Amber

Amber has been a customer service advisor for Lloyds Banking Group for 8 months.

Why did you want to go for a job in a call centre?

I was looking for a full time position and some of my family had worked for Lloyds Banking Group in the past.

What does a normal day look like?

I work in wallet pay and internet banking, so mornings are usually pretty quiet, and it starts to pick up throughout the day. Most of my calls are about using internet banking.

How did you find the application process?

I applied to Lloyds Banking Group directly but missed their intake so skipped straight through to the assessments stage which was absolutely fine. The watchdog stage is a bit lengthy and can be tricky if you don’t have all of your information easily to hand.

What is the best part about working in a call centre?

Probably the team, and my manager. They make it a really nice place to work.

What is the worst part about working in a call centre?

The complaining customers are probably the only bit that could be describe as a worst bit but there really are not that many.

What surprised you most when you started working there?

I was expecting it to be more sales driven but it is nothing like that in reality.

What were you most worried about?

I was mostly concerned about getting my confidence up to deal with customers all of the time without getting flustered. What were you most excited for? Getting into a routine, with my previous part time job my shifts were all over the place so it is really nice to know what my shifts are going to be. Also, meeting new people was exciting.

What is your team like to work with?

There is quite a range of people, most of them are younger, in their 20’s. They are all really nice and easy to get along with.

What kind of supervisory support do you receive?

When we are on calls we get tons of support whenever we need it and there are lots of manager on the floor who will always help if I have a question.

What skills do you think you have gained?

I have gained mostly communication skills, knowing how to use positive language is a big part of that. I have also learned how to cope under pressure and problem solve.

What is your working environment like?

It can be quite noisy when it is busy because you are all in one place sat parallel to each other but it is a nice busy atmosphere.

Is there room for career progression and self development with your job?

Yes, I have upskilled since I started in March. There is lots of opportunity for progressing if you put the work in, you can help to train other people, or even move into other brands under the Group.

What is the best call you remember taking?

Almost all of the calls are great, I get to speak to so many different people. Once I spent over an hour talking to someone, we had such a laugh, it is really nice to be able to provide that bit of company for someone who needs it, even if it is just to have a general conversation.

What is the worst call you have taken?

The only one that really stands out is a guy who had failed to pass security, he refused to go back through it and even though I had told him I couldn’t help him if he go back through security, his verbal abuse got a little bit personal.

What would you tell someone who was thinking about applying for a job like yours?

Go for it! Every day is different, even the calls are so varied that you are not just taking the same call over and over again. The job is flexible, the pay is good, and there are plenty of opportunities for overtime if that is what you want.