Needing more

Having worked in call centers for nearly 4 years, I have mastered customer service and sounding as if I care.  In the past few weeks I have developed complete and total hatred of my job.  Either I'm becoming over sensitive (which I doubt) or customers are getting meaner.  I've had more people scream at me in the past few days than I care to count.  I respect that everyone is having money issues, and that auto insurance seems like a racket.  However, does anyone realize that nothing I say or do will change anything in the minds of the executives?  When I first began working for the big P, there was a great deal of opportunity for advancement, which is something I have always wanted.  I'm entirely too smart and driven to sit at a desk answering phones for the rest of my life.  In moving to Colorado, I was advised that there weren't many opportunities for advancement.  I wish someone would have been honest...there are no opportunities out here.  It's great that I am getting my MBA, but it would be useless for me at work.  I learned earlier this week that IT people get a larger tuition reimbursement, once again reminding me that IT people are king at work, everyone else is there to keep IT working.  I have been applying and interviewing like crazy to just about anyplace.  I have my fingers crossed and am holding my breath that I get a call this afternoon from a bank.  It's another call center job, but there is a great deal of advancement opportunity, so I'm willing to tough it out long enough to move up the ladder.  For those who are the praying type...I could use any help I can get.

Christine and I are doing very well.  Communication is a billion times better, having had a handful of long talks has made all the difference.  Sadly Max has been sick all week, we think he might have pneumonia.  He goes back to the doctor today, so we'll see.

The loss of Stephanie Tubbs Jones has struck an odd chord with me...I feel quite saddened by it all.  Political opinions aside, she did amazing work for women, blacks, and Cleveland.

I need a new job, before I lose my mind.

awakening

Often I am asked about my job, which isn't something I would consider sexy or exciting. I work in a call center for an insurance company. It is not uncommon for someone to hear me venting a complaint or two about my job, and it hit me a minute ago what bothers me most about my job. I get yelled at and blamed for things that I have no control over. I have no control on how much your insurance is going to cost, nor do I know who does. With 28,000 people working here, I can't possibly know who specifically put together the numbers that determine your insurance rate. I also have no influence on the claims process, and I have never met the CEO.

If you have to call into a call center, don't scream at the person on the other end of the phone...they don't get paid enough to be the punching bag you want because you're unhappy. Write the CEO, or whatever, but really...leave me out of it. I'll take your payment, I'll make changes, and I'll try to help however I can, but screaming at me won't change a thing...and when you have a 16 year old son who crashes a car every week...please don't ask why your insurance is expensive...