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Job Openings: Auditor QAs
We are looking for 6 senior auditors for Quality assurance of a back office data entry campaign for a big US corporation. The candidate for the position should possess the following:
1. College graduate in a degree course in business, accounting or related subject
2. Willing to work day or night shift in Dagupan City
3. Obsession with getting details right and correcting these as they come to light
4. Excels in working in teams
If you have the above qualifications, we encourage you to apply at our training and recruitment office. Please look for Phina
Do you speak Mandarin? Get Listed
Farmout is compiling a list of mandarin speaking agents for possible work as an inbound call center agent for one of our asean principals. If you speak fluent mandarin, get yourself listed in our database.
We can have you take call center aptitude test in our center and we will work out the rest.
我们可以有你的呼叫中心能力倾向测验在我们中心，我们将工作外判的休息。
FarmOut Central at CCAP Call Center Expo 2008
FarmOut Central joins the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) Annual Call Center Conference & Expo 2008 being held at the SMX Convention Center. The CCAP expo is an international event that combines an industry conference tackling the major issues and trends, a training and development program for contact center professionals and at the same time a job fair for industry professionals.
Visit us at the FarmOut Central booth at Service Zone 12B near the presentation area CCAP 2008 at SMX Convention Center.
Call Center Job Open Positions
Farmout has exciting contact career opportunities for qualified call center candidates. We have immediate hirings for the following:
10 Male, Outbound Appointment Setters for Night shift
10 Male or Female Remote Administrative Assistants for Day shift
Qualified candidates must be at least college level, possess good oral and written communications skills in English. They must be highly adaptable and willing to be trained. They MUST excel at working in a fast paced team environment.
Highly attractive compensation is awarded based on competency and skills. Please set an appointment by calling our local office +63-75-523-3538. Or click on the “Set Appointment Link. Look for Phina or Melanie
CCAP Annual Call Center Conference & Expo 2008
CCAP Annual Call Center Conference & Expo 2008 will be held this July 23-24, 2008 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. Farmout may be participating together with ICT Dagupan in this year’s theme: “The Next Wave Cities”
ICT Dagupan is supported by the Dagupan City Government and the Dagupan Department of Trade and Industry.
Wrangling Vacation Time with Colleagues
This article from the Wall Street Journal’s Monday June 30, 2008 edition highlights the fact that because modern day jobs are so intertwined, employees are typically having to sign off their vacation days with one another.
“Taking a vacation time used ot mean getting the boss’s approval and heading out the door. ..in today’s flat organization where most people work in teams, vacation planning has beome a large group affair.”
Is this something that is happening to your center?
Farmout at CommunicAsia 2008 Booth
Photo op shows Mr Mark Martirez, VP Farmout with Mr Oscar Sanez, CEO , BPAP (Business Process Outsourcing of the PHilippines) and Ms Cathy Ileto, External Relations Director, BPAP (in background) at the PhilCall Booth in CommunicAsia 2008.
Farmout is part of the PhilCall organization and helped with manning the booth at CommunicAsia 2008 held in Singapore Expo this year.
IM Reduces Workplace Interruptions
Ohio State University Prof Kelly Garrett has research that shows having Instant messaging in the workplace actually reduces workplace interruptions.
The recent study found that workers who used Instant Messaging on the job reported less interruption than colleagues who did not. The study challenges widespread belief that IM leads to an increase in disruption. Some researchers have speculated that workers would use IM in addition to the PHone and email leadingto increase interruption and reduced productivity.
Instead the research showed that IM was used as a substitute for other, more disruptive forms of communication such as the telephone, email and face to face converstation.
More details http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080603120251.htm
Orientation Trip to Singapore
Picture shows farmout and bitstop staff on their orientation tour of Singapore. The picture was taken at the entrance of People’s Park
How to Maximize Job Satisfaction
Here are four easy ways to increase your job satisfaction from MSN Career Center:
1. Think positive
While you might think your job is the worst on the planet, everything has a silver lining. For starters, be grateful you have a job at all. Putting things in perspective – realizing everyone has a bad day at work and everyone has to start somewhere – you might begin to feel better about your situation.
2. Challenge yourself
If your boss won’t challenge you, challenge yourself. Set goals for yourself every day – aim to make 10 phone calls per hour or send 15 e-mails to clients. Develop mini-projects within your work and set deadlines for yourself to avoid boredom.
3. Reward yourself
Recognition is important for every employee. For every goal or challenge met, reward yourself. Make yourself a certificate to put in your cube or treat yourself to a ‘personal day’ off work. Don’t let your own hard work go unnoticed by anyone, even yourself.
4. Break up the monotony
No one likes doing the same thing day in and day out. To switch things up, take advantage of any breaks you have – get out of the office for lunch, take a walk, read a book or just get some fresh air. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your boss for new tasks for a small change of pace.
2nd CICT RoundTable Discussion
With the support and assistance of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, PhilCall will conduct its 2nd round table discussion on April 25, 2008 (Friday) at the Seminar Room of the CICT-NCC Building , C.P. Garcia Avenue , Diliman, Quezon City.
The event is designed for call center owners and supervisors gain a better understanding of motivating agents and translating their performance to better profitability. This will also serve as a vehicle to help strengthen the capacity of small call centers in relation to advocacy, marketing and networking.
The Philippine Call Centers Alliance, Inc. (PhilCall) is a newly organized association of SME-based, Filipino-owned call centers all over the country. These are call centers with an operating seat capacity ranging from 10 to 300 seats per facility.
We would like to invite you to take advantage of this occasion to assimilate vital information as well as discover novel approaches for business improvement and development. Enclosed herewith is a copy of the tentative program of activities with the accompanying reservation form for your immediate reference.
A minimal fee of One Thousand Pesos (Php 1,000.00) for PhilCall members and One Thousand Five Hundred (Php 1,500.00) for non-members will be charged at the gate to cover the organizational costs of the meeting. For reservations, please contact Ms. Josine De Leon at the Office of the PhilCall Secretariat at 942-3282 or mobile (0918) 930-5027 or e-mail philcall_secretariat@yahoo.com.ph <mailto:philcall_secretariat@yahoo.com.ph> .We look forward to your positive response and participation in this undertaking.
Very yours truly,
SIGNED
Joji Ilagan-Bian
President
PHILIPPINE CALL CENTERS ALLIANCE, INC
Wanted: 10 Top Notch Marketing Specialist
We are in urgent need to hire 10 experienced marketing specialists. Those with prior telemarketing experience are definitely a plus. Come and see us right away! Positions start immediately!
The campaign Details:
1. Night Shift from 8pm onwards.
2. B2B appointment setting work
3. Great incentives per appointment set
Above industry rates await the successful applicants!
Lack of Talent Concerns Global Businesses
Impending Baby Boomer retirements, a widening skills gap driven by declining educational standards, and outdated and ineffective approaches to talent management are combining forces to produce a ‘perfect storm’ that threatens the global business economy, according to new research conducted by the Human Capital practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP and Deloitte Research.
In a recent US survey of human resources executives nationwide, conducted by Deloitte Consulting, more than 70 percent of the respondents say that incoming workers with inadequate skills pose the greatest threat to business performance over the next three years, followed by Baby Boomer retirement (61 percent), and the inability to retain key talent (55 percent). These survey findings are underscored in Deloitte Research’s report, “It’s 2008: do you know where your talent is? Why acquisition and retention strategies don’t work.”
“The overwhelming accumulation of data, including Deloitte Consulting’s new research, points to an inescapable conclusion: the widening skills gap, particularly among the categories of workers who disproportionately drive companies’ growth and performance, is a global phenomenon that will create unprecedented challenges for businesses,” said Ainar Aijala, vice-chairman, Deloitte Consulting and global service area leader of Deloitte Consulting’s Human Capital practice. “The confluence of demographic and social trends - the full force of which will begin to be felt in as little as three years - will leave behind companies that do not begin to rethink and redesign their approach to managing human capital.”
In only three years, the first wave of Baby Boomers will turn 62, the average retirement age in North America , Europe and Asia . According to the Deloitte Consulting survey, one-third of US companies expect to lose 11 percent or more of their current workforce to retirements by 2008.
Read more here: http://www.continuitycentral.com/news01762.htm
Singapore Call Center Benchmark 2008
The photo shows the huge attendance at the Call Center Benchmark 2008 presentation. The affair was held at the Le Meridien Hotel.
The survey was done by Callcenter.net and presented to the audience on March 4, 2008. One of the interesting highlights was the comparative salaries in each country.
Singapore had the highest annual salaries in USD at 16,384++, followed by Malaysia at 5000++, then the Philippines at 3,900++, and India at 2,802++
The affair was organized by the CCAS (Call Center Association of Singapore).
2008 Asian Contact Center Benchmark Survey
Farmout is sending Mr Wilson Chua to attend the 2008 Asian Contact Centre Industry Benchmarking Survey event to be held on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 from 2pm to 5pm at the Le Meridien Singapore, 100 Orchard Road, Singapore, Oasis Room.
This study, which in 2008 includes China, India, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, has been conducted since 1997 and is regarded as the most useful and influential reference for the Asian Contact Centre Industry available.
This research program is endorsed and supported by the following industry associations:
- Contact Center Association of Singapore (CCAS)
- CRM & Contact Center Association Malaysia (CCAM)
- Hong Kong Call Center Association (HCCA)
- Greater China CRM (GCCRM)
- China Call Center & CRM Association (CNCCA)
- Indonesia Call Center Association (ICCA)
- Business Processing Association Philippines (BPAP)
- Contact Center Association of The Philippines (CCAP)
- Call Center Industry Association Thailand (CCIA)
Tips to Reduce Turnover
From: Robert Cameron
First, use a validated and legal pre employment test to screen out people with a poor work ethic and bad attitude that make it through normal hiring processes. They typically take about 20 minutes and they reveal more about that candidate then you will ever get in an interview, job app or background check. Average cost $20. Let someone else hire the riff raff.
Second, use a job fit assessment to match the right people to the right job. A person may interview well, have the right education and background, but doesn’t mean they fit the job. Find out if they have the same profile as your top performers. To do this is very simple with the employee assessment tools available. They are easy to use and understand, and will help you determine if the candidate fits the job. Average time is about 30 minutes with a cost under $100.
Call Center Job Openings
Farmout Central is in immediate need for 70 call center agents for an Outbound campaign in the Continental US. The ideal candidate must have the following qualifications:
1. At least college level
2. Can speak English fluently and must be understandable
3. Can type at least 40wpm with 98.5% accuracy
4. Pass our battery of psychological and aptitude test.
5. Willing to work at night (Shift is from 9pm onwards)
6. Must be willing to start immediately.
Interest applicants are urged to set an appointment now and enter your resume details from the wizard.
How Do I Change Problem Behaviors of an Otherwise Good Employee?
Source: [Workforce Management February 7, 2008]
Q: How do you handle an employee who is basically a very good employee, but has obsessive-compulsive tendencies and whose behavior often causes problems for co-workers? Some complaints include: 1) Yells out questions without first looking for the answer himself; 2) Asks questions without providing all details; 3) Tends to ramble when making a point; 4) Feels he must do everything himself; 5) Hounds people who don’t immediately reply to his requests.- Taming a Problem Child, HR Director, education, Buffalo, New York
A: Take an employee with great attention to detail, sense or urgency and personal commitment to getting the job done; add a few interpersonal skills, and you’ve got the recipe for a star performer. Here is what to do:
1. Get the facts
Sometimes irritating behavior is under-reported by co-workers; more often, the story grows in the telling. One of the worst things you could do is to confront an employee with bad or insufficient information. Doing so can has a negative impact on the employees, their perception of you and your organization, and negates the effectiveness of the intervention. Get at least three specific examples of each problem behavior (this is generally an ample number to convince the employee that a change is warranted).
Observe the behavior yourself, if possible. This makes it easier to describe the conduct and its impact when you speak with the employee. The employee will also be less embarrassed than if you have only tales brought to you by co-workers. It’s one thing if the boss sees an opportunity for you to improve. It’s another thing entirely if your co-workers are talking about you behind your back.
If it is impractical for you to see firsthand what’s happening, then compile specific, detailed observations (day, time, specifically what happened, etc.) from co-workers to reinforce your coaching.
2. Prioritize and be patient
In most cases, such as with the employee you describe, there’s more than one distinct behavior to be changed. Only so much can be accomplished at one time. Trying to deal with too many problems at once will only increase frustration for everyone and may actually undermine your coaching effort. Before meeting with the employee, decide which behavior(s) you will work on first. Prioritize the rest and plan to work on each over a reasonable period of time. The employee above, for example, could easily be coached to hand off work to the appropriate person. Learning to get to the point quickly when sharing information may take more time and might be better done after you’ve had an initial success with the employee.
3. Determine what you want
Telling someone what they are doing wrong is only part of the solution. Tell the employee what you want clearly and in enough detail that they will get the picture of what desired behavior sounds and looks like. It is best to share several specific examples of each desired behavior with the employee. Tell the employee above, for example, that they should typically wait at least a full workday before repeating a request for information, and not to go to other employees unless the first person can’t help. This is a specific, measurable and easily understood solution to the last issue mentioned.
4. Meet with the employee and plan positive reinforcement
Meet privately with the employee to discuss the needed change, the advantages to the employee if changes are made, and the specific behaviors you want to see - and to develop a plan to monitor those changes as they occur.
Working with the employee, develop a plan to ensure that he or she gets immediate feedback when undesirable behaviors occur, as well as positive reinforcement when improvement happens. Since you may not always be available, the employee might even consider asking a co-worker for help in this respect. You should plan to meet with the employee at least weekly to discuss progress and provide additional support as needed.
5. Time for a team checkup
One final thought: If all you are hearing is complaints, it may be time to take a critical look at your team. Good teams do more than complain; they pitch in and help one another succeed. Do your employees truly understand that they are empowered and are expected to help others? Do they have the assertiveness and coaching skills needed to do so well? Enhancing co-workers’ abilities in these critical areas will result in more team cohesiveness and better overall results.
Effects of Night Shift on Health
Source: http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/02/19/3276781.htm
People who work nights are keener to a dangerous heart condition - possibly because of the chronic stress caused by their work patterns. A research suggests that employees who worked in day shifts are more safe then the night shift employees.
The chances of heart attack are very high for the night shift employees few more reasons are lack of sleep, continue stressing etc, chronic stress is cited as the main reason. The researchers say an irregular heartbeat can be an indicator a person will go on to develop more serious heart problems.
Mostly it happens because human body�s natural circadian rhythms tell that the concerned person should not be working when he or she should take sleep. Many of our physical and chemical roles keep fluctuating during different times of the day. Take for example; let me tell you something about cortisol concentration which changes daily.
Cortisol is the most potent glucocorticoid produced by the human adrenal.
This peaks during the morning hours when glucose is needed for activity and reaches its low point late in the evening. So the chances of heart attacks are very high in the morning time.
It is important to take a proper rest while working in the night shift at call centers and we can avoid the heart attacks.
Cross-Training for Workforce Agility
By John Ambrose
[Talent Management Magazine January 2008]
As organizations grapple with the increasing pace of change, workforce agility is emerging as key to becoming an industry leader.
Cross-training workers in multiple skills and providing ongoing learning opportunities delivered in the right place, at the right time can ensure an agile workforce.
Agility can mean different things to different organizational units, but one common thread persists: accelerating speed of change. Organizations must not only keep up with change, but catalyze change to keep a competitive edge. And, one critical aspect of an agile organization is a workforce with a broad skill set and in-depth knowledge across multiple areas of the business. Cross-training is the key.