Philippine Call Center Agents’ Bad Reputation: Deserved or Not?

Call center agents conjure up images of annoying callers selling you stuff you never even knew existed, robotic disembodied voices who asks you how they can help but eventually after an hour, you find out they can’t do anything for you, callers who call in the middle of the night asking if you’d like to change carriers and so on . There’s no denying the stigma attached to the call center industry. I’d like to examine the matter to see if call centers, in particular, Philippine call center, deserve this reputation.


Philippine call center

Is that all they are? I don’t think so. When you book a flight, a hotel or resort, you speak to an agent. When you have something to clarify or ask something from a company, you are more likely going to be directed to a call center. Agents have been given a bad reputation because of some parts of their job. But what customers sometimes forget is that these call center agents are people, too. They are not all the same, they have different personalities and chances are they haven’t met you before so they do not dial your number just to annoy you. They are just doing their jobs.

I have great respect for the call center agents who are courteous and sincere in wanting to help customers. I’ve had my share of frustrating encounters with call center agents but in those cases, I’m more irate at the company itself than the poor call center agent I’m talking to.

Philippine call center agents are particularly delightful to talk to because generally speaking, Filipinos are respectful, kind and polite. They are less likely to be sarcastic and apathetic because they are raised to be God-fearing and obedient. Actually Filipinos are generally shy but their call center training develops their self-confidence allowing them to communicate effectively even with foreigners.

We could be a little more courteous when we receive calls from these agents. A little dose of positive karma always helps.

The Best Barbados Apartment Hotel Establishment I’ve Seen

Getting away from it all is no use if you can’t really “get away from it all.” And for me, this means really cutting off ties with civilization. I don’t want to see any more big buildings in my vacation. Nor do I want to see a busy town with roads full of cars and busy people. This is why when I go to a vacation in Barbados; I look for a cozy little Barbados apartment hotel that is far away from the big luxury hotels. I hate dealing with crowds when I am on vacation. I want to literally get away from it all as much as humanly possible. On my last trip, I got my wish. And it was all thanks to my stay at this Barbados apartment hotel called Tropical Winds.



Here’s is the front view of the hotel. It is really cozy, and the location is perfect since the east coast of the island is great for water sports especially since there are not too many people who like swimming there. The hotel was just a few minutes away from Long Beach, one of my favorite beaches in the island for personal reasons. And for all its value, one does not even need to pay a lot of money. It is truly a great Barbados apartment hotel.


This beach is another one of my favorite places in the island. Crane beach is world famous and has been named as one of the best beaches in the world in the TV show, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Looking at that gorgeous white sand and those unreal azure waters would instantly remove all the stress from your body.


Barbados Apartment Hotel

Surfing is really one of the most relaxing things you can do. You feel one with the wave and one with nature once you get to ride that sweet wave. It’s pure freedom.

Cheap Hotel on the South Coast

Everyone knows that the south coast has almost every expensive luxury hotel in Barbados. You can easily assume that this area is the Beverly Hills of this commercialized island paradise. However, the beaches are so gorgeous that the insane prices of most of these hotels or resorts are not enough to deter the middle class vacationer from going here.

The beaches of the southern coastline are excellent areas for water sports such as diving, wind and kite surfing and snorkeling because of their characteristic small to medium waves. The beaches here are therefore more popular for locals and tourists alike, making it the liveliest coast of all.

To aid my fellow middle-class fighters, I looked through the list of reviews for each of the different southern coast resort and hotel in Barbados and found the three cheapest ones.

The third cheapest is the Bougainvillea Beach Resort on Maxwell Coast Road. The establishment features attractive seaside townhouses with separate entrances that either surround the pool or face the lovely beach front. The rooms are perfectly designed for families and boast relaxing Caribbean pastel colors. A neat little fact about this place is that you can arrange to have a private cook who can prepare special Bajan cuisine.


hotel in Barbados

The second cheapest is the South Beach Resort. Located on Main Road, this resort is actually a time-share vacation club. The look of the place is dramatic and picturesque. It’s run like a hotel minus the expensive costs. The rooms are clean and well-maintained, each of which features a very modern bathroom. The beach is located just across the street where it is easy to rent and purchase chairs, toys and even food.

The cheapest of the three is the inn called Peach & Quiet. It lacks the flashy features of your typical resort or hotel, but offers stylish suites instead. The suites are elegantly spare and are constructed more for simplicity and function. The property has its own freshwater pool. If the guests desire a swim in the ocean, the nearby beaches are but five minutes away. This establishment is for adults only.

The Rainbow Mouth Inn Barbados Travel Hotel Review

Sheena and I went to the Rainbow mouth Inn in Barbados last month. I decided to write about our experiences and make a Barbados travel hotel review just because I have so much spare time.

So there I was, extremely existed at finally being able to set foot on Barbados, the mystical island of pop sensation Shakira. Wait – Shakira didn’t live in Barbados. Oh wait that’s right, this was Rihanna’s homeland. Anyway, the truth was that I couldn’t really care less about this island. I never really heard of Barbados before until my one of my best friends told me that she badly needed me to accompany her on her vacation since her other friend with benefits couldn’t go. She said she’ll shell out for half the expense of my ticket. So why not right?

Anyway, when I got to the Rainbow Mouth Inn, I thought to myself, “wow, this place is really something else.” Nah, not really. It was the usual place. I have after all spent time in a lot more expensive five star hotels. But the hotel was pretty good actually. It just was not that memorable to me for some reason.

But when I finally saw the beach front, I began to sing a different tune. The place was effing incredible. The white sand is so fine. The beach was one of the most beautiful one’s I have ever seen in my entire life. And believe me; I have seen a lot of great beaches in my time.

I also loved the culture of the island itself. Imagine going to a quaint England town, but imagine that it was in a magnificent tropical island! It was such a fantastic combination. I’d love to take my girlfriend next time here when I finally propose to her. Anyway, the single bed room my friend and I shared was also fantastic, perfect for a honeymoon.

Social Media is the Future of Partner Relations Management

I can’t imagine how people were able to survive the world without social media. I mean, yeah, at a certain point, majority of the population didn’t know what they were, or how to use them. But now, it definitely is a relevant part of society. So relevant, in fact, that its disappearance would cause an almost irreparable disruption in the workplace, school and home.

Partner Relations Management is even utilizing social media via web 2.0 communities. It’s a growing trend amongst partners within a channel, and it truly appeals to end consumers because of its ease, convenience, interconnectivity and accessibility. Through social media and corresponding networking sites, customers are able to browse through the goods and services that they want without having to go through the hassle of web 1.0 sites that are mainly comprised of frames and links for form downloading.



There has been an issue that talks about the difficulty that resellers are facing because of their lack of involvement with social media and web 2.0. Vendors, on the other hand, they have been more in tune with the customer’s preference for web 2.0, and have used it to attract end consumers and thus increase their performance significantly. If resellers do not update themselves and join the social media bandwagon, they will be left behind, and the channel will suffer as an unfortunate consequence.

The development of social media is inevitable because of the evolution of society. Things change as time progresses because a variety of needs and problems arise which developers need to keep up with. Technology was invented to make things more convenient for a person, that’s why it is important that people update themselves with processes that are definitive of this generation. Social media answers the need for efficiency and real-time interaction. With social media, collaboration and communication is made easier, and has even transcended into online learning, workplace training and so on.

I think that the role of social media would even increase in the coming years, and it would continue to develop beyond imagination. And when the time comes that it does reach that pinnacle, Partner Relationship Management Software would not be the only one that will benefit from it. Social Media is the future, and everyone must pay close attention to it.

A Poem By Louise Gluck

This poem is one of the best I've read. It is part of the new collection of Louise Gluck. Tell me what you guys think of it. I personally love it. It's a gorgeous poem and one of her best.




Tributaries

All the roads in the village unite at the fountain.

Avenue of Liberty, Avenue of the Acacia Trees—

The fountain rises at the center of the plaza;

on sunny days, rainbows in the piss of the cherub.



In summer, couples sit at the pool’s edge.

There’s room in the pool for many reflections;

the plaza’s nearly empty, the acacia trees don’t get this far.

And the Avenue of Liberty is barren and austere; its image

doesn’t crowd the water.



Interspersed with the couples, mothers with their younger children.

Here’s where they come to talk to one another, maybe

meet a young man, see if there’s anything left of their beauty.

When they look down, it’s a sad moment: the water isn’t encouraging.



The husbands are off working, but by some miracle

all the amorous young men are always free;

they sit at the edge of the fountain, splashing their sweethearts

with fountain water.



Around the fountain, there are clusters of metal tables.

This is where you sit when you’re old,

beyond the intensities of the fountain.

The fountain is for the young, who still want to look at themselves.

Or for the mothers, who need to keep their children diverted.



A few old people linger at the tables.

Life is simple now: one day cognac, one day coffee and a cigarette.

To the couples, it’s clear who’s on the outskirts of life, who’s at the center.



The children cry, they sometimes fight over toys.

But the water’s there, to remind the mothers that they love these children,

that for them to drown would be terrible.



The mothers are tired constantly, the children are always fighting,

the husbands at work or angry. No young man comes.

The couples are like an image from some faraway time, an echo coming

very faint from the mountains.



They’re alone at the fountain, in a dark well.

They’ve been exiled by the world of hope,

which is the world of action,

but the world of thought hasn’t as yet opened to them.

When it does, everything will change.



Darkness is falling, the plaza empties.

The first leaves of autumn litter the fountain.

The roads don’t gather here anymore;

the fountain sends them away, back into the hills they came from.



Avenue of Broken Faith, Avenue of Disappointment,

Avenue of the Acacia Trees, of Olive Trees,

the wind filling with silver leaves,



Avenue of Lost Time, Avenue of Liberty that ends in stone,

not at the field’s edge but at the foot of the mountain.


I think Louise Gluck's style is really changing. The tone in this poem does not have the same oracular tone that her earlier poems had. This seems to be a friendly, more earthly tone.

Grey's Anatomy Quotes

My favorite Grey's Anatomy Quotes are in this video below. I really loved this episode. It was a real tear jerker. I cried buckets when I first saw this and heard the profound Grey's Anatomy quotes for the first time. I think the first part of this scene is especially done well. All the actors nailed it perfectly. Katherine Heigl's performance was right on the mark. The Grey's Anatomy quotes did not feel forced but flowed organically through the situation. The chemistry of the characters, the song, the whole thing is magnificent.

Grey's anatomy Star Patick Dempsy Quitting!

It's been announced, McDreamy is going to quit in Grey's Anatomy quite soon. Well, there goes the great television series. Grey's anatomy is probably about to close down. Heck, it even announced two more stars that are going to leave their roster. Knight is leaving. And so is Katherine Heigl. I am damn disappointed about the loss of the latter. I love Katherine. I love her acting, her voice, her cute expressions. I love her body lol.

Anyway, does anybody have any thoughts on these revolting developments? Is Grey's anatomy really about to end? Is Patrick Dempsey really going to leave? Are monkey's going to live in the ocean, finally?

watchmen graphic novel

Look at these delicious, and I mean mouth-watering delicious pictures for the new watchmen movie. If you haven't watched the trailer yet, then you won't catch the mania. For the fan boys, the video is orgasmic. A lot of those who have read and grown up with the original watchmen graphic novel penned by the mad genius of Alan Moore (creator of my other favorite graphic novel, V for Vendetta). Check this out with a song from Smashing Pumpkins:



There have also been new developments the past couple of weeks. A new trailer has been in circulating around the internet. New material has been sprouting up and it's making me wet my pants for the movie. Check out the video below



For the fans, many are hopeful that the movie will not be a disappointment. The original watchmen graphic novel is a literary masterpiece. However director Zack Snyder who has successfully transcribed into film another comic masterpiece 300, is at the helm and claims to have been faithful to the comic book panel by panel. Check out this sample comparison. The movie is going to be awesome.

Supernatural Episodes Review

Have you ever watched an episode of twilight zone and got freaked out? Well, that’s show’s time has past. There’s a new breed of Sci-Fi horror shows that are changing everything. One such show, I have just discovered recently. It’s called Supernatural. Episodes of this show are each worth a thousand words, but let me break down to you the whole series. Without further ado, here’s my review:

It’s probably the best of it’s genre to appear in the airwaves (the best since Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you know, the one that got Joss Whedon and Sarah Michelle Gellar made in the biz). Supernatural episodes are each a kind of mini horror film. It’s got more blood and gore than most horror shows right now. The third season of Supernatural was shaping up to be so exciting. Its plot was getting so twisty, its character’s fates hanging in the balance.

Then suddenly the writer’s strike strikes and leaves us all hanging, cutting it from the usual 22 episodes to a mere 16 episodes. Not to fret, the show was still the best of it’s kind, but I think the pace of the plot had to suffer because of the cut.

of Naruto and Hinata Pictures I saw in the Net

As a big Naruto fan, I just have to share with you guys these naruto and hinata pictures.

Recently, I've been looking around the web searching for new anime and I came across that wetpaint anime wiki. It's actually quite good. It lists down lots of anime, both old and new. I just realized how many new anime I've been missing. All this just because I was searching for naruto and hinata pictures, what luck!

For example, I found out about this other gorgeous anime called hack sign. It's story's premise is quite interesting. If you want to read about it, just visit the site.

Anyway, the naruto and hinata pictures in the sit are very funny. There are some comic strips of them there. Read them and enjoy! lol I'll be looking for other pictures online and will post them here sometime. Kawaii!

Jonas Brothers on the Cover of Vanity Fair?

It looks like Vanity Fair is trying to compensate for the Miley Cyrus blunder. That infamous cover of Miley, shot by renowned photographer Annie Liebowitz, prompted media shockwaves all over America. Vanity Fair seems to want to appease the thousands (or even millions) of fans it offended by putting some of our favorite Disney stars on its cover!




If the rumors are indeed true, Joe, Nick, and Kevin will grace the cover if Vanity Fair's August issue. However, our beloved Jonas Brothers will be sharing the limelight with other stars such as the cast of Gossip Girl, Chace Crawford, and many others. This doesn't seem so bad, don't you think? This simply means we will be getting our fill of the Jonas Brothers and other celebrities that are today's cream of the crop. It's a bargain.

No news is out about who will be taking the cover pictures, but let's just hope that if it isn't Annie Liebowitz, he or she should make Kevin, Nick, and Joe smoking hot. Let's also wish the chosen photographer would stay away from any innuendos.

Kevin Jonas is just so sweet!

Kevin Jonas clearly sees his parents as role models. According to him, he wants to follow their example of marrying young. Mr. and Mrs. Jonas wed when they were only 20 and 21 years old!

He also expresses his opinion on marriage. He says that his puzzled that some people avoid it. According to him, those who have found their true love should just tie the knot. Isn't he romantic!!!?

Another notable thing about Kevin Jonas is that he swears to remain a virgin until he gets married. I admit I'm a bit skeptical, but it wouldn't hurt of we take his word for it. Kevin and his brothers are sporting purity rings which serve as a constant reminder of their promise to remain celibate. Their bring the cool back to celibacy. Ha-ha!

Jonas Brothers to star in Camp Rock 2!

I read somewhere that there's going to be a Camp Rock sequel!!! Disney seems to want to replicate the success they had with High School Musical. This is not such a bad idea, if they make sure that our loves, the Jonas Brothers, would take on their roles once more. It will also be great if Demi Lovato stays in the mix!

Camp Rock 2 is still in the conceptualization stage. If things go well, the sequel will be out by next year. Let's all keep our fingers crossed!!!

It's also rumored that the Jonas Brothers are set to have their own TV show! It's going to be called J.O.N.A.S. I don't know what it stands for yet, but I bet the show's going to be great!

The Jonas Brothers Site

At first, it drove me nuts. My younger sister, Kayleen, couldn't stop talking about the Jonas brothers. "Jonas who?" I kept on asking. My little sis looked at me with disbelief and said "You don't know them?! Are you serious?!" And of course, I reply, "I am more than dead serious." If only I could descibe the look on her face.

My sister and her posse has been searching the net for Jonas brothers pictures, articles, and even Jonas brothers guitar tabs! It doesn't end there. They put every Jonas brother guitar tab they find into good use by playing the songs, much to my dismay. It still doesn't end there. Kaylin and her friends often gossip about the repsective girlfriends of Joe, Kevin, and Nick! (Yes. I finally got their names.)



Apparently, more people are in the Jonas Brothers bandwagon. I didn't get it. What's so great about brothers in a rockband? It isn't so new. long before all this hoopla, there was the Beegees and more recently, Hanson. But as I paid more attention to the Jonas brothers, I realized that they're not so bad. In fact, I'd say they're pretty cool. Their songs are catchy and dancable. Quite perfect for chilling and hanging out. Also, teh Jonas brothers are kinda cute. I hate to admit it, but they are.

So there. I've been converted into a Jonas brother fan. Like my sister, I now read gossip about the girlfriends of each Jonas brother, study Jonas brother guitar tabs. I'm also updated with the Jonas brothers' concert dates! I'm really looking forward to seeing these guys live. Yep. A guilty pleasure.

Anyway, I found this really cool site:
The Jonas Brothers Site is a wiki and everyone can add their stuff in the pages. You've gotta see their funny Jo Bro pics!