One question we do not typically ask ourselves when we call to talk to a customer service agent is how much are they being paid to do this difficult job. It is understandable that this does not occur to most people as they are speaking to some stranger at a call centre in the Philippines, but it might help you to understand the industry a little better, and maybe give you a little bit more of a positive outlook on the call centres themselves.
The minimum wage in the Philippines is about ₱597 (Philippine Pesos) per day. A call centre worker that is just starting out, and working ten hours per day can be making as much as ₱1500 per day. To put that in perspective, studies have shown that a large plurality of Filipino call centre employees is able to afford up-to-date smartphones, and a latte from Starbucks every day on their way to work, and still keep their monthly bills paid. This is not to imply that there is no room for growth, or that the call centre employees are getting rich. The point of this article is to inform the reader about what compensation is being received by the call centre agents, and how that compares to the job they are expected to do.
Call centre employees in the Philippines are often required to work long hours and at unusual times. Many call centres are open 24 hours per day, so the shifts often stretch throughout all hours of the night. If you have ever worked the late shift before, you can probably sympathize with how difficult it can be to work a job with such unusual hours. Combine the long and difficult work hours with the fact that call centre agents often have to deal with angry and frustrated callers, and you can see why the pay for call centres employees in the Philippine is often a little higher than the national average.
The job of a call centre agent in the Philippines is a high-stress job that demands a lot out of the employees. Fortunately, the compensation for the job is fairly competitive. Most call centres in the Philippines also offer certain benefits, as well as the option to purchase company stocks at a discounted rate. The next time you call a customer service number and find yourself speaking to someone in the Philippines, keep in mind that they do not have an easy job. It might make their day a little better if you can be patient and show a little gratitude.