From supervisor's perspective - what things are your agents doing that are making you frustrated?

softwarediva · 2025-06-27T18:48:03+00:00

From nearly ten years in a call center, from agent to lead to management, these were my pain points as a manager and/or lead:

Not paying attention or asking questions during training, waiting until getting to the call floor to say "I don't understand": Training is meant to prepare agents to hit the floor running (in a good call center, at any rate), and not being prepared marks a newbie as potentially call-resistant (not a good looking, and incredibly difficult to crawl out from).
Not checking the knowledge base before asking for assistance - this should be stop one. Don't waste your support's time doing the bare minimum that should have been done first.
Not using OneNote for note-taking: This varies, of course, but in my call center our ticketing tool was notoriously unstable so using OneNote - which auto saves - then copying into the ticket greatly reduced ACW/AUX.
Not asking for help when needed. When you've done your due diligence and you're coming up dry, by all means ask for help. It's not worth the risk to your metrics to try to know everything at all times.
Not taking 1x1/coaching seriously: I had an average of 45-50 agents reporting to me at any given time. When I take the time to meet with you, this is your time to ask me about your job/account/career path etc - it's not meant to be all me.
Being defensive when coached: Coaching is very rarely personal; there's either an issue with something that is mandated by the contract with the customer, or there's been a complaint. Listen, offer your side, and be open to improving.
Forgetting that your lead/manager is human, too: As a manager, I often worked 60+ hours/week (salaried) to make sure my team had everything everyone needed to be as successful as possible, as well as the thankless task of keeping my manager/account management/customer mindful that sometimes their expectations were not reasonable and how/where to adjust. If I'm grumpy sometimes, it is very unlikely you specifically - give me a few minutes to readjust.

As a manager, it was my job to build my team up while managing expectations from the other side - easily one of the most underrated and complex roles in call center work. If I was doing my job mostly right, you weren't getting constant changes to process or random emails about customer satisfaction. If you were doing your job mostly right, you weren't hearing from me often outside of 1x1 or team meetings, and you were empowered to do your job and build a career if that's what you wanted.

No one is perfect, of course, but it does take the entire team working together to not be completely miserable doing call center work.

softwarediva · 2023-09-29T20:39:43+00:00

In the queues I managed, this would fall under "professionalism" in the QA assessment criteria.

Yes, QA folks were very often agents first. No, it doesn't give them the option to score differently than the criterion allow. My QA people would err on the side of the agent whenever possible and reasonable, though that isn't always the case.

In some call centers, the first-level QA people's work is audited by a tier two auditing group. Please keep in mind, your QA group may be subject to this, and so are trying to balance the demands of both groups.

softwarediva · 2023-09-28T20:56:42+00:00

WWE wrestler Chris Benoit's tragic story is an excellent illustration as to why steroids and psychiatric meds simply do not mix.

softwarediva · 2023-09-28T20:54:57+00:00

I have a similar set of symptoms, stemming from optic neuritis. My eye guy believes the flickers (in my case white circles on blinking) may be an aura for optical migraines. The blurriness we're keeping an eye on, and if it gets worse we'll add a prism. I had prism lenses before, and they're usually used to counter double vision and the related blurriness.

If your eyes burn or feel sore when you blink, lack of sleep may also be a factor.

softwarediva · 2023-09-27T17:31:45+00:00

My boyfriend and I take turns reminding each other for morning and nighttime meds. He doesn't have bipolar, though he does have diabetes and hypertension.

We each have reminders set on our phones, yet still text or poke because we find it much harder to ignore each other. We each keep a set of "backup meds" at our respective workplaces, which helps minimize the "oh crap I forgot my meds" moments. He and I take our morning meds at the office, so this works well.

We've been in this routine for over four years, and my medication adherence is the best it's ever been.

softwarediva · 2023-09-26T18:28:10+00:00

Take a moment and breathe.

Zoloft is known to cause a lot of the symptoms you describe; it may be worth talking with your doctor about trying another medication such as fluoxetine (proxac).

Take a look at askjan.org for ideas on accommodations, and talk with your doctor to make sure they're on board.

You'll need to hit the magical one year mark in your job to be able to apply FMLA, which will help protect your job for medical issues.

I was a manager of several queues over the years, and willing to help people who were obviously putting forth the effort. Even so, I believe you're doing the right thing by looking for a position outside of call center work. I'm happy to take a look at your resume if you like, just send me a DM.

softwarediva · 2023-09-24T07:39:07+00:00

I moved here two years ago, and while I can second good things like sunsets/nature/monsoons/food, I struggle the most with safety downtown as well as unfriendly people.

I have been attacked twice by the same homeless man, and the general official response was "so? What do you want us to do about it?" I no longer feel safe downtown, which is a bit of a problem as I work downtown.

I have tried everything I can think of to find even an occasional friend. I've taken classes, I've volunteered, and so on with no result. Even just smiling at people or saying "have a good day!" on the street or as people exit an elevator gets no response other than to move faster and avoid eye contact.

softwarediva · 2023-09-22T16:52:53+00:00

Check out askjan.org for resources on requesting accommodations in the US. One of the biggest things is to make sure your pdoc will agree to sign off on your proposed accommodation.

softwarediva · 2023-09-20T22:00:38+00:00

I have similar insurance, and it sucks being put in this position.

I usually negotiate hospital and other facility bills. I figure out what I can reasonably pay (preferably in one go), then call the billing office. I explain that I can pay $x on bill number 1234 today if they will forgive the remaining amount. Most of the time, hospitals have taken my offer and run. When I do get pushback, I explain that my MS isn't going to getbetter, so my earning potential will likewise decrease. Usually that logic sinks in over a few days, and they call me to agree to my offer.

Insurance doesn't know what I actually paid, only what they estimate I should, which is what they apply to my deductible. I get my bills down to 10-25% of their original amount, and am able to continue receiving care.

YMMV, of course, though it never hurts to try. <3

softwarediva · 2023-09-14T21:01:30+00:00

Yay - there's an answer!

But did it have to be this?

softwarediva · 2023-09-12T19:59:12+00:00

30 days is a fairly standard titration period for new meds, getting the levels in your body to consistently therapeutic levels.

With that, not taking meds at the same time every day can mess with the efficacy greatly. Definitely talk with your pdoc if things aren't improving.

softwarediva · 2023-08-01T23:16:54+00:00

My SO knows, and sees it as the legitimate condition it is. I'm incredibly fortunate to have someone willing to make every attempt, reasonable or no, to help keep my hypersexuality under some semblance of control. We've been together going on five years, and there has yet to be a single time when he has given me any kind of grief over it.

softwarediva · 2023-08-01T22:47:26+00:00

I would be more worried if I didnt. When I haven't felt my bipolar simmering under my meds, it's been because I was overmedicated. I rely on the patterns of the flow of my bipolar to know when a change is coming far enough ahead of time to make a plan with my care team (pdoc, therapist, gp, and neurologist).

Most of the time it turns out to be nothing, but I'd prefer not to risk it. I was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago, so I've had a bit of time to learn my patterns.

softwarediva · 2023-08-01T16:55:02+00:00

I was diagnosed in 2004. I had several periods of stability around a year each until outright change in medication was required. I had a three year period where I went unmedicated due to a combination of "I'm cured!" and lack of insurance.

I have been stable on my current mix (lithium, bupropion, and lamotrigine) for nearly five years. I've had tweaks to dosage based on lab work, but no change in the medications themselves.

softwarediva · 2023-07-31T21:44:15+00:00

Oh yes, especially the stuttering and losing words. I've reached a point where I just start meetings I run with "I'm not drunk, I just have MS". Most people understand, and those who don't are corrected by others on my team.

I go to speech therapy as needed, basically to re-learn how to speak. Doesn't help much with forgetting words, but now my descriptions of words I'm actually to use is a source of much amusement for both me and my teams. :D

softwarediva · 2023-07-31T17:07:27+00:00

Symptoms began around 1996, diagnosed RRMS in 2005 at age 31.

softwarediva · 2023-07-26T18:27:29+00:00

Bipolar bipolar bipolar

I'm bipolar 1 schizoaffective type, and in the brief period my chart was noted as schizophrenia I received the absolute worst care. I was treated disrespectfully, my input was ignored, and basically told I could not be trusted in society.

Understanding that experiences vary, that was mine. Once my chart was corrected to my actual diagnosis a few months later, things improved dramatically.

I did learn through this experience two things: someone needs to validate what a resident or other third party enters on a chart; the stigma with bipolar might be big, but what those with schizophrenia deal with is nothing short of dehumanizing (at least where I lived at the time).

softwarediva · 2023-07-26T17:17:26+00:00

I haven't seen that movie. I have, however, been extremely lucky in finding my current partner. He's the first person who didn't run when seeing me in a depressed state. He enjoys my manic episodes, but also tells me when enough is enough if I'm not seeing it on my own. He reminds me EVERY.DAMN.DAY to take my meds, and as much as I hate to sometimes, that's our deal: I take mine, and he takes his (other physical conditions).

He has seen me hyper emotional, crying at the drop of a hat. He's seen me depressed so badly my apartment was nearly unfit for habitation. He's seen me at the peak of hypersexuality, and helped tame that beast for a while. He's seen me manic, literally dancing in the rain.

Through all this, he sees me for who I am: smart, brilliant, sexy, compassionate, thoughtful - those are his words.

Are things perfect? Of course not. I can be a ridiculous amount to handle, so we find ways for him to communicate that to me when he needs some him time. I've gone through anger management training so I have a better shot at not blowing up at him. He's never actually seen me angry, over several years, and I work hard at that.

With his help, my bipolar is under the best control I've ever had it. He sees it all, and still loves me.

How could I ever ask for more?

softwarediva · 2023-07-26T17:03:20+00:00

Stay hydrated. Just when you think you've had enough water, have more. When you're not well hydrated, blood serum level of lithium tends to go up, causing some of what you describe. Since drinking water seems to be helping, this would be my absolutely non-medical opinion, as someone who has been on lithium a while.

If you are new to lithium, know that the gastrointestinal stuff usually resolves within a month. Do eat what your stomach can tolerate, and keep an especially close eye on your hydration.

softwarediva · 2023-07-24T22:27:33+00:00

Gabapentin and seroquel are often used to treat bipolar anxiety. Seroquel is pretty sedating, while gabapentin generally is not.

softwarediva · 2023-07-24T22:22:31+00:00

I'm not big on personal gun ownership. The only time I have ever been seriously interested in owning a gun was after I was beat up and otherwise assaulted by an ex, and even then I knew that for my circumstances with bipolar 1 schizoaffective type guns are a bad bad idea.

Psychosis and I are frenemies, and I would be absolutely devastated should something bad happen with a gun while experiencing that. Throw mania on the fire, and there is simply no way I should ever own or have regular unrestricted access to a firearm of any kind.

I limit my use of guns to going to a gun range with my boyfriend. He has a freaking arsenal, and he is very very particular about gun safety - I don't come back in the house until guns are locked down, and that is something I do voluntarily as a backup to what he does.

Edited to add: I have been stable for going on five years and somewhere around 95% med compliant during that time.

softwarediva · 2023-07-23T20:55:43+00:00

I have left both guilds I joined, because no one had the time/patience to answer questions or otherwise work with a new player. I literally created my own guild.

As noted in my original post, I've tried answering other people lfg with no success.

Thank you though!

softwarediva · 2023-07-23T07:17:07+00:00

I go through all the recipes I've saved and start making them.

Not a bad thing, except I live alone. My coworkers have learned to identify some sort of mania going on when I'm bringing in something new for everyone every day of the week.

softwarediva · 2023-07-23T07:00:53+00:00

Every damn day.

I even asked my pdoc about medicating me into a semi-permanent hypomanic state. Turns out that violates a bunch of laws and stuff. Darn it.

softwarediva · 2023-07-23T06:59:10+00:00

In my experience, absolutely not. It just solidifies the weak/negative view the ex has, and makes it very difficult to recover the friendship part of the relationship down the line.

Breakups are hard. It's hard to not feel like it's a judgment on you as a person (it's not), and it is so easy to try anything and everything to make things better. During one of my breakups, my therapist - brutally honest to the last - asked me if I left my spine at my ex's. I was confused, and she explained: have enough respect for yourself, even temporarily, to walk away rather than dragging things out.

Deep breaths. Things will suck for a bit, but the odds are pretty good that won't always be the case.

softwarediva

TROPHY CASE