We Need More Men in Call Centers!

Have you noted that there are more women than men working in call centers?

Every time you call, you are more likely to be attended to by a lady. I don’t see any problem with that. It’s okay for our sisters to earn a living.

My neighbor likes it. He loves it. He tells me that it is pointless to hear a man’s voice on the other end of the phone whenever he calls and seeks to have his matters addressed. I know most men carry sentiments similar to my neighbor’s. I don’t know how women see this, but I am a bit disappointed that this space appears to be ‘cut out’ for women. There is hardly a male representation in this industry, which is the big issue I   find myself mulling over.

I love to think of myself as an intelligent youth of the male order, so I decided to do what my intelligent self would do—study and try to unearth the reason why this is so. Well, I got what I wanted but did not quite get it. Here’s what I took home.

There are many schools of thought surrounding this whole matter.

One line of thought goes back to the inception of call centers in the 19th century. Call centers,  originally called switchboard operators, employed men and women, as much as women made up the bulk of the workforce. Men took up managerial and technical roles. Mmmmh.

Another one talks about women being more suitable for this job due to their nurturing and empathetic natures and their forte in following instructions and emotional intelligence. But if you ask me, this is just a perception and a stereotype. This stereotype often influences hiring practices and career choices. Men can also be accommodative and patient, possess high emotional acumen, and follow instructions. Right, boys?

I acknowledge that it has been statistically proven that most men who work in call centers are either in technical or managerial roles. Okay, as it may be, it doesn’t address the crux of my ranting. We need to hear these deep, baritone voices when we call our customer help agents. I agree that our ladies are doing a good job, but it will be better if men are on board. From experience, I have learned that it sometimes takes a deep masculine voice to address an angry or impatient customer and gladden an already sorted one.

With that, please visit our careers section and apply for jobs. Men, we need your voices in our call centers. Your unique perspective and skills will only make us better.