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I've been at the same customer service job for over 3 years and since July 2009, my hours were reduced from 32/week to the current 20, as a result of the hiring of a new team member. I used to hold a coaching role whereby colleagues would escalate their questions to me when supervisors were off. I enjoyed the role, however starting in Jan 2010, this role was eliminated and my days were switched to accomodate the new hire's changing schedule. I now cover for him when he's in class and he's taken over my former weekend days.
Since January, I've been thinking of ways to get ahead, looking towards the future and devising strategies on how to get more hours. I've been asking for over 20 hours for months, but right now they have me scheduled with this number through May. Kind of frustrating when:
a) I know I can do much more, especially given my coaching role and 3 yrs. experience
b) I see that tickets that are escalated to supervisors take an average of 3-5 days to be resolved, when our company promises customers a 1-2 day turnaround time. I believe the supervisors are overburdened and need help.
I've tried to bring this up to the manager, how I could help and how we need to answer customers more quickly, but he fails to take appropriate actions- i.e. put resources in place to reduce this turnaround time. Faster service would invariably lead to more referrals and ultimately, more customers. I don't know why he can't see that.
Anyway, in preparation for my annual performance review, we had to do self assessments and brainstorm about areas we wanted to improve. I did, and should meet with the manager and my supervisor soon, to discuss the review. In the meantime, I emailed my supervisor with an offer to reduce her workload by offering to steal escalated tickets and coach the colleagues who assigned the questions to her. I thought this was a win win situation, and would allow me to cooperate more with her - whereas in the past, I was more competitive and critical of her for being slow. She hasn't replied yet, so we'll see.
Do you have any further tips on how to position yourself for a possible promotion, more hours, and be seen as more of an asset to the management team?
By the way, while I've thought of looking for another job, except for the shortage of hours here, I like the position, the customer interaction and the start times. In fact the afternoon starts are the best aspect (I have a medical condition that doesn't allow for work in the mornings), and this flexibility would be hard to find elsewhere.
Last edited by ValueAddedWorker; 02-18-2010 at 12:06 PM..
Do exemplary work, ask for additional responsibilities, be flexible with your schedule, don't be a pest or burden to your superiors, and contribute positively to the bottom line of the organization.
VAW you have posted nothing but the same story over and over. You think you know how to do your boss' job better than they do, and they keep telling you that you aren't even doing your own job adequately. You want benefits and perks that other workers get and yet you don't want to put in the same effort that they do.
You've received hundreds of responses, all pretty much the same, and yet you keep reposting the same question over and over. Why don't you just tell us the answer you want to hear, and we'll repeat it back to you?
It's like beating your head against a wall.
VAW you have posted nothing but the same story over and over.
It's too bad you feel that way kodaka, but there's no obligation to reply to my posts if you feel like this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kodaka
You think you know how to do your boss' job better than they do, and they keep telling you that you aren't even doing your own job adequately.
My bosses have their heads in the sand about how to run a company, that's for sure. I handle tickets quickly and with top quality, yet they don't seem to see the value. Furthermore, the manager says that our market's stats need improvement - I told him, let's start with answering escalated questions more quickly - he nodded and I don't know what he'll do about urging my supervisor to work harder, faster. In the meantime, he encouraged me to work more closely with her, which I am starting to do. Time will tell if something positive comes out of this, but if she refuses the help, then it's a lost cause. The company will never improve if you have supervisors who hogs the power and responsibilities, even when they can't handle it all. Apparently, performing well in her own job is not her priority. She would rather chit chat with coworkers than work smart. And to think, this is a person who a year ago, was at my level. I don't know how she managed to con the manager into awarding her an internal promotion. By kissing his ass?
Quote:
Originally Posted by kodaka
You want benefits and perks that other workers get and yet you don't want to put in the same effort that they do.
Please elaborate. I'm not seeing it. Part timers don't get benefits like medical, dental insurance, full timers do. Nothing I can do about that- I'm still part time, even though I want more hours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kodaka
You've received hundreds of responses, all pretty much the same, and yet you keep reposting the same question over and over.
Untrue, look at my handle history - there are not hundreds of replies. I've posted different questions and am looking to get ahead.
I think annerk had some good points, but I'll wait and see whether others have "been there, done that" strategies. By the way, I'll probably continue posting until I feel like I read concrete advice that can be applied to my situation and help me get ahead.
In all honesty if you've been there for more than a few years doing the same job under all teh conditions I listed (including being flexible with your schedule) and you aren't getting noticed and coached for promotion, than either you aren't doing as good of a job as you think you are, or the way the company is presently managed, you're not getting promoted no matter what you do.
So I'd suggest that you sit back and really analyze your situation, and if you truly believe that you have met or exceeded every single thing in my original post and are still being passed over, begin looking for a new job.
Hi everyone, I thought about strategies on how I get an internal promotion and decided to offer my services to my supervisor, in a bid to cooperate more. As you all know, I work in email CS with support tickets. Following a conversation with the manager where he stated that our market needs to improve in terms of productivity, handle time, I decided to email my supervisor some strategies on how we could better cooperate in 2010 to meet department and team objectives. The goal is to eventually be recognized as an assistant supervisor and make sure our market improves along the way, making my supervisor look good - and in turn pleasing the manager - so he doesn't hire new team members, potentially reducing my hours even further (from 32 peak to 20 hrs/week, currently).
Here are excerpts from the strategic message to my supervisor:
Hi Susan,
To follow up on recent events, lately I've been thinking about strategies ways where I can offer my experience and knowledge in order to help you and our market improve productivity, in terms of both speed and quality. I think we have a good opportunity to work more together and make collective efforts to ultimately improve the customers' experiences.
What I would like to offer you is this:
1) Reducing handle time: if I see that there are tickets that are assigned to you, I can offer to steal and advise the CSR who assigned it, take steps to resolve them, etc. I think the knowledge and skills developed in my former second level support role can help reduce your workload so that you can work focus on your own priorities....
2) Quality: While I would rather focus on the quality of my own tickets as this is within my immediate control, I did notice two trends lately - that monthly quality assurance checks haven't been done in a while, and a decline in quality in our market. I believe the focus right now is more on speed than quality and I'm afraid that occasional QA valuations will not be enough to prevent our market's quality decline. I have few examples I noted and wonder if you would like me to send them to you?...
3) Informal coaching: if (the new trainer) isn't ready yet, or you think you can use my experience in informal team training exercises, in preparing some topics, or however you see fit, feel free to let me know. We can also discuss ways, with (the trainer) or whomever, to test team mates' knowledge and find ways for me to improve too.
........
A day later, she replied:
--Thanks a lot for your feedback Brian, I will reply in more detail a bit later this week!
...
Did she write again? Nope.
I guess that means she doesn't want my help, nor does she want to improve our market. I'm disappointed...what can I do, besides waiting? I was planning to update the manager and let him know I am working on strategies with my supervisor for better cooperation in 2010.
Getting promoted is about standing out, and being a valued employee. One does this by:
- Doing high quality and high quantity work.
- Being respectful to all co-workers
- Dress smartly and appropriately for the job
- Being proactive, and seeking solutions to problems
- Offering suggestions to improve one's department's functions
- Taking extra courses, to advance one's knowledge
All of these traits would show that one is willing and able to step up to a higher level in an organisation.
I think too many people reckon that simply being at an organisation for x period of time warrants a promotion. Whilst the person would be familiar with the firm's culture/values, if they lacked the ability to perform at a higher level, then the promotion makes little sense. The key is to be a stand-out employee, who offers positive value to the department and the organisation in general.
Getting promoted is about standing out, and being a valued employee. One does this by:
- Doing high quality and high quantity work.
- Being respectful to all co-workers
- Dress smartly and appropriately for the job
- Being proactive, and seeking solutions to problems
- Offering suggestions to improve one's department's functions
- Taking extra courses, to advance one's knowledge
All of these traits would show that one is willing and able to step up to a higher level in an organisation.
I think too many people reckon that simply being at an organisation for x period of time warrants a promotion. Whilst the person would be familiar with the firm's culture/values, if they lacked the ability to perform at a higher level, then the promotion makes little sense. The key is to be a stand-out employee, who offers positive value to the department and the organisation in general.
You got it. One of the reasons why I moved up quickly in such a short time was following this advice, and also networking.
In all honesty if you've been there for more than a few years doing the same job under all teh conditions I listed (including being flexible with your schedule) and you aren't getting noticed and coached for promotion, than either you aren't doing as good of a job as you think you are, or the way the company is presently managed, you're not getting promoted no matter what you do.
So I'd suggest that you sit back and really analyze your situation, and if you truly believe that you have met or exceeded every single thing in my original post and are still being passed over, begin looking for a new job.
Or the OP is doing a great job and everyone is satisfied with the status quo.
Often you have to be willing to look outside the company and find the higher position somewhere else because that's often how it works. There is a kind of inertia in many companies and they really don't try to promote up especially if there's no turn-over of higher positions. Sometimes it's very stagnant, the same people stay in management. Nothing opens and no one gets promoted.
If you go for more than a few years in one position, then you should start looking elsewhere because if you want to move up, you should be moved up within the first 5 years or the likelihood of that happening decreases.
Getting promoted is about standing out, and being a valued employee. One does this by:
- Doing high quality and high quantity work.
- Being respectful to all co-workers
- Dress smartly and appropriately for the job
- Being proactive, and seeking solutions to problems
- Offering suggestions to improve one's department's functions
- Taking extra courses, to advance one's knowledge
All of these traits would show that one is willing and able to step up to a higher level in an organisation.
I think too many people reckon that simply being at an organisation for x period of time warrants a promotion. Whilst the person would be familiar with the firm's culture/values, if they lacked the ability to perform at a higher level, then the promotion makes little sense. The key is to be a stand-out employee, who offers positive value to the department and the organisation in general.
In a very sharp organization that is true but that's certainly not how it works everywhere.
In many places people are promoted at some point, they are as high up as they'll ever be and really aren't great at the position they're in but because of that they aren't going to let go for any reason. They'll hang on forever and they become the ceiling for those below.
I think expecting promotions at the same company is a mistake -- you should be willing to look outside and move around. If the position you want is elsewhere then just go for it.
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