A Nickels worth of advice. Better than a Penny…

The contact center world is hard, fun, crazy, always changing, and busy. I won't lie — it is tough to work in a contact center. This job is not for the faint of heart. Feelings get hurt, people take things personally, and it can feel like someone is always yelling. Leadership yelling about metrics and stats. Customers and clients complaining about something. Peers trying to get ahead of you.

BUT… if you can stick with it, this can be one of the most rewarding careers you'll ever have.

I've seen a lot over the years. I started out in a call center doing technical support, where the minimum expectation was 20 calls a day. When I first started, my average handle time was over 30 minutes — that's 10 hours of work trying to squeeze into a 7-hour day. Not happening. I was ranked at the bottom, and my supervisor came to me and said, "If you don't get your numbers up in two weeks, I'm firing you." Yep. That direct.

But I gave it time, and it paid off. There's real pride in solving a difficult problem. There's satisfaction in being recognized for your hard work, watching your staff grow and develop, and knowing you saved the day — whether that means making a customer happy, hitting service levels after a brutal shift, or watching someone you mentored get promoted.

Every day felt like walking onto a battlefield and coming out the other side.

So how did I go from entry-level tech support agent to director? Short version: I worked my tail off. Longer version: I picked up a few things along the way that helped me build a career in the contact center world. I'm sharing them here. This advice applies at every level — so read it, share it, and enjoy.

Attendance

This is, by far, the biggest issue I see in contact centers — and the number one involuntary reason people lose their jobs.

You have to show up. Contact centers exist to handle incoming contacts and process back-office functions. It's busy and hectic, and companies invest a lot of money to hire and train staff. When you're not there, someone else has to cover — or contacts pile up.

We all get sick. Life happens. Companies account for that. But when absences get excessive, the center falls behind and has to hire additional staff just to compensate. And vacations? You need them. Take your time off — the mental break is necessary. Just plan carefully. Understand the business trends and avoid taking time off during peak periods. If you work in e-commerce, for example, November and December are off the table.

The Advice: Be there. Be on time. Leave when your shift ends. Read the attendance policy and follow it. If something comes up, have a conversation with your supervisor before the issue — not after. Plan vacation two to three months out when possible. And if you're just starting out, aim for 100% attendance your first six months. It's a lot easier to ask for time off once you've proven you can be counted on every day.

Flexibility

Most contact centers are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Starting out on nights and weekends is common — embrace it. That goes for leaders too. If there's a tough shift that needs to be filled, be the one who raises their hand. Management notices who they can count on.

Many contact centers also have different "pods" or team types, and staff often need to be moved around based on business needs. Volunteer to move. Bounce between teams. Yes, it's hard when you first start — but it gets easier, and the experience you gain is invaluable.

The Advice: Take on the tough shifts and make a name for yourself. Volunteer to adjust your schedule when needed. Work hard during those difficult stretches — it will pay off. Be the person they can count on.

Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Contact centers need experts. Becoming one is the tricky part.

Every company is different, but the principle is the same: the more you know, the better you are at the job. Training won't cover everything, so you have to take the initiative. Study the policies. Read the company intranet. Pick up the manual for the software you're using. Become the Wikipedia of your group.

Talk to the top performers — you know who they are — and learn from them. For me, it was bookmarking and reading the toughest edge case policies and processes. Those helped me solve difficult problems faster, and before long my peers were coming to me for answers.

Learn the software you use daily — HR systems, phone and email platforms, ticketing tools, all of it. The more comfortable you are, the more efficient you become. And learn Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. These are critical at every level.

The biggest skill gap I consistently see in contact centers? Excel. I have not worked a single job where it wasn't used at every level. Google Sheets works similarly and is free — no excuses. If you want to stand out, be the SME of your group.

The Advice: Study, learn, and become a positive know-it-all. Know the software, know the policies and processes, and get comfortable with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. On Excel specifically — you need to know more than how to add two cells together. Learn charts, tables, and some advanced formulas. Take a free course. I'll say it one more time: learn Excel.

Project Management

Just because you work in a contact center doesn't mean you can skip this one. At some point, you will be assigned a project. It might be something simple like creating documentation, or something bigger like implementing a new strategy or standing up a new team. Either way, you need to know how to work a project.

There are plenty of certifications out there — Six Sigma, PMP, PMI, and more. Pick one and learn it. The goal isn't to follow every step to the letter; in a contact center, you simply don't have that kind of time. The goal is to understand how to manage through a project and deliver results efficiently.

I learned Six Sigma and used the DMAIC(R) framework — Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, and Report. I applied it even on small projects, just faster. Knowing the framework means nothing falls through the cracks, even when you're moving quickly.

The Advice: Learn project management and learn how to execute. Volunteer to be part of projects whenever you can — then volunteer to lead them. Projects are where you grow, develop, and stand out. Embrace them.

The Problem Solver

Contact centers are full of problems. They exist in hiring, training, execution — everywhere. Some people just deal with them and move on. Others try to fix them but don't have the support they need. Roadblocks are everywhere: not enough resources, no budget, leadership resistance, change management challenges.

Be the one who steps up.

Don't just bring a problem to your leader — bring three or four ideas on how to fix it. Use data. Show pros and cons. Outline how it could be implemented. Be open to feedback, and don't take it personally if your idea isn't accepted right away. Go back to the drawing board and try again.

Some of my biggest wins came after presenting recommendations for the same problem a dozen times over the course of a year before anything moved. And sometimes I'd hear a leader presenting my idea as their own. That used to bother me. Now I just chuckle and move on to the next problem.

The Advice: Be a problem solver. When you see a problem, build three or four recommendations with data to back them up. Data-driven conversations are the best way to get your ideas accepted. And if someone takes credit for your idea — just smile and start on the next one.

Don't Take It Personally

My last piece of advice is simple: don't take it personally.

Customers are going to complain. Leaders are going to push. Peers are going to frustrate you. Most of the time, it has nothing to do with you — they're frustrated with the process, the policy, the metric, or the situation. If you internalize all of that, it will wear you down.

I had to learn this the hard way. Early in my career, a customer called in because their computer was broken and took it out on me. I took it personally. I actually cried. I felt like it was my fault — and honestly, sometimes it was. Wrong instructions. Wrong steps. That happens too. But the key is keeping your cool, staying calm, and moving forward. Sometimes you need to take a step back and try a different approach.

The Advice: Don't take it personally. Step back, breathe, and try a different approach. When the shift ends, leave it at work. Use every tough interaction as a chance to learn how to do it better next time.

One Last Thing

I hope this article helps you in your contact center career. This job is not for everyone, and very few people stick with it as long as I have. But I love what I do. I've watched staff grow into leaders. I've been led by people I once coached and mentored — and that is genuinely awe-inspiring.

I've helped save companies millions of dollars. I've resolved thousands of tickets, calls, and emails. I've led teams that handled millions of contacts. I wouldn't trade this career for anything.

Wishing you all the very best of luck.

— Mat

Author: Mat Makay