Whether you work in a call centre, customer service centre, or any other type of contact centre, you probably don’t want to stay in the bottom ranks, always answering phones and making outbound calls. It is, in fact, quite possible for you to turn your contact centre job into a prosperous career! Because, lucky for you, most contact centre managers are promoted from below, within a company.

So here are 10 tips to help you rise through the ranks and turn that stop-gap contact centre job into a lucrative career:

1. Always be motivated… and motivating

Working in a call centre can be tiring, repetitive, and often boring. Be energetic and motivated, even if you don’t feel like it. And get your colleagues motivated alongside you!

There is nothing that catches management’s eye more than someone who is always motivated, and who always motivates others. This is the person they would want for the management job!

2. Know your people

Don’t keep to yourself. Getting to know the people you work with is the first step towards becoming a team leader. Know what their ambitions and their strengths are, what their weakest areas are, and what motivates them to work. These insights will help you go from team leader to office manager.

3. Be tech-savvy

You must know more than just which buttons to push and when to push them. Find out how the software and hardware in your centre works. Be familiar with all the systems, and stay up to date with new developments in contact centre technology.

4. Be a problem solver

Often, contact centres work with customer queries, complaints, or problems. You need to be able to resolve all of these by using the correct resources and channels. As a manager, all the biggest problems will eventually end up with you – so you will have to demonstrate that you are able to handle the responsibility first.

5. Become a team leader

Before becoming a manager, you have to prove that you are a capable team leader. Contact centre team leader is the position between call agent and manager. Aim for this promotion first.

6. Understand the principles and processes of marketing

Essentially, you work in sales and marketing. Know how the consumer thinks, know how to carry out promotions correctly, and know how your products or services fit into the marketplace.

7. Never play the blame game

If you made a mistake, own up to it. It’s called being responsible, and being responsible is one of the cornerstone requirements for becoming a manager. Own up to your mistakes, and find a way to fix them immediately.

8. Participate in strategy creation

When you have team meetings, or strategic sessions, always try to make a valuable contribution. Show that you have a head on your shoulders, filled with ideas to help your company grow and to make your department more efficient.

9. Promote yourself

Put yourself up for promotion when the opportunity comes around. Talk to management about your own goals and where you would like to end up within the company. Not only will this show that you have some ambition, but it will also be an opportunity for you to find out how you can advance your career within a particular company.

10. Get ahead by getting education, training, and qualifications

The best way to qualify for a higher position is to get proper training. Vocational training will allow you to walk into a job interview and tell the interviewer that you have all the correct skills and knowledge to get the job done.

For this purpose, Oxbridge Academy offers a range of courses in contact centre operations, from short courses to comprehensive skills certificates.

Going after that managerial position is an excellent career choice, even if you aren’t planning on staying in the contact centre environment. If you’ve been a manager at a contact centre, you will have gained the experience needed to apply for a range of other managerial positions in other career directions.

So if you think you are stuck in a dead-end job at the moment, remember that with the right attitude, effort, and training, you can actually craft a career out of it.

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