NOC'.

Related Occupations

Related Occupations

Related careers from Human Resources Development Canada web sites:

Call Centre Customer Service Agent (1453)

User Support Technicians (2282)

Technical Sales Specialists - Wholesale Trade (6221)

Industry Association

Industry Association

The Manitoba Customer Contact Association (MCCA) is a group of customer contact managers, directors and owners joining together to build the industry in Manitoba. It was created in 1997 to enhance the image of Customer Contact Centres and expand Manitoba's qualified sustainable pool of human resources.

The MCCA offers support to those who are in or seek to enter the customer contact sector through networking, trade shows and training programs.

Check out the MCCA web site for the latest information on job postings, resumes, employer, career and employee profiles.

Education

Useful High School Subjects*

- Computer-related courses
- English (Communication)

*Source: Job Futures.ca

 

Training Programs

The Manitoba Customer Contact Association (MCCA) offers several training programs. For more information on any of the programs listed below as well as other educational opportunities geared to the contact centre industry, please contact the MCCA.

Entry Level Programs
The MCCA partners with its members, Manitoba Education, Training and Youth, trainers and other agencies such as Employment Insurance and Income Assistance to deliver entry level training programs. These programs include customer service, market research, sales and technical support. There are also two core curriculum programs geared toward Manitoba youth with disabilities.

Aboriginal Programs
The MCCA coordinates training programs with joint funding and support from The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, The Manitoba Metis Federation and Manitoba Education Training and Youth as well as industry support from companies such as Convergys, Patel Vocational School and Credit Union Electronic Transaction Services (CUETS).

Career Development Programs
Career development training for the established employee is available through mentoring, workplace training, educational conferences and distance education. It is supported by Manitoba Education, Training and Youth's "Industry Training Partnerships" program.