Call Centres offer good career prospects!

All About Call Centre Careers, Call Centre Salaries, Call Centre Benefits, Call Centre Training and more on Mywage Zambia

 

 

 

By Sanday Chongo Kabange

After working as a radio presenter for close to five years, 29-year-old Ngenda Sipalo Nyambe joined a Lusaka-based mobile service provider as a Call Centre Operator. Sipalo, who holds a Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies, opted for the Call Centre industry because of the enormous opportunities that the industry offers to the young, hip and sassy.

The Call Centre industry is one sector that employs a great number of youths who have experience or are straight from high school.

Qualifications

Human Resource experts say working in a Call Centre does not necessarily require any special qualifications. However, working in a Call Centre requires a candidate who has excellent oral and written communication skills, and is able to read and write and can speak English fluently, which is Zambia’s official language. Being able to speak indigenous/native and other languages would be an added advantage. Starting a career in a Call Centre requires a lot of passion, dedication and knowledge about the environment one works in. Holders of degrees as well as mere high school leavers can work as Call Centre Operators, as long as they have the ability to comprehend and interpret matters brought before them. 

Career Growth Prospects

Most employers at Call Centres have in-house training facilities. The Centres offer cadets pre-employment training sessions which take between one month and two-and-a-half months. These training sessions enable recruits to get an insight of what is expected once they are fully engaged as Call Centre Operators.  There are growth opportunities for Call Centre Operators who exhibit good leadership skills and effective work delivery. They can rise from Call Centre Operator to Call Centre Supervisor or even Call Centre Manager. In this case one might have served for a long period and undergone some form of specialised training in Call Centre operations.  The Call Centre industry offers a wide range of opportunities as more and more companies are trying to stay on top of their game and leverage their production output.

Money Matters 

Depending on the employing agency, a Call Centre Operator can earn anything between K950, 000 and K2, 300, 000 per month. The monthly wages are determined by the qualification, skills, ability and experience. The more experienced might head a Call Centre and can get a monthly salary of up to K3,000,000 after tax. The young and inexperienced can get as little as K900, 000 per month. Sometimes special incentives are offered such a housing allowance, a car loan, and overtime allowance. In cases where Call Centre Operators are given a target to meet each month, a bonus is given if the target is met (or exceeded) as a token of appreciation. This can be in form of money or time-off from work.   

Working Conditions

Since Call Centres operate on a 24-hour basis in most cases, Call Centre Operators work in shifts. The shifts are divided according to the policy of an establishment. Accordingly, Zambian Labour Law provides that an employee can only work eight hours a day and 45 hours a month. This can be divided by the employer accordingly. Generally, Zambians work from 8am to 5pm after which shifts for late hours apply. By law, paternal or maternal leave is allowed after an employee has worked for at least one full year. 

Typically Call Centres are shifted environments, generally working a nine hour shift from 8am to 5pm, or 10am to 7pm, depending on the company. Some companies operate on a “24/7” basis, and require night shifts for international calls and sales. A recruit would be expected to work a forty to forty five hour week, and this could include weekend shifts. Annual leave is statutory and if a company offers medical aid it is usually on a 50% contribution basis. In addition there may be a pension fund and housing allowance on offer. 

Importance

Call Centre Operators are important in the day-to-day operations of any business because they respond to customer or clientele needs on a 24-hour basis. The role of Call Centre Operators cannot be under-estimated. They are the employees that leverage business by responding to queries and ensuring that customer service is of high quality.

In Zambia, large utility firms, internet and mobile service providers, automobile companies and airlines have call centres where the young are getting employed in large numbers. 

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Take our Decent Work Check and see whether you are getting a fair deal in your work as a Call Centre Operator.

 

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