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I’ve had a cracking few weeks. We’ve had some external consultants in to deliver a new training course for our Retention team and I’ve been in with them to learn how to train the course after they have left us. It’s all around service and looking in-depth at our call structure and how we talk to our customers. There’s nothing more important to us here than that conversation and the service that we give.

It may sound daft to think that we have lots of training on how to have fairly simple conversations, but you’d be amazed at how much impact the phrases, tone and structure has on a call. We aim for our calls to have the maximum impact in the most efficient time so call control and technique is important.

Anyway, the new course has been running for a good few weeks now and is going down a storm with our guys on the phones. It’s fascinating and you get to learn all about your self and your personality and behaviour type so you can identify with different types of customer.  I found it really motivational and I’ve loved going into the operation coaching the guys I’ve trained in the new techniques they have learnt.

The new iPhone has played a big part for me this month too. I’ve been up to Glasgow to learn all about it, so I can join all the other trainers across all of our sites, upskilling everyone on how it works and the new tariffs that go with it and so on. We have a small window to get hundreds of people trained, so all hands to the pump. I’m training it out here in Preston Brook next week and back to Glasgow the week after.

Hope next month is as busy!

- Karen

If I’d actually considered the work involved, it may never have happened back then.  Dedication, commitment, vision… all the things I lacked 5 years ago but I just knew that returning to that job that I’d done for years filled me with dread.  I’d returned from a career break where I’d spent 18 months travelling around the world.  Moving from one mindless job to another in a different country was great but I knew that I’d have to get it out my system before I returned to the UK and to that job that I’d never really enjoyed.  Every time I thought of it, I envisaged the management stood at my office door glaring at their watches and waiting with baited breath for my ultimate return.  I still cringe thinking about it!

And so it was.  The flight lands in Manchester and reality kicks in within as little as 48 hours.  Joy.  Within no time at all, I’m talking to my old manager who is effectively salivating over the phone over my return.  Don’t get me wrong, the pay was good, the company perks were lucrative and the people (including management) were nice…. I just had the urge to run into the street and into the path of an approaching juggernaut because it was painstakingly boring.  I never felt stretched and I know I had the potential to do anything I put my mind to but the company didn’t know how to utilise that.  I also didn’t feel like the companies values were a reflection of my own and that troubled me.

I suppose a mixture of my travelling experiences and the complete fear I had of returning to my old career made me do something I’d never dreamt of doing before; review my options and actually consider what I wanted to do with these skills of mine.  And so it was on that fateful day I saw that advert for O2 Customer Service that I began my career change.  I’d heard great things about O2 from a consumer’s point of view so I what did I have to lose?

So here I am.  4 years on from that decision and I have never been happier but it hasn’t been easy.  I’ve had to learn a lot about myself (and the company of course) and I’ve really had to step out of my comfort zone, but didn’t I want a change?  Yes!  I’m more confident, happy and I’m doing what I really want to do.  I also feel totally in control of my own career and that a great feeling.

So what did I learn?

• Money doesn’t make the career world go round! Whilst the salary was great, I was miserable in my previous role/workplace.
• Speak to people and let them know how you feel. Once I’d identified my need for a career change and talked to my friend about it, I realised I had the support base for any decision I made.
• Don’t expect a career change to happen overnight. I knew that I had to learn more about the business/organisation before I could progress.

I know I’m not alone here when I talk about a career change.  Let me know about your experiences.  Did you have a life changing experience that led to a new career or did you simply wake up one morning and decide to review your place in the corporate world?  Better still, you may be planning to make that step towards a new career.  If so, let us here your stories.

 - Matt

Well it’s been 6 months since I joined O2, and what a fantastic experience I am having……..

The first 6 weeks consisted of a culmination of meeting after meeting, and I never thought I would ever get my head around the workloads, let alone understand all the lingo….Being the new kid on the block doesn’t suit everyone, and this included me.

Before joining O2, I spent 6 years working for myself.  Before that I worked for the ‘Halifax’ and having been there for nearly 20 years, suddenly thought one day that I wanted a change in career. 

It took me 6 years to then decide what I wanted to do, and also which industry I wanted to move back into.  I never thought I would say this, but I missed the corporate life, the friends you develop, and the fun you have when you work as part of a team or should I say family (as we call it here at O2).

When the opportunity presented itself, and I saw this job, I decided that it was mine.  I knew that O2 was the place for me.  What also drove me to apply for the role was that I would be working with a team of around 20 people.  Having worked for myself for 6 years, I couldn’t wait to join in the fun and excitement.

Whilst working at home, I sometimes didn’t speak to anyone for days, luckily I did have the dog to keep me company, but as you can imagine, this wasn’t doing much for my conversational skills, plus he’s the quiet type!!!!

When I look back over the last 6 months, I cannot believe how quickly it has flown.  I have really settled into a routine, and just as I had thought, the team are fantastic.  We all work very hard, but also have lots of fun on the way.  I really do feel that I belong!!!

The lingo is now second nature, and it feels that I have worked for O2 for ages.  If you are thinking of applying for one of the many jobs available, then do! I have never looked back, but then I always knew that a career with O2 was the right move for me.

       - Melanie