Which job would you prefer doing?

@kgwat70 (13388)
United States
December 9, 2006 8:47pm CST
Would you prefer doing a call center job being on the phones all day or would you rather work with customers face to face? Explain why you chose one over the other. I worked in a call center environment for almost ten years and felt early on it was better to work with people on the phone instead of face to face but things changed and now I like working with people directly.
123 responses
@angelface23 (2494)
• United States
11 Dec 06
Probably working with people face to face because at the call center you are just in one place whereas if you are working face to face then you will get to actually see who you are talking to which lets you be more personable. Also you're not confined to one place. If you are meeting people somewhere then obviously you can travel.
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
12 Dec 06
I like working with people face to face as well and for the same reason that you mentioned. It is more personable and it is more meaningful, especially if you made someones day and helped with them with something.
• India
10 Dec 06
my main job is to help my mother i like to do that ]
1 person likes this
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
10 Dec 06
That's nice to help your Mother, keep up the good work, but also do other things too.
1 person likes this
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
10 Dec 06
i am a pharmacist. and i love to work with my customers and the patients. i can directly give them advises and help them out with their concerns. it is always a relief whenever i get to give them what they needed and offer them a help with a smile. it's always great whenever i see my customers and patients contented with my service. however, it's not a high paying job here in the philippines. i work hard and got paid very low. i tried to get a call center job but i needed to get on with the graveyard shift for the first 2 months. the pay in call centers are really high. like 3 times my pay in the pharmacy. but i still prefer working with patients and customers face to face. more contentment for me.
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Dec 06
I agree with you completely. My job involves working with students face to face and it gives me joy and satisfaction of being able to help them and see them smile when they have learned something new. Call centers pay more than my current job but I like this job better.
• India
10 Dec 06
actually i do prefer working at call centers but now-a-days we girls r feeling so afraid of joining into call centres.bcoz the culture became to worse in call centres.if this would b made better then many may think of working at call centers.
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Dec 06
I used to like working in the call center but after a while it burned me out and now I am enjoying the face to face interactions with the students.
@krankies (811)
• United States
10 Dec 06
I think the phone is a bit easier, but still hard. I worked face to face and people can be rude and mean. Always in a hurry, never fast enough for everyone bust day. I have not done call center work.
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Dec 06
People can be mean, no matter what job we are doing. I have done both phone work and face to face and actually like the face to face better.
@whitefox (1347)
• Italy
10 Dec 06
without a doubt I prefer to work face to face with people because it is the much most useful one to be confronted with the others that to be behind to a monitor
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Dec 06
It is more useful and more meaningful to work with a person face to face than on the phone.
• United States
11 Dec 06
I prefer to do phone work. Face to face, I get to flustered and can't think. Just what people want, a ditzy blonde in front of them. On the phone, no one knows my hair color and they think that I am intelligent. Amazing how the color of ones hair gives people the right to think,... stupid blonde! Also, if I feel that I am getting to hot with the client, then I can put them on hold and regain my composure! good question.
@banta78 (4326)
• India
10 Dec 06
I would prefer neither as i don't like both jobs as both jobs you are required to work at odd night shifts and daily selling too rountine, mundane, stressful and very less rewards for your efforts. instead i would do something creative and work my butt for myself not to make other people rich. i would develop my computer business where i would be incharge of my future and which is less stressful and i can work when i feel like and be able to do stuffs people dream about.
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Dec 06
Owning your own business can be quite stressful as well and is not as easy as it seems.
@happygal68 (3275)
• United States
11 Dec 06
I am a private, shy person, so for me it would be on the phone. I am not good at dealing with ppl face to face if I do not know them. I am more of the background kind of person.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Dec 06
I would choose the phone..since I am by nature shy..There is a certain secure feeling you have when there is something between you and the one you are speaking to..That is they cannot reach out and give you a slug if they don't like what you are saying.. You dont have to see their expressions.
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Dec 06
I am shy as well but I prefer working with people directly now than being on the phones. True they can not hit you or physically harm you on the phone but they can verbally abuse you on the phone which I did not like.
@wildguy2 (1349)
• Canada
11 Dec 06
I have and probably will continue to work in the public, face to face, I have had offers to work at call centres in my area, and for more money, but I love working with people, the looks on there faces when you help them, you can't get that from a phone job.
1 person likes this
@siddhinfo (1500)
• India
11 Dec 06
I have worked for more than 15 years for direct marketing, and it is fun and thrill to work with customer face to face. You know your customer and know the tactics to handlr them. But with call center you are working with unknown client and you do not know whether is serious about what you explain them or not.
1 person likes this
• India
11 Dec 06
I don't mind both but now i don work directly with customers nor do I work with cust on the phone.. :-)
1 person likes this
@kgnsrp (37)
• India
11 Dec 06
easy to say that i like to work with people. but is that really so? it is really very much irritating to talk to a person who is bullying. it is not at all easy to communicate with others. i just can't tolerate a person who is trying to show you inferior. it is a matter of prestige when you know that you are far more superior than others in achieving your success. ok buddy . atleast we should have some self esteem.
@mbs730 (2147)
• Canada
11 Dec 06
I would rather work with the phones, not with direct contact. I am not good at making eye contact and I become self conscious easily.
@cdirock (289)
• United States
11 Dec 06
Both jobs can be very interesting. THe only thing on the phone is that lots of people hang up on you. Working with people face to face is good bec you can see them and present things to them better. I've done both and liked them.
1 person likes this
@rakeshdas (427)
• India
11 Dec 06
Me?? I will prefer to be a musician in profession. I think there so more reseon to describe for that profession exept of love and passion to music ... :)
1 person likes this
@zarden (107)
• Philippines
11 Dec 06
well since im an HRM graduate, i prefer to have a job in a hotel or restaurant because i believe that those are the place where my idea, skills, and knowledge can be put to use and make things happen. For me you should go for a job that suite the course you have taken.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Dec 06
I'd rather work at a call center because in the customer service industry, you're usually dealing with unhappy people. In a call center job, you can roll your eyes or make funny faces to laugh away the stress without the customer being offended LOL
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Dec 06
I would have to say face to face, so I don't have some crazy lunatic screaming at me through the phone about their problems :o . Also, speaking to someone directly, it's much easier to help them.
1 person likes this