TLE-ICT-Contact Center Services Grade 10 LM

10
Information and
Communications
Technology
Learners Material
ContactCenterServices
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
NOT FOR SALE
ALLOTTED TO
District/ School: _________________________________________

Division _________________________________________________
First Year of Use: _________________________________________
Source of Fund (Year included):__________________________
Department of Education
Republic of the Philippines
Technology and Livelihood Education Grade 10
Learners Material
First Edition, 2014
ISBN: ___________
Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work
of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or
office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit.
Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of
royalties.
Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every
effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their
respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership
over them.
Published by the Department of Education
Secretary: Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC
Undersecretary: Dina S. Ocampo, Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary: Lorna Dig Dino, Ph.D.
Development Team of the Learners Material
Authors:
Dr. Virgilio O. Guevarra, Jr., Rose Ann M. Sulla, Diana Marie B. Dagli, and
Maria Angelica G. Mates
Editors: Dr. Paraluman R. Giron, Ofelia C. Flojo, and Perla H. Cuanzon
Reviewers: Romeo B. Gacutan, Simfroso C. Robles II,
Caoagdan, Reynaldo S. Dantes and Melissa S. Ramos
Marion I. Alinas, Bobby
Illustrator and Layout Artists: Marc Anthony M. Pagoyo

Subject Specialist: Owen M. Milambiling
Management Team: Dr. Lolita M. Andrada, Jocelyn DR Andaya, Bella O. Marias,
Dr. Jose D. Tuguinayo, Jr.
Printed in the Philippines by ____________

Department of Education-Instructional Materials Council Secretariat (DepEd-IMCS)
Office Address:
2nd Floor Dorm G, Philsports Complex, Meralco Avenue,
Pasig City, Philippines 1600
Telefax:
(02) 634-1054, 634-1072
E-mail Address:
imcsetd@yahoo.com
ii
10
Technology and
Livelihood Education
Information and
Communications
Technology
Contact Center Services
Learners Material
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
NOT FOR SALE
ALLOTTED TO
District/ School: _________________________________________
Division _________________________________________________
First Year of Use: _________________________________________
Source of Fund (Year included):__________________________
Department of Education
Republic of the Philippines
Technology and Livelihood Education Grade 10

Learners Material
First Edition, 2014
ISBN: ___________
Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any
work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the
government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for
exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things,
impose as a condition the payment of royalties.
Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand
names, trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective
copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to
use these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and
authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.
Published by the Department of Education
Secretary: Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC
Undersecretary: Dina S. Ocampo, Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary: Lorna Dig Dino, Ph.D.
Development Team of the Learners Material
Authors:
Dr. Virgilio O. Guevarra, Jr., Maria Angelica G. Mates, Rose Ann M. Sulla, and
Diana Marie B. Dagli
Editors: Dr. Paraluman R. Giron, Ofelia C. Flojo, and Perla H. Cuanzon
Reviewers: Romeo B. Gacutan, Simfroso C. Robles II,
Bobby Caoagdan
Marion I. Alinas,
Illustrator and Layout Artists:

Subject Specialist: Owen M. Milambiling
Management Team: Dr. Lolita M. Andrada, Jocelyn DR Andaya, Bella O.
Marias,
Dr. Jose D. Tuguinayo, Jr.
Printed in the Philippines by ____________
Department of Education-Instructional Materials Council Secretariat (DepEdIMCS)
Office Address:
2nd Floor Dorm G, Philsports Complex, Meralco
Avenue,
Pasig City, Philippines 1600
Telefax:
(02) 634-1054, 634-1072
E-mail Address:
imcsetd@yahoo.com
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Module 1: PERSONAL ENTREPRENUERIAL COMPETENCIES
(PECs)
Introduction ..
Objectives
Pre-Assessment (Matching Type) ...
Task 2 Guide Questions .
Learning Goals and Target ...
Reading Resources and Instructional Activities
Task 3 Group Activity ..
Know
Process
Task 4 PECs Checklist ...
Reflect and Understand .
Task 5 Interview ..
Transfer ...
Task 6: Preparation of a Plan of Action ..
Task 7: Essential Questions ..
Module 2: ENVIRONMENT AND MARKET (EM)
Introduction .
Objectives
Pre-Assessment .
Task 2: Guide Questions
Know .
Product Development .
Concepts of Developing a Product ...
Finding Value ...
Innovation .
Unique Selling Proposition (USP) .
Process
Task 3: Interview .
Reflect and Understand
Task 4: Browsing the Internet
Transfer ..
Task 5: Product Conceptualization ..
Know .
iii
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2
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3
4
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6
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25
25
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26
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Generating Ideas for Business ..

Key Concepts of Selecting a Business Idea ...
Branding
Process
Task 6: SWOT Analysis .
Task 7: Extra Reading and Video Viewing
Transfer ..
Task 8: Designing a Logo .
Task 9: Making My Own Vicinity Map ..
Module 3: COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY IN ENGLISH
Introduction ..
Objectives
Pre-Assessment .
Analyze Communication Process .
Preliminary Activities ..
Know .
1.1 Communication Pathways ...
Process ....
Know ...
1.2 Elements of Communication ...
Preliminary Activity.
Process
Know .
Preliminary Activity ..
1.3 Barriers to Communication ..
Process
Transfer
Know
2.1 Oral skills ...
Phonemes ....
Sentence Construction ...
Process
Vowel Phonemes .
iv
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Critical Vowel Sounds ....

Critical Consonant Sounds ....
Read Pair Critique ...
Grammatical or Ungrammatical
Know .
2.2 Listening Skills ..
Process
Acrostics
Transfer
This is their story .
The Interview
The Transcription .
The Reflection ..
Know .
2.3 Grammar
Subject-Verb Agreement
Tense and Aspect
Preposition ...
Modifiers
Conditionals ..
Process
Subject-Verb Agreement
Preposition
Modifiers
Conditionals ..
Know .
2.4 Writing Skills ..
Spelling .
Paragraphing
Organization..
Punctuations .
Transition Markers ..
Sentence Construction ...
Jargons..
Process
Spell Me
Correct Me
Transfer
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108
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Can you please share with us? .

A. The Invitation
B. My Insights
Know ....
3.1 Voice ...
Rate ...
Volume ......
Pitch ...
Tone ......
Process ....
Matching Type.
Modified True or False ..
Spot the Difference
Know ....
3.2 Accent .
Stress
Intonation ..
Blending
Phrasing
Process ....
Pool Up! ....
The Last Man Standing .
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Read! Speak Up! .

Reflect and Understand ....
Getting Updated! ....
1, 2, 3 .....
SIXportant .....
Read. Speak. Check. .....
Know ....
Conversational Cues .........
Process ....
Complete the Table ......
Transfer
Mock Call ......
Module 4: DELIVERING QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICES
Introduction ..
Objectives
Pre-Assessment .....
124
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127
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129
129
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135
vi
Learning Goals and Targets .

Know .
The BPO/Call Center Industry ...
1.1 What is BPO? ..................................................
1.2 Why Outsource? ...
1.3 Profile of the BPO Industry
(Global and Local) .
Process
Business Process Outsourcing .
BPO Industry in the Philippines .
Video Presentation ..
Cooperative Learning Reflection on the Video
Presentation
Oral Presentation- Economic Implications of the
BPO Industry .
Transfer
Research Activity .
Know .
Types of Industry .
Types of BPO Industries
Process
BPO Industries .
BPO Terminologies .
Know ........................................
Basic Services within BPO Industry .
Legal Services .
Process
Identification of BPO Services ...
Basic Services within BPO Industry .
BPO Services: Explored .
BPO Services: Career Graph of an Agent .
Know .
Call Center Agents Performance Metrics ...
Typical Customer Contact Representatives
Competencies
vii
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167
Process ....
Customer Service Representatives
Competencies ...
Recognizing the CSR competencies
Rating CSR Competencies Based on their
Performance ..
Transfer
Know .
Performance Metrics ...
Productivity Metrics .
Quality Metrics .
Process
Call Center Metrics Acronyms ...
Identifying Call Center Metrics ..
Video Presentation ..
Transfer
Call Center Simulation
Know .
Transmit/Receive Calls to or from
Customers ..
Clients / Customers Needs .
Counseling
Directory
Booking .
Technical Support ........
Academic Instruction .......
Travel Advisories ..
Sales ...
Data Gathering .....
Process
Types of Calls in Accordance with the Customers
Needs .
Identifying Client/Customers Needs
Know .
Products and Services
Financial Services .
Technical support/ Help Desk .
viii
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Sales Support
Client-Specific Products ..
Process
Know .
Interactive Communication
Gathering Information in a Courteous,
Professional Manner
Best Practices ..
Process
Enumerate the Best Practices in Interactive
Communication ........
Enumerating the Call Structure .
Role Playing: Best Practices in Making / Taking
Calls
Know .
Active Listening
Process ....
Benefits of Active Listening
Internal and External Barrier ..
Listening Exercise ..
Selective Listening Exercises
On line Listening Exercises ...
Transfer
Role Playing Assessment .
Probing Skills
Paraphrasing ....
Process ...
Paraphrasing Exercise
Tips on Effective Paraphrasing
Online Paraphrasing Exercise .
Transfer
Actual Paraphrasing Exercises .
Know .
Ensuring Consistent Quality Service for all Types
ix
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of Customers .
Avoiding Sensitive Topics ..
Process
Identifying Sensitive Issues ...
Addressing Sensitive Issues ..
Transfer
Interview
Know .
Phone Etiquette ...
Process
Create an Appropriate Opening Spiel ..
Role Playing Activity
Know .
Following the Standard Hold Procedure ..
Transferring a Call ...
Taking Notes During a Call ..
Making a Lasting Impression ....
Process
Standard Hold Procedures .
Reasons for Transferring a Call
Know .
Hold Process
Why Call Hold is Necessary ..
Permission Before Placing a Customer on Hold
Call Simulation .
Know .
Handle Customers Complaints .
Protocols for Handling Difficult Or
Irate Customers .
Process of Handling Customer Inquiries .
Acknowledging the Situation and Providing
Appropriate Response .
Process
Review Handling Customer Complaints ..
Research Work
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Film Viewing .
Transfer
Simulation .
Know .
Process of Referral or Handing Off Customers to
Supervisors
Process ....
Review Handling Off Customers ...
Interview of Contact Center Representative ...
Transfer
Proposed Action Plan of Handling Customer
Complaints .
Know .
Provide After-Sales Support and Document
Events
Ensure Customer Satisfaction by Making
A Return Call .
Discuss Actions Necessary to Resolve Complaints
and Confirm with the Customer ..
Process
Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs) Webpage ..
Reaction from an Underground Customer
Revolution ........................................
Transfer
Short Skit of Customer Service Satisfaction ..........
Know ....
Documentation Procedure .
Initiate Follow-up Action to Ensure That
Agreements with Customers are Implemented ..
Document Actions and Resolutions Agreed-upon
with the Customer in Accordance with
Company Procedures .........
Process
Log of Accident
Document an Agreement ...
xi
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Interview of Contact Center Representative ...
Transfer ...
Simulation .
Summary of Lesson ...
Summative Test ..
Glossary ...
References ..
Acknowledgement ..
xii
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Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs)

Content Standards
Performance Standards
The
learner
demonstrates The learner independently creates a
understanding of ones PECs in plan of action that strengthens
Contact Center Services.
and/or further develops his/her
PECs in Contact Center Services.
Quarter I
Time Allotment: 4 hours

Module 1
Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies
Introduction
In this module, you will learn more about entrepreneurship and the
entrepreneurial competencies related to Contact Center Services. You will
have a first-hand experience in educational activities leading to assessment
of your personal entrepreneurial competencies (PECs) and the
entrepreneurial competencies of a successful telemarketing or call center
representative within your province. You will also have several activities that
will align your competencies with those of successful practitioners. Moreover,
this module will encourage you to think about entrepreneurship and its role in
the business community as well as in the economic and social development
of an individual.
To start with this module, let us first understand entrepreneurs and
entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurs are those with the skills and capabilities to see and
evaluate business opportunities. They are individuals who can strategically
identify products or services needed by the community, and have the capacity
to deliver them at the right time and at the right place.
Entrepreneurs are agents of economic change; they organize,
manage, and assume risks of a business. Some of the good qualities of
entrepreneurs are: opportunity-seeker, risk-taker, goal-setter, excellent
planner, confident problem-solver, hardworking, persistent and committed.
ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

1
Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is not just a simple business

activity but a strategic process of innovation and new product creation.
Basically, entrepreneurship is both an art and science of converting business
ideas into marketable products or services to improve the quality of living.
Now that you have background knowledge about entrepreneurs and
entrepreneurship, you can now walk through in assessing your PECs. Always
remember that successful entrepreneurs continuously develop and improve
their PECs.
To begin, let us find out the competencies you will have gained upon
completion of this module.
Objectives
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
identify areas for improvement, development, and growth,

align your PECs according to your business or career choice, and
create a plan of action that ensures success in your business or career
choice.
Now try to take the first challenge in this module, the pre assessment.
Pre-assessment
As part of your initial activity, try to assess your prior knowledge and
experience related to personal entrepreneurial competencies. Answer Task 1.
Task 1: Matching Type
Directions: Match the entrepreneurial competencies in column A with their
meaning in column B. Write the letter of the correct answer on the space
provided before each number.
A
____1. Creative
A. makes wise decisions towards the set

objectives
____2. Profit-oriented
B. strategic thinking and setting of goals
____3. Disciplined
C. trusting in ones ability

2
____4. Sound decision maker
D. adoptable to change
____5. Possess people skills
E. innovates to have an edge over other

competitors
____6. Excellent Planner
F. solid dedication
____7. Confident
G. skillful in record keeping
____8. Hardworking
H. always sticks to the plan
____9. Ability to accept change
I. work diligently
____10. Committed
J. effective and efficient communication

skills and relates well to people
K. always looking for an opportunity to
have/earn income.
Task 2: Guide Questions

Directions: The following are guide questions which covers the entire
module. Write your answers on your assignment notebook. Discuss / share
these to the class.
A. Explain why entrepreneurial activities are important to social
development and economy progress.
B. What entrepreneurial activities related to Contact Center Services do
you know and are capable of doing?
C. If you were given the opportunity to own a business that relates to
Contact Center Services, do you think you will be confident to manage
it? Explain your answer.
D. What do you think are the most important competencies one must
possess in order to be successful in running a chosen business?
E. Name successful entrepreneurs from your province whose businesses
are related to Contact Center Services. Make sure you will be able to
share with the class the PECs that made them successful.

3
After all the guide questions are answered, share these with your
classmates. You may also compare your insigths, personal knowledge,
and relevant experiences on the topic to make the sharing more exciting
and engaging.
Learning Goals and Targets
After understanding the objectives of this module, having gone through
pre-assessment, and answering the guide questions, you will be asked to set
your own personal goals and targets. These goals and targets will urge you to
further achieve the ultimate objective of this module. In the end, these
ultimate goals will motivate you to learn more about PECs.
Goals and
Targets
Learning
Activities
Ultimate Goal
Figure 1: Strategic process to achieve the objectives of this module

After setting your own personal goals and targets in achieving the
objectives of this module, check your inherent knowledge of PECs. Answer
the following guide questions with the help of your classmates.
Task 3: Group Activity
Directions: Answer the following guide questions on a separate sheet of
paper. Share your answers with the class.
1. Explain the importance of assessing ones PECs before engaging in a
particular entrepreneurial activity.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.

4
2. Are there other strategies or approaches where you can assess your
PECs? Explain how these strategies will become more useful in
selecting a viable business venture.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
3. What are the desirable personal characteristics, attributes, lifestyles,
skills, and traits of a prospective entrepreneur? Why are these
important?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
4. Why is there a need to assess ones PECs in terms of characteristics,
attributes, lifestyles, skills, and traits before starting a particular
business?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
5. What is the significance of evaluating PECs of a successful
entrepreneur? What helpful insights can you draw from this activity?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
How was your experience in answering the guide questions with your
classmates? Were you able to benefit from them? What were the insights you
have realized?
This time youre going to study the different topics that will enrich your
knowledge of PECs. Read all the important details about the succeeding
topic carefully.

5
Know
Assessment of Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs) and
Skills vis--vis a Practicing Entrepreneur in a Province
Entrepreneurial competencies refer to the important characteristics that
should be possessed by an individual in order to perform entrepreneurial
functions effectively. In this module, you will learn some of the most important
characteristics, attributes, lifestyle, skills and traits of a successful
entrepreneur or an employee to be successful in a chosen career.
Below are few important characteristics / traits / attributes of a good
entrepreneur:
Hardworking: One of the important characteristics of a good

entrepreneur is hardworking. This means working diligently and
being consistent about it. Hardworking people keep improving their
performance to produce good products and/or provide good
services.
Confident: Entrepreneurs have self-reliance in ones ability and

judgment. They exhibit self-confidence to cope with the risks of
operating their own business.
Disciplined: Successful entrepreneurs always stick to the plan

and fight the temptation to do what is unimportant.
Committed: Good entrepreneurs assume full responsibility over

their business. They give full commitment and solid dedication to
make the business successful.
Ability to accept change: Nothing is permanent but change.

Change occurs frequently. When you own a business, you should
cope with and thrive on changes. Capitalize on positive changes
to make your business grow.
Creative: An entrepreneur should be creative and innovative to

stay in the business and in order to have an edge over the other
competitors.

6
Has the initiative: An entrepreneur takes the initiative. You must

put yourself in a position where you are responsible for the failure
or success of your business.
Profit-oriented: An entrepreneur enters the world of business to

generate profit or additional income. The business shall become
your bread and butter. Therefore, you must see to it that the
business can generate income.
Listed below are the important skills of a successful entrepreneur:
Excellent planner: Planning involves strategic thinking and goal

setting to achieve objectives by carefully maximizing all the
available resources. A good entrepreneur develops and follows the
steps in the plans diligently to realize goals. A good entrepreneur
knows that planning is an effective skill only when combined with
action.
Possesses people skills: This is a very important skill needed to

be successful in any kind of business. People skills refer to
effective and efficient communication and establishing good
relationship to the people working in and out of your business. In
day-to-day business transactions, you need to deal with people. A
well-developed interpersonal skill can make a huge difference
between success and failure of the business.
Sound decision maker: Successful entrepreneurs have the ability

to think quickly and to make wise decisions towards a
pre-determined set of objectives. No one can deny that the ability
to make wise decisions is an important skill that an entrepreneur
should possess. Sound decisions should be based on given facts
and information and lead towards the pre-determined objectives.
Process
To firm up what you have learned and have a better appreciation of the
different entrepreneurial competencies, read the PECs checklist below, then
answer the same.

7
Task 4: PECs Checklist

Directions: Using the PECs checklist, assess yourself by putting a check
( ) mark in either strengths or development areas column. Interpret the
results by counting the total number of check marks in each of the columns.
After accomplishing the checklist, form a group and share your insights on the
result of the personal assessment.
Table 1: PECs Checklist
Personal Assessment in terms
of:
Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies
(PECs) of an Entrepreneur
Strengths
Hardworking
- Works diligently
Confident
- Self-reliance in ones ability
Disciplined
- Always stick to the plan
Committed
- Solid dedication
Ability to accept changes
- Adaptable
Creative
- Innovative to have edge over other
competitors
Profit-oriented
- Always looking for an opportunity to
have/earn income
Excellent planner
- Strategic thinking and setting of
goals
8
Development
Areas
Possess people skill

- Effective and efficient communication
skills and relates well to people
Sound decision maker
- Makes wise decisions towards the
set objectives
TOTAL
Interpretation or Insight:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________.

How was your experience in discovering the strengths and the areas
you need to develop? Did you gain a valuable experience in exchanging
insights with your classmates? To learn more and deepen your understanding
of PECs, do task 5 below.
Task 5: Interview
Directions: In your province, interview a successful telemarketing or call
center representative or entrepreneur whose type of business is related with
contact center services. Focus your questions on PECs and other businessrelated attributes that helped them become successful. Analyze the results of
the interview and reflect on the similarities and/or differences. Write your
answer on a separate sheet of paper.

9
Sample Interview Guide

Name of Proprietor/Practitioner: ____________________________________
Age: _______________ Number of Years in Business: _________________
Business Name: ________________________________________________
Business Address: ______________________________________________
1. What preparations did you make before you engaged in this type of
business or job?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
2. What special skills and characteristics do you have that are related
with your business or job?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
3. How did you solve business-related problems during the early years of
your business operation?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
4. Did you follow the tips from a successful businessman or practitioner
before you engaged in your business?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
5. What best business practices can you share with aspiring
entrepreneurs?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
6. What do you think are the salient characteristics, attributes, lifestyle,
skills and traits that made you successful in your business or job?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.

10
Directions: Copy the tables below in your notebook or in a separate sheet of

paper. Gather the needed information from the interview to supply answer/s
to row 1 in the table below, after which, fill out the second row with your
PECs.
Personal
Entrepreneurial
Competencies
Characteristics
Attributes
Lifestyles
Skills
Traits
Successful
Entrepreneur in
the province
My PECs
Using the information on the table above, analyze and reflect on the
similarities and differences in your answers. Put your reflection on the table
you copied in your notebook or in a separate sheet of paper. Write your
conclusion on the space provided.
Personal
Entrepreneurial
Competencies
Similarities
Differences
Characteristics
Attributes
Lifestyles
Skills
Traits

11
Conclusion:
________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________.
Transfer
After performing the activities on the importance of PECs, lets
determine how much you have learned. Perform task 6 to determine how well
you have understood the lesson.
Task 6: Preparation of a Plan of Action
Directions: Use in a separate sheet of paper / in your notebook the
information generated from task 5 (Interview) and prepare an action plan that
indicates alignment of your PECs to the PECs of a successful entrepreneur in
contact center services in your province.
Objective
Area
Activities
Strategies
Time
Frame
To align my Characteristics
PECs with
the PECs of
a successful
entrepreneur
Skills
in contact
center
services
Attribute
Traits

12
Expected
Outcome
Task 7: Essential Questions

Directions: Read and study the following questions below. You may use a
separate sheet of paper or your notebook to write your answers.
1. Why is there a need to compare and align ones PECs with the PECs
of a successful entrepreneur?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
2. How does your action plan help sustain your strong PECs and/or
address your development areas?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
3. What plan of action will you utilize to address your development areas?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.

13
ENVIRONMENT AND MARKET (EM)

Content Standards
Performance Standards
The
learner
demonstrates
understanding of environment and
market in Contact Center Services
in ones province.
The learner independently creates a

business vicinity map reflective of
potential market in Contact Center
Services in a province.
Quarter I

Module 2
Environment and Market
Introduction
Aspiring entrepreneur need to explore the economic, cultural, and
social conditions prevailing in an area. Needs and wants of the people in a
certain area that are not met may be considered business opportunities.
Identifying the needs of the community, its resources, available raw materials,
skills, and appropriate technology can help a new entrepreneur seize
business opportunities.
To be successful in any kind of business venture, potential
entrepreneurs should look closely at the environment and market. They
should always be watchful of existing opportunities and constraints, and to
take calculated risks. The opportunities in the business environment are
factors that provide possibilities for a business to expand and make more
profit. Constraints, on the other hand, are factors that limit business growth,
hence reduce the chance of generating profit. One of the best ways to
evaluate opportunities and constraints is to conduct a Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis.
SWOT Analysis is a managerial tool used to assess the environment. It
is used to gather important information which is then used in strategic
planning. Strengths and weaknesses are internal in an organization. They
relate to resources owned by an organization that you have control over and
also the extent of its marketing.
14
Opportunities and threats exist in the external environment.

Opportunities relate to the market, new technologies, and the external factors
such as government policies, climate, and trends. Threats replace what the
competitors are doing. It also includes legal and other constraints.
Now that you have read some important considerations to explore to
be successful in any business, you are now ready to explore more about the
environment and market.
To begin with, lets find out the competencies that you will master as
you finish this module.
Objectives
identify what is of value to the customer,

identify the customer to sell to,
explain what makes a product unique and competitive,
apply creativity and innovative techniques to develop marketable
products, and
employ a unique selling proposition (USP) to a product and/or
service.
Now that you have an idea about the things you will learn, take the first
challenge in this module the pre-assessment.

15
Pre-assessment
Task 1: Multiple Choice
DIRECTIONS: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper.
1. It is generated by examining the goods and services sold in the
community.
A. business creation
C. business concept
B. business pricing
D. business idea
2. It is a process of making new products which will be sold to the
customers.
A. product analysis
C. product
development
B. product conceptualization
D. product
implementation
3. These are luxuries, advantages and desires that every individual
considers beyond necessary.
A. wants
C. requirements
B. desires
D. needs
4. It is a factor or consideration presented by a seller as the reason that a
product or service is different from and better than that of the
competition.
A. unique selling plan
C. unique pricing
policy
B. unique selling proposition
D. finding value-added
5. A stage in which the needs of the target market are identified,
reviewed, and evaluated.
A. concept development
C. project development
B. economic analysis
D. refine specification
6. It is the introduction of new ideas to make the product and services
more attractive and saleable to the target customers.
A. new idea
C. product development
B. creativity
D. innovation
7. It is a managerial tool used to assess the environment and to gather
important information that can be used for strategic planning.
A. scanning
C. WOTS Analysis
B. SWOT Analysis
D. survey analysis

16
8. It is creating names, symbol, or designs that identifies and

differentiates a product from the other products.
A. product naming
C. branding
D. tagline
9. It is a meaningful and unforgettable statement that captures the
essence of the brand.
A. product naming
C. branding
D. tagline
10. These are things that people cannot live without.
A. wants
C. requirements
B. desires
D. needs
Task 2: Guide Questions:
Directions: Read and study the guide questions below. Use a separate
sheet of paper to write your answer.
1. How does one determine the product or services to be produced
and/or to be provided to the target customers?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. How does one select an entrepreneurial activity?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. When can one say that a certain product has value?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. Does applying creativity to your product or services important? Why?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

17
5. How can one effectively respond to the needs of the target customer?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
6. From the viewpoint of business owner, discuss the importance of
scanning the environment and market in generating business ideas.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
7. Using self-assessment, explain the level of your confidence in
formulating a business idea.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
After all the guide questions are answered and skills have been
mastered, share insights/ideas with your classmates. Discuss your insights,
personal knowledge, and relevant experiences on the topic to make it more
exciting and engaging.
Learning Goals and Target

After reading and understanding the objectives of this module and
having gone through the pre-assessment and guide questions, you will be
asked to set your own personal goals. These goals will urge you to further
achieve the ultimate objective of this module. In the end, these goals will
motivate you to learn more about environment and market.
Goals and
Targets
Learning
Activities
Ultimate Goal
Figure 2: Strategic process to reach the objectives of this module

18

After setting your own personal goals and targets in achieving the
objectives of this module, you will have the opportunity to read and learn
more about environment and market. You will also be given a chance to do
practical exercises and activities to deepen your understanding of the topic.
Know
Product Development
When we talk of product development, we are referring to a process of
making a new product to be sold by a business or enterprise to its customers.
Product development may involve modification of an existing product or
its presentation, or formulation of an entirely new product that satisfies a
newly-defined customers needs, wants and/or a market place.
The term development in this module refers collectively to the entire
process of identifying a market opportunity, creating a product to appeal to
the identified market, and testing, modifying, and refining the product until it
becomes ready for production.
There are basic, yet vital questions that you can ask yourself about
product development. When you find acceptable answers to them, you may
now say that you are ready to develop a product and/or render services.
These questions include the following:
1.
2.
3.
For whom are the product/services aimed at?

What benefit will the customers expect from product/service?
How will the product/service differ from the existing brand? From
its competitor?
In addition, needs and wants of the people within an area should also
be taken into big consideration. Everyone has his/her own needs and wants.
However, each person has different concepts of needs and wants. Needs in
business are the important things that an individual cannot live without in a
society. These include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
basic commodities for consumption,

clothing and other personal belongings,
shelter, sanitation and health, and
education.
19
Basic needs are essential to an individual to live with dignity and pride
in a community. These needs can obviously help you generate business
ideas and subsequently to product development.
Wants are desires, luxury and extravagance that signify wealth and
expensive way of living. Wants or desires are considered above all the basic
necessities of life. Some examples of wants or desires are: fashion
accessories, expensive shoes and clothes, travels, eating in an expensive
restaurant, watching movies, concerts, having luxurious cars, wearing
expensive jewelry and perfume, living in impressive homes, among others.
Needs and wants of people are the basic indicators of the kind of
business that you may engage in because it can serve as the measure of
your success. Some other points that might be considered in business
undertakings are the kind of people, their needs, wants, lifestyle, culture and
tradition, and their social orientation.
To summarize, product development entirely depends on the needs
and wants of the customers. Another important issue to deal with is the key
concepts of developing a product. The succeeding topic shall enlighten you
about the procedure in coming up with a product.
Concepts of Developing a Product
Concept development is a critical phase in the development of a
product. In this stage, the needs of the target market are identified, and
competitive products are reviewed before the product specifications are
defined. The product concept is selected along with an economic analysis to
come up with an outline of how a product is being developed. Figure 3 shows
the stages of concept development of a product.

20
Identify
Customer
Needs
Establish
Target
Specifications
Generate
Product
Concepts
Analyze
Competitive
Products
Select a
Product
Concept
Refine
Specifications
Perform
Economic
Analysis
Plan
Remaining
Development
Project
Concept
Development
Figure 3: Stages of Concept Development

The process of product development follows the following stages:
1. Identify customer needs: Using survey forms, interviews, researches,
focus group discussions, and observations, an entrepreneur can easily
identify customers needs and wants. In this stage, the information that
can be possibly gathered are product specifications (performance, taste,
size, color, shape, life span of the product, etc.). This stage is very
important because it would determine the product to be produced or
provided.
2. Establish target specifications: Based on customers' needs and
reviews of competitive products, you can now establish target
specifications of the prospective new product and/or services. A target
specification is essentially a wish-list.
3. Analyze competitive products: It is imperative to analyze existing
competitive products to provide important information in establishing
product or service specifications. Other products may exhibit successful
design attributes that should be emulated or improved upon in the new
product or service.
4. Generate product concepts: After having gone through with the
previous processes, you may now develop a number of product
21
concepts to illustrate the types of products or services that are

technically feasible and will best meet the requirements of the target
specifications.
5. Select a product concept: Through the process of evaluation between
attributes, a final concept is selected. After the final selection, additional
market research can be applied to obtain feedback from certain key
customers.
6. Refine product specifications: In this stage, product or services
specifications are refined on the basis of input from the foregoing
activities. Final specifications are the result of extensive study, expected
service life, projected selling price among others are being considered in
this stage.
7. Perform economic analysis: Throughout the process of product
development, it is very important to always review and estimate the
economic implications regarding development expenses, manufacturing
costs, and selling price of the product or services to be offered or
provided.
8. Plan the remaining development project: In this final stage of concept
development, you can prepare a detailed development plan which
includes list of activities, necessary resources and expenses, and
development schedule with milestones for tracking progress.
Finding Value
People buy for a reason. There should be something in your product or
service that would give consumers a good reason to go back and buy more.
There must be something that will make you the best option for target
customers; otherwise, they have no reason to buy what you are selling. This
implies further, that you offer something to your customers that will make
them value your product or service.
The value you incorporate in your product is called value proposition.
Value proposition is a believable collection of the most persuasive reasons
why people should notice you and take the action youre asking for. It is what
gets people moving, what makes people spend for your product or service.

22
Innovation
Innovation is the introduction of something new in your product or
service. This may be a new idea, a new method, or a new device. If you want
to increase your sales and profit, you must innovate. Some of the possible
innovations for your products are change of packaging, improvement of taste,
color, size, shape, and perhaps price. Some of the possible innovations in
providing services are application of new and improved methods, additional
featured services, and possibly freebies.
Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
Unique Selling Proposition is the factor or consideration presented by a
seller as the reason that one product or service is different from and better
than that of the competition. Before you can begin to sell your product or
service to your target customers, you have to sell yourself in it. This is
especially important when your product or service is similar to your
competitors.
USP requires careful analysis of other businesses' ads and marketing
messages. If you analyze what they say or what they sell, not just their
product or service characteristics, you can learn a great deal about how
companies distinguish themselves from competitors.
Here's how to discover your USP and how to use it to increase your sales and
profit:
Use empathy: Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Always

focus on the needs of the target customers and forget falling in love
with your own product or service. Always remember, you are
making/providing this product not for yourself but for the target
customers to eventually increase sales and earn profit. Essential
question such as what could make them come back and ignore
competition, should be asked to oneself. Most possible answers may
be focused on quality, availability, convenience, cleanliness, and
reliability of the product or service.
Identify customers desires. It is very important for you to understand

and find out what drives and motivates your customers to buy your
product or service. Make some effort to find out, analyze and utilize the
information that motivates the customers in their decision to purchase
the product or service.
23
Discover customers genuine reasons for buying the product.

Information is very important in decision making. A competitive
entrepreneur always improve their products or services to provide
satisfaction and of course retention of customers. As your business
grows, you should always consider the process of asking your
customers important information and questions that you can use to
improve your product or service.
Process
To enhance your understanding of the topic previously presented, you
will be tasked to form a group and arrange an interview with a successful
entrepreneur or practitioner. You have to document this interview and present
this to the whole class for reflection and appreciation.
Task 3: Interview
Directions: Select a successful entrepreneur or practitioner. Conduct an
interview using the set of questions below. Document the interview and
present it to the class. Use a separate sheet of paper.
1. How did you identify your customers?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. What were your considerations in selecting your customers?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. Explain how your product or service became unique to other products.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. Did you consult somebody before you engaged in this business?
Cite / give sample insights that you gained from the consultation.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
24
5. What were your preparations before you started the actual business?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
6. What creative and innovative techniques did you adapt in the
development of your product or service? What was the effect of the
innovative techniques to the sales and profits of your business?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
7. What strategy did you consider to create a unique selling proposition to
your product or service?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Task 4: Browsing the Internet
Directions: To deepen your understanding of the lesson, perform the
following tasks:
1. Browse the internet and view the topics related to:
a. customers needs and wants
b. techniques in identifying customers needs and wants
c. creativity or innovations in products and services
d. unique selling proposition
e. product development
2. Prepare a short narrative report about these topics and discuss it to the
class. You can highlight the aspect that intensifies your knowledge of
product development.

25
Transfer
Task 5: Product Conceptualization
Directions: In a separate sheet of paper or in your notebook. Develop your
own concept of your product or service by using the figures on this page. Use
bullets in every stage of product conceptualization in listing important key
ideas.
1. Identify
Customers Need
7. Prepare a
Development Plan
2. Target
Specifications
- Refine Product
6.
Specification
-
- Analyze a
3.
Competitive
Product
--
5. Select A product
Concept
4. Generate Product
Concept

26
Know
Generating Ideas for Business
The process of developing and generating a business idea is not a
simple process. Some people come up with a bunch of business ideas that
are not really feasible. There are two problems that arise; first is the
excessive generation of ideas that can forever remain as a dreaming stage
and the second is when they dont have ideas and dont want to become
entrepreneurs.
The most optimal way is to have a systematic approach in generating
and selecting a business idea that can be transformed into a real business.
Here are some basic yet very important considerations that can be used to
generate possible ideas for business:
1. Examine existing goods and services. Are you satisfied with the
product? What do other people who use the product say about it? How
can it be improved? There are many ways of improving a product from the
way it is made to the way it is packed and sold. You can also improve the
materials used in crafting the product. In addition, you can introduce new
ways of using the product, making it more useful and adaptable to the
customers many needs. When you are improving the product or
enhancing it, you are doing an innovation. You can also do an invention
by introducing an entirely new product to replace the old one.
Business ideas may also be generated by examining what goods and
services are sold outside the community. Very often, these products are
sold in a form that can still be enhanced or improved.
2. Examine the present and future needs. Look and listen to what the
customers, institutions, and communities are missing in terms of goods
and services. Sometimes, these needs are already obvious and identified
right away. Other needs are not that obvious because they can only be
identified later on, in the event of certain development in the community.
For example, a province will have its electrification facility in the next six
months. Only by that time will the entrepreneur could think of electricallyICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10
27
powered or generated business such as photo copying, computer service,

digital printing, etc.
3. Examine how the needs are being satisfied. Needs for the products
and services are referred to as market demand. To satisfy these needs is
to supply the products and services that meet the demands of the market.
The term market refers to whoever will use or buy the products or
services, and these may be people or institutions such as other
businesses, establishments, organizations, or government agencies.
There is a very good business opportunity when there is absolutely no
supply to a pressing market demand.
Businesses or industries in the locality also have needs for goods and
services. Their needs for raw materials, maintenance, and other services
such as selling and distribution are good sources of ideas for business.
4. Examine the available resources. Observe what materials or skills are
available in abundance in your area. A business can be started out of
available raw materials by selling them in raw form and by processing and
manufacturing them into finished products. For example, in a copraproducing town, there will be many coconut husks and shells available as
waste products. These can be collected and made into coco rags or
doormats and charcoal bricks and sold profitably outside the community.
A group of people in your neighborhood may have some special skills that
can be harnessed for business. For example, women in the Mountain
Province possess loom weaving skills that have been passed on from one
generation to another. Some communities set up weaving businesses to
produce blankets, decorative, and various souvenir items for sale to
tourists and lowlanders.
Business ideas can come from your own skills. The work and experience
you may have in agricultural arts, industrial arts, home economics, or ICT
classes will provide you with business opportunities to acquire the needed
skills which will earn you extra income should you decide to engage in
income-generating activities. With your skills, you may also tinker around
with various things in your spare time. Many products are invented this
way.

28
5. Read magazines, news articles, and other publications on new

products and techniques or advances in technology. You can pick up
new business ideas from magazines such as Newsweek, Readers Digest,
Business Magazines, Go Negosyo, Know About Business (KAB)
materials, and Small-Industry Journal. The Internet also serves as a
library where you may browse and surf on possible businesses. It will also
guide you on how to put the right product in the right place, at the right
price, and at the right time.
Key Concepts of Selecting a Business Idea
Once you have identified business opportunities, you will eventually
see that there are many possibilities available for you. It is very unlikely that
you will have enough resources to pursue all of them at once.
You have to select the most promising one among hundreds of ideas.
It will be good to do this in stages. In the first stage, you screen your ideas to
narrow them down to about few choices. In the next stage, trim down the
choices to two options. In the final stage, choose between the two and
decide which business idea is worth pursuing.
In screening your ideas, examine each one in terms of the following
guide questions:
1. How much capital is needed to put up the business?
2. Where should the business be located?
3. How big is the demand for the product? Do many people need
this product and will continue to need it for a long time?
4. How is the demand met? Who are processing the products to
meet the needs (competition or demand)? How much of the need
is now being met (supply)?
5. Do you have the background and experiences needed to run this
particular business?
6. Will the business be legal and not against any existing or
foreseeable government regulation?
7. Is the business in line with your interest and expertise?
Your answers to these questions will be helpful in screening which
ones among your many ideas are worth examining further and worth
pursuing.
29
Branding
Branding is a marketing practice of creating a name, a symbol or
design that identifies and differentiates product or services from the rest. It is
also a promise to your customers. It tells them what they can expect from
your product or service and it differentiates your offerings from other
competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and
what people perceive you to be.
Branding is one of the most important aspects in any business. An
effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive
markets.
A good product can:
- deliver message clearly,
- confirm credibility,
- connect to target prospect,
- motivate buyers, and
- concretize user loyalty.
Here are simple tips to publicize your brand:
Develop a tagline. Write a statement that is meaningful,

impressive, and easy to remember to capture the essence of your
brand.
Design a logo. Create a logo symbolic of your business and

consistent with your tagline and displace it strategically.
Write a brand message. Select a key message to communicate

about your brand.
Sustain a brand quality. Deliver a promise of quality through

your brand.
Practice consistency. Be reliable and consistent to what your

brand means in your business.

30
Process
In generating a business idea, you should first identify the type of
business suited to your business idea. You should analyze and scan the
potential environment, study the marketing practices and strategies of your
competitors, analyze strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in
your environment to ensure that the products or services you are planning to
offer will be patronized and within easy reach of target consumers.
How to conduct SWOT Analysis:
Be realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of your business

when conducting SWOT Analysis.
SWOT Analysis should distinguish between where your business is

today, and where it can be in the future.
SWOT Analysis should always be specific. Avoid any gray areas.
Always apply SWOT Analysis in relation to your competition,
i.e. better than or worse than your competition.
Keep your SWOT Analysis short and simple. Avoid complexity and
over analysis.
SWOT Analysis is subjective.
Task 6: SWOT Analysis

Directions: In a separate sheet of paper or in your notebook list down all your
observations for your business idea. Categorize your observations according
to strengths, weakness, opportunities and treats. After carefully listing them
down, use the stated strategies to come up with a sound analysis, activities
and best business idea.

31
Strength (S)
-
Weaknesses (W)
-
Opportunities (O)
-
Threats (T)
-
Strategies:
SW - Maximize on the Strengths to overcome the internal Weakness.

OW - Capitalize on the Opportunities to eliminate the internal
Weakness.
ST
OT
- Maximize on your Strengths to eliminate the external Threats.

- Take advantage of the available Opportunities to eliminate the
external Threats.
Analysis:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Activities:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

32
My Best Business Idea:

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

To deepen your understanding of the topics previously discussed, you
will be asked to perform the following activities:
Task 7: Extra Reading and Video Viewing
Reading books and watching videos have been considered as some of
the most effective educational activities that can help learners broaden their
understanding on a certain topic. In this particular task, you will be asked to
conduct extra reading and video viewing on the Internet with the following
topics:
A. Steps in selecting a business idea
B. Criteria of a viable business idea
C. Benefits of a good brand
D. Ways on developing a brand
After successfully performing the assigned task, make a narrative
report about it and share it with the class.
Transfer
Task 8: Designing a Logo
Directions: In a separate sheet of paper or in your notebook draw a logo that
you will use in your business. Provide a simple statement to describe your
logo.

33
Logo
Tagline
Task 9: Making My Own Vicinity Map

Directions: In a separate sheet of paper or in your notebook draw a vicinity
map reflective of potential market in Contact Center Services in your
province. Provide a simple statement to describe your map.
Vicinity Map

34
Content Standard
Performance Standard
The
learner
demonstrates
understanding of concepts and
underlying
principles
in
communicating effectively in English.
The
learner
independently
demonstrates the proper skills of
communicating effectively in the
English language in accordance with
company policies.
Quarter I, II
MODULE 3
COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY IN ENGLISH
Introduction
Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) is a K to12 Basic Education
Curriculum subject area that offers students like you opportunities to be active
members of the entrepreneurial society. One area of this discipline is the
Information and Communications Technology (ICT). This module will focus on
ICT specialization CONTACT CENTER SERVICES.
Contact Center Services industry is the fastest growing industry in the
Philippines. The CCS industry is part of the outsourcing industry where big
companies subcontract a part of their department off-shore. The industry has
provided many Filipinos with stable jobs. More so, the industry has helped in
augmenting the economy of the country. It has been forecasted that the
Outsourcing Industry will continue to grow rapidly in the coming years.
According to the British Broadcasting Company, the Philippines
outranked India in providing professionals in CCS in 2012. Currently, the
country is still counting on this industry to drive the formation of new jobs.
ICT CONTACT CENTER SERVICES Grade 10

35
Why do Contact Center and Business Process Outsourcing companies

choose the Philippines? We, Filipinos, have the potentials to develop excellent
communication skills. Moreover, we are highly trainable in terms of our
speaking and listening skills.
This module is carefully designed to develop your communication skills
in English, both written and spoken media. Included in this module are lessons
about communication pathways, elements of communication, barriers to
communication, oral and listening skills, grammar, writing skills, voice and
accent, and communication cues.
Achievement of the objectives of this course will make you more
marketable in the field of Contact Center Services.
This module will help students like you develop the skill of effective
communication which is vital in the field of Contact Center Services.
To communicate using words, whether written or spoken, is the primary
responsibility of a Contact Center Service provider. It is part of his/her daily
task, whether inbound or outbound. The communication process is a two-way
street that entails careful choice of words, proper delivery, and an open mind.
OBJECTIVES
analyze communication process,
communicate and listen effectively, and
use paralanguage communication cues.
PRE-ASSESSMENT
Let us first assess your entry level knowledge and skills regarding
this lesson. It is important to identify your strengths and weaknesses in
communicating so that you know where and what to improve. Answer
the following tests honestly.

36
I.
SURVEY 1
Oral communication skills
This survey provides opportunities for you to check areas of your
oral communication skills. It is a guide to help you diagnose your
strengths and difficulties. On each of the item, rate yourself on
the scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest. Do this on a separate
sheet of paper.
Elements of Oral Parameter

Communication
Rating
Consonants
I do not
pronouncing
clusters.
have problems
any consonants
in
or
Vowels
I can pronounce vowel sounds

clearly and fluently.
Syllables
and/or I can clearly pronounce syllables and
grammatical
grammatical endings such as d and
endings
ed.
My word stress falls on the right
Word stress
syllables all the time.
Rhythm
sentences
in I speak in a natural rhythm that does

not sound abrupt or choppy.
Focus and special I use emphatic stress to indicate key

emphasis
words, contrasts (not only/all), etc.
(Prominence)
Intonation/Pitch
My tone rises and falls in the

appropriate parts of my statement. I
do not sound monotonous.
Thought groups and I pause at commas and other

linking
appropriate parts of the statement.

37
Delivery (rate of I am aware when to speak loud, soft,

speech, loudness)
fast, or slow.
My score
II.
SURVEY 2
Written communication skills
For each item below, please rate your abilities in a scale of 1 to 5
(5 being the highest). Circle your choice. Do this on a separate
sheet of paper.
1=never or almost never true for me
2=usually not true for me
3=somewhat true for me
4=usually true for me
5=always or almost always true for me
I can write a good paragraph.
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
I can use appropriate vocabulary and

word
forms
to
effectively
communicate with the reader.
1 2 3 4 5
I can use appropriate punctuations in
my sentences.
1 2 3 4 5
I know how to spell words, even
unfamiliar ones.
1 2 3 4 5
I can make self-corrections on my
grammar.
1 2 3 4 5
I can write quickly in English.
38
1 2 3 4 5
I can edit my writing to improve the
wording, grammar, punctuation, and
spelling.
1 2 3 4 5
I can arrange my ideas logically.
My score
ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Level
Description
Exceptional
Can vary intonation and place sentence

stress correctly in order to express finer
shades of meaning.
Has a clear, natural pronunciation and
intonation.
Pronunciation is comprehensible even if
accent is not neutralized and occasional
mispronunciations occur.
Pronunciation is generally clear enough
to be understood despite a noticeable
non-native English speaker accent, but
conversational partners will need to ask
for repetition from time to time.
Pronunciation is sometimes difficult to
understand by conversation partners
especially native English speakers
because of limited knowledge of tone,
stress and intonation.
Score
76 90
61 75
46 60
31 45
Above-average
Average
Weak
Poor
30 and
below

39
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Level
Description
Exceptional
Can write clear, smoothly flowing,

complex sentences in a logical
structure which helps the reader to
easily find significant points.
Can write clear, well-structured
sentences about a subject, stating
reasons and relevant examples, and
making an appropriate conclusion.
Can write connected texts about the
same subject by linking a
series of shorter sentences into a
cohesive and coherent paragraph.
Can write a series of simple phrases
and sentences linked with simple
connectors.
Can write simple isolated phrases and
sentences.
Score
36 40
Above-average
31 - 35
Average
21 - 30
Weak
11 - 20
Poor
10 and
below
Now that you have assessed your level in communication skills, you
may now start studying the lessons. Keep in mind the specific areas
that you need to improve on.

40
LEARNING GOALS AND TARGET

Before you begin your journey in this module, it is important to set your
personal goals and targets based on what you have read in the introduction
of this module. Let the objectives be your guide in setting your personal
goals.
Goal 1
Goal 2
Goal 3
Goal 4
Goal 5
Lesson 1. Analyze Communication Process

There are several ways to communicate and share information and
message nowadays. With the advent of technology, communication is not
only limited to verbal and written way. One may also send a message
through electronic methods such as e-mail, chat, and the like. In this part of
the module, you will explore the different ways to communicate and the
different pathways of communication in the Contact Center Service
industry.
Preliminary Activities
Answer the following questions in your notebook.
1. Imagine you are working as a Contact Center Service representative.
List down the different ways you communicate in the workplace.
2. Identify the people that you communicate with in the workplace.
41
1.1 Communication Pathways

More often than not, Contact Center Services providers communicate
verbally. Verbal communication in this industry may occur in phone or in
person. In this type of communication, the message is transmitted verbally.
Hence, it is important to remember the acronym KISS (Keep it short and
simple).
For example:
A. I understand that you lost the receipt but we have to follow the
standard procedure regarding return of items without receipt.
B. I understand your concern. However, we have procedures to follow
regarding the matter.
Statements A and B contain the same message. However, statement B
transmits the message in a simpler yet more concise way.
Verbal communication may either be oral or written. Written
communication is also a common form of communication. These are
printed messages such as memos, proposals, training manuals, company
policies, and letters. Written communication is asynchronous, which means
that it occurs at different times. The sender may write a message that the
receiver may read anytime.
Oral communication occurs in telephone calls. Call handling skills are
the skills that you have to possess to be part of the Contact Center Service
industry.
E-mails and other electronic methods of sending message can be
classified under written communication. An E-mail is the inter-office and
inter-organization mail system. It is a system of worldwide electronic
communication in which a computer user can compose a message at one
terminal that can be regenerated at the recipients terminal. E-mails are also
42
asynchronous. Businesses nowadays rely on the use of e-mail as a form of

communication internally (within the company) and externally (outside the
company).
Let us compare the different types of communication. Look at table 2
below.
Table 2. Advantages and Disadvantages of the Different Ways to
Communicate
Ways to Communicate
Advantage
Oral communication
Brings quick
feedback
Written communication
Messages can be
edited
before
sending
Can be saved for
later study
Electronic
communication
Disregards
aspect
distance
the
of
Disadvantage
Speaker
is
usually unable to
process message
before speaking
Does not bring
instant feedback
Takes time to
prepare
and
requires writing
ability
Relies on good
internet
connection
It is also important to identify your communication pathways as a

Contact Center Services provider. In this industry your, primary
communication pathway, is from you as an agent to your customer. In this
pathway you will be maximizing the use of oral communication since most
of your customers are located off-shore.
Nevertheless, you are not limited to this pathway. Communicating with
the people around you in the workplace is also a part of your job. You
communicate, whether oral or written, with your supervisors, peers, and
subordinates.

43
Below are helpful tips for you to consider in establishing good

communication among your customers or anybody else in your workplace.
You must be:
alert
pleasant
polite
friendly
fair
thoughtful
cooperative
humble
tolerant and considerate
loyal
sensitive
honest
show self-control
flexible and adaptable
punctual
enthusiastic
responsible
No matter what form of communication you intend to use or which

communication pathway you use, always remember that the key to
a good communication is courtesy. Be courteous all the time.

44
Process
Task 1. Modified True or False
Directions: Read the following statements about communication. Tell whether
the statement is true or false. Write TRUE if the statement is correct. Otherwise,
rewrite the statement to correct it. Do this on your notebook.
1.
2.
3.
4.
The fastest way to get a response is through written communication.

Written communication is synchronous.
Oral and written communication are both verbal communication.
The primary communication pathway used in the Contact Center
Services industry is from agent to supervisor.
5. The use of electronic communication disregards the aspect of distance.
6. It is important to be simple and concise when communicating.
7. E-mail and other electronic forms of messages can be classified as oral
communication.
8. Examples of written communication are memos, proposals, training
manuals, company policies, and phone calls.
9. Most industries and businesses rely on the use of email for internal and
external communication.
10. One advantage of oral communication is the lack of time for the speaker
to process the message before delivery.

Task 2: CHOOSE THE BEST
Directions: Below are scenarios that you may encounter when you become a
part of the contact service industry. Imagine that you are already working as a
contact center agent. You may encounter the following situations. Identify the
best type of communication that should be used. Provide reasons for choosing
it. Do this in a separate sheet of paper.

45
SITUATION
TYPE OF
COMMUNICATION
REASON FOR
CHOOSING
1. You exceeded
the allowed
number of
minutes for late
in a month. You
received a
written warning
asking you to
provide an
explanation for
your tardiness.
2. Mrs. Smith
requested to be
regularly
updated with the
sale events and
promotions of
the Yellow Star,
which is an
online store.
3. You were in the
middle of a call
when all of a
sudden the line
got
disconnected.

46
1.2 Elements of Communication

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY
Communication is a process that involves different elements which
affect message transmission and message quality. Before we begin the
lesson, try to recall the last time you communicated with another person.
Below is an unlabelled illustration of the communication process. Try to fill
it in with your idea of the elements included in the process.
FEEDBACK LOOP
Communication is a process where the message is packaged,

channelled, and conveyed by a sender to a receiver through a certain
medium. It is a process in the sense that steps have to be done in a
particular order.

47
Examine the figure below.

Figure 4 The Communication Process
How many elements of communication process do you see?
The communication process has the following elements:

1. Message
Message is the most essential part of the communication process. A
message may come in different forms such as a letter, a phone call,
a video presentation, an email, or a face-to-face interaction. It is not
what the sender intends it to be but how the receiver understood the
information he/she received. Therefore, the sender should carefully
craft his/her message using good grammar and proper choice of
words.

48
Example:
an order
your new schedule
a co-workers request
2. Sender
The sender initiates the communication. He/she decides what
message to send and in what medium the message will be sent. It is
the job of the sender to encode the message. In doing so, the sender
should always keep in mind an understanding of who the receiver is
to make the information more relevant and appropriate.
Example:
the client or customer placing an order
your supervisor giving a memo
your co-worker sending an email
3. Transmission medium
Transmission medium is the immediate form in which the message
is being communicated. Message may be communicated in the form
of a letter, a voice call, or an e-mail.
Example:
a phone call
a memo
an e-mail
4. Recipient
Recipient or the receiver is the party to whom the message is
intended to. He/she is the one who interprets the message. The
recipient/receiver may not necessarily be an individual person. A
recipient may also be a group of people such as an audience.
Example:
a customer sales representative

an employee
a fellow co-worker

49
5. Noise
Anything that interferes with the communication process between the
sender and the recipient is called noise. Noise, sometimes called
interference, may change the meaning of the message sent. Most of
the time, message is not received exactly the way the sender intends
it to be. The presence of noise in all aspects of communication
makes it impossible. Noise can either be internal or external. External
noise refers to the physical environment which includes physiological
condition while internal noise includes psychological noise. An
example of psychological noise is a divided attention of a recipient.
Example:
loud music from the radio (external)

on-going construction outside the office (external)
an agent is hungry (external)
an agent is thinking of her sick puppy while on a call
(internal)
an interviewee who has low self-esteem (internal)
6. Context
Context is the personal background of the communicators or the
background of a communicative situation that may affect the
transmission of message.
Example:
gender preference
race
religious beliefs
educational attainment
during a war
during a crisis

50
Process
TASK 1: POOL UP
Directions: Identify the element of communication described in each
number. Choose your answer from the pool of words inside the box. Do this
in a separate sheet of paper
1. It is the communication background that may affect the transmission of
message.
2. It is the person to whom the message is intended to.
3. It is the immediate form in which the message is transmitted.
4. It is how the receiver understood the information he received.
5. It is the person who initiates the communication.
6. It can be anything that interferes with the communication process.
sender
message
barrier
recipient
context
feedback
medium
noise

51

TASK 2. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
Directions: Below is a form of written communication. Identify the different
elements in the letter by accomplishing the table that follows. Do this in a
separate sheet of paper.
Mr. Jack Hunt
Credit Department, Zassy Mall
2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 414
Arlington, VA 22201
RE: Refund for Receipt No. 2885
Dear Mr. Hunt:
I am writing this letter to follow up on the refund from my purchase
last December 13, 2013. I already called the customer service, but no
action was done. I was given report number 321 if I want to check the
status of my refund. I am hoping that by writing your office, necessary
actions will be taken. I attached a copy of my receipt that contains my
transaction number.
I am hoping for your appropriate response.
Sincerely,
Lisa Mcneil

52
Elements of Communication
Sender
Recipient
Message
Transmission
medium
Know
There are times when communicating with others becomes a difficult
task. There will always be hindrances to communication. Before we start the
next lesson, think of the things that usually hinder a good communication
process. List down the things that impede understanding of the. Do this on your
notebook.
1.3 Barriers to Communication

Communication is not a one-way street. Barriers may come from both ends
of the communication line. They are always present. A person with good
communication skill can identify the presence of these barriers and take
necessary actions to avoid, if not to eliminate them.
The most common and easiest to identify among the barriers to
communication is noise. It has been an indispensable in the communication
process which has already been discussed in the previous lesson. External
noise, which may be physical noise, can immediately affect the quality of
53
communication. It may be a radio turned up high, an ongoing construction

outside your office building, or even your co-worker next you tapping his hand
on the desk. These kinds of noise make it difficult for you to understand your
caller and they also make it difficult for your caller to understand you.
In order to resolve the problem caused by noise barriers, you can do the
following:
1. If the problem is with your caller, it is acceptable if you inform
them by saying, Mr. Mcneil, I am having trouble hearing you. Can
you please (tell the caller what to do)?
2. If the problem is coming from your end, it is best to identify the
source of the noise and fix it immediately.
Time can also be a barrier to communication. It affects communication
most especially in written communication. Letters and memoranda not sent
or received at the right time may cause major misunderstanding between
the communicators. If an employee fails to provide a letter of explanation
because he/she did not receive the memorandum on time, he or she may
get dismissed from work. In addition, time can also affect the quality of
verbal communication. Let us take the case of a customer in a hurry. He is
placing an order and he is getting frustrated with the slow procedure. This
may mean that the customer is no longer paying attention to the details you
are telling him.
The quality of message may also be a barrier to communication.
Unclear messages may result from vague and ambiguous sentences. For
example, He found a bat in the room. The word bat has several
meanings. It could either be a baseball bat or a flying mammal.
Choice of words can also affect the quality of message. The use of
jargon in statements can also make messages unclear. Jargon is a
language that is specific to a profession. It is a specialized vocabulary of
any profession or industry. These words are difficult to understand by
people who are not practitioners of that profession. Below are some
examples of jargons.

54
Table 3. Examples of Medical Jargons

ambu-bag
handheld squeeze bag attached to a face mask
amp
abbreviation for Ampule, which is a sealed plastic or

glass capsule containing a single dose of a drug in a
sterile solution for injection
the abbreviation for acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)
manual respiration for a patient having trouble breathing
that uses a handheld squeeze bag attached to a face
mask
ASA
bagging
bounceback
a patient who returns to the ER with the same complaint

shortly after being released
bradycardic
a slowing of the heart rate to less than 50 beats per
minute
c-section
shorthand for cesarean section, which is surgical
delivery of a baby through the abdominal wall
cellulitis
a skin infection
deep
vein a blood clot in a deep vein
thrombosis
diplopia
double vision
dyspnea
shortness of breath
Table 4. Examples of Business Jargons

Indebtedness of a company to its suppliers for goods or
services purchased and must be paid for within one year
(more typically paid within 30-90 days).
Accounts
Payable
Accounts
Receivable
Amount owed from a company by its customers for

goods or services supplied to them which must be paid
within one year (more typically collected within 30-90
days). It is indicated as a current asset on the company's
balance sheet.

55
Book Value
This is the net value, in accounting terms, of a company

based on actual costs and asset values.
Hyperinflation
This refers to very rapid, out-of-control inflation.
Liquidated
A company may be liquidated or dissolved by selling all

its assets and then using the cash to meet any
obligations to creditors.
Barriers to communication can go as deep as the cultural level. The

difference between the culture of the sender and the receiver can greatly
affect the communication process. If the sender and receiver have different
cultures, ethnocentrism may occur. Ethnocentrism is the act of judging the
culture of others on the basis of what is acceptable in the culture of one
communicator. It includes the idea that one culture is superior of others.
Prejudgment can also be a barrier to communication. It is the act of
judging what someone has to say even before he/she speaks. You may also
prejudge by dismissing someones ideas because of the belief that you
know what the other person has to say. It is neither productive nor polite.

56
Process
Directions: Match the barriers to communication listed in Column A with
their definitions in Column B.
A
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
B.
noise
time
quality of message
jargons
enthnocentrism
pre-judgment
a. unclear messages due to vague

and ambiguous sentences
b. anything that interferes with the
communication process between
the sender and the recipient
c. affects written communication
more than oral communication
d. a language that is specific to a
profession
e. the act of judging what someone
has to say even before they
speak
f. the act of judging the culture of
others on the basis of what is
acceptable in the culture of one
communicator

57
Task 2: Lets Get Updated!

1. Using a computer with Internet service, follow the given URL:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1481072/pdf/canv
etj00071-0005.pdf
2. Read the editorial article entitled Good Communication: How It Can Be
Achieved written by Doug Hare.
3. Answer the following questions in your notebook as you read the article.
a. Why did the author say that we are veterinarians?
b. Cite at least three ingredients to good communication mentioned in
the article.
c. What is the disadvantage of communicating on the telephone? How
can this disadvantage be resolved?
d. Give at least five pieces of advice provided in the article on how to
achieve good communication.
Transfer
Task 3: In the Real World

1. Form groups of five.
2. Arrange interviews with at least five call center agents (customer service
representatives, technical support representatives, or sales
representatives), team leaders, or supervisors in the call center industry.
3. Ask them about the common barriers to communication they encounter
when taking calls and how they resolve them.
4. Be ready to share your findings with the rest of the class.

58
Know
Lesson 2. Communicate and listen effectively

2.1 ORAL SKILLS
Proper pronunciation is a prerequisite to a good communication skill.
Before we start studying more about pronunciation, try to read the excerpt
below.
Call center agents usually provide inbound and outbound

customer support. They take and make calls, offering customer
service 24/7. The job entails entertaining and addressing various
issues and concerns coming from customers of different races. It is
indeed a challenging job that requires one to deal with people with
shifting moods or a tactless approach in voicing their concerns.
Fortunately, agents are given sufficient training prior to
deploying them to face such tasks. Communication skills are
enhanced and tips on how to handle the calls with efficiency are
given. Also, campaign orientations are given so as to make the
agents knowledgeable enough about the products or brands they
will be presenting to customers.
Source:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.callcenterphils.tumblr.com/post/9367926
818/call-center-life-and-facts&strip=1

59
You may record your voice as you read the excerpt for the second time.
Take note of how you pronounce each letters in every word.
2.1.1 Phonemes
Say the English word man several

times. Now cut out the last two letters
and say a long [m]. This time, say the
middle letter which is [a]. Then, say the
last letter which is [n].
How many speech sounds do you think are there in the word man?
Most probably, you will say three and will state them to be [m], [a], which is
denoted as [], and [n].
Phonemes are the smallest unit of speech. It is similar to a single letter,
vowel or consonant, in the English language. However, the number of letters in
a word does not correspond to the number of phonemes. For example, the
word call has four letters but contains three phonemes only, which we will
denote as [k], [o], and [l].
Phonemes are classified as vowel or consonant in the English language.
One difficulty non-native English speakers encounter is pronouncing the voiced
and unvoiced consonants.

60
Say the word pop. Do it again and put

your hand in front of your mouth. Did
you notice the air produced as you
pronounce the word?
When you say the word pop, you are producing the phoneme [p]. It is an
example of a consonant phoneme produced using a strong voiceless
articulation. This type of phoneme produces a popping sound, but is unvoiced
or voiceless. Voiceless means producing a sound without the vibration of the
vocal chords.
This time, try to say the word voice

twice. On the second time, place your
palm on your throat. Did you feel the
vibration on your throat?
Some
consonants are produced using a weak potentially voiced articulation. To

produce these phonemes, there must be vibration in the throat area. Hence,
when you say the word voice, a vibration is produced because of the presence
of the phoneme [v].
Voiced and unvoiced consonants differ in the manner of articulation but the
placement of the vocal apparatus are similar. In order to pronounce these
phonemes properly, the vocal apparatus should be in the correct position.

61
To understand the illustration included in Table 3 on page 54, study the

figure below which labels the different important vocal apparatus.
Figure 5. Vocal Apparatus
Table 5. Comparison of Voiced and Unvoiced Consonants

Voiced
Unvoiced
p
Pennsylvania,
citizenship
b
Baltimore
Alabama
subsribe
Placement of Vocal
Apparatus

62
t
telephone
today
d
Do
advantage
accepted
k
country
conversation
bookmark
g
good
again
investigate
(ch)
Long Beach
Approachable
obituary
journal
giant
manager
knowledge
f
Fiji Islands,
sophisticated
sheriff
v
visit
cove
expensive
(th)
Thanksgiving Day
South Dakota
th
therefore, weather,
together

63
s
motorcycle
scale
speech
z
zone
scissors
supervisor
(sh)
Chicago
conscience
(zh)
Closure
Camouflage
mirage
With other consonants in the English language, there is no distinction on

being voiced and unvoiced. The table below shows the list of other English
consonants.
Table 4. Consonants
Consonant
Example
health, Hawaii
machine,
Minesotta
November, New
Hampshire
(ng)
English, clarifying

64
eleven,Florida
ranch, chair
Washington, West
Virginia
New York,
Yellowstone Park
There is also a great difference in how Filipinos and Americans

pronounce vowels. In American English, vowels can be classified into three:
short vowels, long vowels, and diphthongs.
Table 6. Long and Short Vowels
Short
vowels
Example
Long
Vowels
Example
kit
palm
dress
square
trap
fleece
lot
thought
foot
goose
strut
nurse
bonus

65
Diphthongs are vowel phonemes produced by gliding from one vowel to

another. The table below shows the list of diphthongs.
Table 7. Diphthongs
Vowel
Example
ei
face
ai
price
oi
choice
oa
coat
au
mouth
ie
near
iu
cure
2.1.2 Sentence Construction

When phonemes are joined together, they create words. A collection of
words that expresses a complete thought is called a sentence. A Contact
Center Service provider need not only be able to pronounce words properly;
he/she should also have the capability to express his/her thoughts in a clear
and comprehensible manner to address the customers needs accurately.
Hence, one must learn how to construct grammatical and well-formed
sentences.

66
Constructing sentences is governed by rules. Grammaticality of

sentences can be judged by the following:
A. Completeness
The test difficult.
If you examine the statement above, you would
immediately identify that the example is not a sentence because
it is incomplete. Can you tell why it is incomplete?
All English sentences must have a verb. For that reason,
the statement above is incomplete due to the lack of a verb. Thus,
to complete the sentence, you may add the verb is. The
corrected sentence will be:
The test is difficult.
v
In addition, there are verbs that require a receiver of the
action or a direct object. These verbs are called transitive verbs.
Without a direct object, the inclusion of a transitive verb will not
guarantee completeness of a sentence.
Examine the statement below.
The customer places.
transitive verb
Since the verb (places) used in the statement above is a

transitive verb, the sentence remains ungrammatical. To
complete the sentence, a direct object must be added.
The customer places an order.
direct object
B. Word order
Read the statement below.
Complained delivery the customer late the.
67
Is it grammatical? You will more likely say no. The

sentence above does not express a clear thought. It is
ungrammatical because it does not follow the correct English
word order. The rule on word order may vary from one language
to another.
The linear word order for the English language is subjectverb-object, S-V-O. This word order is most commonly used for
declarative sentences. Thus, the corrected sentence for the
example above would read:
The customer complained the late delivery.
S
V
O
C. Word combination
Some words can occur together while some words, if put
together, may make a sentence sound ungrammatical. For
example, the escalated is not the right combination of words
because articles, a, an and the, cannot occur before a verb.
Articles are placed before nouns and gerunds. Gerund is
a noun made of a verb in the ing form. A good example would
be: The meeting has been moved. The word meeting in the
sentence is an example of a gerund.
It is also necessary to keep in mind the distinction between
adjectives and adverbs.
1. Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns. Descriptive
adjectives should come before a noun or pronoun
Example. Beautiful lady
irate caller
Adj.
n.
Adj.
n.
2. Adverb modify verbs, adjective, and adverbs

Example. Fluently speak
very graceful
Adv.
V.
adv. Adj.

68
Examine the sentence below.

A responsible CSR calm handled the call.
The sentence structure is ungrammatical.
A responsible CSR calm handled the call.
Adj. v.
The word calm, which is an adjective, should not occur before the
word handled, which is a verb. A verb should be modified by an
adverb. The word calm should be replaced with the word calmly,
which is an adverb, to make the sentence grammatical.
A responsible CSR calmly handled the call.
Adv.
V.
Process
TASK 1. VOWEL PHONEMES
Directions: Recall that in the English language vowels may be long, short,
or diphthong. Read the following words aloud. Identify the vowel phoneme
used in the given words. Write your answers in your notebook.
Word
Vowel Phoneme Used
stand
roof
relate
concentrate
name
skip
internet
69
TASK 2: CRITICAL VOWEL SOUNDS

Directions: Read the following words aloud. Make sure you produce the
critical vowel sounds correctly. Record your voice as you read the words.
After the last set, listen to how you pronounced each word.
1. sheep
ship
chit
cheat
2. bill
veal
pill
peel
feel
fill
3. bag
bug
tug
tag
cot
cat
4. long
loan
5. tooth `
thought
foot
fought
Scoring Guide:
10 pts. 0 mistake in articulation of critical vowel sounds
6 pts. - 1-2 mistakes in articulation of critical vowel sounds
3 pts. 3-4 mistakes in articulation of critical vowel sounds
0 pts. more than 4 mistakes in articulation of critical vowel
sounds
TASK 3: CRITICAL CONSONANT SOUNDS
Directions: Read the following words aloud. Make sure you produce the
critical consonant sounds correctly.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
though
three
ranch
voice
whale
dough
tree
rank
boys
hail
though
three
ranch
voice
whale
dough
tree
rank
boys
hail

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Scoring Guide:
10 pts. no mistake in articulation of critical consonant sounds
6 pts. - 1-2 mistakes in articulation of critical consonant sounds
3 pts. 3-4 mistakes in articulation of critical consonant sounds
0 pts. more than 4 mistakes in articulation of critical consonant sounds
TASK 4: READ. PAIR. CRITIQUE

Directions: Get a partner. Read the following set of sentences. Ask your
partner to listen carefully and take note of mispronounced phonemes as you
read the given sentences. Your partners task is to share with you his/her
comments once you are done. Do the same with your partner.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Thank you for calling SendService.

This is Ann.
How may I help you?
Have I addressed all of your concerns for today?
Let me thank you for calling SendService. Have a great day.
TASK 5: GRAMMATICAL OR UNGRAMMATICAL?

Directions: Determine whether the sentence in each number is grammatical
or ungrammatical. Draw a smiley if the sentence is grammatical.
Otherwise, write ungrammatical and identify the principle on sentence
construction violated by the sentence. Do this on your notebook.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I received the order wrong.

The agent helpful.
The call was short yet meaningful.
An event end today.
Promo code invalid.
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Task 6: PRONUNCIATION DOES MATTER
1. Using a functional computer with Internet service, follow the given URL:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/al/learning_english/leap/listeningan
dspeaking/pronunciation/
2. Your teacher may also provide you with a print out of the article.
3. Answer the following questions as you read the article. Do this in your
notebook.
a. Give two reasons that make English pronunciation difficult.
b. Choose three pieces of advice cited in the article which you think will
be helpful in improving your pronunciation. Elaborate how these
pieces of advice can help you.
2.2 Listening skills

Listening is different from hearing. Hearing is an unconscious process.
It is the act of perceiving sound using the ear. Listening, on the other hand,
is a conscious process that requires concentration so that one can process
the meaning of the words and sentences. It is one of the most important
skills a person can have.
Why is hearing not enough? Why do we need to listen listen?
We listen to gather information.

We listen to understand others.
We listen to be entertained.
We listen to learn.

72
We listen almost everyday of our lives. Yet there are times when we do
nott listen as effectively as possible. This could be due to the barriers to
communication we have discussed on the previous lessons. Contact Center
Services provider must overcome these barriers and become an effective
listener. The aim of a Contact Center Services provider is to practise active
listening at all times. Active listening is not just listening to the words one
hears, but also entails trying to understand the whole message sent. The
following are tips on how you can improve your listening skills and become
an active listener.
1. Pay attention.
When engaged in a telephone conversation with a customer, you
must give him/her your undivided attention. Clicking your pen or
communicating with your co-worker will not help you understand the
concerns of your customer.
2. Assure the other party that you are listening.
Since you cannot give your occasional nod or smile to your customer
on the other end of the telephone conversation, your small verbal
comments such as yes or uh huh will assure them that you are
listening.
3. Provide feedback.
Restating what you heard and asking questions for clarification are
forms of feedback. You can say What Im hearing is or Let me just
repeat that to restate, while statements such as Is this what you
mean? will help you clarify what you have heard.
4. Defer judgment.
Interrupting will only lead to frustration. Let the customer finish his
statement before you comment or clarify. Interrupting sends different
messages such as,
Im more important than you are.
My ideas are better than yours.
I dont really care what you think.
Stop talking and listen to me.
Hence, interrupting is not encouraged in any type of communication.

73
5. Respond appropriately.
Always remember to be polite and understanding when listening.
Criticizing the other partys ideas will not help. Acknowledge his/her
concerns and assert you opinions politely. More so, be honest in your
responses.
Process
Task 1: Acrostics
Directions: Acrostics is a series of lines or verse in which the first letter when
taken in order, spell out a word or phrase. Using the letters of the word LISTEN,
create an acrostic about tips of some tips on how to be an active listener. Do
this on a clean bond paper. You may also decorate your output.
L
I
S
T
E

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Transfer
TASK 1: THIS IS THEIR STORY
This task will provide you an opportunity to get an insight on the life of a Contact
Center Services provider.
PART 1: THE INTERVIEW
Step 1: Look for a person who works in the Contact Center Services industry.
Step 2: Arrange an interview with him or her. The following questions will serve
as your guide for the interview.
Step 3: Conduct the interview in a place where there will be less noise and
distraction.
Step 4: Record your interview. Below is a list of questions.
Note: You may add questions to the list. You may also modify the questions,
but you cannot remove questions included in the list.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Describe the nature of your job.

How long have you been employed?
When at work, with whom do you communicate most often?
Which communication pathway do you usually use to communicate with
your supervisor? co-workers? customers/clients?
Were there instances that you had difficulty understanding your
customer? your supervisor?
What was the usual cause of the difficulty?
How did you resolve them?
What pieces of advice can you give to a student like me who aspire to
be a contact service provider like you?
Step 5: Be sure to conduct the interview in English. Be mindful of your

pronounciation.

75
PART 2: THE TRANSCRIPTION

Step 6: Listen to your voice recording. Transcribe the whole interview from
beginning to end. Transcription should be submitted together with the
reflection.
PART 3: THE REFLECTION
Step 7: Listen to the recording of your interview. List or note specific parts of
the interview when you and your interviewee did not fully understand each
other. Identify the cause. (i.e., vague question, soft voice, unclear
pronunciation). Use the format below.
Instance
Reason
How to resolve
Rubric for Evaluation

Criteria
Logical
and
Sequential
Delivery
Exceptional
10 PTS.
Admirable
8 PTS.
Acceptable
6 PTS.
Attempted
2 PTS.
Questions asked
are in logical
order.
Questions are
designed to build
on previous
questions.
Most questions
asked are in logical
order.
Some questions are
designed to build on
previous questions.
Few questions are

asked in logical
order.
Few questions are
previous questions.
Questions are not in

logical order.
Questions are not
previous questions.
Vocal and nonverbal delivery are

well developed
and enhance the
interview
experience.
Delivery is clear and

commands the
interview. Voice
and body are evenly
matched and
appropriately
managed for the
situation.
Delivery neither
enhances nor
hinders
performance.
Appropriate gestures
are communicated
and some distracting
mannerisms are
visible.
Delivery is distracting
or awkward and not
commanding for an
interview. Long
silences or too much
talking on the part of
the interviewer.

76
Language
Diction
Taping of
Interview
Presentation is
free of errors in
grammar and
pronunciation;
word choice aids
clarity and
vividness.
Interviewer used
professional
language.
Presentation is free
of serious errors in
grammar,
pronunciation,
and/or word usage.
Interviewer sounds
mostly professional.
Isolated errors in
grammar,
pronunciation,
and/or word choice
reduce clarity and
credibility.
Grammar,
pronunciation,
and/or word choice
are severely
deficient. Interviewer
does not use
professional
language.
Student uses a
clear voice and
correct, precise
pronunciation of
terms so that all
audience
members can
hear
presentation.
Student's voice is
clear. Student
pronounces most
words correctly.
Most audience
members can hear
presentation.
Student's voice is
low. Student
incorrectly
pronounces terms.
Audience
members have
difficulty hearing
presentation.
Student mumbles,
incorrectly
pronounces
terms, and speaks
too quietly for
students in the
back of class to
hear.
Tape is audible.
Provides help for
review.
Tape is mostly
audible but has
sections that are
inaudible.
Tape is helpful for
review.
Tape is mostly
inaudible.
Provides little help
for review.
Tape is inaudible.
Provides no help for
review.
Know
2.3 Grammar
Correct grammar is the key to all types of business communication. It
keeps us from being misunderstood and lets us express yourself and your
ideas more effectively. As a Contact Center representative, you speak and
communicate on behalf of your company. Your communication skills reflect the
quality and standards of your company. Hence, it is important to be mindful of
your grammar all the time.

77
2.3.1 Subject-Verb Agreement

Aside from the structure of the sentence, it is also necessary to be
mindful of the relationship of the subject and the verb in a sentence. This is
known as the Subject Verb Agreement (SVA).
In the present tense, nouns and verbs form plurals in opposite ways.
Adding s or -es to nouns makes a word plural while adding s or es to
verbs makes a it singular.
Example:
Noun
customer (singular)
customers (plural)
Verb
calls (singular or s-form)
call (plural or base form)
SVA simply states that the subject and the verb must agree in number.
This means that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural
subject takes a plural verb.
Examples:
Singular
The customer calls the hotline.

Subject verb
Sing.
Sing.
Plural
The customers call the hotline.

Subject verb
pl.
pl.
The following are eight common rules on Subject-Verb Agreement:

1. A phrase or clause in between the subject and the verb does not
change the number of the subject.
Examples:
a. Charles, the agent who won many times, is my team leader.
singular
singular
subject
verb

78
b. The calls from that department are already escalated.

plural
plural
subject
verb
2. Indefinite pronouns as subject
Some indefinite pronouns require singular verb, while others require
plural verbs.
a. Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verb.
each, either, neither, one, no one, nobody, nothing, anyone,
anybody, anything, someone, somebody, something, everyone,
everybody, everything
Example:
No one is allowed to put the customer on hold for several minutes.
singular singular
subject verb
b. Plural indefinite pronouns use plural verbs.

several, few, both, many
Example
Several customers are ordering the mattress using a coupon.
plural
subject
plural
verb
c. Some indefinite pronouns may either be singular or plural.

some, any, most, all
i.
If used with mass nouns, use singular verb.
Example:
Most of my water has been spilled.
Mass noun
ii.
singular verb
If used with count nouns, use plural verb

Most of my co-workers are late.
count noun plural verb
3. Compound subjects
a. Joined by and
If the subject is compound and joined by and, use a plural verb.
Example
The customer and the supervisor are still in a conversation.
Plural subject
Plural verb
b. Joined by either/or and neither/nor

79
If the compound subject is joined by or/nor, the verb agrees with

the subject closer to it.
Example:
i.
Neither the customers nor the shop owner keeps receipts.
Singular subject
singular verb
The verb keeps (singular form) is used in the sentence because

the subject closer to it is the shop owner which is also singular.
ii.
Neither the shop owner nor the customers keep receipts.

Plural subject plural verb
This time, the verb keep (plural form) is used because the subject
being considered is the customers which is plural.
iii.
Either the recording or the notes have been found.

Plural subject plural verb
The subject closer to the verb is notes. It is plural. Therefore, a

plural verb is used in the sentence.
4. Inverted subjects
The subject is inverted if it comes after the verb. Yet, the verb should
still agree with the subject.
Example
Here are my notes.
Plural
Verb
plural
subject
Interrogative sentences also have inverted subjects.

Example
Is there an on-going sale?
Singular
Verb
singular
subject
5. Collective nouns
A collective noun is a noun that refers to a group of entities that may
be considered either as individuals or as one larger entity.
Collective nouns are considered singular and take singular verbs.

80
Example
The audience claps their hands.
singular singular
subject verb
6. Titles
Titles of books, movies, stories, and the like are always singular.
Thus, singular verbs must be used.
Example:
Letters to Juliet makes me cry.
Title/singular
singular verb
7. Plural form subjects

Nouns that are plural in form but are singular in meaning take
singular verb.
Example:
statistics, linguistics, Philippines, etc.
The Philippines is a republic.
singular
subject
singular verb
8. The number/ A number

The phrase the number of _________, uses a singular verb.
Example:
The number of callers is greater today.
Singular verb
The phrase a number of _______, uses a plural verb.

Example:
A number of callers are satisfied.
Plural verb

81
2.3.2 Tense and Aspect

Tense refers to the actual location of an event in time. An action
may occur either in the past or present.
1)
Common (present) the base form of the verb or with s or es
to agree with the subject.
Examples:
Lea calls the technical support daily.
The investors check their record books regularly.
2)
Past takes the past tense formed by adding d or ed for
regular verbs or changing spelling for irregular verbs
Example:
Lea called the technical support for assistance.
He became the new team leader.
An action may also be viewed with respect to time instead of the

actions location on time. This is called aspect. The verb aspect has
three parts:
1)
Simple the action happened in a specific time in the past.

Example:
Ann called the hotline yesterday.
2)
Perfective the action happened in the past but it took place quite
recently. Verbs in this aspect are formed using has/have/had plus
the past participle.
Example:
Ann has called the hotline this morning.
3)
Progressive the action is still in progress at the time of speaking.

To form a verb in this aspect, add is/are/was/were to the verbs
participle form.
Example:
Ann is calling the hotline now.

82
Note: Aspect always include tense but tense can occur without aspect.
Examples:
The agent has escalated the call. (Perfective aspect, Past tense)
The agent escalates the call. (Present Tense)
2.3.3 Preposition
Prepositions are words that does not appear alone because it
should always be used with another word or words called its object. The
function of a preposition is to relate its object to other words in the
sentence.
Non-native English speakers often commit mistake in the use of
prepositions in their sentences. Common mistakes committed are:
non-use of preposition when a sentence needs one;
Example:
I must give her a replacement item the same value.
(wrong)
I must give her a replacement item at the same
value. (correct)
use of preposition when it is not necessary

Example:
Where did you get this at? (wrong)
Where did you get this? (correct)
use of the wrong preposition
Prepositions are words crucial in denoting time, place, and

position. Most often than not, prepositions are not interchangeable. It is
important to understand the distinct use of each preposition.

83
At, on, in, and by are the most commonly used prepositions. They
denote both time and position. Let us distinguish the use of the four. The
table below shows the use of the four prepositions in denoting time.
Table 8. At/In/On used to denote Time
Preposition
When to use
referring to a time in a
at
day
used for dates and
on
days
referring to longer
in
periods of time
when an action is
by
completed at a certain
time or date
Example
at lunchtime
at 11:00 am
on Sunday
on June 20, 2014
in 2013
in the past
by 2:30
by May
The next table shows how to use in, on, at, and by to denote position.
Table 9. In, On, and At to denote Position
Preposition
When to Use
to show a site or target
At
In
On
By
Example
at home
at training room
for enclosed spaced or in a room
geographic location
in New York
when an object is on a on the desk
surface
on the roof
to show nearness on a by the stairway
landmark
by the Shopping Mall
In addition, the preposition in is used when one is using a private

vehicle for transportation (i.e., I am in my car.), while the preposition on
is used for public transportation (i.e., I am on a bus or I am on a cab.).

84
Since prepositions are always used with another word, let us

examine how each part of speech pairs up with other parts of speech.
The table below shows a list of prepositions used with specific parts of
speech.
Table 10. Specific Preposition for Nouns
Part of
Speech
Noun
Preposition
for
Examples
a demand for
a need for
a reason for
of
a cause of
a picture of
in
a decrease in
a rise in
to
an invitation to
a solution to
with/between
a relationship with
(one person)
a
relationship
between
(two persons)

85
Table 11. Specific Preposition for Adjectives
Part of
Speech
Adjective
Preposition
of
Examples
afraid of
capable of
at
good at
to
similar to
in
interested in
on
keen on
for
famous for
about
sorry about
Table 12. Specific Preposition for Verbs

Part of
Speech
Preposition
to
Examples
talk to
speak to
at
look at
about
care about
for
ask for

86
apply for
of
approve of
consist of
for
pay for
apologize for
from
protect from
on
rely on
2.3.4 Modifiers
Words, phrases, and clauses used to provide description are called
modifiers. They make the meaning of the word or group of words more
specific. Modifiers allow the reader or listener to create a more detailed
mental image of the subject.
Modifiers can be words such as an adjective or an adverb. An adjective
makes a noun or a pronoun become more specific, while an adverb
provides more details about verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Examples:
The lengthy call ended very well.
(The modifier lengthy is an adjective. It tells what kind of call is being
mentioned in the sentence.)
The customer service representative professionally
handled the last call.
(The word professionally is an adverb modifier that makes the word handled
more specific.)
Modifiers can also be phrases and clauses. This includes adjective
clauses, adverb clauses, infinitive phrases, participial phrases, and
prepositional phrases.
Example:
87
Trying to avail the surprise sale online, Johnny placed his

order through the phone.
(The phrase trying to avail the surprise online acts as an adjective and
makes the noun Johnny more specific.)
2.3.5 Conditionals
Conditionals are also known as the if-clauses. These statements mean
that an action relies on another action. To elaborate, a conditional states
that a certain action can only happen if a certain condition is fulfilled.
Conditionals can be real conditional or unreal conditional. Real conditionals
describes real situations, while unreal conditionals describe unreal or
imaginary situations.
Presented below are the four types of conditionals.
1. Zero conditional
This is used for conditions that are always true as long as the
condition is met.
The format for this conditional is
If + present tense + present tense

(condition)
(result)
Example:
If you heat water to 100 degrees Celsius, it will boil. (fact-universal)
If I am unsure of the answer, I place the customer on hold. (fact
personal)
2. First conditional
Statements that state that a future action is more likely to happen
upon the fulfilment of another future action are in the first conditional.
The format is:
If + simple present + will + base form of the verb
Example:
If she follows the prompt correctly, she will reach the right
department.

88
Other modals aside from will can be used like may, should, can,
could, and might.
Examples:
a. If she follows the prompt correctly, she may reach the right
department.
b. If she follows the prompt correctly, she should reach the right
department.
c. If she follows the prompt correctly, she can reach the right
department.
d. If she follows the prompt correctly, she could reach the right
department.
e. If she follows the prompt correctly, she might reach the right
department.
3. Second conditional
Second conditional is used when:
talking about an imaginary present situation
talking about things in the future that are unlikely to happen
imagining something that is different from reality
The format is:
If + simple past + would +base form of verb

Example:
If the customer placed ten bulk orders, we would expedite the
shipping.
Again, other modals such as could, should, and might can be
used.

89
4. Third conditional
When talking about the past or imagining something different from
what actually happened, the third conditional is used. In this case, the
conditions were not fulfilled.
The format is:
If + past perfect + would have + past participle
Example:
If I had known, I would have helped him.
Other modals such as could, should, and might can also be used.
Process
Task 1: Subject-Verb Agreement
Directions: Choose the verb that will make the sentences in the
paragraph grammatically correct. Write your answer on your notebook.
A.
Call centers within the pharmaceutical industry (is, are)
increasingly being challenged to satisfy customer inquiries, while
simultaneously cutting costs. In today's ever-changing marketplace, call
centers (modernizes, modernize) their technology and (expands,
expand) connectivity options in order to support a growing variety of
customer interaction channels and tools.
According to a recent research by a benchmarking firm, there (is,
are) many gaps in adoption of social media platforms within consumer
health call centers. Sixty-three percent of respondents (identifies,
identified) issues such as regulations, privacy, and lack of knowledge on
usability as key challenges to social media adoption. Despite this, fortythree percent of the OTC segment (reports, report) using Facebook as
a customer interaction channel.

90
(Adapted from Consumer Health Call Centers Exploring New Social Media Channels
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/consumer-health-call-centers-exploring-new-social-mediachannels-2014-07-03)
B.
A call center agent (talks, talk) to a client in the U.S., as she
(works, work) the overnight shift in Manila's Makati financial district
February 6, 2012. The number of Filipinos who work on graveyard shifts
to answer calls on behalf of big multinational companies like Citigroup
and JPMorgan Chase (is, are) now greater than India's 350,000, earning
the Philippines the title - Call Center Capital of the World. By 2016, the
Philippines (wants, want) to double the size of the local BPO market to
$25 billion, employing 1.3 million workers from 640,000 at the end of
2011. But to be able to do that, the Southeast Asian nation must
convince investors that it (has, have) more to offer than a huge pool of
English-speaking talent.
(Adapted from Philippines, call center capital of the world by Erik de Castro
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/16747/philippines-call-center-capital-of-theworld)
Task 2: Preposition
Direction: Complete each sentence by choosing the best preposition
from the pool below. Write your answer on your notebook.
1. Call center agents are one _____ the highest earning employees
_____ the country.
2. Call center companies offer a whole range of benefits _____ health
insurance _____ gift certificates.
3. Promotions happen _____ a faster rate in call centers compared
_____ other companies.
4. There is unlimited supply of coffee _____ call center agents. Some
companies have unlimited juice or iced tea aside _____ coffee.
5. Call center companies strive to maintain this kind _____ quality work
environment and excellent service to client in order _____ provide
compensation and benefits.
to
of
in
with
on
from
for

91
at
by
Task 3: Modifiers
Direction: Identify the modifier describing the underlined word in each
sentence. Do this on your notebook.
1. Working in a call center might seem an easy job.
2. There are many different kinds of jobs in call centers: CSRs, TSRs,
supervisors, managers, human resource staff, and many others who
work to ensure a call center works well.
3. You must be able to answer their inquiry quickly and correctly, so
their faith and trust in your company is upheld.
4. You need to be the type of person who can learn and retain
information.
5. Many list the ability to speak a second language as an asset in
working in a call center.
Task 4: Conditionals
Direction: Fill in the correct phrases and form a conditional sentence by
using the verbs in the parenthesis. Take note of the verbs in bold face.
1. If we meet at 9:30, we ___________ (to have) plenty of time.
2. Lisa would find the package if she __________ (to look) in the
neighbors lawn.
3. The manager would have sanctioned her with a fine if she
__________ (to call) the clients.
4. If you spoke louder, your caller __________ (to understand) you.
5. The fragile package __________ (to arrive) safe if the delivery man
drove slowly.
6. You __________ (to have) no trouble at work if you had done your
duties and responsibilities properly.
7. If you __________ (to order) in this website, you will save time and
effort going to the store.
8. The customer will agree to be put on hold if you __________ (to
ask) permission nicely.
9. If the customer representative __________ (to ask) the customer, he
would have answered her questions.
10. I ___________ (to call) the customer back if I was/were you.

92
Know
2.4 Writing skills

In the previous lesson, you were taught about different grammar rules.
In this lesson, you will learn more techniques on how to improve your writing
skills. As a contact center representative, you must be well-versed in all
types of communication. There are times when you will be called to write
memos, plans, and reports. A good writing skill will allow you to
communicate your ideas clearly.
2.4.1 Spelling
In the age of text, e-mail, and private messages (PMs), spelling
has already taken a backseat because people want to communicate
quickly. Consider the following messages.
Miting @ 2pm. C u @ d conf rum :D
The same message could be written formally.
There will be a meeting at 2:00 PM. Please proceed to the
conference room. Thank you.
Spelling may be taken for granted when you are texting or
sending personal messages through social networks such as Facebook,
Twitter, or Instagram. However, in business and academic writing,
spelling should be taken seriously.
Here is a review of the rules in spelling to help you refresh your
spelling skills.
1. The letter i comes before the letter e except after the letter c
where e should come before i as in receipt and deceive.

93
SOME EXCEPTIONS:
Examples:
either
friend
neither
niece
protein
thief
sovereign
achieve
believe
2. For one-syllable words that follow the consonant-vowelconsonant pattern (C-V-C), adding ing requires to double the
last letter.
Examples:
sit
sitting
digging
nap napping
dig
The same rule applies for two-syllable word and the second
syllable follows the C-V-C pattern.
Examples:
deter deterrent
transfer transferred
3. If you want to add ing or any suffix that begins with a vowel
to any word that ends in a silent e, you should drop the e
before adding the suffix.

94
Examples:
dose
defense
globe
dosage
defensive
global
However, retain the e if the suffix to be added begins with

a consonant.
Example:
hope hopeful
care careless
4. Adding suffix to words ending in y requires changing y to i first.
Example:
day
happy
early
daily
happiness
earlier
5. If you want to add -el, or -al at the end of a word, take note of
the following tips.
-al ending is used mostly for adjectives, but some
nouns
Examples:
usual (adjective)
vocal (adjective)
local (adjective)

95
-el ending is the least common ending and it is used

mostly for nouns and verbs
Examples:
Parcel (noun)
Channel (noun)
Compel (verb)
Propel (verb)
6. There are two spellings for the /ch/ sound. -tch which is used
after a short vowel and ch anywhere else.
-tch after a short vowels such as a, e, i, o, u
Examples:
a
batch
catch
fetch
stretch
witch
kitchen
notch
scotch
clutch
Dutch
Note: If the ch sound is followed by ure, use t for the

ch sound.
Examples:
culture
future
96
7. When deciding whether to use tion, -sion, or cian, the

following tips will be helpful:
Always use -cian for people.
Example:
technician
politician
statistician
Use tion if the root word ends with a t sound.
Example:
Compete competition
Substitute substitution
Compute computation
Use sion if the root word ends with a d or s.
Example:
Compress compression
Extend extension
Be familiar with the rules on spelling. Also, make reading a habit.

Reading allows you to be more familiar with words not usually used
in ordinary conversations. Soon, you will improve your spelling skills
and will become more effective in written communication.
2.4.2 Paragraphing
A paragraph is a collection of sentences about a single topic.
Learning how to write a good paragraph is also a skill you must learn
in case you need to communicate through writing.
What makes a good paragraph?
A good paragraph should follow the principles below:
1. The paragraph must contain a topic sentence.
97
2. All remaining sentences should support and develop the topic

sentence.
3. Only one main idea should be developed.
4. The sentences should flow smoothly and logically.
5. A concluding sentence may be added, but is not essential.
To further understand the principles stated above, you must
learn the different parts of a paragraph. A paragraph may have 2
or 3 parts, which are as follows:
1. Topic sentence
This states the main topic of the paragraph. It may
occur anywhere in the paragraph: beginning, middle,
or end. However, to make it easy for the readers to
identify the topic sentence, it is suggested that you put
it near the beginning of the paragraph. A topic
sentence should not be too general and not too
specific.
Example:
Call center industry is fast growing. (too general)
Today, the call center industry is considered as the
fastest escalating employment provider for Filipino
college graduates who seek jobs that have better
income generation. (too specific)
Presently, the call center industy is considered as
the fastest rising employer for Filipino college
graduates. (not too general but not too specific)
2. Supporting sentences
These are sentences that expound the idea presented
on the topic sentence. They form the body of the
paragraph.
Example:
Majority of fresh college graduates opt to apply in the
contact center industry to develop the communication
skills and gain professionalism.
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It is also undeniable that the said industry offers a great

compensation package that lures new graduates.
(The sentences above support and expand the idea
presented in the given example of topic sentence.)
3. A concluding sentence or a clincher

This signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the
reader with important points to remember, but is often
unnecessary. It may also summarize the ideas
presented in the paragraph.
A well-written paragraph should have unity and
coherence. Unity refers to oneness of ideas included in the
paragraph. This means that all sentences in the paragraph
must discuss one topic or idea. If you have more than one
idea, it is best to start a new paragraph.
Examine the paragraph below. Try to determine if it follows
the principle of unity in paragraph writing. If not, identify in
which part the paragraph can be divided into two.
High emotional intelligence can help a manager

improve workplace communication skills, employee
motivation and organizational effectiveness. If a manager has
high empathy, a key component of emotional intelligence, he
or she will be able to listen to the concerns of employees and
will be more understanding of their needs, wants and
concerns. This will most likely translate into increased
motivation and satisfaction of employees and ultimately will
have a positive effect on the effectiveness of the business. It
is important to note, however, that emotional intelligence is a
concept that is not universally understood to have the same
meaning and is not universally believed to be a key
determiner of business success. Highly authoritarian, top
down approaches are employed in many successful
businesses today.
Source:
http://sydney.edu.au/business/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/90376/Writing_paragraphs.pdf

99
To follow the principle of unity, the paragraph above

should be divided into two. The second paragraph must begin
in It is important to note, however
Aside from unity, a well written paragraph should have
coherence. Coherence refers to the smooth and logical flow
of the sentences in a paragraph.
Below are some ways to make a paragraph coherent:
1. Use nouns and pronouns appropriately.
2. Arrange ideas in a logical order.
3. Use linking words.
4. Repeat key nouns regularly.
2.4.3 Organization
A paragraph should be well organized, so that there will be
an order in the presentation of information. This way information
is easier discussed, understood and remembered. Below are
some principles of organization that may help you in writing good
paragraphs or essays.
Chronological Order (order of time)
This is also called the order of time. Organizing
ideas using this principle will require one to arrange
items or events in the order in which they occur.
Transition markers, which will be discussed later,
are usually used in this organization of ideas. It is
best to use the order of time when telling stories or
when explaining a process.
Spatial Order
In this pattern, the items are arranged or described
based on their physical position or relationships.
For example, if you want to write about the design
of a newly opened restaurant, you may start by
describing the faade, then interior from ceiling
down to the walls and lastly the table set-up.
Meanwhile, in describing a person you can start by
describing him/her from foot going up to the head.

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Climactic Order (Order of Importance)

This pattern is also called the order of importance.
In this pattern, items are arranged from least
important to the most important.
2.4.4 Punctuations
Punctuation is one important aspect in written English. It is
the system of signs and symbols that shows how a sentence
should be read. Thus, it makes the meaning clear. Punctuation
marks can totally change the meaning of words. An error in
punctuation can deliver a totally different meaning than the one
that is intended.
Example:
Your order, Maam.
Your order, Maam?
Although the words in the two sentences above are the
same, the message of each sentence is completely different from
the other because of the use of period and question mark.
Lack and overuse of punctuation can alter meaning and
result in ambiguity. Ambiguous sentences are difficult to
understand. If your customer, colleague, or supervisor
misunderstood you, it could put your job at risk.
This lesson will provide a review on how to properly use
some of the commonly used punctuation marks.
1. Period
Use a period to end a statement.
Example: I already called the customer service.
If the last word in the sentence ends in a period, do not

follow it with another period.
Example: She studied in U.P.

101
2. Comma
Use a comma if you want to pause before proceeding.
Example:
As soon as I received the call, I searched for the
customers name.
Use a comma if you need to add a phrase that does

not contain any new subject.
Example:
The customer, upon receiving the empty parcel, called
the customer service to report.
It is also used to separate items on a list.

Example:
The customer requested for an order number, a receipt
number, and a reservation number.
Use a comma if there is more than one adjective (a

describing word, like beautiful) in a sentence.
Example:
The client requested the customer representatives to
be polite, courteous, and accommodating to the
customers.
3. Question Mark
A direct question (interrogative sentence) is followed
by a question mark.
Example: When did you place your order John?
Use a question mark when a sentence is half statement
and half question.
Example:
You do place the order, dont you?

102
4. Exclamation point
Use exclamation point to show emphasis or intense
emotion.
Example:
Leave now!
I am shocked by your behavior!
5. Hyphen
Use a hyphen to form compound words or join word
units
a. For compound numbers from twenty-one to ninetynine
Example:
forty-one
seventy-seven
b. For compound adjectives that occur before the
word they modify
Example:
well-loved teacher
well-known artist
Use a hyphen with the prefixes ex-, self-, and all-, with
the suffix elect, and with all prefixes before a proper
noun or proper adjective.
Example:
ex-mayor
all-star
non-European
6. Colon
Colons come after the independent clause and before
the word, phrase, sentence, quotation, or list it is
introducing.
Example:
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Customers only have one thing in mind today:

discount. (word)
Customers only have one thing in mind today: to get a
discount. (phrase)
7. Semi-colon
Semicolons are used to separate clauses or phrases
that are related and receive equal emphasis.
Example:
Michael seemed preoccupied; he answered our
questions abruptly.
2.4.5 Transition Markers

Transition markers provide coherence in a paragraph because
they create powerful links between your ideas. These are connecting
words or phrases that act like bridges between parts of your writing.
However, before using a particular transition marker, you should first
understand its meaning and usage completely.
These transition markers can be used within sentences, between
sentences, and in between paragraphs. The result is the reader will
be able to follow the ideas presented.
The table below shows the most commonly-used transition words
or markers.
Table 13. Transition Markers and Their Function
Function
Example of
Example sentence
transition markers
To sequence your
ideas
first(ly), second(ly),
third(ly), next, then,
after this, last(ly),
finally, accordingly,
meanwhile,
henceforth
The customer
received a verbal
warning for late
payment. Next, she
received a letter.

104
To introduce an
additional idea
also, furthermore,
additionally, in
addition, moreover,
similarly, likewise,
as well as, besides,
another, too
It was already
communicated
verbally to clients, as
well as employees.
To introduce an
opposite idea or
contras
in contrast,
conversely,
alternatively, yet,
although, even
though,
nevertheless,
notwithstanding,
however, on the
other hand
whereas, while,
instead, otherwise
The report has

already been
submitted, even
though the receipt
was not yet found.
To add a similar
idea
comparatively,
coupled with,
correspondingly,
identically, likewise,
similar to, together
with, equally
together with this,

the online store is also
offering promotions
and discounts.
To introduce an
example or
illustration
for example, such

as, for instance, to
demonstrate,
namely, in
particular,
specifically
In using discount
coupons, for
example, you must be
ready with the code.
To indicate a
consequence or
result
consequently,
accordingly, as a
result, hence,
subsequently,
therefore, thus,
The customer did not

receive her order. As
a result, she filed a
complaint.

105
thereupon, as a
consequence, for
this reason,
wherefore
To introduce a
restatement or
explanation
that is, in fact,

indeed, namely,
specifically, thus
More specifically, the

customer must
present her order
number.
To emphasize or
clarify a point
even more, above

all, indeed, more
importantly,
besides
More importantly,
you must be
courteous and patient
with your callers.
To draw to a close
or summarise
to conclude, as a
final point, , in brief,
in conclusion,
indeed, in short, in
summary, finally,
lastly
Finally, they arrived

at a solution to the
missing item from the
order.
Examine the paragraph below. No transition marker is used in the

paragraph.
A call center is a centralized office used for the purpose of
receiving or transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone. An
inbound call center is operated by a company to administer incoming
product support or information inquiries from consumers. Outbound call
centers are operated for telemarketing, solicitation of charitable or
political donations, debt collection, and market research. Collective
handling of letter, fax, live support software, social media, and e-mail at
one location is known as a contact center.

106
Meanwhile, examine the paragraph below. It used transition markers.

A call center is a centralized office used for the purpose of
receiving or transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone. An
inbound call center is operated by a company to administer incoming
product support or information inquiries from consumers. On the other
hand, outbound call centers are operated for telemarketing, solicitation
of charitable or political donations, debt collection, and market research.
In addition to a call center, collective handling of letter, fax, live support
software, social media, and e-mail at one location is known as a contact
center.
Although both paragraphs give the same information, it is quite clear that
the second paragraph is easier to read and understand because the reader is
guided from one idea to the next.
2.4.6 Sentence Construction

Sentence construction has been discussed in page 59 of this
module. However, let us have a review on the tips and rules on sentence
construction.
Constructing sentences is governed by rules. Grammaticality of
sentences can be judged by the following:
1. Completeness
All English sentences must have a subject and a verb. There are
times that a verb requires an object that will receive the action.
This is called the direct object. Completeness states that all this
part of the sentence must be present.
Example:
The test difficult. (incomplete)
The test is difficult. (complete)
The customer places. (incomplete)
The customer places an order. (complete)

107
2. Word Order
The linear word order for the English language is subject-verbobject, S-V-O. This word order is most commonly used for
declarative sentences.
Example:
The customer complained the late delivery.
S
3. Word combination
Some words can occur together while some words, if put
together, may make a sentence sound ungrammatical. For
example, the escalated is not the right combination of words
because articles, a, an and the, cannot occur before a verb.
2.4.7 Jargons
Jargons are special words or expressions that are used by a
particular profession or group and are difficult for others to
understand. For an in depth discussion on jargons, refer to page 47
of this module.
Process
Task 1: Spell Me
Direction: Listen carefully as your teacher reads a word. In a sheet of
paper, spell the word mentioned by your teacher.

108
Task 2: Correct Me
Directions: Below is a paragraph about call centers in the Philippines.
However, there are many errors in the paragraph such as incorrect
punctuation marks, missing punctuation marks, misspelled words,
incorrect sentence construction, and the like. Try to correct and rewrite
the paragraph. You may also add transition markers to make the
sentence coherent.
Outsourced call centers or contact centers is a group of
individuals handling a large volume of calls to the company. Call
center employees or contact center staff is usually known as call
center agents, telemarketers, customer service representatives
(CSR), customer support, customer service and the like?
They could either take inbound calls to customer queries
or call customers and prospective clients as outbound
telemarketers on a telemarketing company! Call center and
contact center agents may also be tasked for directory assistance
to generating leads for finance and mortgaging companies and
these calls come from foreign based mother companies.
Call centers is most common form of a Business Process
Outsourcing or BPO companies from the Philippines. Of course
there are pros and cons and yet outsourcing call center agents
have numerous benefits for small and medium scale businesses
that would help the growth of their business by achieving short
and long term goals.
Many developing countries such as Philippines, India and
countries in South America are most common destinations for
low-cost outsourcing? from these outsource locations,
companies top choice would be the Philippines;

109
Transfer
TASK 1: CAN YOU PLEASE SHARE WITH US?
We are going to set a date where we will just sit down and listen
to contact center service providers as they share their experiences. In
line with this, there will be a need for guest speakers. Your task is to
invite possible guest speakers for that day.
Together with your teacher, decide on the date for the event.
A. The Invitation
1. Form groups of three.
2. Compose a letter of invitation for a guest speaker. Invite them to a
small group sharing of their experiences in the industry. Be mindful
of your spelling and grammar.
3. Hand the letter to that person and wait for his/her reply.
Here is the rubric for the letter.
Excellent
4 pts
Format
Excellent
Format is
correct, including
your address,
date, inside
address,
salutation, body,
closing, and
signature.
Body
(Content)
Excellent
Body includes at
least three
complete
paragraphs. A
clear purpose is
clearly stated
and conveyed to
the reader.
Very Good
3 pts
Very Good
One of the
following parts is
incorrectly
formatted: your
address, date,
inside address,
salutation, body,
closing, and
signature.
Very Good
Missing one
component from
the following: at
least three
complete
paragraphs,
clearly stated
purpose
Satisfactory
2 pts
Satisfactory
Two of the following
parts are incorrectly
formatted: your
address, date, inside
address, salutation,
body, closing, and
signature.
Satisfactory
Missing two
components from the
following: at least
three complete
paragraphs,
clearly stated purpose

110
Needs
Improvement
1 pts
Needs
Improvement
Three of the
following parts are
incorrectly
formatted: your
address, date,
inside address,
salutation, body,
closing, and
signature.
Needs
Improvement
Missing three or
more components
from the following:
at least three
complete
paragraphs,
clearly stated
purpose
Grammar
and
Spelling
Language/A
udience
Language is
formal and
appropriate.
Conciseness
Excellent
Grammar and
spelling are
correct.
Very Good
Grammar and/or
spelling errors are
minimal (<2
errors).
Excellent
Satisfactory
Several errors in
grammar and/or
spelling (>2 errors).
Very Good
Satisfactory
One word is not

appropriate for
the audience.
Two words are not

appropriate for the
audience.
Excellent
Very Good
Satisfactory
The letter is free

of redundant
and/or
superfluous
wording.
The letter
contains no more
than two cases of
redundant and/or
superflous
wording.
The language is
appropriate for
the audience.
Needs
Improvement
Many errors in
grammar and/or
spelling (>4
errors).
Needs
Improvement
More than three
words are not
appropriate for the
audience.
Needs
Improvement
The letter contains

more more than two
cases of redundant
and/or superflous
wording, but they do
not distract from the
message.
The letter contains

so much redundant
and/or superfluous
information that the
message is
weakened.
B. My Insights
1. After listening to the talk of your guest speaker, write a twoparagraph essay on your insights and realizations.
2. Be mindful of your paragraphs. Make sure that your sentences
demonstrate unity and coherence.
Rubrics for Evaluation:
Score
Traits
___4 (EXCELLENT)
CLEAR, WELL-ORGANIZED, WELLDEVELOPED IDEAS
___3 (ACCEPTABLE)
___2 (BELOW AVERAGE)
___1 (UNACCEPTABLE)
Main idea (thesis) is clear; reflects on a

personal observation, a personal
experience, an insight into a condition,
or something learned from a situation).
Topic sentences and
sentences
are
used
paragraphs.
concluding
in
body

111
Descriptive, informative details are

used.
Transitions are used to weave the
paragraphs together.
Introduction, body, and conclusion
provide logical sequencing of ideas,
leading to an understandable analysis
of a condition or situation of
significance.
___4 (EXCELLENT)
WORD CHOICE
___3 (ACCEPTABLE)
Vivid, lively verbs are used.
Imaginative, unusual adjectives are

used.
___1 (UNACCEPTABLE)
No vague, overused, repetitive
language is used (a lot, great, very,
really, there is, there are, super, like . .
.).
Vocabulary choice is thoughtful and
shows evidence of the revision stage of
the writing process.
___4 (EXCELLENT)
___3 (ACCEPTABLE)
___1 (UNACCEPTABLE)
GRAMMAR, USAGE, MECHANICS

No run-on sentences
No sentence fragments
Subject/verb agreement
Correct verb tense usage
Punctuation is correct.
Capitalization is correct.
Spelling is error-free.

112
Know
Lesson 3. Use Paralanguage Cues
Paralanguage is the nonverbal aspect of speech. This includes body
language and voice nuances. Body language that may affect the
communication process are posture, eye contact, and hand gestures.
Meanwhile, voice or vocal qualities, also referred to as suprasegmentals,
include rate, volume, pitch and tone.
3.1 Voice
In the Contact Center Services industry, the message is not extracted
from what you say or your choice of words but on the manner of how you say
it. This is a proof that communication is more than words. This is also an
evidence that Contact Center Services provider must give importance to voice,
its quality and appropriateness to the message being conveyed.
In this part of the module you will learn more about the proper way of
utilizing your voice to achieve success in verbal communication.
3.1.1 Rate
Rate refers to the speed (fastness or slowness) of your speaking voice.
It is important to note that when conversing over the phone, which you, as a
Contact Center Services provider will do most of the time, you have to be aware
of the rate of your voice. To determine whether you have to talk fast or slow,
you may ask the client you are talking with by saying Am I speaking too fast?
It is important to establish a speaking rate which will be comprehensible
to the receiver of the message. On the average, a person can speak 150 words
per minute. If you increase your speaking rate to 500 words per minute, it will
be difficult for others to understand your message.
We slow down when we talk about serious subjects while our speaking
rate accelerates when we deal with lighter topics. Therefore, it is more
appropriate to talk slowly when dealing with someone who is calling to complain
and to talk faster and livelier to someone who is placing an order or making
commendation.

113
3.1.2 Volume
The loudness of the speaking voice is called volume. It affects the
perception of the intended meaning of the message. A person who uses a loud
speaking voice may be interpreted as aggressive or overbearing while a person
with a very soft voice may be viewed as timid and shy. In the same manner,
the volume of your speaking voice during a phone call may be interpreted by
the customer in two ways. If your speaking voice is too loud, you may sound
imposing. However, if you speak too soft, the customer might think that you are
not confident or unsure of what you are telling him/her.
3.1.3 Pitch
Similar to the pitch on a musical scale, the pitch of a speaking voice
refers to the highness or lowness of the voice. The pitch of your voice can be
an expression of your emotional state. A low speaking voice is often associated
with sadness while a high pitch may denote excitement.
If you want to encourage interaction, use a lively and animated pitch. A
monotone pitch discourages interaction. Using a monotone pitch may reflect
lack of interest.
3.1.4 Tone
In a research conducted by Albert Mehrabian, he found that a
communication it is comprised of 7% spoken words, 38% tone of the voice, and
55% of body language and facial expression used. As we speak, the listener
gets an impression of how we feel from the tone of our voice. Based on the
given proportion, it can be concluded that the tone of our voice will greatly affect
the communication process.
Tone refers to the variation in the pitch of the voice. During a call, a
customer can sense within ten seconds whether they are talking to a sweet and
accommodating contact center representative or to a bored and uninterested.
Take note that the first one is our goal. Below are some tips on how you can
improve the tone of your voice during a call.
1. Smile when you talk on the phone.
The reason behind this is not psychological but physiological. In singing,
the wider you open your mouth and the more teeth you show means the better
tone you get. The same applies in telephone calls.

114
2. Changing the stress in words.

Changing the stress on words changes the feeling, meaning, and tone
of your voice.
3. Breathing
Breathing will help you relax and will greatly improve the tone of your
voice. People under pressure tend to become shallow breathers. When you are
confronted with a difficult or irate caller, practice long, slow, deep breaths to
improve your tone.
Process

Directions: Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of your choice. Do
this on your notebook.
A
1. the variation in the pitch of the

voice
2. the highness or lowness of the
voice
3. includes body language and voice
nuances
4. loudness of the speaking voice
5. the speed (fastness or slowness)
of your speaking voice
a.
rate
b.
tone
c.
pitch
d.
volume
e.
paralanguage cues

115
Task 2. Modified True or False

Direction: Determine whether the statement is true or false. If the statement is
true write T. otherwise, rewrite the statement by correcting it. Do this on your
notebook.
1. Communication is all about words.
2. A monotonous tone is a sign of enthusiasm.
3. If you want to sound apologetic and humble, do not use a loud speaking
voice.
4. If you frown while you speak, the tone of your voice will encourage
interaction.
5. Slow and deep breathing will not help you when confronted with a
difficult call.

Task 3. Spot the Difference
Directions: Using a computer, visit the link below. Read the article and listen
to the voice recording in the exercise. Then, answer the following questions
in your notebook:
http://www.womensally.com/articles/Tone-Voice
1. How can the tone of your voice affect the message that you are
sending?
2. What differences did you observe between statements delivered in
a firm and harsh tone and to those delivered in a more friendly tone?

116
1.7 Accent
Know
3.2 Accent
3.2.1 Stress
In English, we do not say every syllable with the same force. One
syllable is articulated loudly while the others are articulated softly. The
forceful articulation of one syllable is called stress. To stress means to make
emphatic or more prominent. There are three levels of stress in the English
language - the primary stress or the main stress, the secondary stress, and
the unstressed.
Learning about word stress will be easier if you understand the concept
of syllables. Every word contains syllables. Syllable is the smallest unit of
pronunciation that can contain stress. A word may have one, two, three, or
more syllable.
Table 14. Syllabication

Word
Number of
Syllable/s
ask
Ask
call
call
dial
di-al
order
or-der
complain
com-plain

117
customer
cus-to-mer
encoded
en-co-ded
supervisor
su-per-vi-sor
accommodation ac-com-mo-da-tion
Some languages such as French and Japanese pronounce each

syllable equally. However, native English speakers use stress naturally.
Non-native speakers should learn to pronounce words with the correct
stress in order to arrive to a common understanding. The stress pattern of
a word can affect a words meaning. Proper stress and correct articulation
of phonemes should go hand in hand, so that non-native speakers of
English will be understood by native speakers. The following rules will help
you learn more about correct pronunciation of words.
1. A word has only one stress.
Each word has only one stress. If you hear two stresses, you hear
two words.
Example:
can - CAN
dress DRESS
2. Stress is placed in vowels only.

Examples:
again
after
agreeing
3. Most two-syllable nouns and adjectives are stressed on the first
syllable.
Examples:
Two syllable noun report
REport
update
UPdate
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Two
adjective
patient
syllable happy
PAtient
HAPpy
4. Most two-syllable verbs are stressed on the last syllable.

Examples:
Two syllable verbs to report
to rePORT
to update
to upDATE
NOTE: Notice the word report. It functions both as a noun and as a

verb. If stress is placed on the first syllable, it is a noun. If stress is
placed on the last syllable, it becomes a verb.
5. For words ending in ic, -sion, -tion, stress is placed on the second
to the last syllable
Example:
scienTIfic
perMISsion
NAtion
6. Words ending in cy, -ty, -phy, -gy, and al have stress placed on
the third from end syllable.
Examples:
GEOgraphy
SOciety
iDENtical
PsyCHOlogy
7. For compound nouns, the stress is on the first part.
Examples:
HOMEtown
SOFTware
BREAKfast
8. For compound adjectives, the stress is on the second part.
Examples:
old-FASHioned
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well-KNOWN
well-DRESSed
easy-GOing
good-LOOKing
9. For compound verbs, the stress is on the second part.
Examples:
fall aPART
turn aWAY
come BACK
come IN
3.2.2 Intonation
Intonation refers to the way your voice goes up and down when you
speak. It is important to vary your intonation to keep the customers interest.
There are two kinds of intonation: rising intonation and falling intonation.
1. Rising intonation
In this intonation, the speakers pitch rises and remains high until the
end of the statement. The high pitch at the end of the statement may mean that
the speaker needs a reply. This is why this intonation is mostly used for
interrogative sentences especially for yes-no questions. It is also used if the
speaker is uncertain or unsure.
Example:
Is the shipping address the same as the billing address?
2. Falling Intonation
The speakers pitch in this intonation fall at the end of the thought
or statement. This intonation is used when you want to tell a fact. This intonation
conveys certainty.
Example:
The shipping address is the same as my billing address.

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For non-native English speakers, intonation may not come naturally.

Hence, practice is important. Listen to radio announcements, and TV
interviews. Observe how announcers or reporters utilize intonation in order to
send a clear message. Try imitating the statements with different intonation.
3.2.3 Blending
Blending is the ability to smoothly combine individual sounds into a word
or words in a phrase as if they were one word. Usually, the final consonant
sound of a word is blended with the initial vowel sound of the next word. This
means that the end of one word is attached to the beginning of another word.
Examples:
Spelling
Pronunciation
My name is Ann.
my nay mi zn
909-5068
Nay now nayn fay vo sick seyt
Did you like it?
Didja like it?
3.2.4 Phrasing
Phrasing is dividing an utterance into breath units or thought groups.
Thought groups refers to phrases in accent reduction classes. Sentences are
usually divided into shorter pieces when speaking or reading. In phrasing, the
speaker pauses in between thought groups or breath units.
Phrasing is done to:
a. catch breath,
b. to clarify meaning, and
c. to emphasize an idea.
It is necessary to identify which group of words expresses a single idea
because it will not sound natural to pause in the middle of a thought group.
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Example:
Is it okay if I put you on hold/ for a minute or two/ while I pull up
your account?//
We do have an available room/ in the 21st of November.//
Note:
/ means pause
// means full stop
Remember that to neutralize your accent you have to apply the correct
stress in each word and the appropriate intonation and phrasing.
Blending will also improve your accent. It is now time for you to practice.
Process
Task 1: Pool up!
Direction: Complete the given statement below. Choose from the pool of words
inside the box. Do this on your notebook.
1. ________________ means to make emphatic or more prominent.
2. The smallest unit of pronunciation that may contain stress is
_______________.
3. The word approximation has _________ syllables.
4. The way your voice goes up and down when you speak is known as
____________.
5. _______________ should be used when you are asking a question or are
uncertain.
6. ________________ must be used when stating a fact or truth.

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7. _____________ is to combine individual sounds into a word or of words in a

phrase as if they were one word.
8. ________________ is dividing an utterance into breath units or thought
groups.
9. A group of words expresses a single idea which is also referred to as phrase
is _________________.
10. The primary reason for doing phrasing is to ___________________.
phrasing
syllable
catching breath
blending
intonation
thought groups
rising intonation
stress
falling intonation
paragraphing
Task 2: The Last Man Standing

Direction: This is a game that will test your knowledge on the application of the
lessons discussed. Follow the steps bellow:
1. The teacher will write a phrase on the board.
2. Read it silently.
3. Practice pronouncing it with a neutralized accent.
4. Everybody will be asked to stand.
5. Once the teacher points to you, you have to read the phrase aloud.
6. If you pronounced it correctly and with a neutralized accent, you will
be allowed to sit. Otherwise, you will remain standing.
7. This will be repeated until only one student is left standing.
8. The student left standing will be given further training on accent.

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Task 3: Read! Speak up!

Direction: Read the following sentences in front of a partner. Allow your partner
to take note of corrections. Take turns in doing the task. When both of you are
done, discuss the comments you made. You may also try to read the words
and statements again, taking in consideration the comments given by your
partner.
1. Thank you for calling Red Square. This is Jem.
2. How can I provide you with outstanding service today?
3. May I have your phone number so I can pull up your account?
4. Your order number is 2-1-0-4-5-8-9.
5. Is it okay if I place you on hold for a minute or two while I check on your
order?
6. I am so sorry to hear about the interruption on your download.
7. Let me assist you with that.
8. I will transfer you to the technical support department now.
9. Is there anything else that I can assist you with?
10. Have a nice day George.

TASK 4: Getting Updated!
http://www.philstar.com/business/2014/04/07/1309878/accentmatters-philippines-acquiring-70-india-call-centers
2. Read the feature article written by Camille Diola from
philstar.com. ( Your teacher may also provide a hard copy of the
article for the class.)
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3. Take down notes as you read. Gather data regarding the

following:
a. What is considered as an advantage of Filipinos over Indians
in terms of working in the contact center industry?
b. Cite some benefits neutral accent provides to BPO
companies.
Task 5: 1, 2, 3
1. Using a computer and with Internet service, follow the given URL:
http://www.esl-lab.com/tips/pronunciation.htm
2. Listen to the voice recording.
3. In your notebook, write three things that should be remembered in

reducing or neutralizing your accent.

125
Task 6: SIXportant
http://accentadventure.com/improve-english-pronunciation/
2. Read the article on the given URL entitled TOP 6 Activities For Any
Foreigner Who Wants to Improve Their English Pronunciation.
3. Answer the following guide questions.
a. Enumerate the 6 activities that will help you improve your
English pronunciation.
b. Choose 3 activities that you think will be more applicable to
yourself. Explain why you chose them.
4. Be ready to share your answer with your classmate.
Task 7: Read. Speak. Check.
Directions: Be ready with your voice recorder as you have to record your voice
in the conduct of the following activities.
A.
1. Using a computer and with Internet service, follow the given URL:
http://quizlet.com/1069781/rising-and-falling-intonation-flash-cards/
2. Read the given statement one at a time. Incorporate all the aspects
of accent that you learned especially tone.
3. Click the audio button to check if you have pronounced or delivered
the statements using the correct intonation and proper accent.
4. You may revisit the site for exercise purposes.
B.
1. Using a computer, follow the given URL:
http://www.trainyouraccent.com/a-online-shopping.htm
2. Read the given paragraph slowly.
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3. Read it with a neutralized accent and record your voice.

4. Listen to your voice recording.
5. Listen to the audio option in the link and compare your recording with
it.
6. You may opt to re-record your voice to achieve the desired result.
Know
3.3 Conversational Cues
Recall that in communication only 7% of the message is
conveyed through words, 38% is carried through the tone of your voice
while 55% is conveyed through body language. Apparently, body
language is not available during telephone conversations. This
constitutes to more than half of the message conveyed, in order to make
up for this, Contact Center Services providers must invest in their voice.
Moreover, conversational cues take the place of body language.
Listening is more than just hearing the words the other person is
uttering just as message is far more than word. Message may be
conveyed through nonverbal or conversational cues such as the subtle
sounds, the tones, the sigh, the delayed response, or the quick response
of a person. Conversational cues are hints embedded in a delivered
statement that helps one determine the real meaning conveyed by the
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speaker. It is true that communication does not rely solely on words. It

is necessary for you as a Contact Center Services provider to be
knowledgeable on decoding these conversational cues. This skill will
help you become an efficient and effective listener.
The following are examples of conversational cues that you may
encounter and their possible meaning.
1. If a customer is giving quick feedbacks, it may mean that he/she
is busy or in a hurry.
What you should do?
If you have already noticed this cue, you should get straight to the
point. Avoid long narrations as it will just irritate the customer.
2. If you hear long pauses between the customers responses, it
may mean either he or she is confused with what you are saying
or he/ she is distracted by something else.
What you should do?
You should slow down to make sure that the customer can follow
with that you are saying. If you feel that the customer is distracted,
try asking questions to get their attention and get them engaged
in the conversation.
3. If a customer uses a lively and animated pitch, it may mean that

he/she is excited or satisfied.
What you should do?
It is very important that you keep up with the energy of the
customer. Be lively and accommodating to the customer.
4. A monotonous tone may reflect boredom.

What you should do?

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Once youve noticed that the customer is getting bored in the

conversation, try to animate the tone of your voice or rephrase
your statement in a way that will be more appealing to him/her.
Knowing how to decode these cues will help you address the
needs of the customer appropriately or respond to their demands
promptly.
Although it is necessary to learn how to identify cues used by the
customer, it is also a must for you as a contact center service provider
to be mindful of the conversational cues you intentionally or
unintentionally use as you communicate. Apologizing may not sound so
sincere if you are speaking in very fast or using a high pitch tone. In the
same manner, offering an upsell may not be so enticing if done in a
monotonous tone of voice.
Task 1. Complete the Table

Directions: Determine whether the context clue on the first column
matches the interpretation on the second column. If the two matches,
put a check mark on the third column. Otherwise, place an X mark.
Conversational Cue
Long
pauses
between responses
Interpretation
Judgement
in Speaker is attentively
listening to you
Lively, animated tone Customer is excited

of the voice
or satisfied

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Monotonous speaking Speaker is confused

voice
with what you are

saying
Giving
of
feedbacks
quick Customer
is
not
interested
Transfer
Task 2: MOCK CALL
In this transfer task, you will be simulating a call. Below is a spiel
on placing an order through a call. Be mindful of your pronunciation and
try your best to incorporate accent as you deliver your lines.
1. Choose a partner. Decide who will be the customer/caller and
who will be the contact center representative.
2. Try to read your lines as relaxed and as realistic as possible.
3. Incorporate the correct stress on words and neutralize your
accent.
Placing an order
CSR
Customer
Thank you for calling Shacks Hi. I am calling because I cant
Shopping Center. This is _____. seem to place my order online.
How may I assist you today?
I am sorry to hear that Maam/ Oh! Thats wonderful. Thank
Sir. If you want, I can help you you.
place your order over the
phone.
May I have your name? so I can You can call me _______.
address you properly.

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May I have your phone number, The number is 105-104-987-1.

_____ so I can pull up your
account.
That would be 105-104-987-1.
Yes.
I understand you are trying to Item number? Where can I see

order online. May I have the that? I am in front of my
item number, please?
computer now.
Its located in the first bullet of Alright. Its a Victorinox Swiss
the item description part.
Army Watch, Men's Chrono
Classic Black Leather Strap.
Item number is 156789.
Let me just repeat that. It is Yes, that would be all.
156789. Would this be all,
_____?
Ok. Ill be using my Mastercard.
Your order total is $2,874.
5768-9876-4321
That would be great. May I have
your card number please?
Yes. Its 350 5th Avenue, New
That would be 5768-9876-4321. York, New York, 10118.
Will the shipping address be the
same as the billing address?
Thank you for that information. Let me repeat that. 081310,
Order has been successfully right?
placed. Your order number is
081310.
Yes ____. Is there anything else No. You have been very helpful.
I can assist you with today?
Thank you.
You are welcome. Thank you for Thank you. Bye.
shopping at Shacks Shopping
Center. Have a great day!
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4. Practise together with your partner.

5. Present in front of your teacher.
Rubric for Evaluation
Speaks clearly and at an understandable pace
10 pts.
Accent is neutralized
10 pts.
Well-rehearsed (extemporaneous or scripted presentation) 5 pts.
Limited use of filler words (umm, like, etc.)
5 pts.
Total
30 pts.
The rules will serve as your guide on how you can converse with native
speakers efficiently. Yet it is better if you will try to feel the language
and add the stress naturally.

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CONTENT STANDARD
PERFORMANCE STANDARD
The learner demonstrates
The learner independently
understanding of concepts and demonstrates appropriate approaches
underlying principles in delivering in delivering quality customer services
quality customer services.
in accordance with call center industry
policies.
QUARTERS III and IV
MODULE 4
DELIVERING QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICES
Introduction
This module is designed to orient you on the essential functions and
specific tasks involved in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).
The quality of service is of utmost importance in the Business Process
Outsourcing world. The exchange of ideas between the service provider and
the client, which requires good communication skills acquired, helps you to
accurately impart ideas to your would-be clients. This, however, is just a part
of the whole process. There is still a need for hands-on training and industrybased simulation which will permit application of communication skill concepts
that are part of a telemarketing or call center agents role.
Overall customer satisfaction is determined by the quality of your
service. Improved customer experience later on builds lasting and profitable
relationships which is one of the many advantages of a quality customer
service.
Through this module, you will gain knowledge and understanding of the
various functions and processes involved in a Business Process Outsourcing
firm.
Furthermore, it will enable you to gain the necessary skills and the right
attitude in transmitting and/ or receiving calls from the customers, handling
customers complaints, providing after-sales support and documenting events.
Knowing these skills will surely help you become more productive and
efficient in the field of Contact Center Services.
ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10
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OBJECTIVES
1. describe the functions and processes involved in a BPO/Call Center
industry;
2. transmit/receive calls from customers;
3. handle customers complaints accordingly; and
4. provide after-sales support and document events.
******
Read the objectives presented on this page carefully.

Proper mind set on the competencies you have to master is
a good way to start your journey in learning. Take note that
you need to exert your best effort in using the English
language beginning today. It is suggested that you think and
communicate in English as much as you can so that it would
come naturally as that of the native speakers of the language.
This will also help you in understanding the concepts and in
the practical activities to achieve your goal.

134
PRE-ASSESSMENT
Let us first assess your prior knowledge regarding this lesson. You need
to recognize the concepts which you already know and those which you need
to reinforce and enrich so that you would know how to equip and prepare
yourself for the tasks ahead.
Answer the test with all honesty and enthusiasm. Remember that this
is your personal assessment which will help you in identifying key concepts
which you have to improve.
DIRECTIONS: Write the letter of the best answer on your answer sheet.
1. It refers to the management of one or more specific business
processes or functions by a third party.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Business Process Outsourcing

Customer Relationship Management
Information Technology Enabled Services
Knowledge Process Outsourcing
2. Software development, data entry, programming, and web

development services are examples of services under _________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Business Process Outsourcing

Customer Relationship Management
Information Technology Enabled Services
Knowledge Process Outsourcing
3. It includes customer-related services such as marketing or technical

support.
A. Back office Outsourcing
B. Front office Outsourcing
C. Offshore Outsourcing
D. Nearshore Outsourcing
4. It includes internal business functions such as billing, purchasing,

payroll of employees, and other similar tasks.

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5. When a Singapore-based company subcontracts a Philippine- based

company to do software programming, it is called _________.
A. Onshore Outsourcing
6. HSBC, a US-based finance company, hired an Indian-based BPO to

manage its online credit card inquiry and funds transfer. The type of
outsourcing shown here is ____________.
B. Onshore Outsourcing
7. It is system is being carried out online with the data being held at a
third partys premises and accessed via the web. This type of BPO is
a means to save physical office space so one may retrieve information
quickly and easily.
A. Accounting
B. Document Management
C. Procurement
D. Software Development
8. It involves managing requests for information or proposals and

recommending the best potential suppliers, selecting suppliers, and
issuing/managing legal contracts.
A. Accounting
B. Document Management
C. Procurement
9. It is a subset of BPO which is a centralized office that facilitates large

amounts of inbound and outbound telephone calls
A. Accounting
B. Call Center
C. Document Management
10. It is a set of measurements to quantify performance and results in

the call center world
A. matrix
B. metrics
C. rubrics
D. rating

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11. In a call center, this measures how effective your agents are in utilizing their time and how efficient they are in balancing the various
aspects of their jobs.
A. Time Metrics
B. Productivity Metrics
C. Quantity Metrics
D. Quality Metrics
12. Customer Service, Satisfaction Score, Escalation Rate and

Resolution time are all under _______________.
A. Time Metrics
C. Quantity Metrics
D. Quality Metrics
13. The customer became angry, and speaking to someone of higher

authority will be a prerequisite to calming him down. This example
falls under ________________.
A. Average Call Duration
B. Call Quality
C. Escalation Rate
D. Resolution Time
14. This criteria includes things like building rapport and using proactive,
service-oriented language.
A. Quality Criteria
B. Standard Criteria
C. Subjective Criteria
D. Objective Criteria
15. An example of this include opening the call with the appropriate
greeting and asking if there are any other issues which the customer
needs assistance.
A. Quality Criteria
B. Standard Criteria
C. Subjective Criteria
D. Objective Criteria
16. It refers to how well agents accomplish their tasks, especially their
primary function of customer contact.
A. Time Metrics
C. Quantity Metrics
D. Quality Metrics

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17. It refers to the ability to actively listen, question appropriately, provide

feedback, and use the skills outlined to build customer relationships.
A. Business acumen
B. Cross selling
C. Interpersonal communication
D. Change management
18. The focus on this type of call is more on procedural knowledge,

where there are specific steps required to complete a given operation
using the provided computer systems.
A. Handling queries
B. Handling transactions
C. Handling complaints
D. Handling reports
19. These are heavy users of knowledge management systems for

solving problems and issues regarding a product.
A. Academic instruction
C. Directory
B. Booking
D. Technical Support
20. A system that lets the agent see what has been done or promised
by others, so that customers do not need to tell the whole history of
the call.
A. Contact Management System
B. Automatic Call Distribution system
C. VoIP system
D. Desktop tools
21. Factors to consider when complaint arises are _______________.
A. customer and complaint
B. customer and service
C. customer and product

D. customer and contact center
representative
22. Issues, concern of customers to be satisfied are listed below except

________________.
A. reliability
B. leadership
C. enjoy doing business

D. do business with trustworthy
people

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23. It is a way to make the customer feel that his call is important to
you.
A. Act and speak calmly.
B. Listen attentively to what your customer is saying.
C. Treat complainants as valued customer.
D. Be understanding.
24. How do agents accept ownership of the problem then apologize?
25. Let the customer talk of his complain and say something to make
him feel comfortable.
26. "Okay, I really understand and agree with you that this is very
stressful to you, but for me to help you I must work within our
process. The statement implies _____.
A. giving responsibility
B. empowering staff
C. using the persons name often, and with care
D. controlling of situation
27. I can understand why you feel the way you do Sir Robert The
statement implies _____.
A. giving responsibility
B. empowering staff
C. using the persons name often, and with care
D. controlling of situation
28. It is contact center representatives skill where customers want you
to understand their issue with the hope you will be able to assist
them.
A. professionalism
C. desire to solve problem
B. communication
D. great listener
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29. It requires you to have the fundamental sincerity to help others. This
skill is known as _____.
A. professionalism
B. communication
D. great listener
30. It means you need to be a patient and calming influence when
interacting with customers at all times.
A. professionalism
B. communication
D. great listener

140
LEARNING GOALS AND TARGET

After carefully reading the introduction and objectives, and upon
answering the pre-assessment, you probably have an idea now of what you will
be taking up in this module. It is best that you identify your personal goals in
the beginning of this lesson so you would have a sense of direction to guide
you.
Enumerate your targets and come up with your goals in your notebook.
Use a graphic organizer similar to the one below.
Target 1
Target 6
Target 5
Target 2
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
_____
Target 4

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Target 3
Lesson 1: The BPO/Call Center Industry

The world adapts to the fast-paced developments brought about by
globalization and technological advancements. As a result, major changes in
the industries introduced various means to minimize or reduce production
expenses while maximizing profit.
This is one of the many reasons why companies channel the processes
of their production or service to third-party clients which lead to the birth of
BPOs.
As part of the industry, the terms customers, clients, call center agents
and representatives will be used frequently throughout the module.
Customers refer to the people who are current or potential buyers,
subscribers, account owners or patrons of the industry who enters into
transaction with you through information technology (IT) assisted devices like
computers, telephones and mobile phones.
Clients refer to companies you will represent.
Agents or representatives otherwise known as rep/s are job titles of
personnel who assist customers in activities which are described in this
module.
Preliminary Activity
Call center jobs are very popular in the country nowadays. Most likely,
you may find a relative or a neighbor in your community who works in the said
industry. Before formally knowing the career, first you need to create a concept
map of your prior knowledge on the topic.
Create a concept map of key words or phrases that are related to the
term call center.
142
Your map may branch out to different directions. Remember, there is no

wrong answer here. This is your self-assessment on the depth of your
understanding on the topic. A sample is shown on the next page.
Buildings
Job
opportunities
Night shift
for Filipinos
1.1 What is BPO?

The term outsourcing is a system whereby an organization can subcontract certain areas of work to a third party organization that specializes on
the task to be done.
Business Process Outsourcing or BPO refers to the management of one
or more specific business processes or functions by a third party.
It involves contracting of the operations and responsibilities of a specific
business function. Examples of these business processes or functions are
human resources, procurement, finance, accounting asset, and property
management. Here, you hire a separate company or firm to handle business
activities for your company.

143
BPO is the delegation of one or more IT-intensive business processes

to an external provider that, in turn, owns, administrates and manages the
selected process based on a defined and measurable performance metrics.
Gartner Dataquest.
BPO is also a long- term contracting of non-core processes to an outside
provider.
Figure 6. Call Center Firm

This is basically performed by white collar and clerical employees to
achieve various benefits such as cost savings, and better quality and ability to
focus on core competence. BPO involves outsourcing processes that are not
core to a company but are somewhat essential for smooth operation of the
company. The customer transfers the complete responsibility of these functions
to another company which guarantees certain service quality standards. Such
processes include customer service, payroll processing, inventory
management, and the like.
Imagine an entrepreneur who is starting a small-scale business. In the
early stage of operation, one could still manage to personally deal with all the
tasks involved by himself. This will allow the entrepreneur to reduce labor
expenses, since he does not have to pay for workers or laborers. He, at the
same time, could focus on his finances, since he handles all the incoming and
outgoing funds personally.
As business progresses, he would probably need a helping hand, in the
form of additional workers to expand his business enterprise. If it escalates to
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a higher and more progressive level, more workers and upgrade in facilities
and equipment would be required.
In countries where labor cost is very high compared to the projected
earnings of a company, the need to pass the work to another team where labor
costs would be lower is a necessity. For example, a US company may have
facilities and resources in the Philippines, so that they can employ highly
educated personnel with lower social costs. As a result, the services can be
delivered at a much lower price than is possible in the US. This is the general
concept of BPO.
In the Philippines, the term BPO is frequently associated with Call
Center or Telemarketing firm. BPO, however, is not entirely synonymous to
Call Centers. You will understand this better as you explore the next lessons
of the module.
1.2 Why Outsource?
Have you ever wondered why the BPO industry flourished? It actually
benefits both the business organization and the manpower or labor force. It is
a win-win solution.
These are just some of the perceived benefits of outsourcing:
Reduced or controlled operating costs

Reduced labor cost
Higher level of service for the same or even lower cost service
Allows you to focus on your core business
Gives you access to world-class expertise and those not
available internally
Provides enhanced efficiency and productivity
Predictability of costs
Utilization of common applications; freeing up of some financial
and human capital

145
1.3 Profile of the BPO Industry (Global and Local)
Data search , information

and management (31% or
$44B)
Customer interaction
services (24% or $33B)
Remote Education (13% or
$18B)
Finance and Accounting
Services (11% or $15B)
Networking and consulting

management (11% or $15 B)
OTHERS (12% or $16B )
Figure 7. US $142 Billion Market for IT- Enabled Services

The benefits that BPO industry contributes to the economy may be
quantified in terms of money and it can be from billions to trillions of dollars.
IT-BPO industry in the Philippines was projected to increase from
US$500 billion in 2009 to US$1.5 trillion in 2024 (Tholons, 2011). See Fig. 7
According to the Everest Analysis (World Bank and IMF projections), the
countrys 2016 roadmap might lead to 9% increase in GDP, wherein 2016
revenues of the Philippines IT- BPO Industry may vary from US$15 billion to
US$ 25 billion, depending on the strength of industry effort and government
support. Its projected direct employment will be 680,000 to 1.3 million and
indirect employment of 1.7 million to 3.2 million.
In the Philippine setting, call centers are widely known and accepted as
one of the leading job providers in the country. This is because the government
has opened its doors to foreign investors that require cost efficient technical
services.

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The BPO industry started here in the Philippines in 1992 with Accenture,
then followed by Sykes Enterprises, Inc. in 1997. The offshore call center
industry started in the Philippines in 1999 when Cyber City set up an
outsourcing facility at the former USAF base in Clark and has been followed by
other firms, such as eTelecare, People Support, ePLDT/ Ventus, Convergys
Corporation, TeleTech Holdings, Inc., Cyber City Teleservices, Sitel/ Client
Logic, etc.
The agents at these call centers handle inbound or outbound traffic via
telephone and other available channels. Today, the Philippines is an important
offshore player driven by several factors such as the following:
1. increasing government support on IT investment
2. large pool of graduates with English communication skills and
knowledge in ICT which is far superior to India and has led many
companies to close down Indian operations and move them to the
Philippines
3. reliable and reasonably-priced telecommunication infrastructure
4. low-cost high quality locations, growing buyer trends on outsourcing
The Philippines is considered the most attractive global provider of ITBPO services in Asia (Economist Survey: M. Alan in MBOL May 29, 2012).
IT-BPO revenues for the Philippines reached US$11 billion and 640,000
direct employees in 2011. It is the key driver of economy, and the fastest
growing source of employment and revenue (DTI, 2012)
This is just a big picture of the BPO industry as a worldwide

phenomenon. There are a lot more to learn, especially in terms of the actual
work. Learning and researching more about it will give you an edge among
others who will be pursuing the same career track in the near future.

147
Process
TASK 1: Business Process Outsourcing
DIRECTIONS: Complete the following content organizer to summarize the
lesson.
BPO
Defined:
Perceived benefits of the BPO Industry
TASK 2: BPO Industry in the Philippines

DIRECTIONS: Write a short essay that stresses the factors which make the
Philippines a better, if not the best option for Business Process Outsourcing.
Write this in your notebook or on a separate sheet of paper.
What makes the Philippines a better BPO market compared to other nations?
_________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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TASK 3: Video Presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w1MJnz-vbg
2. Watch the video presentation on Youtube carefully. (Your teacher may

also download the video presentation for the class.)
3. Take down notes as you watch. Gather data on the following:
a. Why do Filipinos go to the call center industry?
b. What are the perceptions of the different call center agents
interviewed regarding their work?
c. What are the effects of their call center culture on their personal
lives?
d. What are the advantages of the Filipino call centers compared to
their competitors?
e. What is the implication of the BPO industry in the Philippine
economy?

149
4. Organize the gathered data on your notebook or portfolio. Use a graphic

organizer to relate every information with one another.
TASK 4: Cooperative Learning Reflection on the Video Presentation
Form small groups (with at least five members each) and compare the
data you have gathered through a 10-minute group sharing. Based on the
outcome of your collaboration, list down the advantages and the disadvantages
of the BPO industry on the lives of ordinary Filipino workers. Present your
output to the class (at least 3 minutes per group).
Your group will decide how you will deliver the output to the class. It can
be in the form of reporting, song rendition, poem recitation, panel discussion or
skit.
TASK 5: Oral Presentation- Economic Implications of the BPO Industry
Create a 2-minute speech on the topic of your choice. You may choose
from the following topics:
1. Call center industrys contribution to the countrys economic growth
2. The challenges and opportunities for Filipino call center representatives.
3. The future of the Philippines in terms of BPO Industrialization
You may use the PDF file entitled Philippine IT BPO Roadmap 2016:
Driving to Global Leadership as your reference. It contains accurate
information on the economic contribution of BPOs to the Philippine economy.
Use this URL- www.ncc.gov.ph/files/lacdao_phil_it_bpo_roadmap.pdf
TASK 6: Research Activity

This transfer activity aims to provide you with an actual overview of the
BPO industry in the country. Your class will be grouped into 5. You and your
group mates will conduct a research about the current status of the BPO
industry in the Philippine setting.

150
Cite outsourcing firms or companies which are on the lead at present

time and situated within your vicinity. Give a brief background about the firm
Gather general information such as job titles and job descriptions, average
salary and benefits for employees, and number of current employees.
Find out the benefits that your community get from the outsourcing firm
by visiting your local government unit or the Bureau of Internal Revenue to
inquire about the taxes being generated by these BPO firms.
Come up with a conclusion regarding the implication of the said industry
in terms of the economic growth of your locality.
Consolidate your findings in a PowerPoint presentation to be presented
to the class and a written report which will be submitted to your teacher.
Lesson 2: Types of Industry
Call centers, just like other types of businesses, offer a variety of

products and services. The development in the business world pushes the
industry to be more flexible, thereby making the possibilities endless.
Call centers are also classified based on job-tasks and the location in
which the service is offered.
Think about calls you have made or received from a call center
representative or telemarketer. Give examples of customer service functions
you have encountered or obtained in these interactions?
If you have not yet experienced such, ask your parents or close relatives
about their encounter with a call center representative.

151
Fill in this chart on a separate sheet of paper to summarize the details

of your interaction. An example is already provided:
Concern/
Problem
Questionable
load deduction
Contact Person
Telecommunication
Customer Service
Resolution
Remarks
Agent told me to
wait for the load
to be restored.
Load was reloaded after

24 hours
Problem
Solved.
Frequently, BPO is referred to as Information Technology-Enabled

Services (ITES). This is because most business processes include some form
of automation and information technology devices such as computers that
"enable" these services to be performed. This encompasses careers in
software development, data entry, programming, and web development
services.
BPO is distinct from Information Technology (IT) outsourcing, which
focuses on hiring a third-party company or service provider to do IT-related
activities, such as application management and application development, data
center operations, or testing and quality assurance. The Philippines is currently
among the most cost competitive destinations for IT-BPO services.
An offshoot of BPO is Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO)
Considered by some to be a subset of BPO, KPO includes those activities that
require greater skill, knowledge, education, and expertise to handle. This may
include services in financial analysis and legal services.
2.1 Types of BPO Industries
BPO is often divided into two main categories:
1. Back Office Outsourcing- This includes internal business functions such
as billing, purchasing, payroll of employees, and other similar tasks.

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2. Front Office Outsourcing This includes customer-related services such

as marketing or technical support.
Figure 8. Call Center in the Philippines

Based on the location of hiring and contracting, BPO may be categorized
as:
1. Offshore Outsourcing is outsourcing contracted outside a company's
home country. This is done when high-volume, low-complexity tasks are
processed in a country with a significantly lower cost base than where
the service has become more sophisticated. For example, the UK:
traditionally India, but more recently China, the Philippines, Malaysia
and some South American countries.
(e.g., Numerous UK-based BPO companies such as Vertex and Capita
Group are now providing offshored services to their clients through their
operations in the Philippines.)
2. Nearshore Outsourcing - BPO that is contracted to a company's
neighboring country. The cost base of these countries is still lower, but
geographical proximity and cultural similarities can create an easier
working relationship. A good relationship, cultural similarities and
absence of communication gap can result in a more complex work being
transferred easily. For Western Europe, this is to Eastern Europe. For
the United States this is to Canada and Mexico.
(e.g., Tony Lee, an information management supplier based in the US
near-shored the development of its computerized purchasing system
153
to Advance Programs, a commercial systems solution provider in

Canada.)
3. Onshore - is an entirely different scheme. It is the practice of obtaining
business-critical, high-level services from someone not employed by the
company, but within the same country. Onshore services are unique for
each company.
(e.g., When Burger King Corporation, a US-based chain of restaurants,
lost its laboratories in the havoc created by Hurricane Andrew in1992,
the company was forced to outsource its quality assurance functions to
other companies in the US. Burger King still outsources its quality
assurance functions onshore even after rebuilding its laboratories
because it allows the company to make productive use of its internal
resources.)
TASK 1: BPO Industries

DIRECTIONS: Write BOO if the example describes back office outsourcing
and FOO if it describes front office outsourcing. Do this in your notebook.
__________ 1.A telecommunications BPO firm which deals with repair
and maintenance of ones internet connection
__________ 2. A BPO company which accommodates payroll services
__________ 3. A company which assists customers on US Phone
directory services
__________ 4. A company that takes orders of products
__________ 5. A BPO accounting firm that manages sales accounts
of other companies
_________ 6. A bank- associate BPO that updates customers on their
debit and credit accounts
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__________ 7. An office that deals with purchasing raw materials for

another company
__________ 8. A firm that entertains medical insurance claims
__________ 9. A document management BPOs that keep copies of
financial transactions for filing of taxes
__________ 10. A call center firm that assists customers on computer
hardware repair
TASK 2: BPO Terminologies
DIRECTIONS: Match the items in column I with its correct description
in column II. Write the letter of the correct answers on a sheet of paper.
I
1. This obtains business-critical,

high-level
services
from
someone not employed by the
company, but within the same
country.
II
A. ITES
B. KPO
C. Back Office Outsourcing
D. Front Office Outsourcing
2. It is an outsourcing contracted
outside a company's own
country.
3. It includes activities that require
greater
skill,
knowledge,
education, and expertise to
handle.
E. Offshore Outsourcing
F. Nearshore Outsourcing
G. Onshore Outsourcing
4. This is done when high-volume,

low-complexity
tasks
are
processed in a country with a
significantly lower cost base than
the home country of the
company.

155
5. This is needed when business

processes include some form of
automation and information
technology.
6. It includes customer-related
services such as marketing or
technical support.
7. BPO that is contracted to a
company's neighboring country
8. It includes internal business
functions such as billing,
purchasing, payroll of
employees, and other similar
tasks.
9. It may include services in
financial analysis and legal
services.
10. Examples of these services are
software development, data
entry, programming, and web
development.

156
Lesson 3: Basic Services within BPO Industry

There are basic services related to customer service, sales and
technical support that fall within the BPO industry. This depends on the
specialization of the firm and its facilities, and the competencies of the
manpower.
Explore the different BPO industries existing in the country. Name a few
based on your research and personal interview with call center agents.
Compare your answer with those listed on this module.
BPOs generally fall under several categories:

1. Finance and Accounting
Processes related to finances have to be accurate. In most
instances, this cannot be replaced by mere accounting software. It requires
resources and procedures like raising invoices, matching them with
purchase orders and reconciling bank accounts.
For example, payroll is a frequently outsourced process, simply
because it is being done once a month. However, when it comes to critical
business processes like accounts receivable, retaining this in-house can be
a good option. Remember that any issues can have a major impact on a
business. The finance director should still retain control and have overall
responsibility.
2. Document Management
Access to data is a must in the business world. Even small
companies generate large amounts of data and recording and storing these
can be time consuming and expensive.

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Companies can improve their use of data through an outsourced

document manager. One can save physical office space and can retrieve
information quickly and easily through this type of BPO. A document
management system is carried out online with the data being held at a third
partys premises and accessed via the web.
3. Procurement
This involves looking for appropriate suppliers, monitoring supplier
performance, implementing appropriate processes and procedures,
managing requests for information or proposals and recommending the
best potential suppliers, selecting suppliers and issuing or managing legal
contracts.
The BPO service provider can help reduce costs through more
thorough evaluation of supplier performance, an in depth knowledge of the
markets within which they work and bulk purchases for a number of
customers.
4. Software development
This is increasingly being outsourced or off-shored, with software
development teams based in areas such as Central and Eastern Europe
and Asia where there is access to highly-educated, low-cost personnel. This
is because the social costs in these growing economies are currently way
lower than in Western economies.
It is more practical to simply hire a team of people to do the software
development when the need arises than having full-time developers on site.
The majority of software vendors have teams based outside of their main
domain for this reason.
5. Call Centers
A call center, a subset of BPO, is a centralized office that facilitates
large amounts of inbound and outbound telephone calls. As defined by
Keith Dawson (Dawson, 1988), a call center is a physical location where
calls are placed or received in high volume for the purpose of sales,
marketing, customer service, telemarketing, technical support, and other
specialized business activity.
158
Figure 9. Call Center Agent/ Representative at Work

Trained representatives who handle transactions do the jobs which
are formerly found in an organizations customer service, accounting, and
sales department. Because of the continuous advancement in technology,
call center staff members can now do additional tasks such as identifying
and responding to customer needs and related tasks, providing
informational functions such as troubleshooting technical issues and selling
a variety of products and services. Call centers have a number of uses:
A. Customer Services (in-bound calls)
Customers that call for transactions like order processing,
administrative assistance like complaints or billing questions can be
handled by customer service call centers.
BPO companies that facilitate this have up-to-date equipment and
software that enables a seamless and fast way of dealing with queries and
resolving issues. These companies use an automatic call distribution (ACD)
system that routes each call automatically to the next free call-center
employee, to ensure that customers never have to wait for too long for a
call to be answered. Some even have the capability to recognize when a
customer is getting irritated or annoyed and automatically sends an alert to
a manager who may intervene if necessary. Many banks and financial
services have outsourced their customer services facilities.
159
B. Telemarketing and telesales (outbound calls)

Call center agents place calls to customers in order to obtain
information or sell products and services (e.g., customer satisfaction
surveys, marketing, sales, and customer follow-up). Selling some products
and services are much easier to sell via the phone, and do not require faceto-face interaction. As a result, the costs for marketing and selling such
products will be drastically reduced.
C. Data cleansing
Data cleansing is a system of phoning the contacts within a database
in order to ensure that all the details such as names, phone numbers and
the like are correct. This allows sales people to phone and send emails
safely with the knowledge that the information is up to date. Again, it is far
more cost-effective to offshore this process in places with huge labor cost.
6. Legal Services
Legal offshoring is also gaining popularity nowadays. This is a good
example of KPO. Lawyers commonly handle this type of a job. This may
involve monitoring old contracts and licensing agreements to managing
documentary evidence for product-liability cases. Personnel of such
industry read, analyze, and annotate digital images of memos, payroll and
medical records, old engineering specs, and other documents that might be
used as evidence in legal cases.
The industry in which the call center industry operates is global,
making it an extremely competitive industry. As a result of intense
competition, outsourced call center services and solutions frequently are
subject to pricing pressure. Aside from our country, India, China, Malaysia,
Ireland and Canada are huge markets of call center industry.
Sample fields where one could work under the BPO industry are the
following:
Customer Service
Technical Support
Administrative Support
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Accounting
Bookkeeping
Virtual Assistant
Telemarketing
Programming
Call Center Service
Sales
Data Entry
Internet Research
Web Development
Content Management
Graphics Design
Direct Mail
Email Marketing
Depending on the service being offered by the company where

one will be assigned to work in, delivering quality customer services will
always remain the top priority.
These are just some of the most popular BPO services. You
may find out more by checking out the different BPO firms (especially
those which are locally available) via the Internet.They offer variety of
services for you to choose from.
TASK 1: Identification of BPO Services

DIRECTIONS: Identify the service being described in the following statements.
Write your answers in a separate sheet of paper.
___________1. It deals with customer satisfaction surveys, marketing, sales,
and customer follow- up are the tasks involved in this service.
___________2. It involves looking for appropriate suppliers, monitoring
supplier performance, implementing appropriate processes
and procedures, managing requests for information or
proposals and recommending the best potential suppliers.
161
___________3. It involves monitoring old contracts and licensing agreements

to managing documentary evidence for product-liability cases.
___________4. Order processing, administrative assistance such as
telephone directories, complaints and billing are under this
category.
___________5. Companies generate large amounts of data, recording and
storing these online with the data being held at a third partys
premises and accessed via the web.
TASK 2: Basic Services within BPO Industry
DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions as accurately as you can. Write
your answers in complete sentences. Use a separate sheet of paper.
1. What are the basic services related to the BPO industry? Give a brief
description of each service.
2. How are call centers different from Business Process Outsourcing?
How are they alike?
3. If you are to choose among the sample jobs under the BPO industry,
what do you think best suits you and why?
4. What do you think are the advantages of having a career in a contact
services? What are its disadvantages?
5. If you will be offered a job in a call center that is not in line of interest or
expertise, would you accept it? Why or why not?

162

TASK 3: BPO Services: Explored!
1. Explore more on the different services being offered by a Call Center
Industry, especially here in our country. Interview at least 2 call center
agents in your community and get information about the different job
descriptions in their respective areas. You may interview someone who
has experience in the industry, if you cannot find someone who is
presently working in a call center. Ask relevant information that you think
are essential in the field you are researching.
2. Conduct an online research about other BPO services (other than

those discussed here) that are being used by various organizations.
3. Consolidate the data you have gathered into a report which will be
presented using the following:
panel discussion (oral presentation)
news report (oral presentation)
skit or role playing (oral presentation)
Then submit a written report after the presentation..
Rubric Scoring
Content (50%)
Full of useful,
Has considerable Has limited
relevant and up-
amount of
amount of
to-date
relevant, useful
relevant, useful
information
and up-to-date
and up-to-date
information
information

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Written Report
Written report
Written report
Written report
(25%)
has insightful
has good content
has limited
content and was
and was
content and was
presented in a
presented
presented in a
comprehensive,
comprehensively, brief manner.
and error- proof
with a few errors.
manner.
Report has a lot

of errors.
Presentation
Creative and
Creative and
Appropriate
style (25%)
appropriate
appropriate
presentation
presentation
presentation
technique was
technique was
technique was
used but
used.
used. However,
information was
Information was
information was
not clearly
clearly relayed to
not clearly
imparted through
the audience.
relayed to the
it.
audience
Total: 100%
TASK 4: BPO Services: Career Graph of an Agent

It is also worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the roles you might be given
should you have the chance to be in a business process outsourcing service.
Here is a sample career graph of an agent. Study this carefully and interview
someone with experience in this career for the job description and their specific
duties and responsibilities.

164
Create a graphic organizer similar to the hierarchical relationships given

here. Note how each job role progresses from top to bottom.
CEO
Chief Executive Officer
Operations Manager
Assistant Manager
Shift Supervisor
Leader
Team Leader
Senior Customer
Service
Representative
Team Leader
Senior Customer
Service Representative
Floor Support
Contact Center Agent /

Customer Service
Representative (CSR)

Customer Service

Customer Service
Present your output to the class. Compare and contrast your output with
that of your classmates. Stress the importance of each job and its impact in the
hierarchy of roles.

165
Lesson 4: Call Center Agents Performance Metrics

Quality customer service is a high level of service attained when an
industry satisfies the unique set of customer needs.
This is achieved through the words and tone you use in dealing with
customers. Your choice of words and the manner of delivery (tone and volume)
suggests feelings that customers interpret positively or negatively. A sincere
and positive approach as reflected in your conversation would generate a
positive emotion thereby contributing to quality customer service.
Generally speaking, we practice quality customer service for the
following reasons:
When customers wants to know basic questions about their

account
When customers cannot understand the product or service they

subscribed to
When customers are having difficulties with a product or service
When customers are frustrated and irate with the product or

service
Understanding the customer needs is a key to quality customer service.

To assess the quality of performance or service being done by an
employee, call center managers use a set of standard measuring tools and
procedures, in the same way that your teachers check your performance in
school to maintain quality learning. This is essential if the company wants to
maintain a certain level of service quality.
Using the initial concepts you have learned on the previous lessons,
predict the different quality assurance means that call center employees go
through to achieve high quality of service. Plot these on a Venn diagram shown
below to identify their similarities and differences. Use a separate sheet of
paper for this activity.
166
There are no wrong answers in this activity. This will simply show your ability
to contemplate and relate two different concepts in terms of their similarities
and differences.
Competencies shown here are the bases for screening candidates when
recruiting call center employees.
What skills or competencies (capacities or abilities to perform certain tasks)
do you feel should an effective call center representative have? Why?
4.1 Typical Customer Service Representatives Competencies
Here are what employers look for in applicants desiring to work in a
call center:
1. Business acumen - understanding the relationship between their
jobs and its impact to business and customers
2. Call management- controlling
communication techniques
call
through
effective
3. Change management- adapting to and handling changing

situations and environments
4. Conflict resolution - using effective interpersonal skills to resolve
conflict situations
5. Cross selling - selling upgraded or additional products to existing
customers
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6. Decision making - gathering relative information, and analyzing

situations then applying appropriate interventions to resolve an
issue or come to a decision
7. Interpersonal communication - ability to listen actively, question
appropriately, provide feedback, and use the skills outlined to
build customer relationships.
8. Managing diversity - knowledge and ability to interact with a
variety of people in the workplace.
9. Managing stress ability to maintain a calm demeanor and
mental state when situations and emotions escalate to higher
levels
10. Multitasking - managing multiple priorities or assignments
simultaneously (e.g., receiving customer information over the
phone while inputting/ searching for data on a computer)
11. Negotiating effectively ability to direct situations toward a winwin outcome
12. Organizing information and data- ability to assemble and
maintain information in a logical file system that can be accessed
by themselves and others
13. Problem solving identifying root causes of problems through
questioning and applying appropriate interventions to address
them
14. Good team player ability to work effectively with others and
contribute to team task accomplishment
15. Time management- ability to use available time and resources to
address assigned tasks and customer issues
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16. Peer coaching offering support and guidance to co-workers
Figure 10. Peer Coaching
17. Technical literacy- ability to apply basic knowledge of computer

usage, applications, e-mail and Internet, and the ability to learn
organization-specific software (requirement varies based on level
of technical competence needed by the organization.)
18. Using call center technology- e.g., computer, facsimile, printer/
copier, database software

169
TASK 1: Customer Service Representatives Competencies

DIRECTIONS: Identify the customer contact representatives competencies
being referred to by the following statements. Choose from the competencies
in the word bank. Write your answers in your notebook.
peer coaching
decision making
teaming with others
decision making
technical literacy
multitasking
change management
time management
stress management
interpersonal communication Business acumen
Cross selling
1. Basic knowledge of computer usage, Windows applications, e-mail and

internet and the ability to learn organization- specific software requirement
2. Maintaining a calm demeanor and mental state when situations and
emotions escalate to higher levels
3. Gathering and analyzing then applying appropriate interventions to resolve
an issue
4. Offering support and guidance to co workers
5. Managing multiple priorities or assignments simultaneously
6. Ability to actively listen, question appropriately, provide feedback, and use
the skills outlined to build customer relationships
7. Ability to work effectively with others and contribute to team task
accomplishment
8. Adapting to and handling changing situations and environments
9. Selling upgraded or additional products to existing customers
10. Built to use available time and resources to address assigned tasks and
customer issues
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TASK 2: Recognizing the CSR Competencies

DIRECTIONS: The class will be divided into 5 groups. Each group will create
a 5-minute skit which will showcase how you think these selected CSR
competencies are shown in a call center workplace.
The groups may draw lots so that the competencies will be
distributed evenly. Your teacher may also assign a unique set of competencies
per group.
Do not tell the audience what your group is presenting. Have
them identify the competencies through an interactive sharing of ideas after the
presentation. Process each answer properly and countercheck if you have
been able to present the ideas clearly through the use of the skit.
Assess the groups work by using these rubrics:
5
Presentation
(70%)
clarity of the message
appropriate portrayal of roles
clarity in speech and action
availability of props and sound effects
Cooperation and teamwork
(30%)
active participation of the members
ideas were conceptualized by the

group
TOTAL
(100%)
5- Outstanding
3- Satisfactory
4- Very Satisfactory
2- Fair

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TASK 3: Rating CSR Competencies Based on their Importance
DIRECTIONS: Evaluate the following CSR Competencies according to their
importance. Write them on your notebook according to their importance, then
discuss why you placed them on the said rank. Compare your answer with your
group mates and come up with a consolidated list based on your groups
answers.
Business acumen
Call management
Change management
Conflict resolution
Cross selling
Decision making
Interpersonal communication
Managing diversity
Managing stress
Multitasking
Negotiating effectively
Organizing info and data
Peer coaching
Problem solving
Teaming with others
Technical literacy
Time management
Using call center technology
Present your output to the class. Justify why you decided to place each
one ahead of the others. Give positive criticisms regarding the answers of the
other group. Give appropriate recommendations if necessary.
TASK 4: Observing The CSR Competencies in the workplace

Create a scenario in which these CSR Competencies will be shown
through actual calls. Select classmates who will portray the role of a CSR. Your
teacher may act as the caller.
The audience will observe carefully how these competencies are
interpreted into actions. They will conduct an assessment of their classmates
performance through the use of the checklist on the next page.

172
SAMPLE ASSESSMENT SHEET

NAME OF AGENT:_______________________________________
ACCOUNT:
sales
technical support
customer care
Others, please specify :_____________________
Encircle the number which corresponds to how well the agent has shown the
following competencies during the conduct of the simulation:
5- outstanding
4- very satisfactory
3- satisfactory
2- fair
1- not applicable
1. Business acumen
2. Call management
3. Change management
4. Conflict resolution
5. Cross selling
6. Decision making
7. Interpersonal comm.
8. Managing diversity
9. Managing stress
10. Multitasking
11. Negotiating effectively
12. Organizing info and data
13. Peer coaching
14. Problem solving
15. Teaming with others
16. Technical literacy
17. Time management
18. Using call center tech.
Do not feel bad if you were not able to achieve a high rating for some of the
competencies. Some of these may not be applicable to the situation you have
simulated.
Assessed by: ________________________________

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4.2 Performance Metrics

Call center managers use metrics which is a set of measurements to
quantify performance and results.
There are two types of call center performance metrics: productivity
metrics and quality metrics.
Call centers monitor both quantitative and qualitative aspects of calls
answered by employees.
Quantitative refers to calls per hour, average call time, time between
calls, etc.
Qualitative, on the other hand refers to content, style, adherence to
policies etc.
1. Productivity Metrics
Productivity metrics in a call center measure how effective agents are in
using their time and how efficient they are in maintaining the balance of the
various aspects of their jobs.
In measuring productivity, the one in charge of the quality monitoring
program keeps track of the metrics generated by the automated call distributor
(ACD), various computer software programs, or the phone system.
There are a number of call center metrics to track. Here are a few of
them:
a. Average Call Duration (ACD)
This tracks the length of time a customer is on the phone. It is
usually measured in minutes and exclusive of any pre-call
preparation or post-call documentation, referred to as wrap.
Measuring the duration of a call is a means to improve the efficiency
of the service, thereby improving the customer satisfaction while
controlling cost at the same time.
b. Call Quality
This attempts to determine customer satisfaction with the support
received by phone. Unless one listens to both sides of a conversation,
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however, it is impossible to know whether customers are receiving the

type of quality service that includes accurate information, adherence to
professional communication standards, and the feeling of being valued
by the company.
Measuring call quality starts by defining the components of a
successful call. These components are compiled in a monitoring form
listing the criteria by which each call should be evaluated. The best
monitoring forms differentiate between these two:
1. Standard criteria- are those elements that should be
included or standard in every call, by every
representative (e.g., include opening the call with the
appropriate greeting and asking customers if there are
any other issues with which they need assistance). It is
reasonable to require all representatives, regardless of
their level of experience, to include all standard criteria
on each call.
2. Objective criteria- include elements such as building
rapport with customers and using proactive, and
service-oriented language. All representatives should
attempt to do them on every call, yet we anticipate that
they will be carried out more successfully by the more
experienced ones.
It is important to complement the call quality criteria of the
monitoring form with appropriate questions asked in the customer
satisfaction survey. For example, surveys that include questions
like Did the representative explain things in a clear manner? and
Did the representative ask if there were any other issues with
which you needed assistance? provide feedback that accurately
depicts the representatives communication skills and allows you
to correlate call monitoring scores with customer satisfaction.
c. Customer Service Satisfaction Score (CSAT)
The customer satisfaction score, or CSAT, intends to measure a customer's satisfaction with the received service.
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In its simplest form, CSAT is expressed as a percentage

between 0 and 100, with 100% representing complete customer
satisfaction. CSAT is often determined by a single question in
follow-up surveys along the lines of How would you rate your
overall satisfaction with the service you received?
This is often graded on a scale of one to five, with a score
of one (1) representing very dissatisfied and five (5) representing very satisfied. All surveys are then averaged for a composite
CSAT score. Some organizations set their standard at a 4-out-of5; any customer who provides a score of 3 or less triggers a callback from a manager or quality assurance (QA) team member.
The CSAT can help companies determine the effect of
new initiatives on their customer satisfaction.
Figure 11. A Team leader with a Call Center Representative

d. Escalation Rate
In an actual call center interaction, we know that some
issues will need to be brought up to higher levels of management
in the course of supporting our customers. Keeping the escalation
rate low helps boost customer confidence in our products, service, and company, and supports overall customer satisfaction.

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Whether an escalation is requested by a customer or initiated by a representative, the reasons for the escalation are
often that:
the customer realizes that the representative does not

have the authority or knowledge required to resolve the
problem, or
the customer has become angry, and speaking to someone of higher authority will be a prerequisite to calming
this customer down.
In either case, the best way to deal with escalations is to

try to prevent them from happening in the first place. The best
preventative steps include:
making sure that all representatives have adequate technical training and customer handling skills. Monitor the
performance of representatives through the use of your
contact center's monitoring technology by listening to live
calls. Coach and provide additional training as needed.
teaching team members how to project confidence when

dealing with customers. Speaking with confidence
includes using an up-beat tone of voice and choosing
positive, and service-oriented words that demonstrate
competency and self-assurance. The more confident a
representative sounds in her/his abilities, the less likely
a customer will request escalation to a supervisor.
illustrating the difference between confidence and arrogance, making sure all representatives know how and
where to draw the line between these two very different
ways of dealing with a customer.
e. First Call/Contact Resolution (FCR)

This is at the top of the list for many organizations when it
comes to the metrics they are tracking. Also referred to as firstcall resolution in contact centers where the primary mode of contact is by phone, FCR helps organizations track the efficiency with
which their representatives are able to resolve customer issues.
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Customers who avail such service/s as billing, account

status, product information, technical assistance, among others,
would want their inquiries be answered as quickly as possible.
Companies share this goal, as faster resolution equates to lower
support costs. For basic issues, this may be accomplished on the
customers first inbound call; for more technical or complex
issues, multiple contacts are often inevitable. Some issues
require research and cannot be resolved on the spot. In either
case, ongoing communication with the customer while the problem is being resolved is the critical factor.
To effectively measure FCR, organizations need to track
the number of customer contacts per issue, regardless of the
communication channel.
As with other contact center metrics, one of the main
advantages of tracking FCR is to help measure the effectiveness
of new initiatives. Baseline is measured by determining the first
contact resolution before a new process is established, then
comparing it to the subsequent measurements taken after the
implementation of the change, or after training or coaching of the
representative.
If there is improvement, progress can be tracked. If there
is none, you have to look back at the changes you have
implemented.
f. Resolution Time (Time to Resolution or TTR)
Resolution time (or TTR for time-to-resolution) helps
organizations track the average amount of time spent in resolving
customer issues.
This is of great importance, especially in technical support, where organizations and their customers share the common
goal of resolving customer issues as quickly as possible. For customers, this means returning to operational status or good
working condition as quickly as possible; for employers, this
means controlling support costs while maintaining customer
satisfaction.
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TTR is typically measured in hours or days depending

on the nature of the product or system being supported, and is
measured from the time a support is requested.
Many factors can contribute to TTR. These factors
include:
communication skills and technical expertise of both the

representative and the customer;
access to relevant resources of the representative and
his/her troubleshooting skills; and
caseload of the representative and his/ her diligence in
following up with customers play into the equation.
While keeping TTR as short as possible is a goal of

every technical support team leader, care needs to be exercised
so that the goal doesnt become ever-shorter resolution times. If
root cause analysis is abandoned in favor of a quick workaround,
or if rapport is jeopardized by an overworked or under-trained
representative, then customer satisfaction may be diminished no
matter how quickly an issue is resolved.
1. Quality Metrics
Quality metrics in a call center refer to how well agents accomplish their
tasks, especially their primary function of customer contact.
These quality metrics fall into two categories:
Standards
Standards describe the minimum acceptable level of
performance for all agents. These vary from call center to call
center, but include behaviors such as giving the appropriate
greeting, verifying the customer name and address, and giving
accurate information. When measuring standards, the
representative determines whether or not these were met. This
can be assessed through observation of actual or recorded calls
by the agent.
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Objectives
Objectives are qualitative. They describe something
that will be accomplished to different degrees depending on
the agents skill level and on the unique properties of the call,
email, or chat session.
Typical objectives include building rapport with the
customer, handling challenges effectively, and using empathy
as appropriate. When measuring objectives, the
representative assesses how well they were met.
Process
TASK 1: Call Center Metrics Acronyms
DIRECTIONS: Write the complete terms for the following acronyms in your
notebook.
1. ACD
2. CSAT
3. TTR
4. QA
5. FCR
TASK 2: Identifying Call Center Metrics

DIRECTIONS: Identify the call center metrics described in the statements
below. Write the letter of the correct answer in your notebook.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
ACD
Call Quality
CSAT
Escalation Rate
FCR
f. TTR
g. Objectives
h. Standards
i. Productivity Metrics
j. Quality Metrics

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1. It refers to how well agents accomplish their tasks, especially their

primary function of customer contact.
2. It measures how effective the agents are in the use of their time
and how efficient they are in maintaining the balance of the various aspects of their jobs.
3. These are elements that should be included or are present in
every call by every representative.
4. It intends to measure a customer's satisfaction with the service
received, which is usually expressed as a percentage between 0
and 100, with 100% as completely satisfied customer rating.
5. This evaluation is done by listening to calls and following the
criteria listed in the monitoring form.
6. It tracks the length of time a customer is on the phone. It is usually
measured in minutes and exclusive of any pre-call preparation or
post-call documentation, typically referred to as wrap.
7. It refers to tracking the average amount of time spent resolving
customer issues.
8. This refers to the frequency with which issues are to be brought
up to higher levels of management in the course of supporting
our customers
9. It includes building rapport with the customer, handling challenges effectively, and using empathy as appropriate. When
measuring objectives, the representative assesses how well they
were met.
10. It is on top of the list for many organizations when it comes to the
metrics they are tracking resolving issues as quickly as possible

TASK 3: Video Presentation
Here are some suggested video clips which will take you to the world
of a call center agent. Watch each one and observe it carefully.
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A Day in the Life: Call Center Agent

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kudxLVJRmM0
A Day in the Life of a Modern Philippines Contact Center BPO

URL:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xhy9V7V-90

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DIRECTIONS: After watching the video, write down your observations in your
notebook about the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
reasons why they took the call center job

advantages of being a call center representative
economic implications of the BPO industry
ways and means of maintaining quality call center service
TASK 4: Call Center Simulation

DIRECTIONS: Imagine that you will be subscribing to an Internet Service
Provider (ISP). Reflect on your possible expectations if for example, you were
able to avail of their service.
1. On the first column, list down the possible reasons which you think
would require you to call on their customer support service.
2. On the second column, write your expected response that would
satisfy your problem.
3. On the third column, write down a response that would probably cause
dissatisfaction on your part as the customer.
Expected Service of an Internet Service Provider
1. ex. Connection reliability
2.____________________________________
3. ___________________________________
Possible Problems
encountered with the
service
Satisfied Customer
Dissatisfied Customer
1.
2.
3.

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Lesson 5: Transmit and Receive Calls to or from Customers

Call center industry is fairly a modern phenomenon. Improved computer
and telephone systems have upgraded the level of customer service by
transferring transactions handled face to face by employees and telephone
exchanges into technology- based systems. Technological innovations like the
invention of the Internet and the World Wide Web led to the expansion and use
of calls centers. Advances in computers and telephone directories made
customer service more efficient and economical than in the past.
A customer can now gain access to a service or product with a click of
the mouse button or a phone call.
Preliminary Activity:
Recall an experience with any customer service you encountered and
say something about it. Rate the service with a scale of 1 to 5, one being the
lowest and five being the highest. Use the emoticons below and justify why
you have evaluated the service as such. Do this in your notebook.
________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(5)
(4)
(3)
(2)

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(1)
A call center representative may perform tasks specific to a business or

industry or may provide more generic functions. However, in addition to
providing key customer contact functions, a typical call center employee
handles many fairly routine processes for an organization. Functions such as
order fulfillment, technical support, or application processing are often
enhanced with a variety of specialized units within the call center (e.g., foreign
language specialists, technical experts and product specialist). Each unit
performs a specific task, serves a particular customer base or supports a
certain product or service line.
Some typical call center job titles are:
Account executive
Agent
Associate
Attendant
Consumer affairs counselor
Consultant
Customer Service/ Member Support Clerk
Customer Service Representative (CSR)
Data Entry / Order Clerk
Inbound Telemarketing Specialist
Member Counselor
Operator
Outbound Telemarketing Specialist
Sales Representative
Senior Customer Service Representative/ Member Counselor
Technical Support Representative (TSR)
Teleservices Representative (TSR)

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5.1 Clients/ Customers Needs

Here are some of the most common customer service and related
functions provided by a call or customer contact center employees. Type of
calls are in accordance with the customers needs:
1. Complaint resolution- allows discussion of a problem related to a
product or service provided by the organization. By offering multiple
alternatives, customer needs and preferences can more readily be
addressed. Depending on the chosen method by the customer, time
and money can be saved by the organization since technology can
often replace the need for employee intervention.
2. Document / order processing organizations that deal with a
membership base or process forms, orders, or applications generally
allow several ways for customers to accomplish these functions
(warehouse clubs, credit companies, mortgage companies,
organizations that do product warranty registration or order
processors). The agent of the organization takes the information and
completes the form for them.
3. Inquiry services some organizations program response to frequently
asked customer questions (FAQs) through a system that can deliver
the answer electronically. Some of these means include website, faxon-demand, interactive voice response (IVR), and/or online internet
fulfillment system.
4. Telemarketing or teleservices- prescreening possible customers or
setting up sales calls for sales representatives.
5.1.1 Counseling
This is an assistance that makes use of toll-free
telephone service designed to assist callers on matters that
may include the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual wellbeing. These are commonly being handled by religious or
non- governmental organizations.
This may also involve identifying, researching, and
resolving customer issues using the computer system.
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5.1.2 Directory
This is formerly known as information. It changed
its name because of the unrelated queries being thrown at
the agents. It is an important resource for updated telephone
lists and skip tracing, where one can get persons addresses
as well as their telephone numbers.
5.1.3 Booking
Many corporations provide services over the
telephone, such as technical support, customer service, and
direct sales. To maximize efficiency, corporations often
perform repetitive telephone functions at centralized call
centers. Hotel bookings, concert ticket reservations, and
airline ticket bookings are some examples.
5.1.4 Technical Support
Technical support help desks are heavy users of
knowledge management systems. For example, a customer
wants to know if a computer system is compatible with a
specific printer. The agent types the computer model and the
printer name on the search window and the knowledge
management system finds all the data on the specified model
and printer. When the information has been located, the data
about compatibility, known issues, information on where to
download the appropriate printer drivers, etc., is displayed so
that the agent can answer the customers question. Even
though this agent may have never heard of the printer, the
information that was stored by someone else is there to solve
the problem.
Although these tools can improve service in highly
complex environments, they require a great deal of
maintenance.
Each time a new issue or problem is identified, or
the company makes a new product, all relevant data must be
entered into the system so that those who need it can access
it. In many organizations, this updating process requires that
the solution be tested to ensure its accuracy before it can be
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entered in the system. This prevents erroneous or incomplete

data from being entered and proliferated. The initial data
entry to set up the system is generally a huge task, and
regular maintenance is essential to ensure that the system
stays up to date and remains as effective as possible.
5.1.5 Academic Instruction
These involve online tutorial call centers and other
academic institutions which provide academic instructions.
They accommodate agents who are capable of teaching
specific areas on a real time basis.
Japanese learners for example, would like to learn
English, so there are a number of call centers which cater to
this need. English as a Second Language (ESL) lessons will
be taught to them by competent personnel without the need
to leave their homes.
5.1.6 Travel Advisories
Travel advisory needs can be attributed to travel
bookings.
5.1.7 Sales
Online product sales (depending on the call center
account the representative is holding) is in demand, since it
saves the customers time and resources in product
promotion. Providing customers with product and service
information is the main task involved in this type of customer
service.
If the agent work in sales, it is your job to undertake
administration and other office duties that leave the sales
team free to focus on the busy business of selling. This may
include:
Handling and answering telephone calls to inform,
update, and answer clients concerns, queries and
complaints,
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answering tickets/emails that they get from clients who

have purchased something online
processing refunds, as requested by clients, for something
they purchased online
verifying validity of amount charged in the clients credit
card accounts for something they have purchased online
research billing issues and misapplied payments
calling back customers who have left a voicemail asking
for assistance
calling customers to confirm their purchases are valid
using online customer service system to locate customer
information, provide refunds, and leave notes
You may also come across the term crossselling. Cross-selling may be defined as selling a product to the
caller which is not the primary reason the caller contacted the
call center.
5.1.8 Data Gathering
One of the most valuable assets an organization
has is the knowledge of its employees. Capturing that
knowledge and making it available to everyone who needs it
are very difficult. Knowledge management systems are
designed to address this need because they are essentially
data storage and retrieval systems. They organize data so
that may be searched easily to find answers to queries.
Process
TASK 1: Type of Calls in Accordance with the Customers Needs
DIRECTIONS: Enumerate the type of calls are in accordance with the
customers needs. Answer this in your notebook.
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________
4. __________________________________
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TASK 2: Identifying Clients/ Customers Needs

DIRECTIONS: Write the term that best describes the following. Do this in
your notebook.
_______________1. It is an important resource for updated telephone lists
and skip tracing, where you can get the persons
address as well as their telephone numbers.
_______________2. This deals with troubleshooting of the clients product.
_______________3. It addresses the need for data storage and retrieval
systems.
_______________4. Its main task is providing customers with product and
service information.
______________5. This provides customers with assistance in processing
refunds, as requested by clients, for something they
purchased online.
_______________6. These involve on-line tutorial call centers and other
academic institutions such as ESL for Japanese
learners.
_______________7. These include assistance that make use of toll-free
telephone service designed to assist callers on
matters that may include the physical, mental
emotional or spiritual wellbeing.
_______________8. It includes services such as calling customers to
confirm their valid purchases and use an online
customer service system to locate customer
information, provide refunds and leave notes.
_______________9. An example of this is data about compatibility,
known issues, where to go to download the
appropriate printer drivers, and the likes where in the
agent can answer the customers question.
______________10. Some organizations program response to frequently
asked customer questions (FAQs) into a system that
can deliver the answer electronically via a website,
through fax-on-demand, interactive voice response
(IVR) or online internet fulfillment system.

190
Lesson 6 Products and Services

There are several products and services being offered as part of
business process outsourcing. Here are some of the most common.
6.1 Financial Services
Online payment processing account may cover tasks such as:
a. Billing support- is a means of improving collection activities.
This may include, but not limited to the following: questions
about a billing statement charge, interest rates and accounts
receivables, facilitating reconciliation of invoices to
remittance, and others.
b. Collections have in-house (internal) agents who call
delinquent customers in an attempt to have them pay past due
accounts. Others (bank, credit card companies, credit
lenders, and similar agencies) sometimes sell their delinquent
accounts to third party collection agencies in exchange for
immediate cash recoupment. The third party agencies are the
ones that then follow up with calls and letters to collect the
debt.
6.2 Technical Support/ Help Desk
Every organization that develop products (e.g., electronic
equipment, software, electrical appliances, and craft tools) offers
services for customers through a toll-free number. Accessing
information and assistance related to assembly, use, warranty,
registration, benefits, and various other functions are examples of
these services.

191
Figure 12. Technical Support Agent

6.3 Sales Support
The work involved in sales support depends on the size of team
the agent work in and the type of sales your company focuses on.
Typically you will be:
processing new sales leads
managing the correspondence between the sales team and their
clients
monitoring customer accounts
providing data and reports to help the sales team
keeping track of sales targets
Consultative selling, for example, is a selling technique that
emphasizes the needs and wants of the customers. Questions are
probing and open ended. This involves listening more than talking.
6. 4 Client-Specific Products
The sale of standard products via Internet is taking place on a
large scale and is growing fast. But what are the possibilities for selling
customer-specific products and customization via Internet?
Selling standard products over the internet has become relatively
simple. Be it IT-based systems such as application programs or products
which will be used in the business, client-specific products are now readily
available through this system.
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Process
TASK 1: Products and Services
DIRECTIONS: Complete the diagram to summarize the knowledge you have

learned from the topic. Do this in your notebook.
1.
2.
A.
3.
B.

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4.
Lesson 7: Interactive Communication

The life of a call center firm revolves around an extremely essential
player: the satisfied customer. Since this career deals with satisfying the
customers needs, it is of prime importance to maintain a certain level of
customer satisfaction so that these key players will be back for more.
It is good to assume that once you have entered the world of call centers,
your first and foremost goal is to leave a good impression on the part of your
customers. Therefore, you have to do your best and deal with their needs in
the most accurate, fast and courteous way possible.
PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY:
You probably experienced answering a business-related call from
someone or inquired a service through the telephone. An example is calling a
customer service of your cellphone service provider regarding a load that has
been consumed without your knowledge.
What do you think are the best practices in answering calls?
Enumerate the best procedures in taking a call using this graphic
organizer. Write in the box the exact words you will say based on the written
cues. Do this in your notebook.
____________________
The phone rings and you

take the call.
____________________
You ask the caller to

provide information.
__________________

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Ending the
call and
hanging
up.
Customer service is not just about answering calls or emails. It is a

complete experience; from the welcome greetings down to the parting words
that leave a mark on the customers. More so, interactive communication
should be the main priority of each and every call. The caller and the receiver
must have full understanding of what both are conversing about. Success of
your call center career would generally depend on this.
Let us first focus on inbound call centers. There are two types of inbound
call centers: Those that deal with queries and transactions, or both. You need
to know them both to carry out Interactive Communication.
A. Handling Queries
Queries are questions or inquiries which may start from a
very simple request relating to facts and figures, to very complex
queries regarding policy matters.
Example of this is a query on motor vehicle registration.
Questions may range from simple matters, such as fees and
charges, to less common questions such as specific types of vehicles
that can be registered and the circumstances that cover such.
The call center staff needs to be well rounded on both facts
and figures, as well as the policies and guidelines to address the
concerns. These types of calls rely on a body of factual information.
B. Handling Transactions
Other call centers process transactions for customers.
This is different from merely answering queries.
For example, financial organizations are tied up to call
centers that allows bills to be paid on-line, or funds to be transferred
between accounts. Insurance companies and investment firms have
complex transactions to deal with.
The call center staff would have to utilize a complex frontend systems to record these transactions. This may involve entering
details on multiple screens to complete the transactions.
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The focus on this type of call is more on procedural

knowledge. There are specific steps required to complete a given
transaction using the computer systems provided. Detailed and
careful use of the front end application must be applied for complex
cases. These procedures must be well documented within the call
center.
Those that handle this type of transactions rely on a
comprehensive set of procedural details.
C. Both types of Calls

Many call centers handle both queries and transactions.
Appropriate resources and effective information must be provided to
support this kind of complex environment.
7.1 Gathering Information in a Courteous and Professional Manner

Presented below are some of the customers needs and how you will
deal with them using the telephone and Information Technology (IT) system
available in your workstation.
Best Practices
1. Prompts and greetings. Greet the customer politely. Make sure that you
speak clearly and the department or service you are handling is made
known to the caller. Ensure prompts are brief and concise. Use language
that is easily understood by the customer. Lengthy prompts, legal terms,
and marketing jargon confuse customers, and results in a poor customer
experience.
2. Manner of the conversation. Be nice and courteous. Express gratitude for
completing a functional task whenever necessary, but be careful not to
overdo it. This might lead to lengthy discussion and may increase amount
of customer time required to accomplish a task. Conversely, offer
appreciation when a customer completes a revenue generating transaction,
expands his/her relationship with your brand, or rates his/her experience
high.
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3. Confirm messages. Confirmation messages should only be presented when

confirming critical entries such as making a payment, transferring funds, or
updating account information. This helps increase the ease and efficiency of
customers completing their transactions with your brand and improves
customer experience.
4. Redundancy. During emergencies, having a redundant solution ensures the
IVR channel is always available to serve your customers. Customers are
increasingly reliant and expectant of reaching brands on their timetables,
and have little patience for technological or natural disasters.
5. Security. Having a secure solution that helps safeguard customer data is a
requirement for all. Ensuring your solution conveys this sense of security to
the customer is very important.
6. Number Clarification. When a number is read back to the caller as
clarification, confirm the numbers in logical groups (4x4 for 16-digit card
numbers, 3-3-4 for phone numbers, etc.). This may remove the feeling of a
non-human interaction within the IVR, which callers generally do not like,
thus improving customer experience.
7. Menu Structure. Limit the menu items to five or less options. Concise menus
with a minimal number of selections helps customers efficiently and
effectively complete their intended goals. Avoid the use of Return to the
main menu option.
8. Temporary Messages. The use of temporary messages is only effective
when the information is presented in an urgent and timely manner. These
messages have to be clear, to the point, and most importantly, temporary.
9. Accuracy. Have accurate and up-to-date information available to your callers
at all times. When a caller contacts you via phone, they are generally saying
they need information now, and have actively selected the most efficient
channel they believe will get them the most accurate answer.
10. Be objective and business-like at all times. Deal with matters in a
professional manner and most of all, avoid injecting personal feelings
especially.

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7.1.1 Call Structure

Calls in general, follow a specific sequence of actions are logical in
structure. Whether it is inbound or an outbound call, the agent must acquire the
necessary skills in carrying out his or her job by following the protocol of the
company.
Although calls in general may be answered almost in the same way, the
greetings and responses may be different in some instances. Observe closely
that you have various examples below which are marked inbound or outbound.
1. Opening /
Greetings
2. Identifying the call

purpose through
listening
4. Making an
agreement (Inbound)/
Closing the deal
3. Gathering
information
(inbound)/
Negotiating (outbund)
5. Closing
Figure 13. Call Structure

198
TABLE 15. Call Structure

1. Opening / Greetings
Good morning. This is Diane from RRD
Software Company. How may I help
you? (Inbound)
Greetings, Introduction , company

name, and offering of help
Thank you for calling RRD Software

company. This is Diane Logan. May I
help you? (Inbound)
Good day. Hi, this is Diane calling on
behalf of RRD Software Company. May
I speak to Brad Cooper? (Outbound)
2. Identifying the call purpose through listening
Customer acknowledgement, starts

introducing himself and states the
purpose of the call
Customer says "Hi, Diane. This is

Britney. I would like to ask about the
availability of your RRD Antivirus
program. How much does it cost and
what are the terms of the delivery?"
(inbound)
Customer says "Hi, this is Brad
speaking." (outbound)
3. Gathering information (inbound)/ Negotiating (outbund)
Getting the customer's information

(inbound)
Stating the purpose of the call

(outbound)
Have you made any transaction with

our company before, Britney? (Yes I
bought a product a month ago.)Well
then, can I have your complete name,
mailing address, and account number?
Well Brad, I'm calling to let you know
about out special holiday offering which
is 50% off on all Antivirus programs.
(outbound)

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4. Making an agreement (Inbound)/ Closing the deal
Providing the customer with his /her

needs, offering suggestions,
options/choices, recommendations
(The customer has provided the agent

the necessary information.) Agent will
then say, "Thank you for that
information. Happy to inform you that
RRD Antivirus program is still available.
It costs a hundred dollars, and it will be
delivered right on your doorstep within 3
working days. (inbound)
Customer responds, "I'm sorry. I am not
interested with the offer. (outbound)
5. Closing
Offering extra help

Leaving friendly parting words such as
advising the caller to call again to avail
of the product or service if problem
persists
Saying goodye
Is there anything else I can do for you?

Have a great day.
Have a nice day .
Have a great day.
Thank you. / Thanks for calling.
I understand that you dont' need our
product at the moment, but do give us a
call at our toll-free number whenever
you need them. Have a nice
day.(outbound)
Process
TASK 1: Enumerate the Best Practices in Interactive
Communication
DIRECTIONS: Without looking at this module, enumerate the best
practices you should apply in taking or making a call. Write down as
many as you can remember on your notebook.
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TASK 2: Enumerating the Call Structure

DIRECTIONS: Write down the needed information to complete the idea.
Do this in your notebook.
1.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_________________
2.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_________________
3.
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_________________
4.
_______________Providing the customer
with his /her needs,
offering suggestions,
options/choices,
recommendations
5. Closing_____________________
_____________________
_________________
TASK 3: Role playing: Best Practices in Making/Taking Calls

DIRECTIONS: Role play an actual outbound or inbound call that
displays the best practices in taking / making a call.
Observe the presentations made by the assigned group
carefully. Identify the best practices shown in the presentation and give
the exact instance where they were shown.
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TASK 4: Interactive Communication

Use the URL below and watch the video clip carefully. Observe
how the call center agent handles the call. Take down notes on the following
points:
1. How did she greet the customer?
2. How did she get the customers details?
3. How did she handle the call?
4. How did she confirm the veracity of the details?
5. How did she end the conversation?
6. What other observations can you add?
7. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the call
center agent in the video?
Customer Support Philippines , Sample Order Taking

2 mins and 56 sec
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaPn_FcKSW0
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7.2 Active Listening

Listening is one of the most important skills you can have. Major
impact on job effectiveness and the quality of your relationships is achieved
when you have acquired good listening skills.
As you have learned in the previous lesson, you listen to obtain
information, understand, enjoy and learn.
Given all these listening benefits, do you think you will be good at it?
Most of us actually are not that good when it comes to listening. Recent
studies suggests that we remember between 25 to 50 percent of what we hear.
That means that when you talk to your peers and friends for 10 minutes, they
pay attention to less than half of the conversation.
In return, when you receive directions or when presented with
information, you are not hearing the whole message either. You hope the
important parts are captured in your 25-50 percent. But what if they are not?
Improving our listening skills therefore can give us a lot of benefits. By
becoming a better listener, you will improve your productivity, as well as your
ability to influence, persuade, and negotiate. More so, you will avoid conflict
and misunderstandings. All of these are necessary for workplace success,
especially in call centers.
About Active Listening
To become a better listener is to practice "active listening." This is where
you make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is
saying, but more importantly, to try to understand the complete message being
sent as well.
Enhancing your listening skills takes a little effort and will give you great
results.
To do this, you must pay attention to the other person very carefully. Let
the other person know that you are listening to what he or she is saying.
Acknowledgement can be something as simple as a nod or a simple "uh
huh." You are not necessarily agreeing with the person, but you are simply
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indicating that you are listening. Using body language and other signs to
acknowledge you are listening also reminds you to pay attention and not let
your mind wander.
You should also try to respond to the speaker in a way that will
encourage him or her to continue speaking, so that you can get the information
that you need. While nodding or making an affirming sound such as an u-huh,
an occasional question or comment to recap what has been said communicates
that you understand the message as well.
Becoming an Active Listener
To help you ensure that you hear the other person clearly and concisely,
and to inform the other person that you are hearing what he or she is saying,
here are the key elements of active listening:
1. Pay Attention.
Give the speaker your undivided attention and acknowledge the
message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also "speaks" loudly.
Here are some tips on how to do this.
Look at the speaker directly.
Put aside distracting thoughts.
Look attentively to the speaker's body language.
Avoid preparing mentally for a negative response.
Avoid being distracted by environmental factors like side conversations.
2. Provide Feedback.
Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort
what we hear. As a listener, your role is to understand what is being said. This
may require you to reflect what is being said and asked.
Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. "What I'm hearing is," and
"Sounds like you are saying," are great ways to reflect back.
Ask questions to clarify certain points. "What do you mean when you
said" or " Is this what you mean?" are some examples.
Summarize the speaker's comments periodically.
3. Defer Judgment.
Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full
understanding of the message.
Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions.
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Do not interrupt with counter arguments.
4. Respond Appropriately
Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are
gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker
or otherwise putting him or her down.
Be candid, open, and honest in your response.
Assert your opinions respectfully.
Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want
to be treated.
Internal Barriers
(These are hindrances that
occur within yourself.)
External Barriers
(These are hindrances that occur around you or in your surroundings.)
The most powerful action you can take to improve your listening skills
is to eliminate or overcome the common barriers to effective listening. Some
barriers to effective listening are internal, like your hearing condition and
current mental and emotional state of the person, while some barriers are
external, like environmental factors such as the noise of the people around
you, a turned on television, ringing telephone, etc.
Process
TASK 1: Benefits of Active Listening
DIRECTIONS: List five benefits of active listening. Explain why you consider
each of them as a benefit.
1. ____________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________
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3. ____________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________
TASK 2: Internal and External Barriers
DIRECTIONS: Examine yourself by identifying the internal and external
barriers that you think may interfere with your effective listening skill. These
are your clues as to what points you must improve on.
Internal Barriers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
External Barriers
1.
2.
3.
4
5.
6.
7.
8.
After the listing activity, try suggest ways on how you can
eliminate or overcome the external and internal barriers by filling up
this table.
Internal Barriers
External Barriers
(ways on how I could overcome or

eliminate these hindrances)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
(ways on how I could overcome or

eliminate these hindrances)
1.
2.
3.
4
5.
6.
7.
8.

206
TASK 3: Listening Exercise

TASK 3: Listening Exercise
DIRECTIONS: Arrange yourselves in groups of five. Have a card ready in

which you will be writing the message that will be passed on by your team
mates.
Procedure:
1. The first person in the team will get the message from your teacher. You
need not memorize it. Just make sure that you get the most important part
of the message. This must be relayed to your next team mate.
2. At the teachers cue, start passing the message to the next student by
whispering. The messenger is not allowed to show the message on the card
to the receiver. No one is allowed to take down notes while the message is
being passed on. The receiver could only write down the message on his/her
card when the messenger leaves.
3. The process will continue until the last person gets the message. He/ She
will have to read the final message from his/her card.
Processing:
The teacher will ask the students to post the cards sequentially by group
so everyone could see the slight changes in the message. The team will then
have the opportunity to study how subtle changes in word use, slight additions,
or eliminations, can significantly alter the meaning of any message.
TASK 4: Selective Listening Exercises

Selective listening is the act of hearing, remembering, and interpreting
selected parts of a message that seem relevant to you, while ignoring or
devaluing the rest.

207
This is also an important to point to bring up in class. Misunderstanding

arises whenever selected details of the call are ignored by the receiver.
DIRECTIONS: The teacher will compose a group of words that belong to a
similar theme. He/ She may use at least 15 words that she may repeat
randomly. For example, burgers are made up of lettuce, cheese, patty, catsup
etc. So the words which will be given will be the following:
Patty, catsup, lettuce, olive, pickles, lettuce, cheese, catsup
He/ She would then give this set of words to the class. You will be given 30
seconds to write down the words you remember on your notebook.
Processing:
Read the words you have listed down on your notebook carefully. Check
how many words match with that of the list given by the teacher. Notice how
many have been added which are not part of the original set of words.
TASK 5: Online Listening Exercises

Listening exercises are also available via the Internet. A sample
activity can be accessed through this link:
http://www.esl-lab.com/market/marketrd1.htm

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Task 6: Role Playing Assessment

You need a group with three members each. Assign each one according
to the following tasks: 1. speaker, 2. listener, and 3. observer. Make notes
about how the exercise affected you as speaker and as listener. Here are the
rules of the activity:
1. The speaker will finish the first sentence below. He/she should limit the
response to two to three sentences.
If I could change one thing about myself, I would
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2. The listener sits attentively. The listener has to nod his/her head and
acknowledge the speaker verbally when appropriate. When the speaker is
done, the listener briefly restates what the speaker said using an introductory
phrase such as, "What I hear you saying is" or As I understand it, you"
Finish by asking, "Is that right?"
3. The observer will monitor what transpires between the speaker and the
listener.
This will be done on a rotation basis, meaning all of you in the group
will experience every role.
Rotate only if the speaker confirms the accuracy of the listeners
restatement. If not, have the speaker clarify further and have the listener
paraphrase again. Continue until the listener gets confirmation. Rotate so that
each person has a chance to be speaker or listener. The second speaker
finishes the second sentence and the third speaker finishes the third sentence.
2nd sentence: I admire people who can
3rd sentence: I would love to have the chance to
Take time to talk about the exercise after each round. The observer can
give feedback to the listener about his or her attentive posture and
paraphrasing.
Record your observations in your notebook.
observations. Identify similarities and differences.
Compare
Provide feedback on how to improve your listening skills.

210
your
7.3 Probing skills

One of the worst things a customer service representative could do is to
resolve an issue without knowing and fully understanding the customers
concern. It takes not just a question, but a series of questions to fully
understand where the customers are coming from. It is important to dig deep
into the customers concerns to get to the root of the issue.
Probing questions are intended to help the presenter think more deeply
about the issue at hand. If a probing question does not have that effect, it is
either clarifying question or a recommendation with an upward inflection at the
end.
Here are some suggestions to help you formulate good probing
questions:
1. Make the probing question brief.
2. Facilitate thinking from reaction to reflection.
3. Allow multiple responses.
4. Do not place the blame on anyone.
5. Avoid yes or no responses.
6. Make it brief.
7. Encourage taking another partys perspective.
8. Require the person to solve his /her own problem.
9. Elicit a slow response.
10. Make it general and widely useful.
Examples of probing questions:
How do you think your own comfort with the material has influenced
your choice of product?
What makes you say that, Madam/Sir?
What do you think is quality work?
What would students say about this issue?
Why did allowing students to create their own study questions cause
a problem to you?
Quotes on the other hand refers to the following:
Exact phrase/s
Direct passage of a sentence or more
Quotation Marks (" ") are needed as well as the
parenthetical documentation or intext citation
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7.3.1 Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is your own version of what the customer told you.
It is an effective way of checking if you and the customer are on the same page.
It assures the customer that you listened to their concerns and have understood
them.
To paraphrase effectively, take note of the following:
1. Re-read or listen to the original passage or statement until you
understand its full meaning.
2. Probe if necessary and if possible to fully grasp the meaning of the
original passage or statement.
3. Record or develop your paraphrased message/idea.
4. Repeat paraphrased idea to your customer to check if your
understanding of his/her idea is correct.
5. Use quotation marks ( ) when writing to identify any term or phrase
you have borrowed exactly from the source.
Table 16. Paraphrasing Example
Customer says:
PARAPHRASING EXAMPLE
Proper Paraphrasing
Improper Paraphrasing
I want my account
cancelled because I
cannot pay my monthly
fee.
If I understood you
correctly, Mrs. Wilson,
you want to cancel your
subscriptions because
you are having
difficulties in coping
with the monthly fees,
is that correct?
So you want to cancel

your account because
you cant pay the fee?
7.3.2 Summarizing
Summarizing is also an important factor to master in this field.
Summarizing is taking the main idea from a source. It often focuses on several
paragraphs or an entire article. This need parenthetical documentation or intext
citation of source
Here is another way to compare paraphrasing and summarizing:
If you watched a TV Program and you came to school telling your
friends about what happened during the episode, you would be summarizing.
212
But if you watched the same program last night and you told your
friends about a specific scene, you would be paraphrasing.
What would these two have in common? You would still need to
credit your source (TV Program) by including parenthetical documentation
(intext citations) with a complete work cited page.
7.3.3 Clarifying
Clarifying lets you address the customers practical needs
immediately.
Here are simple ways on how to clarify the customers inquiries
or concerns:
Table 17. Clarification Examples
How to clarify
Sample Call
Sample Response
This is Alex
Alex, I believe you
Clarify the customers
Hanks and Id like are referring to the
single and easy to
to know if I could
Summer promo
understand inquiry by
still use the
discount coupon of
explaining a piece of
discount coupon I our store? Yes, you
information about it.
received last
can still use it.
Thursday ?
I received my
Britney, I apologize
Paraphrase several
shoe orders
for the
concerns as explained by
yesterday. It
inconvenience
the customer.
seems like you
brought about by the
have problems
situation. I
with your delivery understand where
service. Two of
youre coming from.
my orders are out Let me check if I
of shape and the
understand you
red one has
completely. You
molds.
received two pairs of
shoes that are out of
shape and one with
molds?
Samantha
I believe you are
Clarify further by probing
Morrison on the
referring to the New
when you do not
line. Id like to
York City 20%
213
understand the customers

concerns.
know if the
discount rates of
your New York
travel package
applies next
week?
Discount Tour
Package. Yes, it is
still available next
week.
Clarifying Questions are simple questions of fact. They clarify the dilemma
and provide the nuts and bolts so that the participants can ask good probing
questions and provide useful feedback later in the protocol. Clarifying
questions are for the representative and should not go beyond the boundaries
of the customers dilemma. They have brief, factual answers, and does not
provide any new food for thought from the customer service representative.
Process
TASK 1: Paraphrasing Exercise
DIRECTIONS: Complete the following table by paraphrasing the customers
concerns. Do this in a separate sheet of paper.
Customer says:
Correct Paraphrasing
1. I want to cancel my
flight booking because a
close relative of mine has
just passed away.
2. Id like to have my ATM
account blocked. My wallet
had been stolen with my
ATM cards in it.
3. I would like to make a
follow-up on my orders. I
was expecting them
yesterday but until now It
they havent arrived yet!
4. Id like to know if my
Internet Service
subscription as been
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terminated? I called up last

week for termination since
I lost my job.
5. May I ask if your
products are suitable for
sensitive skin? My skin
easily gets irritated by
cosmetic products.

TASK 2: Tips on Effective Paraphrasing
Visit these websites for additional reading resources and actual video
clips regarding paraphrasing questions:
1.
2.
3.
http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/questioning-skills/how-toparaphrase-questions.html
http://www.network-marketing-mlm-success-system.com/how-toparaphrase.html
https://myragolden.wordpress.com/category/customer-service/telephonetechniques/
TASK 3: Online Paraphrasing Exercise

Refer to this website for more paraphrasing exercises:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/28/12/33/
TASK 4: Actual Paraphrasing Exercises

DIRECTIONS: Prepare your own customer concerns on a piece of paper.
After everyone has completed this task, present you concern in front of the
class. Choose a partner who will paraphrase the concern.
215
Conduct the activity as a simulation of an actual call center setting.

Inform your classmate on the topic of your concern so he/ she can create an
appropriate opening greetings. Let your classmates judge whether the
paraphrasing was correct. Have them discuss suggestions on how to improve
the paraphrasing done by your classmate.
Your partner would then be the next to act as the customer, and you,
this time, will be the agent.
Assess the activity using these criteria:
Paraphasing Skills 70% (correct paraphrasing,

good choice of words, clarity of the idea)
Voice Quality 30% (tone, pace, pronunciation,

enunciation)
TOTAL: 100%

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7.4 Ensuring Consistent Quality Service for all Types of Customers

Reporting Packages
The Automatic Call distributor (ACD) has two primary types of reporting
capabilities. One provides historical data and the other gives real-time
snapshots. The historical data can provide information on call handling, agent
performance, volumes, and service levels over the last half-hour, day, shift,
week, or longer. There are hundreds of standard reports offered by the
vendors. Customized reports can be provided, generally with an export of the
data to a software package designed for customizing reports, such as Crystal
Reports.
Real-time data is generally provided on a color-coded computer screen
and allows corner of the eye management. Supervisors can monitor how long
an agent has been on a call or in a work status, what the Average Speed of
Answer (ASA) is, how long callers are waiting in queue, and other data.
In addition to the standard reporting packages that come with the ACD
from the manufacturer, there are third-party reporting tools. These include walldisplay boards and TV monitors that provide the current queue status, service
level information, and other customized messages for all in the center to see.
These can keep the staff and supervisors informed and serve as a quick
communications tool for disseminating updated information that needs to be
passed to everyone quickly. Other tools can also provide the same kind of data
on the agents monitor.
ACD Integration Trends
Call centers are growing and changing rapidly. New features and
technologies are announced almost daily. Some of the trends over the last
couple of years are fully digitized operations and integration of voice-overInternet-protocol technologies to allow full utilization of the Internet.
Integration of the ACD with a variety of other technologies in the call center
continues to expand. The ACD can be linked to a quality-monitoring system to
allow managers to tap into the agent phone for recording the conversation. A
workforce management system looks to the ACD for both real-time and
historical data to update forecasting and performance data.
217
Email management systems connect to the ACD to distribute work on a

blended basis to the agents. Time clocks are linked to the ACD so when an
agent logs into the ACD for work, the time clock is updated for payroll purposes.
Learning management systems use the ACD to manage the agents work state
when a session of e-learning is pushed to the agent during idle periods. The
list keeps growing. Any linkage that saves data entry, coordinates functions,
and aids operations should be considered. These technologies are discussed
in more detail later in this section.
Quality Monitoring and Recording
Nearly every ACD is equipped with the capability to support silent
monitoring of calls by a supervisor. This allows the supervisor to access a call
in progress, listening to both sides of the conversation without either the caller
or the agent knowing the supervisor is observing. This approach requires the
supervisor (or quality control manager) to access these conversations in realtime. If there are few calls in progress, the supervisor can waste time waiting
for a call to come to a specific agent. During busy times, the supervisor may be
needed on the floor to assist agents. While centers typically set a goal of
listening to several calls per agent per month, the goal is often missed if realtime silent monitoring is the only option.
Automated recording of the calls is the role of the call-recording system.
While some organizations record every call for business purposes, most do not.
The call-recording system typically is set to record randomly, sampling each
agent at different times of day and days of week throughout the period to ensure
a fair sampling. Alternatively, the system may also record agents data screens
during the calls so that the supervisor can see exactly what the agents saw on
the screen and what keystrokes they entered as they processed the calls.
With a recording, the supervisors can review the calls whenever they have
time. Recordings can be accessed from outside the center by phone in some
cases and the data portions accessed through the Internet so supervisors can
even review calls while at home. One of the additional benefits is that the
supervisor and agent can listen to the recording together during a coaching
session. With the system recording on a regular basis, there is little risk of
missing the goal of monitoring the number of calls needed to ensure quality
control. Supervisors must find the time to listen to the calls and score them
based on the criteria that is pre-set for this purpose.
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Contact Management Systems

Whether the contact being tracked is a troubled ticket reported to a help
desk, a sales lead, or a customer interaction requesting some service, a contact
management system can be of assistance. This type of system tracks
interactions by customers and provides the databases and analytical tools to
look for trends and sort by demographics.
In a call center, the contact management system provides a record of all
the previous interactions with the customer.
The customers find they do not have to tell their whole history to the agent,
and the agent can see what has been done or promised by others.
7.5 Avoiding Sensitive Topics
Sensitive customer situations and issues will arise, and call
center agents are usually the first people in the enterprise to learn about
problems. Because of this, it's important to let your call center manager
know when issues come up. Call center agents should not keep these
calls to themselves -- instead, they should flag any calls that involve
sensitive customer situations so that managers can review and make sure
the situation was handled correctly.
Sensitive topics are those that might offend or upset people. It is
generally suggested that as an aspiring call center agent, you stick to the
concern of the customer and not dwell on issues which are not related to
the conversation.
Examples of sensitive issues are:
7.5.1. Racial and Ethnic groups
In the United States, for example, this issue is the
most sensitive. Areas of vocabulary are often those that deal
with racial and ethnic groups. Those whose roots are from
Africa, prefer to be called African-American, while some
prefer Black because they see themselves as Americans
and not Africans. It is improper to use the terms
interchangeably. It is therefore best to call them by their
names.
219
7.5.2. Gender
Use neutral words that include both sexes. For
example, use business executive in place of businessman
and fire fighter instead of fireman.
7.5. 3. Age
Many people think that using words like old and elderly
describe older people is offensive because they seem to
suggest inactivity or weakness.
To avoid offending people, use terms that give more
detailed or exact information about the person or people
described:
Membership is only available to retired people.

People over sixty-five can get a discount.
Many senior citizens enjoy taking walks year-round.
7.5.4. Illness and Disability

Most people are sensitive to disease-related phrases
such as AIDS victim, mental patients, or handicapped
because these seem to stress their physical disabilities or
illness rather than the person. Those who are suffering from
such diseases or disabilities also are more sensitive due to
their health conditions than people who are not. Avoid saying
words that might offend them or their loved ones.
7.5.5. Sexual Preference
Avoid old-fashioned and insulting terms when
referring to people who have sexual relationships with
members of the same sex.
7.5.6. Titles
One of the problems with the English language is that
it does not have different titles for single and married men, but
it does for single and married women.

220
When addressing a woman, do not guess her marital

status. If you do not know whether she is married or not,
use Ms. to address her, rather than Mrs.
7.5.7. Politics
This is another sensitive issue, particularly around election
time. While you may feel very strongly about your political party
or candidate, or have negative views about the opposition, you
should not involve this issue in any way with customer- agent
transactions.
7.5.8. Religion
Avoid discussing your religious beliefs or your
thoughts about other religious beliefs in your conversation with
customers. Religion is a very personal issue and people are
very sensitive about it. They do not want to hear that you
disagree with their religious beliefs or that you believe your
religion is the one in which everyone should believe in.
Process
TASK 1: Identifying Sensitive Issues
DIRECTIONS: In your notebook, identify the sensitive issue being presented
in these situations.
________________1. A call center rep stresses the superiority of the
religious sect where he belongs.
________________2. An agent calls the caller African American and not his
actual name due to the sound of the callers voice
voice.
________________3. A call center representative jokes about a Republican
election candidate.
________________4. An agent calls the caller a retard because he could
not understand what the caller was saying.
________________5. The call center agent said, Im sorry madam, but the
promo isnt available for oldies like you.
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TASK 2: Addressing Sensitive Issues
DIRECTIONS: Imagine that you are in a conversation with one of your
customers. How would you address these issues during an actual
conversation? Role play your responses. Discuss what had transpired after
each presentation.
1. An elderly insists that the delivery of her orders is already a week delayed.
She keeps repeating the annoying complaints over and over again.
2. A caller asks about your religion and claims that his is better than yours.
3. You have mistakenly called a woman mister due to the depth of her voice.
4. An annoying caller challenges you for a debate on regarding the better
political party.
5. A man orders feminine products intended for his own use.
TASK 3: CSR / Agent Interview

Conduct an interview with a call center agent/ service representative and
discuss how they handle sensitive issues in the workplace. Ask them for useful
tips on how to address this. Ask for specific instance and actual situations which
they experienced firsthand and how they resolved such concern.
Talk to at least 3 agents so you can come up with various responses.
Compare and contrast how each agent handled the situation and make a
conclusion regarding the best ways on handling sensitive issues.
Create a narrative report (with pictures for documentation purposes if
the interviewee permits/ agrees with the idea) and submit it to your teacher.
You will be assessed based on the following criteria:
Validity and Reliability of the gathered information: 60%
Implication and Conclusion:
40%
100%

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LESSON 8: PHONE ETIQUETTE

Agents should exhibit good telephone etiquette on a call, but different
people may have different definitions about what constitutes good telephone
manners.
Below are a few sample competencies associated with providing quality
service over the telephone:
Adapt the call to the customers tone and pace.
Project a positive and professional corporate image.
Demonstrate a supportive approach when dealing with callers.
Maintain control of the conversation to balance service with efficiency.
8.1 Creating a Good First Impression
The first thing to do when you receive a call is to identify yourself.

Inform the customer who you are clearly and confidently by mentioning
your name. It is a good sign of willingness to take accountability.
Use an American-friendly name so as not to give the customer a hard
time pronouncing your name.
This is Diane.
Ask sincerely how can you be of assistance to the customer. The
tone will do the work for you. Project a tone that will make the customer
feel that you would like to resolve the issue immediately and that you
feel for them.
How may I help you?
Respond appropriately after hearing the concerns or inquiry of
the caller. This will help you build rapport and trust with your caller.
Make sure that you apply the active listening skill you have acquired in
the previous lesson. Listen attentively and make sure that you have
fully understand the purpose of the call and what the caller requests
from you.

223
Table 18. Opening a Call

OPENING A CALL
Start with a greeting
Thank you for calling Great Service
Company.
Identify yourself
This is Richard.
Ask how you can be of help
How may I help you today?
Respond
to
the
customer Great. Id be happy to assist you.
appropriately
Or
Im sorry to hear that. Ill be glad to
take care of this for you.
Verifying customers membership Do you have a service reference
number?
The reason of the call will always identify the response that you
need to give.
Here are some examples of responses based on the reason of
the call:
Table 19. Responses Based on the Reason of a Call
A customer is
You respond by saying
inquiring about a service from our Id be glad to assist you.
client
interested in inquiring more
Thats great to hear. Id be happy to
service from our clients
assist you.
unhappy with a particular service Im sorry to hear that. Ill be glad to
outcome or product
take care of this for you.
Here are some tips on how to improve your performance:
Goal:
Definition:
Adapt call to the customers tone and pace

Adjust to the mood and pace of the caller.
Refrain from imposing your own style or rate of speech on the
caller.
Relate to callers as individuals and adapt presentation style and
content to fit their needs.
Positive Behaviors: Slow pace for inexperienced caller.
Behaviors adapt to slower pace for different language
or accent.
Negative Behavior
Raise your voice to a caller who is yelling.
Offer detailed, complicated explanations when caller has
indicated he is in a hurry.
224
Another example might be the expectation of displaying a

positive, professional corporate image. That phrase positive, professional
corporate image alone leaves much room for interpretation about what is
meant by professional or what contributes to corporate image. Fully defining
this expectation and providing examples of positive and negative behaviors will
make the expectation clearer, and therefore, more likely to be met.
Goal:
Definition:
Project a positive and professional corporate image

Speak clearly and keep conversation focused on the callers
needs.
Use the agency name in the greeting and/or closing.
Avoid slang and technical terms unfamiliar to the caller.
Use we instead of they to project cohesion.
Positive Behavior
Offer assistance Ill be happy to help you with that question.
Offer positive statements about the company Our success rate
is excellent with this program.
Use we when referring to company We have a wide range
of services to offer.
Negative Behavior
Use cant, dont, or wont I cant find that in your record.
Disclose undesirable things about company Delays have
been really long all day.
Use they when referring to company They dont give out that
number to callers.
Process
TASK 1: Create an Appropriate Opening Spiel
DIRECTIONS: Make your own opening call spiel based on the format
discussed earlier
Imagine that you are working for a Hard Hat Hardware Supply Retailer.
Create your opening call spiel here:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
225
Here are the opening lines of your customers. Write your

response opposite the situation.
Situation
Your response
a. I ordered 50 boxes of floor tiles
last week. Upon opening the
delivered boxes, I found out that 30
boxes have broken tiles, 2 have
mixed designs, and 5 boxes have
incomplete quantity.
b. This is Madeline. I need 20 sets of
power tools to be delivered as soon
as possible.
c. I just would like to make a follow
up on the status of my order last
week. When will it be delivered? Ive
been waiting for it since last Monday.
You said it will arrive in 5 working
days!
d. Mr. Williams here. I would like to
know what colors of paint would
match a 9-year old girls bedroom?
TASK 2: Role Playing Activity

DIRECTIONS: Choose a partner. Assign roles; one would be the call center
representative and the other, the customer. Use your answers above in this
task. Role play the presented situation. Switch roles afterwards. Assess each
others performance based on the scoring rubrics blow. Do this on a separate
sheet of paper.
5
Tone
Energy
Pronunciation
Inflection

226
8. 2 Following the Standard Hold Procedure

The following are the standard hold procedure that one must follow:
Table 20. Standard Hold Procedure
What to do
Example
1. Explain why the customer will be Mrs. Smith, I just need to take a
put on hold.
careful look at your account and
transactions.
2. Provide an exact duration of the Allow me to put you on hold for a
hold.
minute or two.
3. Thank the customer for agreeing.
Thank you, Mrs. Smith.
4. Thank the customer for holding.
Thank you for waiting, Mrs. Smith. I

appreciate your patience.
8.3 Transferring a Call

There would be times during the early or later part of the call where you
would need to transfer the customer to another department or line. There is a
need to do this because you may not have the solutions required by the
customer. Call transfer requires specific guidelines to follow.
When you transfer a call, you must exert an effort in having the customer
believe that you are transferring him/her because this would help resolve the
concern, not because he or she is being passed around. In doing this, you
need to pass the call properly to another department or line.
Let the customer know the reason why you need transfer the call.
Educate the customer about the time and about the external contact number of
the other department where you will transfer him/her.
Transfer is needed only when:
the concern is outside your support service
you have already exhausted all possible means for helping the customer
227
you have explained to the customer that you will be transferring them
due to specific reasons
it is expressedly instructed by the client that you should do this for

specific cases
There are types of call transfer:
1. WARM. If warm, you need to introduce the customer to the agent of the
department you are transferring the call to.
The agent will wait on the phone to introduce the customer and to provide
background information about the call.
2. COLD. If cold, let the customer know that you are no longer going to stay
on the line with them. The customer needs to wait for the other department
to answer the call.
3. DRY. Dry transfer on the other hand is transferring without introducing the
customer to the department who will take the next call.
8.4 Taking Notes During a Call
Taking notes during a call requires documenting the details of the call.
There are specific instructions on how these notes would be taken which vary
from client to client. A common practice is to encode the details of the call on
the computer as you conduct the conversation. This will be a good
documentation of what transpired during the call should the customer make a
follow up on his/ her concerns. This will also assist other call center agents on
how they will deal with the matter based on the last resolution you have made
or agreed upon.
8.5 Making a Lasting Impression
As an agent, you need to close a call that creates a lasting impression.
Closing the call is an opportunity to recap key points, resolve, and or
summarize the outcome of the conversation. This is also an opportunity to end
the call in a professional manner.
228
Table 21. Making a Closing Call

Closing Call Structure
Example
Recap the reason for the call
Mr. Keating, your request to

activate your account has now been
done.
Summarize the action to be taken

Advise processing time frame
This will be processed within the

next 24 hours after which, you can
already make use of your card in an
ATM machine nearest you.
Offer additional assistance
Is there anything else I can help

you with?
Thank the customer
Thank you for calling Thrift Savings

Inc. and have a nice day!
Process
TASK 1: Standard Hold Procedures
DIRECTIONS: Enumerate the standard hold procedures to follow.
______________________________________________________________
1.
______________________________________________________________
2.
______________________________________________________________
3.

229
TASK 2: Reasons for Transferring a Call
ROSE: Yes, indeed.

CSR: Well then, to address your
concern, we need to transfer
this
call
to
the
billing
department. Please stay on the
line while I transfer your call.
Thank you.
LIAM: My internet connection at

home has been cut off for two days
now.
CSR: Please check the modem.
Are all the lights turned on?
LIAM: Yes they are.
CSR: What color is that of the 2nd
light?
LIAM:
Its
red.
Wait
I
remember Could you transfer me
to the billing department so I can
confirm my last payment date?
CSR. Surely. Please hold on for
while I transfer your call.
Transcript 2
CSR: I am sorry, Rose, but I

think your concern is about an
unpaid bill.
Transcript 4
Transcript 3
Transcript 1
DIRECTIONS: Examine the following conversation between a call center

representative (CSR) and a customer. Read it out loud. Assess the reason for
transferring the call based on each conversation.
CSR: Mr. Clifford, I have thoroughly

checked the status of your
connection. It seems like there is no
problem with our service. You have
also personally checked your
computers configuration and you said
that its working fine.
MR. CLIFFORD: Absolutely.
CSR: Please hold on the line. I will be
transferring this call to the technical
repair department so they can
schedule an actual check of the
Internet connection in your residence.
All it takes is a few minutes. Thank
you.
CSR: Is there anything else I can

help you with Mr. Martin?
MR. MARTIN: I would also like to
report my stolen ATM card. I'd like to
block all withdrawals.
CSR: You were saying that your card
had been stolen so you want to block
all withdrawals on the said account,
am I right sir?
MR. MARTIN: That is correct.
CSR: Sir I would have to transfer you
to the Stolen/ Lost card section.
Please hold the line for a few minutes.
Thank you.

230
LESSON 9: HOLD PROCESS

Whether you work in an office or call center, there is a right and wrong
way to talk on the workplace telephone. When answering the phone, you
become the face of the company. How you handle the call from start to finish
will leave a neutral, good or bad taste in the customer's mouth. If the call leaves
a bad taste in the customer's mouth, you may lose the customer. For this
reason, it is best to make sure each call received is handled with excellence.
Answering the Telephone
When answering the telephone at work, it is important to use a
professional greeting. Do not act like customers have to call you. Thank them
for calling. Instead of using a simple Hello, brand the call using the company's
name. Branding the call serves two purposes. First, it lets a customer know he
dialed the right number. Secondly, it prevents your company from appearing
unprofessional. Include your name at the beginning of the call and ask the
customer how you can assist him/her. Your first name is sufficient. Giving your
name makes the call personable and friendly. An example of a professional
greeting is, Thank you for calling ABC company. This is Madeline. How may I
assist you?
Talking on the Telephone
When talking on the telephone, it is easy to sound bored, dry, and
monotone. To prevent this, add a smile to your voice. Adding a smile to your
voice makes you sound happy and upbeat, excited to speak with the
customer. Adding a smile to your voice is simple -- just put a smile on your
face as you speak. When you put a smile on your face, the smile comes
through in your voice. Be mindful of your language when speaking on the
phone. Enunciate your words clearly. Avoid using slang and words such as
yeah and naw.

231
9.1 Why Call Hold is Necessary

Call holding is necessary for the following reasons:
1. to give time to pull out a customers details
2. verify some information from your supervisor
3. run some web based troubleshooting tips
4. to verify information or call someone from another department
9.2 Permission Before Placing Customers on Hold
When talking on the telephone, it is often necessary to place the
customer on hold. You may need to place the customer on hold so you can
contact another department or transfer the call. Many customers hate being
placed on hold, especially if there is a long hold time getting to you in the first
place. Before placing the customer on hold, ask for permission. For instance,
Mr. Richards, do you mind if I place you on hold? If you place the customer
on hold, make it brief, no longer than two minutes. If the hold is longer than two
minutes, refresh the customer to let him know what's going on.
Proper Closing
Closing the call gives you one final opportunity to make a good
impression on the customer. Although you thanked the customer for calling
during the call greeting, thank him again during the closing. Ask if there is
anything else you can assist him/her with. This makes the customer feel
appreciated versus the feeling like he/she is annoying. Wait for the customer
to release the call before hanging up. This prevents you from accidentally
hanging up on the customer. Another equally important thing that you need to
consider is to protect every customers information.
9.3 Hold Estimates
Have you tried calling a customer service hotline where you are
instructed to hold the line for a few minutes?
Customer service representative sees the need to hold the call due to a
variety of reasons.
232
Call estimates vary. Some provide longer estimates than the actual hold
time. Whatever the case maybe, it will still be the agents responsibility to give
the customer the hold time estimate that is closer to reality.
This may also depend on the strategy of the particular call center firm.
Some chooses to give a longer hold time and beats it. For example, an agent
may give you a long hold estimate but then picks up the call immediately.
Others opt to give a realistic hold time.
Whatever the case maybe, customers prefer accuracy over exceeding
the expectations. Fast and honest service is favored by the customers.
Some factors which may be considered in the hold time are:
1.
call queue
2.
average call length
3.
number of agents who will be taking the call
4.
estimate of how long a customer is willing to wait
9.4 Returning the call

Part of the agents responsibility is keeping your words. You have to
maintain honest service to the customers at all times. This is best shown
through returning calls as promised the last time that you conversed with your
customer.
In cases where you can not solve the issue in the duration of the
callers to stay on the line, you need to exert effort on finding a resolution by
setting an estimated time which will give you the opportunity to address such.
This prompts you to return the call.
9.5 Acknowledge the Customer
One of the best ways to send a message to your customers of how
important they are to you is to simply acknowledge them.
A positive way of showing this is by acknowledging them by their names.
Saying thank you for the information, Gracie. or How can I be of service,
233
Gracie? are simple examples that recognize the individual you are speaking
to. It psychologically conditions the mind of the customer that you are in
serious business of helping them with their concerns.
This however should be used in moderation. Frequent mentioning of
their names might be annoying and might sound too scripted.
To end the conversation, you may say something like Is there anything
else I can help you with, Gracie? or the parting words Thank you for calling
customer service Gracie. Have a good day! . The firm where you are in
probably have their own pattern of greetings. You just have to make sure that
you sincerely acknowledge what the caller is telling you. These are effective
ways of building rapport and providing a great caller experience.
Service does not end here. Acknowledgement stage is just the first part.
Taking action should take place afterwards. You have to make sure that you
address them properly. Provide a refund of the service that did not go well. A
discount perhaps on their next purchase. Assure the customer that you will
coordinate with the department to solve their issues on their next call, then do
as you say.
TASK 1: Interactive Communication

Use the URL in the picture to access the video in the Internet.
Watch the video carefully. Take note of the interactive communication skills
shown by call center agent. Take note of the telephone etiquette and report
your observation to the class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=hpZFJctBUHQ
Customer Support Philippines
Sample Order Taking

234
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfiGSb1brS0
Sample Call Tech Support
TASK 2: Call Simulation

Make a simulation of a call center conversation similar to the one
that you have seen. Choose a partner and agree on what service you are
going to role play. Limit your skit in 2 to 3 minutes only.
Follow all the guidelines you have learned in this module. Start
with a god opening spiel, apply probing skills such as paraphrasing and
clarifying. Negotiate positively, close the deal and make a lasting closing
remark.
Record the conversation. Listen to it for a few minutes then
criticize your own work and appraise your conversation.
Fill up a sample coaching form, similar to the one on the next
page.

235
Coaching Session Form

To: (Name of the Agent )
From: (Coach/ Team Leader/ Assessor)
Date:
RE: Coaching Session- Talk and Type
Opening Phrase:
_______________________________________________________
Acknowledgement:
_______________________________________________________
Questioning and Verification:
________________________________________________________
Interrupting/ Overtalking:
________________________________________________________
Team Manager: _______________________

Date : _______________________
Agent: _______________________________
Date : _______________________

236
Know
Lesson 10: Handling Customers Complaints
A call center often becomes a frontline customer service, as many
busy people turn to the Internet to get their business needs met. This means
a call center may be receiving the bulk of customer complaints, as well as
questions and transactions. As a call center practitioner, are you ready to
handle the challenge of a frustrated, angry customer?
Customers complain because they believe they have been treated
unfairly. They should be treated special because they are giving the business
the opportunity to solve the problem and retain them as customers.
When a complaint arises, there are two factors to be considered:
1. the customer
2. the complaint
Complaints may be prevented if you try considering how customers are
pleased. The top three issues concerns of customers to be satisfied are
reliable agent, enjoyable business transaction, and trustworthy people.
Table 22. Top Concerns of Customer Satisfaction

Customers want to know they can depend on
Reliable agent
you. They want to do business with people who will
keep their word and do what they say they will do.
Customers want to be looked after by people
Enjoyable
who will go the extra mile to ensure they get what
business
they want and deliver more than what was
transaction
promised.
Customer perception is important.
Trustworthy
Remember, everything that the customer hears will
people
shape their opinion of you, your service and
products and the company in which you work.
Serve the client by feeling good to provide well
customer service experience, and you will increase
the customers confidence.
237
On the other hand, customer complaints are also valued. They tell the
company:
what its faults or shortcomings are;

where the company needs to improve; and
why the company or the brand is not selling well.
DIRECTION: Use the chart to assess your skills in handling customers
complaints. Place a check () or cross () in the column
provided. Do this in your notebook.
1. I can respond
empathetically.
to
complaints
promptly
and
2. I can address customers complaints with clear, direct,

accurate, and timely response.
3. I can establish details of complaints and use basic
remedies in accordance with enterprise policy.
4. I can implement appropriate referral or hands-off
procedures as required.
5. I can refer complicated concerns to higher authority.
10.1
Protocols for Handling Difficult or Irate Customers
How would you feel if you were the one making the complaint? That is
the first thing you need to think when dealing with complaints. Empathy and
understanding are paramount to giving good customer service, whether in
sales, customer service, or customer complaints departments.

238
Try these methods of responding to customer complaints:

Table 23. Methods on How to Respond to Complaints Promptly
At the time the complaint is made,
Treat
customers want to feel valued. Ensure that
complainants as
valued customers. you make the customer feel that the call is
important to you and you are very much willing
to listen and serve.
Accept ownership
of the problem.
Use the persons

name often, and
with care.
Apologize to customer for the problem that

arise. Don't blame others. The power of the
word, sorry is immense. An early apology in
the conversation is often the key to managing
the call without having to escalate it. Thank
the customer for bringing the problem to your
attention.
The sound that people most like to hear
from others is the sound of their own names.
Use expressions such as:
I appreciate your concern, Sir Robert
Listen attentively
to what your
customer is
saying.
Be understanding.
Be sure to get all

relevant
information.
I can understand why you feel the way you do,

Miss Verna.
Let the customer talk. Say something to
them to let them know you are listening well.
Remember, the person is complaining

about your business, not about you personally.
Be calm, cheerful and helpful. If possible, let
the customer know that you will take
responsibility for solving the problem.
If necessary, repeat the complaint to the
customer and get agreement that you
understand the customers point of view. If the
customer says you havent got it right, never
say:
You dont understand what I have said.

239
Instead, always say,

I am sorry I havent made myself clear.
Always take responsibility for being heard
and understood.
10.2 Process of Handling Customer Inquiries

Prevention is better than cure. Preserving the relationship with
customers is always the main concern in handling complaints.
Your first move is to offer a solution that meets the expectations of the
customer. Remember that your goal is to maintain the relationship and keep
the customer, and that means providing satisfaction. The saying, The
customer is always right, is also true in the case of a complaint.
In Figure 14, read how a

representative addressed a
customer complaint.
"Okay, I really understand and

agree with you that this is very
unbelievably /frustrating /annoying
/stressful /upsetting/ enraging to you,
but for me to help you I must work
within our process.
This is an example of
combining emotional understanding
with control. Rapport and trust are
necessary before you can move
forward. Keep control obviously, but
involve the other person in your
thinking and decision-making.
Figure 14. Control of Situation
Repeat the complaint by using the notes you made while listening to
the customer complaining. This demonstrates that you have a secure grasp
of the problem. Keep your tone measured and calm, and ask a closed
question at the end to check if you have a full understanding.

240
A good way to make sure that you know exactly what the problem is to
use calm and kind words like:
I understand that you are upset, and rightly so, that the gadget you
bought is not working well.
By now, the customer should at least be ready to let you help them.
Assure them what exactly you are going to do and explain the realistic options
available.
If the customer wants something that is not possible, apologize, give
reasons why this is not an available option, and then tell them what you can
do for them.
Moreover, if you can minimize passing them from department to
department, this will also help them to remain calm and listen to any options
you put forward.
If a solution is becoming difficult, ask the magic question:
What do you think we should do that will solve the problem and
be fair to you and the company?
Then wait for the customers response. In most cases, the customer
will require you to do less than you were willing to do, so accepting this
solution will not be difficult. You may even decide to ask this question before
you have to negotiate. The benefit of asking it earlier is that you will nearly
always be able to settle on the customers terms.
After getting the situation under control and fixed, apologize for the
inconvenience. Hope it does not affect their impression on the company.
Maybe throwing a nice word indicated in the box below will create a smile on
the customers face.
Have a nice day.
Thank you for calling. Hope to serve you again.
241
10.3 Acknowledging the Situation and Providing Appropriate Response

Once you have all the list of the complaints, act immediately in
accordance with the procedures of customer service policy.
An enterprise policy needs to be a living document that staff may
access and refer to. Policies are meant to be there as a guide to allow a staff
to know what to do in a certain situation.
What can you do to remedy the arising problem? Here are the basic
tools from an enterprise customer service policy:
Empowerment
Responsibility
Figure 15. Basic Remedy
Empower staff.
Customer service representative should

know how to provide solutions to customers
and have the authority to handle complaints in
a friendly and professional manner.
Give responsibility.
Train
representative.
Give frontline staff responsibility to

resolve complaints in the first instance.
Proper training on customer-complainthandling techniques is a big help to manage
unreasonable customer behavior.

242
Process
Task 1: Review Handling Customer Complaints
This time, we will measure your knowledge regarding empathizing and
remedying customer complaints. Match the terms in column A with the ideas
in column B. Write your answers in your notebook or in a separate sheet of
paper.
A
_____1. Treat complainants as

valued customers.
A.
_____2. Act and speak calmly.
B.
_____3. Use the persons name

often and with care.
_____4. Listen attentively to what
your customer is saying.
C.
_____5. Be understanding.
E.
_____6. Be sure to get all

relevant information.
_____7. Control of situation
F.
_____8. Empower staff
D.
"Okay, I really understand

and agree with you that this is
very stressful to you, but for me
to help you I must work within
our process.
If necessary, repeat the
complaint to the customer and
have an agreement that you
understand the customers
point of view.
Accept ownership of the
problem, then apologize.
I can understand why
you feel the way you do, Sir
Robert.
Make the customer feel
that his/her call is important to
you.
Let the customer talk.
G.
Keep in mind that the

person is complaining about
your business, not about you
personally.
H.
Proper training on
customer-complaint-handling
techniques helps manage

243
_____9. Give responsibility.
_____10. Train representative.
unreasonable customer
behavior.
I.
Customer service
representative should know
how to provide solutions to
customers and have the
authority to handle those
complaints.
J.
Put in charge the frontline
staff to resolve complaints in
the first instance.
Task 2: Research Work

This time, you and your groupmates are tasked to look for a contact
center policy on how to handle customer complaints. You may try to search
on websites of well-known BPO in your community. Put a check () mark on
the items which may also be found in the policy you have selected. Do this in
a separate sheet of paper.
1. Treat complainants as valued customers.
2. Act and speak calmly.
3. Use the persons name often, and with care.
4. Listen attentively to what your customer is saying.
5. Try to be understanding.
6. Get all relevant information.
7. Practice control of situation.
8. Empower the representative.
9. Give the agent the responsibility to resolve complaint
in the first instance.
10. Train representative in communication skills.

244

Task 3: Film Viewing
This activity will further enrich your knowledge of handling complaints
and help you reflect to become a good contact center representative. You
may do the task individually or by group.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Search for a video of a customer service rep handling complaints.
2. Download the video and present it in the class.
3. Use the guide shown below to take note of the techniques on how to
respond to complaints.
4. Discuss the notes taken.
Can respond to complaints promptly and

empathetically
Can address customers complaints with clear,

direct, accurate and timely response
Can establish details of complaints and use basic

remedies in accordance with enterprise policy
Can implement appropriate referral or hands-off

procedures as required
Can refer complicated concerns to higher

authority

245
Transfer
Task 4: Simulation
The previous task revealed the procedures and tips on how to respond
immediately to customer complaints. The next activity is an actual practice of
responding to customer using the available props or materials for a contact
center office. This will enable you to experience the real scenario of
acknowledging the situation and providing appropriate response.
DIRECTIONS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The simulation will be done by group.

Create a script for the customer complaint scenario.
Set the props in the computer laboratory.
Record the simulation using video recording device like cell phone.
Save the video of the simulation and present it in the class for
evaluation using the rubrics below.
Scoring Rubrics
Weight
Accurate
Procedure
20%
Communication
Skills
40%
Group
Cooperation
40%
The procedures for

the responses were
appropriate to the
situation
Responded to
customer complaints
with good
communication skills
The team showed

interest and support
for one another
during the simulation
Some procedures
were missing
Responded to
customer, but needs
more practice in
Showed interest but

needs more
coordination with
teammates
Practice of
inappropriate
procedures
Lacked
to respond to
customer complaints
Not interested and

found the task difficult

246
Know
10.4 Process of Referral or Handing Off Customers to Supervisors
When an agent refers a customers concern to another department,
which has different staffing, a handoff should never be hands-off.
The representative briefly

explains to the person taking the
concern what the customer wants.
This saves the customer the trouble
of repeating themselves. It also
proves to the customer that the
contact center rep is listening
carefully to them.
Figure 16. Handoff
Furthermore, if at any point realization of being unable to answer the

customers complaint comes to mind, find someone else that may be able to
help. Do this as soon as possible to avoid confusion between both you and
the customer.
Sir / Maam (name), would you like to speak with _____ to give
you the information you need?
Sir / Maam (name) regarding the complaint, may I let you speak
with _____, he / she can best answer your concerns.

247
Finally, the best person to help is a supervisor, manager, or an

associate that has been through a similar situation.
Call your manager if the customer asks you to. If you are in the
process of handling a situation and the customer demands that you call your
manager or supervisor, it is best to follow the wishes of the customer.
However, if you can avoid having to get your manager involved, do it.
Handling a situation on your own will show your supervisor that you have the
ability to deal with angry customers in a calm and kind manner.
If you cannot find someone to help you with the situation, tell the
customer politely that while wanting to help them, you do not want to point
them in the wrong direction. Thus, give him/her the least possible solution to
his/her concern.
Again, a simple procedure of referring concern to a supervisor or
higher authority is shown in Figure 17.
1
2
3
Call the manager or supervisor.

If the customer demands to talk with the manager,
follow.
If there is no one to help, be honest with the
customer.
Figure 17. Procedure of Referring Concern to Superior

248
Process
Task 1: Review Handing Off Customers
DIRECTIONS: Write True, if the statement is correct and False, if the
statement is wrong. Write your answers in your notebook or in
a separate sheet of paper.
__________1. When an agent refers a customers concern to another
department, which has different staffing, a handoff should never be hands-off.
__________2. The representative, during handoff, should briefly explain to
the person taking the concern what the customer wants.
__________3. When the customer repeats his concern to another receiving
agent, this only proves that the contact center representative is listening
carefully and responding immediately to customer complaints.
__________4. Tell the customer to wait for your return call if you are unable
to answer the customers complaint.
__________5. The best person to help is a manager, or an associate that has
been through a similar situation.
__________6. Call your manager if the customer asks you to. It is best to
follow the wishes of the customer.
__________7. Handling a situation on your own will show your supervisor
that you have the ability to deal with angry customers in a calm and collected
manner.
__________8. If you cannot find someone to help you with the situation, be
honest and tell the customer politely the least possible response you could
give in accordance with the enterprise policy.
__________9. Sir Edward, please wait for my return call, the person who
could give you the information that you need is in a meeting at this time.
249
_________10. Ms. Reyes, regarding the complaint, I will let you speak with
Mr. Cruz, he can best answer your concerns.

Task 2: Interview of a Contact Center Representative
Nobody can ever give you the best answer on how to implement
appropriate referral or handoff procedure, but a contact center representative.
Thus, the activity will give you a chance to gather information from an
experienced call center agent.
DIRECTIONS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Choose teammates to conduct an interview with a call center agent.

Write down the appropriate response or dialogue to the given question.
Use the chart below to guide the interview session.
Compare the dialogue with the other group and learn from the
gathered information.
How to transfer customer

complaint to other person who
can handle the problem
"____________________________
_ ______________________."
How to explain the complaint

to the other receving person to
eliminate for the customer of
repeating himself/herself
"____________________________
_ ______________________."
How to refer a customer

complaint to higher authority
like supervisor
"____________________________
_ ______________________."
How to respond to a customer

complaint if you cannot find
someone to help
"____________________________
_ ______________________."

250
Transfer
Task 3: Proposed Action Plan for Handling Customer Complaints
Before we end the lesson, let us make a definite plan of developing
your customer service skills particularly in handling complaints. Hence, the
sample proposed action plan on the next page is illustrated to give you an
idea.
DIRECTIONS:
1. With the teachers facilitation, you will be guided on how to fill out the
sample action plan.
2. A plan of action is indicated in the first objective for your guidance.
3. Present the action plan.
4. Use the rubrics below to assess your accomplishment.
SAMPLE ACTION PLAN:
PROPOSED ACTION PLAN

PRACTICE HANDLING CUSTOMER COMPLAINT
OBJECTIVES:
1. Respond to customer complaints promptly and empathetically.
2. Implement appropriate handoff procedure.
3. Refer complicated concern to higher authority.
I M P L E M E N T A T I O N
E V A L U A T I O N
What needs
to be done?
By
What resources?
What evidence
How and when
whom
indicates progress? will evidence be
and
gathered?
when?
OBJECTIVE 1: Respond to customer complaints promptly with empathy.
1. Treat
complainants
as valued
customers.
Learners
Everyday
ICT CCS Module

Related websites
Performance scores
assessed by rubrics

251
Simulation of
handling customer
complaints
OBJECTIVE 2: Implement appropriate handoff procedure.

1.
2.
OBJECTIVE 3: Refer complicated concern to higher authority.
1.
2.
Prepared by:
_______________________________
Students Name
_______________________________
Grade 10 Section
Scoring Rubrics
Weight
Appropriate
Strategy
30%
Presentation of
Action Plan
30%
Group
Cooperation
40%
The strategies were

appropriate in
developing the skills.
The team informed

the class of the action
plan clearly and with
set of examples.
The team showed

interest and
supported one
another.
Some strategies did

not contribute to the
development of skills.
The team presented

the strategies but
there was a need to
give more examples
for better
comprehension
The team showed

interest, but needs
more coordination
with teammates.
Strategies presented
were irrelevant to the
development of skills
The presentation was

incomplete.
The team showed no

interest and found the
task difficult.

252
Know
Lesson 11: Provide After-Sales Support and Document Events
Outstanding customer service is not about accomplishing one large
task extraordinarily well; it is about doing numerous small tasks very well that
satisfy customers. Therefore, doing customer support service is simply a
never-ending work at every level of the business.
If you are considering a position in customer support, you will need to
have the following skills:
Table 24. Contact Center Representative Skills

Customers want you to completely
Active Listening
understand their issue with the hope that you will
be able to assist them in resolving their problems
quickly and efficiently.
Professionalism
Desire to Solve
Problem
A customer representative that acts in an

un-professional manner will quickly become
unwanted and only frustrate them further. You
need to be a patient, professional and a calming
influence when interacting with customers at all
times.
This requires you to have the fundamental
sincerity to help others. Once you understand
their issues, your desire to solve them quickly
and efficiently will make you the go-to guy or gal
for future needs. Your credibility and reputation
will get you the visibility you need to move in
other areas.

253
DIRECTIONS: Interview a call center representative and use the check list
below as a guide to assess the level of customer support
services in their enterprise. The highest score is five 5 and the
lowest is 1. Place a check () in the appropriate box. Do this
in a separate sheet of paper.
Support Service Tasks
1. Ensure customer satisfaction by making a return call.

2. Discuss actions necessary to resolve complaints and
confirm with the customer.
3. Record agreements reached with the customer and
implement within agreed time frame.
4. Initiate follow-up actions to ensure that agreements
with customers are implemented.
5. Document actions and resolutions agreed-upon with
the customer in accordance with company
procedures.
11.1 Ensure Customer Satisfaction by Making a Return Call

Always demonstrate sincere concern to customers. Exert effort to
thank the customer long after the service has been completed. While a
customer may have been appreciated as his transaction is completed,
thanking again later may be done through a casual phone call.
Another way of ensuring customer retention is by calling the customer
occasionally to say hello. This is a mission that builds customer relationships
over the long term.
The effort of keeping in touch reminds the customer of your service
value that may arise to an opportune moment. This opportune moment is like
social call that could lead into a voluntary business referral.
The commitment to please a customer comes from the heart known as
extra mile. The extra mile is actually, what one does beyond what is
expected or least expected from an individual who is serving a customer.
254
How to create customer delight? See the table below.

Table 25. Services that Satisfy Customers
Establish a warm and

friendly customer
rapport.
Attending to a customers special

Anticipate the customers
every need and how they request or looking forward to
customers preferences in a product or
may be best served.
service is certainly appreciated and
makes business experience worth
remembering.
When a customer brings a
Remember that no
problem or a service request to you, it
request is too small, too
is important to put in mind that you
large, or too difficult.
have to resolve the problem or render
the requested service no matter what it
takes, and regardless of who you are in
the company.
When a customer needs
Create a sense of
something from you, you have to
urgency.
always remember that the clock starts
ticking the moment the sentence of the
customer is finished.
Listening is a starting point in
Show genuine concern
achieving this end. It is also important
for the customer.
to be patient while listening to your
customer.
You create a stronger and
Make sure that the
service that you render is sustainable desire for customers to
come back because they are looking
always better the next
forward to receiving the same good
time around.
service or treatment.
Being familiar with a repeat

customer has a lot of opportunities for
the business.

255
11.2
Discuss Actions Necessary to Resolve Complaints and Confirm

with the Customer
According to studies, despite many improvements in the industry, the

perception held by the public towards call centers today remains negative. To
address this situation, contact centers have invested heavily in technology,
people, and processes. Yet, in the drive to deliver excellent service,
something still appears to be missing. It could be compared to cooking the
perfect meal; it is the way ingredients are mixed together that will create a
successful result.
The following techniques provide some thoughts on how contact center
representatives ensure that they are exceeding consumer expectations and
minimizing complaints.
Table 26. Extra Mile Effort
Keep quality
consistent.
Running evaluation regularly ensures

the business to respond to any changes in
customer perception in a timely manner.
Develop skills.
Improve response
time.
Keep the service

personal.
Put policies in
place.
A call to act on the

customer needs.
Staff must have strong communication

skills and a solid understanding of the
products and services that customers may
enquire about. Without this, it will be
impossible for contact centers to provide
customers with the best possible advice.
Integrating the various technology
ensure that all interactions may be stored,
viewed, and managed from a central location.
Agents must tread a fine line between
investing time and ensuring that they treat
each customer individually.
In order to reap the full benefits of
technology and associated staff training, clear
policies need to be put in place outlining how
agents should react to certain scenarios.
By taking a joined-up approach and
investing the right amount of time and money
in both technology and training, contact

256
Educate your
customer.
centers can ensure that customers receive

the service they deserve and the staff, in turn,
receive the recognition they warrant.
Educating the customers and providing
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) could
save them time and frustration. If the
consumer is provided with easily-accessible
information, then they will be able to guide
themselves to the solution.
Process
Task 1: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Webpage
A better way of helping customer to find solution to their inquiries and
complaints is by providing FAQs section on websites. FAQs differ for each
company. Let us compare FAQs of well-known enterprises, and find out how
they educate their customers about their products and services.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Search for FAQs sites of two well-known enterprises.
2. List down the differences and similarities of FAQs sites.
3. Discuss your findings and analyze their benefits for both customer and
the enterprise. Write your answers in a separate sheet of paper.
Enterprise _________
Enterprise _________
Similarities:
1._________________
1._________________
1._________________
2. ________________
2. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________
3. ________________
3. ________________
4. ________________
4. ________________
5. ________________
5. ________________

257

Task 2: Reaction from an Underground Customer Revolution
DIRECTIONS:
1. Read the story below.
2. If you are the customer, how will you deal with the situation?
3. If you are the contact center representative of the hotel, what are the
appropriate responses you will make if the customer in the story
complains about the service he experienced?
4. Discuss your reaction before the class and learn how to ensure
customer satisfaction.
Paul Cooper tells the

story of some
underground customer
service.
Paul A Cooper, Director at Customer Plus

(www.customerplus.co.uk)
A few months ago I was speaking at a conference in North Wales, and

decided to stay on a few days with my wife.
On the first day, though no fault of the hotel, it was pouring with rain.
Their car park was around the back of the hotel, a 200-300-yard walk around
outside to get there. I had no umbrella so I asked at reception if there was a
back way out to the car park.
258
No, was the extensive, considered, and comprehensive reply from a

lady who had no other customers to attend to. Umbrella then? I asked. A
look that said dont even bother asking was the succinct reply.
As I could picture the layout of the ground floor of the hotel, I found this
a little strange, so I mentioned it to the porter who had been really helpful
when we checked in. Is there a back way out to the car park? I ventured.
Yes, he said. He then personally led me through the staff quarters
and the kitchens to a door, which he opened, right next to my car!
In the evening, my wife and I were settled comfortably in the bar area.
Large, wide windows overlooked the beach and coastline in both directions,
The sun had come out and it was bliss. A little later, ready to eat, I asked the
waitress if we could have our dinner at this table, rather than in the dining
room. She said shed ask at reception. Uh-oh!
The reply was in the negative, probably an elaboration of the
earlier No.
We were a bit downcast, but I spotted our trusty porter, now dressed in
a waiters outfit, and called him over. Its a lovely evening, I said, so we
were wondering if we could have our dinner here rather than in the dining
room.
Yes, he replied, and went off to get the cutlery, glasses, etc.
The meal was lovely. Our waiter served us all evening, professionally
and personally, and we extended our stay at the window until the sun went
down.
I spotted our friend still at work and called him over. I told him about
the no lady on reception and asked him how he managed to swing it for us
to stay at the table.
Simple, he said. You were happy where you were, and you are the
customer. I just went into the kitchen and ordered your meal for table 14 in
the restaurant. I knew we wouldnt be full tonight. When anything came out for
table 14 I picked it up and brought it here. I hope you had a nice evening!
259
Well!
When I came down the next morning to check out, I was full of an idea
to speak to the manager and praise our friend. But then I started to think a
little.
If I had read this hotel right, I could get the guy fired!!
At first hand we had seen personal initiative, going against procedures,
ignoring the line of command, health and safety breaches (must have been in
there somewhere!), and going the extra mile. Looks like a case for instant
dismissal.
And how sad. I spend my life preaching to people how to get these
things right, surprise and delight customers, do special things, be different,
care and so much more. But when we experience it in the flesh, which
happens so rarely, I darent speak up.
Of course, I sought him out that morning, thanked him again, and gave
him a nice tip, which I am convinced is not why he did these things. I also
hoped, secretly, that he would find a new position somewhere else, where
this sort of openly rebellious great customer service would be appreciated.
Transfer
Task 3: Short Skit of Customer Service Satisfaction
As a call center agent, demonstrate how you do the extra mile just to
be able to show your sincere concern to customer.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare a short skit demonstrating at least three of the given ideas of
customer satisfaction listed in the table found in the next page.
2. Use the rubrics to assess the group task.
260
Establish a warm and friendly customer rapport.

Anticipate the customers every need and ask the right
questions in learning what their special needs are or how
they can be best served.
Always remember that no request is too small, too large, or
too difficult.
Create a sense of urgency.
Show genuine concern for the customer.
Make sure that the service that you render is always better
the next time around.
Scoring Rubrics
Weight
Accurate
Demonstration
20%
Communication
Skills
40%
Group
Cooperation
40%
The group
demonstrated three
or more qualities of a
customer service
satisfaction.
The group showed

interest and
supported one
another during the
simulation.
The group
demonstrated two
qualities
The group responded

to customer
complaints with good
English
communication skills.
The group responded
to customer, but
needed more practice
in English
The group did not

demonstrate
customer service
satisfaction
The group lacked

English
The group showed

interest, but needed
more coordination
with teammates.
The group showed no
task difficult.

261
Know
11.3
Documentation Procedure
Write a clear, concise log of the incident. Document every major point
of the call. It is not important to note every single word uttered, but keep a
point-form log of anything that may assist others who deal with the customer
in the future. If you see the same issue popping up over and over, you may
recommend a change in policy.
CUSTOMER: Jake Reyes

ISSUE:
The customer is calling because he recently visited store

branch 1 and claims that the representative at the cash
register was rude and arrogant.
DISCUSSION:
- Allowed the customer to explain the situation fully.
- The customer states that on December 5, 2014 he went to store
branch 1 to purchase grocery items and when he went to pay, he
encountered some issues with the PIN number for his debit card.
The customer states that at this point the cashier became rude
and made comments about the customer's PIN number.
- I apologized for the customer's feelings, but did not make a
direct apology.
- I also offered a souvenir item as a token to thank the customer for
calling in today: the customer declined, and stated he just wanted
to make us aware.
RESOLUTION
- Calling store branch 1, will confirm employees for December 5,
2014 and register a formal complaint on behalf of the customer.
Figure 18. Log of Incident

262
11.4
Initiate a Follow-up Action to Ensure that Agreements with

Customers are Implemented
A follow-up action is done to see if the arrangements to fix the

complaint have been carried out as promised.
When everything is in order, send a customer a token of appreciation
for bringing the problem to your attention, and giving you the opportunity to
solve it.
It is a good policy for business to have a choice of simple, inexpensive
gifts. Imagine the surprise and pleasure the gift will bring. Investing time and
money in customer is an investment that almost always pays off handsomely.
On the other hand, agent should be providing feedback on what
customers are saying at least daily. Update the customer regarding the
development of the complaint and what you are doing about it through phone
or the Internet.
Two commonly used sources of feedback are:
1.
Post-contact surveys - conducted immediately after the interaction of a

customer with a representative. They use common questions to gather
feedback useful for targeting performance improvement.
Did you get your issue resolved?
2.
Regular surveys conducted to check levels of satisfaction of

customers and gather feedback from them. These surveys are
conducted quarterly or even annually and considered to be useful in
feeding the strategic planning of the business.
How can we improve?

263
Once you have established the right feedback mechanism, the process
may be used to deliver benefits across the business.
Table 27. Benefits of Feedback

Benefit 1: Improving sales campaigns
This allows you to manage

objections, amend offers, and
improve results.
Benefit 2: Taking feedback to the top
Reports are shared across

departments at the senior level and to
the executive to be considered in
planning the business undertakings.
Benefit 3: Removing root causes of

customer service frustrations
Armed with this information,

agreements are much easier to
achieve.
Benefit 4: Marketing, product, and

Being able to test the impact of
process designers can spend changes and ideas means the
less and get more
business can learn faster what works
and stays ahead of the curve in
marketing and product design.

264
11.5
Document Actions and Resolutions Agreed-upon with the

Customer in Accordance with Company Procedures
Records are kept for company analysis and improvement.
Here are helpful guides on how documentation benefits the enterprise,

as well as a contact center representative to improve customer satisfaction.
Keep a record of all customer comments. At a

regular interval, collate and analyze them for trends and
use them as an indicator of the progress you are making
towards your principal objective of achieving a customer
satisfaction level.
Develop a discussion group that convenes on a

weekly basis. Have all staff attend at least one discussion
group a month. Make sure the group leader is skillful and
creative, and keeps the discussion interesting. Focus only
on customer satisfaction issues. At each meeting, have a
customer attend, and ask hi/her to communicate his or her
view on how the business could improve its service.
Figure 19. Documentation of Data
Process
Task 1: Log of Incident
DIRECTIONS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The teacher will give you a situation to log.

Record the agreement reached with the customer.
Follow the format provided in Lesson 11.3. Do this in your notebook.
Discuss your ideas before the class.
265
Customer:
______________________________
Issue:
______________________________
______________________________
Discussion: ______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
Resolution: ______________________________
______________________________
Task 2: Document an Agreement

DIRECTIONS:
1. Download a customer complaint video or recording.
2. Listen attentively and prepare a log of incident by group.
3. Analyze how the agent handled the situation of customer
complaints.
4. Each group should present the log using a PowerPoint presentation
to be discussed to the class.

Task 3: Interview of Contact Center Representative
This activity will help you further gain an understanding of how a
contact center agency initiates follow-up and documents agreement.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Arrange an interview with a contact center agency.
2. The guide questions below will assist you in your interview with an
agent.
266
3. You may do the task individually or by group.

4. You are encouraged to secure a video record of the interview, and
show it before the class and for future reference.
5. Discuss the gathered data in the class and compare how contact
center agency performs the required competencies of a contact
center representative.
1. What are the follow-up actions that will ensure that the
agreements with customers were implemented?
2. How does an enterprise gather feedback from customers?
3. How will the enterprise benefit from the feedback?
4. How does documentation help improve customer service
satisfaction?
5. Does the enterprise conduct discussion group and why?
Transfer
Task 4: Simulation
One more challenging task is the simulation of providing after-sales
support and documentation events.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Choose among the given topics below and prepare a simulated
action to be demonstrated by group.
2. Prepare the props and other materials.
3. Use the given rubrics to assess your presentation.
1. Follow-up to see if the arrangements you have made to fix the
complaint have been carried out as you promised.
2. Post contact surveys, conducted immediately after the interaction a
customer has had with a representative. This uses common
question to gather feedback useful for targeting performance
improvement.
267
3. Regular surveys to customer base help check levels of satisfaction

and gather feedback. These surveys happen quarterly or even
annually are and considered useful in the strategic planning of the
business.
4. Develop discussion groups that operate on a weekly basis. Focus
only on customer satisfaction issues. At each meeting, have a
customer attend, and ask him/her to communicate his/her view on
how the business may improve its service.
Scoring Rubrics
Weight
Accurate
Procedure
20%
Communication
Skills
40%
Group
Cooperation
40%
The procedures for

the responses were
appropriate to the
situation.
The team responded

to customer
complaints with good
The team showed

interest and support
one another during
the simulation.
Some procedures
were missing.
The team responded

to customer, but
needed more practice
in communication
skills.
The team showed

interest, but needed
more coordination
with teammates.
Practice of
inappropriate
procedures.
The team lacked

to respond to
customer complaints.
The team showed no

task difficult.

268
SUMMARY OF LESSON
Nowadays, one of the challenges in a contact center is how to be
competitive in providing services. Excellent services would entail higher profit
as generated from the loyalty and trust coming from the customers.
Furthermore, a call center often becomes a frontline for customers
because many busy people turn to the Internet to have their business needs
met. This means a call center may be receiving the bulk of customer
complaints, as well as questions and transactions.
Customers complain because they believe they have been treated
unfairly. They should be treated special because they are giving the business
the opportunity to solve the problem and retain them as customers. Hence,
the competencies found in this module will surely guide you to deliver quality
customer services because outstanding customer service is not about
accomplishing one large task extraordinarily well; it is about doing numerous
small tasks very well that satisfy our customers. Therefore, doing customer
support service is simply a continuous work at every level of the business.

269
SUMMATIVE TEST: FOURTH QUARTER
I Multiple Choice: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. There are factors to consider when complaint arises
a. customer and complaint
c. customer and product
b. customer and service
d. customer and contact center
representative
2. Issues and concerns of customers to be satisfied are listed below
except ___________.
a. reliability
c. enjoy doing business
b. leadership
d. do business with trustworthy
people
3. Customer complaints are also considered as treasures in the
enterprise except ___________.
a. to identify future investment of the contact center agency
b. to identify what is the enterprise faults or shortcomings
c. to identify where the company needs to improve
d. to identify why the brand or services is not selling well
4. Skill not related in handling customers complaints
a. Responding to complaints promptly and empathetically.
b. Addressing customers complaints with clear, direct, accurate and
timely response.
c. Implementing appropriate referral or hands-off procedures as
required.
d. Following customer request when complaints arises to settle
agreement as soon as possible.
5. It is a way to make the customer feel that his call is important to
you.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Act and speak calmly.

Listen attentively to what your customer is saying.
Treat complainants as valued customer.
Be understanding.
270
6. How do agents accept ownership of the problem then apologize?

a.
b.
c.
d.

Be understanding.
7. Let the customer talk of his complain and say something to make
him feel comfortable.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Be understanding.
8. "Okay, I really understand and agree with you that this is very stressful
to you, but for me to help you I must work within our process. The
a. giving responsibility.
b. empowering staff
c. using the persons name often, and with care
d. controlling of Situation
9. I can understand why you feel the way you do Sir Robert.
a. giving responsibility.
b. empowering staff
c. using the persons name often, and with care
d. controlling of Situation
The
10. The reason for using the following dialogue is _____. What do you
think we should do that will solve the problem and be fair to you and
the company?
a. To resolve and settle on the customers terms
b. To resolve difficult problem
c. To be fair with customer
d. To minimize referring concerns to higher authority

271
11. This is the best reason why a representative, during handoff, should
briefly explain to the person taking the concern what the customer
wants.
a. To save the customer from trouble of repeating himself
b. To prove to the customer that contact center representative is
listening carefully to them.
c. To immediately solution the customer complaint
d. To save time of receiving representative to listen again to customer
concerns
12. A technique of exceeding consumer expectations and minimize
complaints such as providing consumers with Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) is _____.
a. Educating customer
b. Developing skills
c. Putting policies in place
d. Keeping quality consistent
13. It is a contact center representatives skill where customers want you
to understand their issue with the hope you will be able to assist them.
a. Professionalism
b. Communication
c. Desire to solve problem
d. Active listening
14. It requires you to have the fundamental sincerity to help others. This
skill is known as _____.
a. Professionalism
b. Communication
d. Active listening
15. This means you need to be a patient and calming influence when
interacting with customers at all times.
a. Professionalism
b. Communication
d. Active listening
272
16. Identify to which part of a log incident the next statement belongs.
The customer is calling because he recently visited store branch 1
and claims that the representative at the cash register was rude and
arrogant.
a.
b.
c.
d.
discussion
issue
remarks
resolution
Calling Store branch no. 1, will confirm employees for January
20, 2014 and register a formal complaint on behalf of the customer.
a.
b.
c.
d.
discussion
issue
remarks
resolution
The customer states that on January 8, 2014 he went to store
branch 1 to purchase grocery items and when he went to pay, he
encountered some issues with the PIN number for his debit card. The
customer states that at this point the cashier became rude and made
comments about the customer's PIN number.
a.
b.
c.
d.
discussion
issue
remarks
resolution

273
19. Identify the skills demonstrated in the statement.

I understand that you are upset, and rightly so, that the gadget
you bought is not working well.
a.
b.
c.
d.
taking control of the situation

handoff or referral procedure
empathy and concern
listening and taking notes
20. Identify the skills demonstrated in the statement.

Mr. San Juan regarding the complaint, may I let you speak with
Ms. Jenny, she can best answer your concerns.
a.
b.
c.
d.
taking control of the situation

handoff or referral procedure
empathy and concern
listening and taking notes

274
GLOSSARY
Accounts receivable- Any amount owed to a business as the result of a purchase

of goods or services from it on a credit basis. Although the firm making the sale
receives no written promise of payment, it enters the amount due as a current asset
in its books. Accounts receivable constitute a major portion of the assets of many
companies, and they may even be sold or pledged as collateral to obtain loans
ACD- Average Call Duration
BPO - Business Process Outsourcing
CRM- Customer Relationship Management
IT- BPO- Information Technology Business Process Outsourcing
ITES -- Information Technology-Enabled Services
ACD - Automatic Call Distribution, is a tool commonly used in the telephony industry.
ACD systems are commonly found in any office that handles a large volume of
inbound calls.
Baseline - information that is used as a starting point by which to compare other
information
Caseload- the number of cases handled (as by a court or clinic) usually in a
particular period
CSAT- Customer Service Satisfaction Score
finances- money or other liquid resources of a government, business, group, or
individual
IVR- Interactive Voice Response
KPO - Knowledge Process Outsourcing
preceding - existing, coming, or occurring immediately before in time or place
proximity- closeness
mandatory- required by a law or rule
275
offshoot- a collateral or derived branch, descendant, or member

SEC- Securities and Exchange Commission
Simulation models or real-world activities, designed to allow the user to
experiment and explore environments that may be dangerous, inaccessible or
unavailable
sub-contract- to hire another person or company to do part of a job that you have
been hired to do
third party -- a person or entity other than the principals
TTR- Time to Resolution
US- United States

276
REFERENCES
Books and Modules

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286
Acknowledgement
This Learning Module on Contact Center Services was developed for the
Information and Communication Technology Course in Technology and Livelihood
Education, Grade 10 of the K to 12 Curriculum with the assistance of the following
persons:
MODULE WRITERS
Dr. VIRGILIO O. GUEVARRA, Jr.

Division Coordinator
Dasmarias, Cavite
Region IV A CALABARZON
DIANA MARIE B. DAGLI

Head Teacher III
Nagpayong High School
Division of Pasig City
NCR
MARIA ANGELICA G. MATES

Teacher II
Jose Abad Santos High School
Division of Manila
NCR
ROSE ANN M. SULLA

Teacher I
Parang High School
Division of Marikina City
NCR
REVIEWERS
DOCUMENTORS / SECRETARIAT

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10

District/ School: _________________________________________

Marion I. Alinas, Bobby

Illustrator and Layout Artists: Marc Anthony M. Pagoyo

Printed in the Philippines by ____________

Technology and Livelihood Education Grade 10

Illustrator and Layout Artists:

Generating Ideas for Business ..

Critical Vowel Sounds ....

Can you please share with us? .

Read! Speak Up! .

Learning Goals and Targets .

Reflect and Understand .

Reflect and Understand ....

Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs)

Time Allotment: 4 hours

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is not just a simple business

identify areas for improvement, development, and growth,

A. makes wise decisions towards the set

B. strategic thinking and setting of goals

C. trusting in ones ability

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

____4. Sound decision maker

____5. Possess people skills

E. innovates to have an edge over other

____6. Excellent Planner

G. skillful in record keeping

H. always sticks to the plan

____9. Ability to accept change

J. effective and efficient communication

Task 2: Guide Questions

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

Figure 1: Strategic process to achieve the objectives of this module

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

Hardworking: One of the important characteristics of a good

Confident: Entrepreneurs have self-reliance in ones ability and

Disciplined: Successful entrepreneurs always stick to the plan

Committed: Good entrepreneurs assume full responsibility over

Ability to accept change: Nothing is permanent but change.

Creative: An entrepreneur should be creative and innovative to

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

Has the initiative: An entrepreneur takes the initiative. You must

Profit-oriented: An entrepreneur enters the world of business to

Listed below are the important skills of a successful entrepreneur:

Excellent planner: Planning involves strategic thinking and goal

Possesses people skills: This is a very important skill needed to

Sound decision maker: Successful entrepreneurs have the ability

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

Task 4: PECs Checklist

Possess people skill

Reflect and Understand

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

Sample Interview Guide

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

Directions: Copy the tables below in your notebook or in a separate sheet of

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

Task 7: Essential Questions

ICT- CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

ENVIRONMENT AND MARKET (EM)

The learner independently creates a

Time Allotment: 4 hours