Feeling a bit crispy around the edges...

I have this odd feeling that if things don't change soon, I'm going to be completely burned out on this job very soon.

It's not that the company is bad to work for - They're actually pretty accomodating in comparison to most companies. The issues are both the training (or lack thereof) and the fact that I've been on the phones now for the last 8 years. I'm tired - and unfortunately I don't seem to have the "mad skilz" necessary to move from the phones - for several reasons:

1. There's only one open position at the office currently that's off the phones, and they're insisting on a working knowledge of computer software that I have NO clue how to use - and a Bachelor's Degree in the field as well.

2. No one is willing to listen to the fact that this company *really* needs to have a training manual and at least two people strictly for training purposes, in order to have procedures written down, updated, agreed upon with legal, and disceminated throughout the entire staff, from the customer facing level and upwards.

3. No one is interested enough in actually creating a training manual because "things keep changing too much, so it's easier to just do emails" and "there are too many different ways to fix things in the system" and "eventually the software will work the way we want it to, and the manual will be obsolete".

While I know that I can do nothing about a Bachelor's Degree in the field, I do know that I have direct experience in creating training manuals and writing up "official" procedures. I also am MORE than intelligent enough to create and update procedures and policies as they are needed, and have worked with legal departments in the past regarding proper wording on procedures and policies.

I suppose that it's sort of "pollyanna-ish" to think that by getting better training materials, the calls would be miraculously easier... However, I do know that with the proper training, and proper documentation, specific calls would be MUCH easier to handle on a day to day basis.

Honestly, I worked in a call center where they thought policy changes were "easier to do by email" - it wasn't. It was difficult to remember what was going on, and hard to remember which policy changes affected your department or not... As far as there being "too many different ways to fix things in the system" - this would solve it - there would be an "official" way to do things, and only after you'd tried the "official" way would there be further options available to try. MUCH easier than a hodge-podge of different answers, given by different people each time you asked.

A great "for instance" is the following:

Apparently, there is a new set of adjustment guidelines which haven't "officially" been approved yet - BUT - one of my two supervisors has apparently been giving out the information and letting people who ASK go by the new guidelines, and the other hasn't. *NO ONE* has actually been emailed on said guidelines, and today was the first that I'd heard of it...

How about some consistancy, people?! GAH! I'm so tired of the two supervisors, it's not even funny. Mine can't stand the other one (which, honestly, neither can most of the people on the floor because of her demeanor toward us all), so decisions are predominately made based up on a combination of what's acceptable, and whether the other person would say yes or no on the decision.

Rule number ONE in a call center (this is, btw, the same rule number one when dealing with children): Present a united front - it promotes confidence, understanding, and acceptance in general policies and procedures.

Duh.

The list goes on, but honestly, I have a headache and can't seem to think straight at the moment. All I know is that the call center I work in now is, while lenient in areas that are important, lacksidaisical in others when dealing with the public and our outside offices.

~M