Analysis of Agents’ Readiness in Taking Calls: Perspectives on Language Assessments and its Effectiveness

  • Clarise Tan Contreras Bulacan State University Graduate School
Keywords: language assessment, call center agent, training, BPO, communication challenges, training effectiveness

Abstract

BPO industry is one of the most popular jobs of choice by many young people in the Philippines. Its popularity is due to the fact that the salary is competitive and it does not discriminate by giving equal chances to jobseekers regardless of their age, gender, or educational attainment. As there are numerous BPO companies in the Philippines, some find it as an opportunity to enhance their communication skills before applying for the job of their dreams. With that, this paper aims to identify the different language assessment tools and tests provided during training and measure how effective it is to prepare the agents in taking live calls. This study also presents common opportunities agents less than 90-day tenure experience and the interventions done by their supervisors to meet the operation needs.

References

Agarwal, S. et al. (2013). Performance indicators and customer satisfaction: With Special Reference to Selected Call Centers of India. International Journal of Arts and Commerce: 2(2). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ks-Thakur/publication/341540868_PERFORMANCE_INDICATORS_AND_CUSTOMER_SATISFACTION_WITH_SPECIAL_REFERENCE_TO_SELECTED_CALL_CENTERS_OF_INDIA/links/5ec6387692851c11a87afb8b/PERFORMANCE INDICATORS-AND-CUSTOMER-SATISFACTION-WITH-SPECIAL-REFERENCE-TO-SELECTED-CALL-CENTERS-OF-INDIA.pdf
Bugay, M. A., & Gutierez, M. R. M. (2020). Communication challenges in business processoutsourcing (BPO) industry. The Normal Light, 14(1): 194-216.
Esquivel, O. (2019). Exploring the filipinization of the english language in a digital age: An identity apart from other world englishes. Journal of English as an International Language: 14(1). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1244667.pdf.
Forey, G., et al. (2017). English in philippine call centers and BPO operations: Issues, opportunities and research. ResearchGate.
Lee, D. (2015). The philippines has become the call-center capital of the world - LA Times. http://hhsrobinson.org/HHSRobinson/Industry_files/The%20Philippines%20has%20become%20the%20call-center%20capital%20of%20the%20world%20-%20LA%20Times.pdf.
Montejo, R. (2018). Intercultural communication challenges: Exploring the minds of call center agents. Tin-aw: 2(1). https://www.ejournals.ph/article.php?id=13634.
Piller, I. (2015). Language ideologies. The International Encyclopedia of Language and Social Interaction. https://www.languageonthemove.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Piller_Language-ideologies.pdf.
Rehmat, W. et al. (2015). Is training effective? Evaluating training effectiveness in call centers. Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organization Studies:20(1), 4-13. http://ejbo.jyu.fi/pdf/ejbo_vol20_no1_pages_4-13.pdf.
Robertson, P. (2019). Asian EFL Journal: 21(2.3). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED596740.pdf.
Published
2024-04-24
Section
Articles