Careers

Elizabeth Crank
Pre-Pay Customer Service Advisor (Bury)

"...if you go the extra mile, people see it and remember..."

"So what's a day in my life like? I think the most important thing about O2 is that, if you show you have the ability and attitude, you have the freedom to take on more responsibility and use your initiative. At the moment, I work in the Pre-Pay team, so for a couple of days each week I deal with customer queries - and that's really varied. But I also deal with Hardware Support, which means helping customers who need new handsets or accessories delivered.

My manager knows I really enjoy it, so I get to look after the whole delivery process not just the initial customer contact. You can get to know customers and really go out of your way to help them. It's not unusual to get an email saying ‘thanks’ from a grateful customer either!"

"When it comes to solving problems, I'd say I'm tenacious - mind you, if you ask other people here they'd probably say that's an understatement! But that's probably why I'm cut out for customer service. I get real satisfaction from helping people. The difference with O2 is that, if you go the extra mile, people see it and remember. Customers appreciate it and the people here recognise it too. This year, I've been nominated for North West Customer Service Advisor of the Year. My manager put me forward and I'm proud to say I'm the first O2 person ever to be shortlisted for the big prize!"

"I probably sound as though I'm only picking out good things to say. But seriously, I worked in a different contact centre for ten years before I came to O2. And I feel like I've learnt so much more, achieved so much more and been rewarded so much more. All the managers know I love a challenge, so they often give me difficult, escalated calls to resolve. I say, okay, done that, what's next?! And if I'm not getting my teeth into something difficult, you'll find me organising a night out. There's always people here up for getting together and going somewhere. Not just down to the pub either. I've already got 23 names down for the trip to Blackpool. Any more for any more...?"

Carl Doig, Customer Service Advisor (Glasgow)

“…when I looked into the role, I found it could lead to lots of other opportunities...”

“My day-to-day job is about taking calls from consumer customers and resolving issues. I could be asked to explain billing, answer network queries, help with devices – it’s all about providing assistance really. If I get a complex call, I’ll often ring a customer back, to check how everything went. You have to take ownership of the problems, but actually, I do it for myself too – I want to take pride in a job well done.

It was O2’s reputation that drew me here I think. I already knew other people who worked here and they told me it was a great building, with lots of space and facilities. Then, when I looked into the role, I found that it could lead to lots of other opportunities, so I took the job to get a foot in the door.

I have to say that working at O2 has lived up all expectations. The support you get from colleagues and managers is great. Everyone’s approachable – you can speak to any member of staff. Plus you get really good system support too, with up-to-date information on the network, for example. It’s a friendly environment and you’re encouraged every day. And the benefits! Let me put it this way: it’s not just the odd bonus.

You have to bear in mind that this is a fast-moving industry. But it means you certainly don’t get bored easily. New challenges present themselves every day.”

Derek Dickson, Customer Service Advisor (Glasgow)

“Personal Development Plans are something O2 are really good at.”

“I’d say I’ve got quite a varied role. I come in, log on, take calls and basically do whatever a customer needs done. The queries can be really wide-ranging – even people who’ve been here two or three years occasionally get ones they don’t know the answer to! It’s not a problem though, as there’s always someone here who can help. Everyone on the team has different strengths – some might know more about technical stuff, while someone else might be good on billing.

Although I’m working in a contact centre, I’m not on the phone all the time. We have a daily catch up which breaks up the day, plus Regular Update Briefings about what’s going on in the company. You also get one-to-ones with your manager where you can discuss your goals. Personal Development Plans are something O2 are really good at. At the moment, I’m chairing a monthly team meeting as part of mine.

Benefits? Well, you get two bonuses per year based on your performance, which can be up to 5% of your salary. The actual benefits package itself is flexible, so you can choose the things that suit you. For instance, I’ve chosen a really good pension deal and I also get £100 of retail vouchers per month. It’s before tax, so I’m basically saving £10 to £15 per month on shopping.

It’s a relaxed environment here. There are X-boxes, pool tables, a subsidised Starbucks…but customer service is the priority. You have to enjoy working with customers and take pride in providing a good service – no matter what job you do at O2.”

Lindsey Ryder - Retention Advisor (Preston Brook)

“It’s a brilliant environment: a really open culture where you can be yourself.”

“I find there’s a lot of variety in my day-to-day job simply because every customer is different. I speak to people all over the country who call up to cancel their contracts. I talk to them and find out why they’re cancelling and what we can do about it. We get training on everything you need to know about for the job: the systems; sales techniques – the lot. I really enjoy it.

At the moment, I’m spending lots of time with my manager, as I’m building up to joining O2’s management training programme. I often deputise for my manager, going through figures and giving coaching, sometimes through one to one meetings. O2 are more than happy to support you if you want to progress. There’s always an opportunity to develop. In six years, I’ve gone from Admin to Customer Service, to Retention Adviser.

What do I like best about my job? The people I work with. It’s a brilliant environment: a really open culture where you can be yourself. You’re not tied to your desk either. You can also get your head down and do the job without someone looking over your shoulder all the time. Plus there are all the incentives. We have a lot of input into how the incentive schemes operate. For instance, we have competitions between the different teams, which at the moment; we’ve themed ‘Formula One’. It’s one of the ways that O2 makes you feel valued and an important part of the company – not just a number.”

Peter Madigan, Senior Customer Service Advisor (Preston Brook)

"There's always someone around to help you..."

“A day in my life? Well, I often come in a few minutes early to go through my emails. Then it’s onto the phones, taking calls from people across the country. I handle general enquiries: everything from billing issues and questions about payment, to technical queries. Everyone is given four weeks of training before they start, so we know about the products, including the handsets. You also start in a controlled environment where there’s a supervisor around all the time to help you, which really helps you learn the ropes.

Even if you don’t know the answer to a query yourself, there’s always someone around to help you. That’s one of the things I really like about working here: people are always willing to help. It means you learn from different people and it’s a real team effort. In fact, I couldn’t ask for a better team. We have get-togethers outside work, a meal at Christmas, and we’re going bowling next month.

I think the best bit of my job is speaking to such a variety of people. As well as taking calls, I have to ring customers back to get their feedback: were they happy with the way their query was handled, was the situation resolved to their satisfaction – that sort of thing. The variety keeps you on your toes. It’s a great feeling when you know you’ve done a good job. If the customer appreciates it, so much the better, but you know that the manager will have noticed and recognised your efforts.

Yes, it‘s work at the end of the day. But everyone I know enjoys being here.”

Sally Anne Barrett, Grad Bay Manager (Leeds)

“…it’s always nice to be kept informed of advisors’ progress once they graduate…”

“At O2, there are four milestones in the new entrant’s process. My role covers the first two. The first milestone involves the delegates going through a five-week training induction. Then they go on milestone two, which is Grad Bay. During the next 4 weeks they spend time learning the ropes by taking live calls fully supported by the Grad Bay Team; having regular coaching and training to upskill them ready for the operation. I am responsible for the day to day management of all the new entrants, which can be anything up to 40 or 50 people at any one time. As a Grad Bay Manager, I don’t have a permanent team, as the end to end process for the first 2 milestones is 9 weeks, before they join their permanent team in the operation.

It’s a key responsibility within the business to set expectations and manage new recruits; coaching and mentoring them as it sets the foundations for their future with O2. I start the groundwork to develop the new entrants into world-class customer service advisors. It’s all about encouraging positive behaviours. We want our people to set high standards for themselves, monitor their own progress and development and fitinto the company values. Ultimately, we want people to feel part of the business – to live and breathe O2. We evaluate each training group that comes through our area: focussing on the quality of the recruits, what went well with training and what we can do to improve the overall experience. This ensures that we are always continually improving the induction and Grad Bay material.

t’s a very rewarding job, as I get to see people develop and learn new skills. And it’s always nice to be kept informed of advisors’ progress once they’ve graduated. People seem to get a lot out of the training, which is great. I want them to come to work because they really enjoy it – not because it’s obligatory.”

Yvette Owen, Customer Service Advisor - Corporate (Leeds)

"What’s great is that O2 have worked around me. They’ve been really open and understanding"

“Our Corporate division works with bigger companies. For example, I deal with a major high street bank who have 20,000 connections with us. Their people contact us for the latest information on mobile phones, about billing, registering new users, network coverage – all types of different queries. You’re given good training so that you are able to advise them, plus there are systems to help you find information you might need. For example, there’s an online map where you can type in a postcode and find out what the network coverage is like for that area. I actually only take about 20 to 25 calls a day, the rest of my work is done via email and fax.

In Corporate, it’s all about building a rapport with the customers. You have to be yourself and be open, because you need to establish trust with the people you’re dealing with. I like really like it, because I come into work knowing I’m working on one account that I understand well.

I’ve just come back from maternity, so I’m only working two days’ a week. What’s great is that O2 have worked around me. They’ve been really open and understanding and I have a really good relationship with my manager. In general, O2 will look at how you work and they will do everything they can to help you. O2 do support you and care about your day-to-day needs.”

Shona Patterson, Customer Service Advisor (Glasgow)

“I used to like temping in different places but I was really pleased to be offered a permanent job at O2.”

“I work in Customer Service, taking calls from O2 customers about all types of things. It could be billing, a technical query… If you don’t know the answer, there’s always someone on the team who does. You get daily catch up meetings, which help too. It’s a chance for the team to discuss any issues and talk about what’s going on in the wider business. Then there are Regular Update Briefings – twice a week. So you’re always informed about what’s happening at O2.

I originally started here as a temp. Other temps had told me it was a good place to work – O2 had a brand new building and everyone seemed happy there. I began in August 2006 and by November, I was working here permanently. I used to like temping in different places, but I was really pleased to be offered a job at O2. I think it’s my team that really makes the job for me. We’re all quite close and get along really well. There are about 12 of us and we go out once a month or so. Plus, O2 pay for a Christmas night out every year and sometimes a summer one as well, like the O2 premiere event. We were put up in 5 star hotels in London and got to see some really big names perform like Tom Jones and Kaiser Chiefs!

O2 offers fantastic pay for Contact centre work. And I can honestly say this is one of the best contact centres I’ve worked in (and I’ve worked in a few!). That’s why I‘ve stayed.”

David Adams, Customer Service Advisor (Glasgow)

“You have to work for rewards but you’ll find all the support you could wish for.”

“My job title is officially Customer Service Advisor. But that’s just one of several roles I’ve been playing recently. I’m currently on a week-long secondment to the Communications team where I’ve been learning about internal communications on-site. I’ve been looking into how a manager might give regular updates and the processes involved. It’s really interesting stuff.

In my normal job, I take inbound calls from customers about all sorts of issues. It could be something quite technical like setting up a wi-fi connection, or could be a simple problem, like how to turn on a phone. You have to adapt to each person and try and take into account their level of knowledge.

One of the other roles I play is as part of a team that takes feedback from Customer Service to higher levels in the company. We try to get changes implemented so that everyone here is happy and working in the best possible environment. There’s also an Employee Forum that provides support with more contractual stuff. The great thing is that all these services are free and in place, waiting for you to use them.

For me, the biggest benefit of working at O2 has to be the variety of work on offer. You’re never stuck in one role. If there’s another department you’re interested in or would like to know more about, you can tell your Team Manager and get a secondment. The environment in general is great too: it’s a state-of-the art building with all the mod cons – pool tables, games consoles and table football for starters.

I’d say there are a lot of benefits to be gotten from working at O2. You have to work for rewards but you’ll find all the support you could wish for.”

Elizabeth Ward, Customer Service Advisor - Corporate (Leeds)

“I’ve got to say that O2 do treat you well.”

“I spend most of my day responding to emails from our corporate customers. I’m available to take calls too but many of our corporate customers prefer to email. There are 12 people in my team, and we cover different accounts between us which means you get to know the clients and build up good relationships. That’s probably the thing I like best about the job: the customers feel like friends. There’s no need to put on a show or use a telephone voice – just be yourself.

I’m currently on a training programme to become a Customer Champion – a bit like a supervisor really. You pick up the tricky calls and the ones that need to be escalated. Am I enjoying it? Yeah, definitely! I can’t wait to get fully trained.

O2 do help you to move up and progress. You can explain your goals in your one-to-one meetings with your manager and they’ll discuss them with you and support your ambitions.

The other really good thing about working here is my team. In Corporate, we’re all quite close and we’ve had lots of nights out together! We’ve all been to Alton Towers together too – you could register for tickets through O2 and then take three friends along. There were even passes for food. I’ve got to say that O2 do treat you well.”

Mahmud Tantwala, Customer Service Advisor (Bury)

“There’s no one looking over your shoulder, while you’re doing your job.”

“In my job, I deal mainly with retailers like Phones 4 U and Carphone Warehouse. They contact us when people come into the shops asking to change tariffs, or because they have a problem with their billing. I speak to the shop staff and sort out the query, which is really nice because you’re speaking to people who work to the same standards as you. Although I speak to a variety of people every day, it’s a bit different to talking to our individual customers.

I really like the fact that I can just get on with my job. You’re just trusted to get to work without being checked up on. In fact, the atmosphere’s really good. The people are friendly – you can have laugh with them. Once, I bumped into the Director of Customer Service and we got talking about my background and previous jobs. I ended up helping out at a recruitment open day, talking to people about joining O2. I really enjoyed motivating people and doing something positive.

I had no preconceptions about joining O2 and to be honest, I didn’t know what the job would be like. I came here on a temporary basis and was really happy to be offered a permanent job here after six months. Eight years later, and I’m encouraging all my family and friends to join too: it’s a nice site and environment with nice people – there’s every reason to go for it!”

Anne McGloughlin, Customer Service Advisor (Glasgow)

“I enjoy being able to help customers - it’s a really good feeling.”

“I’d heard from other people that O2 was a good place to work, and I still think that a year into the job. I take inbound calls and deal with any questions or problems customers may have. I enjoy being able to help them - it’s a really good feeling. Although you do have to be patient and tolerant sometimes, as people can be demanding.

Right now, I’m on a secondment as a Customer Experience Champion. That means I help to drive performance, check customer satisfaction results and look at adding value in calls – that sort of thing. It’s a newly created role and I’ve got another two or three weeks to go. It’s really good that there are opportunities like this available.

I also like the fact that there are so many systems to support you and help you deal with calls. It means you don’t always have to go to another department to get help because the answers are there in front of you.

I’d say O2 are a generous company to work for. There are always bonuses and the environment has been designed with us in mind: there are X-boxes, computers with internet access and somewhere to go if you need a bit of quiet time. It’s no wonder O2’s reputation has just got better and better.”

Anne Winter, Prepay Customer Service Advisor (Bury)

“I really like telling people good news: that they CAN keep their old number and credits if their phone’s been stolen, for instance.”

“My job is to take calls from our Prepay Customers. They could be ringing about stolen handsets, lost SIM cards, a change of service, a general network query, picture messaging, accessing the internet – all sorts of things. What I really like about my role is that I often get to tell people good news: that they CAN keep their number and their credits if their phone’s been stolen, for instance. Sometimes people can be a bit worried when they ring up and it’s really nice to be able to tell them something positive.

To be honest, I joined O2 because the company is on my doorstep. I was working in an estate agency but the money was much better at O2. Plus, they were always really nice when I rang up!

Now I’ve been here 14 months or so, I’ve developed a fantastic social life. When you’re working with the same people 37 hours a week, you do get close. We’re always having nights out and celebrating birthdays. And O2 contributes a lot as well. There’s always a party at Christmas and last year we got the choice to go clubbing or have meal out, to celebrate winning Contact Centre of the Year.

There are loads of other pluses about working for O2. In March this year, we get £1,000 from the Thanks a Million bonus, but there are other awards and bonuses throughout the year. Career-wise, you learn lots of skills and the managers push you to do more with them. My Manager’s arranged for me to join the Retention team for an hour and a half every week, just so I can see what the job’s about and whether I like it. I think that’s a really good idea.”