Customer Service/Sales/Retention Careers in Jax (transfer, salary)

[MJKII]

Hello Everyone!

Very happy to be here. I've recently left my job of 7 years, where I worked in a call center. My job focused primarily on Customer Service, Sales, and Client Retention.

What is the word around town for companies currently hiring? I have my AA only, and it seems many positions these days are looking for a Bachelors Degree. My last job paid about 60K a year. I'd like to stay in that range.

Thank you so much for reading, and (if applicable) responding.

Best Regards,
Mike

[runswithscissors]

AT&T is always hiring for inbound call center sales. The office is right downtown. You pay for parking in a lot.

The training is 8 weeks and it's a grueling job but you already have experience.

You will make more entry level than most off the street people with your background.

You apply online, take a series of tests and as you progress, you'll be called in for a face to face exercise (selling DSL or something - they give you the information you need to sell it). When you take the personality tests you ALWAYS SAY you are THE BEST. They are not looking for HUMILITY they're looking for CLOSERS.

You will make that in salary and more on top in commission. NO degree required. LOTS of benefits. Your starting salary depends on your resume. I started at top rate because I was a re-hire. Top sales people I knew in PA can make $125K -$150K for the BEST after bonuses and comp.

You cannot BE LATE OR ABSENT so don't even THINK about complaining about the attendance policy. You cannot be fooling around on your cellphone on the clock, cannot be fooling around on the internet, etc etc. You must WORK the entire shift or you won't make your numbers. NO PERSONAL stuff is permitted at your desk on the clock. This includes not being off the clock for bogus bathroom visits or late back from your lunch and two breaks. It is a union job but weak union so play it straight and you'll be ok. When I say "on the clock" I mean you log into your phone and the numbers start rolling. You cannot log OFF for any reason until your break or lunch and everything you do is keystroke logged more or less. Observations are frequent and you will be covered on your calls and they are recorded at times.

You ESPECIALLY CANNOT call out during the 8 weeks training or you can be let go. If you have a funeral PERHAPS...but don't try it.

Each class starts out with about 15 students and they hope to retain 3-4.

If you have the gift of gab staying ON POINT, able to use multiple systems at once, able to get your calls done quickly and effectively, are motivated to make the numbers "work" for the customer and don't get involved in what YOU THINK the company ought to be "doing" then it may be a good match with lots of career advancement.

This boils down to you being able to convince the customer that a package is "better" than a plain old phone line. QUICKLY. LOL.

You may take 50 or more calls per day, are expected to review their account and bridge on EVERY CALL even if they're calling with a complaint or it's a transfer. You will get fired for NOT TRYING or not following the script/procedures but not necessarily for not getting the sales. IT all depends on what you're doing and your successes or weaknesses.

You'll also do combo sales into internet, cellular and some TV along with the landline sales. If you make your sales objectives with no reversals in revenue later, they pretty much ignore everything else you might do LOL.

When I worked in the Jax office I was shocked that the best students and most successful were EX CAR SALESMEN and all over about 45 years old. Talk about the gift of gab/sales skills!

After you're there awhile there are opportunities to work "off the phones" as a coach, or back office tasks which is a goal for many people once they get the job LOL. Then there's always management or craft jobs you may qualify for or want to move into. The retention office is different than sales and I don't think they make as much but I could be wrong, I never worked there.

BTW I just changed my cell to Verizon and the guy in the store told me they pay pretty well there for face to face sales (in the brick and mortar stores) and he chose to be occupational instead of management for that reason. Last time I heard, both companies were still paying tuition assistance if you want to finish up your degree.