Before I ventured into the career of a full-time writer, I was working as a customer service rep in a call center for a major financial institution. I’ve been there for ten years—maybe twelve. There have been good times; there have been bad times. And during those years, I have faced all types of people: rude, obnoxious, anxious, crazy, angry, sad, happy, and mellow. Before working in call centers, I worked in retail for eight years—maybe eleven—where my primary job was, you guessed it, serving customers.
If I could guess a percentage, 95% of my working career was in customer service. But is it safe to say, coming from a hardcore introvert, that introverts can succeed in the customer service field?
Well…
Proud and shameful to admit, I was good at my job for the most part, but I did not always love doing it. Don’t get me wrong. Servicing people has its good moments, whether it is in the restaurant, the retail store, the call center, or any type of front desk job. There are several benefits to working in customer service that can help introverts overcome their insecurities—if seen in a positive light.
The Good
You meet interesting people
Contrary to popular belief, customer service reps encounter more decent people than uncooperative ones on a weekly basis. Being exposed to different attitudes, different languages, and different cultures opens the mind to a wider view of the world that may seem nonexistent behind the desk or the cubicle.
You feel good when you have fulfilled their needs
There is nothing like the feeling of satisfaction for a job well done. Even if serving people is not your ultimate goal, seeing the smiles on their faces when they leave your place of business or hearing their gracious thank you before you end the call does a soul a lot of good.
It improves your people skills
Introverts need to feel comfortable when speaking to people if they expect to make it in the world. The direct interaction with random individuals is the perfect practice to enhance one’s social skills.
It is the entry point to a successful career path
When you start working for a new company, more often you start in a position involving customer service. As you learn more about the company and gain job experience, you discover other opportunities within the same organization, or perhaps a different one, that will lead you to your preferred destination.
Overall, customer service skills help build the character and confidence a person needs to tackle the challenges of the world. But there can’t be a good without a bad, and dealing with people can deliver terrible times for an introvert. Introverts face different struggles in the customer service field. Here are some common examples:
The Bad
Anxiety When Speaking
Some introverts are just not very good speakers, and those that do well in speaking may struggle when placed in unfamiliar settings.
Uncomfortable Around Strangers
Introverts are not comfortable when pressured to deal with strangers; therefore, they may struggle with assisting their customers.
Likely to Become Sick
If an introvert allows the stress and anxiety from a customer service job to build up by remaining there too long, he or she can become sick. It can feel like suffocation.
Pressure of Making People Happy
Remember the phrase, the customer is always right? Everyone strives to make a good impression on the job, but when a self-conscious mind takes over, the person may start second-guessing himself, leading to disaster.
Example Time:
In a Beverly Hills 90210 episode, Brenda Walsh is working as a waitress at the Peach Pit temporarily to replace her brother Brandon, who is rehearsing for a role on a TV sitcom. On her first day, she struggles taking orders, carrying trays, and overall, pleasing the customers. She admitted to becoming self-conscious, which prevented her from performing the necessary tasks. To avoid getting fired, quitting, or remaining depressed, she dons a pair of white-rimmed glasses and adopts a quirky, Brooklyn accent to transform into her alter-ego. As Laverne, or as she pronounces, Lavoin, she is able to impress the customers with her quirky charm. She even performs karaoke with Kelly and Donna of the hit 60’s single, It’s My Party by Lesley Gore, to entertain the guests. After the Lavoin gig, Brenda returned to her normal life and never waitressed again.
It was later revealed in the series that she wanted to become an actress. I don’t know if the character, Brenda Walsh, was an introvert in disguise—she was very outspoken—but her creative tendency to become someone else helped strengthen the business, satisfy the customers, and preserve her mental health.
Why I Stayed in Customer Service For So Long
It’s a living” - Bugs Bunny
During my hundred years working in the call center, I ended each day feeling exhausted and defeated. My anxiety level would be at a 10. I would even go to bed thinking about the difficult situations I faced that day, which did not help me to sleep. Despite my difficulties on the job, I became accustomed to this life. The headaches, the misery, the agony; all became the norm for a typical day job.
I used to hate Fridays because they were one of the busiest days of the week.
Rough moments with irritated people caused many panic attacks. There have been instances where I would escape my cubicle after a call with a difficult customer and go to a private break area to recuperate.
So how come I stayed in this industry for so long?
I needed the money
health benefits and business perks
job security
focusing on my writing, which distracted me from looking for new work.
But as I mentioned before, it hasn’t always been bad. Most of my customers were decent people who started the call in a good mood and ended the call in a good mood. Positivity is contagious, and these people made me feel less like a schmuck. There were cool people that could relate to the complications of working in customer service, thereby helping to make the call as smooth as possible.
Verdict
I could write a one-thousand-page book chronicling my triumphs and defeats during my long tenure as a customer service rep. But instead, I’ll just answer the question: Is customer service a good job for introverts?
In my humble opinion—yes, but only temporarily. It is a good position to help build skills and character. However, the demands of the job can negatively affect the psyche if performed for a long stretch of time. Luckily, my previous company provided other off-the-phone duties periodically to save me from going insane.
If you’ve never worked in customer service, I hope this post hasn’t frightened you, but instead, has made you aware.
Thanks for reading. Please click the like icon, it really helps.
As I would always say at the end of my phone calls, have a good day!
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