Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Client Liaison






Frontliners
Fullmetal Dreams
April 20, 2008



Ilang taon sa panibago kong buhay.

Nabigyan ng pagkakataon ang kumpanyang pinagtratrabahuhan ko na lalo pang lumago sa pagpasok ng isang napakalaking account. Bahagi ng kasunduan sa pagitan ng aking kumpanya at ng kliyente ang panimulang turn-over ng dalawang sub-service kung saan karanasan na ang sumanay sa akin. Bilang isa sa pinakamatagal na sa kumpanya, napili ako bilang maging frontliners sa bagong account. Noong briefing na naganap isang linggo na ang nakalipas, paulit-ulit na pinaalala ng trainer na nakasalalay sa aming husay ang pagpasok ng iba pang mga sub-service sa aming centre.

Sakaling kami'y magtagumpay, hindi lamang kami ang makikinabang kundi pati rin ang iba pa naming mga kasamahan na sa ngayo'y nag-aabang ng mga account na maaring magpalago ng kanilang sweldo.

There's so much at stake, and when I think about it, its enormousness makes me tremble.

Inamin sa akin ni Princess na kinakabahan siya sa bagong assignment. Ganun rin ang pakiramdam ko matapos ang aming briefing.

Ngunit gaya sa isang palabas sa sine kung saan narealize ng mandirigma ang halaga ng kanyang bahagi bago ito sumugod sa digmaan, ang awakening sa akin ay naganap noong kinagabihan rin ng aming briefing.

Kasama ang trainer, inaya kami ng boss sa isang munting bonding matapos ang briefing ng mga tiga night shift. Na-tiyempo lang ang aking pagsama sapagkat noong nalaman ko na uuwi mag-isa ang trainer, nagpasya akong hintayin siya't ihatid sa kanilang bahay.

Sino bang anak-anakan ang hahayaan ang kanyang nanay-nanayan na umuwi mag-isa ng madaling araw?

Sa inuman, silang dalawa ang nagkwentuhan samantalang ako naman ay tahimik na nakinig sa kanilang usapan. Marami akong nalaman, na bilang isang hamak na empleyado ay hindi na dapat marinig pa. Ngunit noong gabing iyon, ipinaramdam nila sa akin kung gaano ako kahalaga sa kumpanya. Bilang isa sa mga pioneer, na-realize ko na malaki ang gagampanan kong role para sa ikatatagumpay ng account.

Nawala ang takot sa akin matapos ang aming inuman. Ito ay napalitan ng determinasyon na ibigay ang lahat para sa aming boss at sa aking nanay-nanayan na naniniwala sa aking kakayahan.





The monthly client call pushed through last night. Three months after the promotion and it remains the most dreaded part of my job. Why I find it so difficult to express myself is a problem beyond explanation. This phenomenon never happens when speaking to foreigners in a bar, or out in the streets, or when I meet them somewhere I find myself in.

The mind switches off when its time to raise a point. Doubts dismember the steady train of thoughts. Confidence compromised; every answer becomes a whimper. Fear stutters the voice. The tone gloomier than a stormy night. That's how I am in front of the clients. The eloquence I reveal in worded correspondence is lost in oral transliterations.

I once thought resolution could be gained when I hurl myself in the call centers. I did submit my resume once, and the synthetic performance was applauded by the human resources. Confidence was gained and this new-found boldness was enough to hide the incompetence I made.

I survived.

Long enough to rethink of my career direction.

It might take a long time before my expression could be liberated. As long as I remain a shadow of my mentor, there's no hope I would dare speak on my own. False humility would get me nowhere, but despite the leaps I did and the time I have given up to make things work, I still feel unfit for the position.

Pardon for being born a zealot but when perfection could not be achieved, frustration drives me to perform horribly. That's what I always think during client calls. If only I could sink beneath my chair never to emerge until the conversation is over,

I would.

But the boss thinks otherwise.

"You're performing well J." I would like to believe it was given as a token of encouragement. But the truth is, I am capable to perform more tasks than some people at work. I am their first hybrid.

Going home at past midnight, it suddenly crossed my mind how our beginnings were conceived and how far we've come.

History best speaks when life gets stuck at the forks.

Reading a part of the entry at a time the account was given, a grain of truth may be found in the boss' tender words

for I remember now what was written before:

Vision never lied when I foresaw the enormity of the new account. I was handpicked to become the center's front liner despite my secret hesitations. Years have passed and the account has now multiplied. If nurtured and taken cared by the centre, it may become the promise it once was - the bread and butter of the company.

Past forward into the near future. Who knows, the universe might be actually conspiring to grant fate's aspiration. I may still bear doubts at the moment.

But who knows.

Maybe there's a reason the front liner has become the client liaison.




21 comments:

Unknown said...

congrats J hehe sabi ko na kaya mo 'yun e. good luck sa account niyo, hoping for the best

blagadag said...

ang galeng. husayan mo lang lage. good work. way to go, soulja.

iurico said...

"Sa inuman, silang dalawa ang nagkwentuhan samantalang ako naman ay tahimik na nakinig sa kanilang usapan. Marami akong nalaman, na bilang isang hamak na empleyado ay hindi na dapat marinig pa. Ngunit noong gabing iyon, ipinaramdam nila sa akin kung gaano ako kahalaga sa kumpanya. Bilang isa sa mga pioneer, na-realize ko na malaki ang gagampanan kong role para sa ikatatagumpay ng account."

Perfect opportunity na rin ito para sa promotion. hehehe

engel said...

i've been reading from when you were thinking of quitting until now. you've indeed come so far.

Mugen said...

Curiouscat:

Heard this morning that the boss has some different perceptions on me, which, I still need to correct.

Now I'm confused more as to what direction to take.

Blagadag:

Told I was trying to prove myself too much that it reveals how insecure I am with my job position.

Okay lang, at least I'm aware now mommy.

Mugen said...

Iurico:

Kaya nga nakakatuwang isipin na dati rati, pinagplaplanuhan pa lang namin yung account, ngayon ang laki-laki na niya.

Engel:

I don't know how many more attempts I'll do in order to successfully disconnect. But as long as I know my duties, I'd be distracted enough to give the boss time to consider my salary grade. :)

itsMePeriod said...

hindi ko alam kung ano ang magandang maipayo sa iyo sapagkat hindi tayo nagkakalayo ng sitwasyon.

at sa halip na ilublob ang sarili kaiisip kung anong magandang gawin, heto ako naghahanap ng ibang puwedeng pagtuunan ng pansin habang hinahanap ko ang sarili kong daan

nawa'y sa bandang huli, matagpuan mo rin kuya joms ang nararapat na karera para sa iyo

hindi lang basta trabaho na magbibigay sa iyo ng sapat na salapi kundi isang karera na makikita ng tunay mong galing at talento

red the mod said...

Fear is good. It means you still have something to lose.

Although often her lucid claws feed on our inhibitions, magnifying the weaknesses and masking the strengths.

It is a matter of finding that balance of quiet confidence where being effective does not entail being zealous. Figuring this out is the hurdle, as I often catch myself being too verbose for my own good around the bosses. Because deep inside, a feeling permeates that I don't deserve this and thus must prove that I do. Concise and clarity are skills I must learn.

Being a tad uncomfortable with the situation doesn't mean you're ineffective. Conversely, it proves that you're paying much attention.

Mugen said...

Red:

Quiet confidence. I love that word. I came across a couple of Buddhist monks this morning at a veggie store near my workplace. The calmness they show, the weak smile on their faces, the gentle movements of their hands show this kind of trait.

Would it take a lifetime to master oneself?

Erick:

Mabuti ka pa't may mga ibang bagay ka na napapagtuunan ng pansin. Kadalasan ay tulog lang ang nagagawa ko pagdating sa bahay.

Dhon said...

good luck! yes.. it is a big responsibility..

wish you all the best!

itsMePeriod said...

KUYA joms, eto ang dahilan kung bakit nagkukumahog akong makapag-MA...ma-stress man ako sa pag-aaral, at least nalalayo ang isip ko sa depresyon at frustration sa pinasok kong career

Unknown said...

Fear really gets the best of us, doesn't it?

But congrats. And you should give yourself a pat on the back every once in a while. :)

I really believe that it's not the mistakes that count; it is what we take from it. :)

lee said...

just like what manech said, give yourself that well-deserved pat on the back :) acknowledge the good things that has happened.

blagadag said...

very good. getting the feedback at this early is a good indication. your boss is leaving no stones unturned to guide you. this means, you remains his man for the job. aralin mo lang ang buong situation at work vision. ilagay mo ang sarili mo sa lugar ng owners ng bagong projects nyo at malalaman mo kung ano ang gusto nilang ma achieve. tama si red. quiet confidence is a very reliable tool that i have been utilizing last year kaya natalo ko yung verbose collegaues sa appraisal namin. you're on the right track soulja. good luck and tandaan mo, am very proud of you. ingat lagi sa kalusugan mo ha.

♥ ruby ♥ said...

ganyan talaga sa umpisa. you learn from your mistakes which paves the way for improvement. But please acknowledge also the things that you did well to boost your confidence. :D

fox said...

congratulations!!!.. I told yah!!..

RainDarwin said...

WHY NOT !

Mugen said...

Dhon:

Thanks dude. Sadly, the job eats most of my free time.

Anteros:

Di mo pa yata nakuwekuwento kung bakit depressive ang iyong trabaho. Is it a dead-end job o marami ka lang kabangga diyan?

Manech:

That's what my superior officer told us during the refresher several days ago. We should not dwell on our fears and move on from our mistakes instead of letting it affect our judgment.

Mugen said...

Blagadag:

Maraming salamat sa walang sawa mong pag monitor sa akin. Hindi man ako vocal subalit lagi rin akong naka-monitor sa anumang mga bagay ang binabahagi mo sa amin. :)

Ingat ka lagi mommy.

Ruby:

You realize sometimes that the only way to get acknowledge is to show you have the guts to do the job like every leader does.

Nobody will trust you unless you trust yourself.

Mugen said...

Fox:

Thank you!

Pilyo:

Taasan ba ako ng kilay. Lolz. Sama mo si Wall Street next time na magkita tayo ha? Hahahaha.

itsMePeriod said...

yap kuya joms, hindi ko pa nga nakukuwento sa iyo kung bakit (whether through text or email)

truth is, isa siya sa mga blog post na nananatiling draft at nakasave lang sa external hard drive ko

ayoko muna masyadong magdwell duon kasi baka lalo akong ma-defocus, lalo pa at nagpa-fine tune ako ng mga kailangan kong isubmit na works

situation is actually not just a dead-end job...yung ilan kasi pakiramdam nila, isa akong malaking threat sa career nila

may nakakabangga na ilan,oo, pero hindi dahil sa pagiging maldita ko...nakakabangga dahil sa dedication ko sa work. eh work-bahay na nga lang ang buhay ko, hindi ko pa ba naman pagbubutihin ang trabaho ko?