I'll be moving to another LOB by Monday hence, Friday was technically my last day with SPP. They were coercing me to share my "last" words (of course, it won't be the last because whether they like it or not, I am still everywhere and will try to comment in every way possible) before I go. I couldn't think of anything to say at that time, or maybe I did but it wasn't the right time yet or I was just too lazy to talk. So I wrote this instead. I feel that there is some sense of finality of this movement. I might not be able to get back these people like the first time, so yes, I think there is a need to write this down. For fear that i might forget all of these and forever leave these unsaid.
This isn't actually the first time I was going to go through this-- I "left" them in April when I moved to Servicing Team and had to be trained again. Then they needed to ramp again for SPP, so even before I hit production for Servicing, I got my team back. This time, with a few more people crazier than the first batch.
We were joined by some veteran and some newly hired call center virgins. And as I sense it, they had stronger personalities sitting next to the original SPP team. But a few weeks of getting used to each other's presence they soon started to cohabit pretty well. And in the process, my being weary about how I will manage to harmonize the different personalities of the two batches, I noticed that they were helping each other in coming out of their respective shells, destroying the invisible walls and working indeed as a team. Okay, this sounds too cheesy and very idealistic, but I think that's the closest thing to describe it.
Eventually, we had to let go of a few people in the team along the way. Jacqui and Cathy E had to resign because they had to pursue other things they want--that is to be a housewife and to teach, respectively. Ninzy has decided to pursue her degree and is now working in a Hospital (whose name I forgot) in Taguig. Allen was moved to another account when the program had to right-size in terms of the current number of people. Xie, had to leave the team even before I was able to get the team back since classes in CEU were already starting and she could not longer manage to be in school and work full time simultaneously. If I had the power to decide on these matters--I would have wanted to keep them as long as I could. But I understand the issues and matters revolving around these departures, and yes we acknowledge it and move on from there.
I could very well say that what was left of the team--together with the new breed of SPP agents became tighter as the months progressed. Some of the original SPP cast who were reserved started to come out of their shells and made quite an effort to blend with the team. Martha for instance, whom I only hear the voice when I am evaluating her calls from NICE now gets to have her share of "kuda" and "superlafs". The mommies-- Mama Cat who then had her own household drama was animated when sharing her bouts. And of course, FB had a major role in that period. Then we were all elated when Mami Phen found out that she was 6 weeks pregnant!
We created a few "drafts and sketches" of our dreams but mostly, we failed to color them and thus they remained to just be "drafts and sketches", take for instance our jackets and team building. I could go on for a few more, but it's going to be a bore so I'd rather not. Thank you for monster pizzas and pastas and stolen shots from random floors in the building (not owned by APS) that we may be able to share something together done at random, without sketches and drafts.
But it wasn't all happy stories. I remember when because of miscommunication and individual idiosyncrasies and a few FB statuses have ignited a Cold War among seat mates Jhay, Tin, Girly which later on included Mac who eventually approached me of the discomfort all of them were feeling and how it was eating up the rest of the team. It prompted me to send the four of them on Aux Meeting (inlcuding Jem, not because he was involved but because WF approved 5 agents to be pulled out,sayang nman) but were not able to finish the discussion because SPP became short staffed at that particular interval. They managed to go through it anyway. And I strongly believed that they held no more grudges against each other relating to the incident. At times, they still reminisce this period but only to mock themselves and laugh at how silly they have been.
Except for the CSAT part, the team has elevated me to become one of the Top Supervisors of the site. But I am humbled by the fact that I did nothing more than to send email contentions a few days before the payroll crediting to request for schedule change and alignments--they all did the dirty work--and I mean not the shenanigans, but pure excellence in whatever was expected of them. I was 100% confident that we all claimed our way to the top with any anomalies done. We failed in some aspects concerning the stats and target, but we failed dignified--because we fought fair (no, im not implying anything, or at least I'm so not trying to sound like I am implying something).
In between, all of them had a share of my nerve. In some way or another they were all victims of my mood swings, my filthy mouth and my gory and morbid death threats. Some instances of tardiness were forgiven, some were raised to hell while others like Scott was sent to the edge and was even visited by the HR Consulting. I have always been honest them anyway, that for me call-in reasons are always lies--until proven otherwise. Most of them were honest, some like Errin, Ellaine and Scott gave their best lies and alibis--but 4 years of being a supervisor and a degree in Theatre Arts-- they gave me the best acting failures in history.
They all have stories to tell. And if there is anything I am very well thankful for, it's the chance to mentor this group of people and that I was blessed to be witness of their lives and what roles they decided to play. Apart from the stories we shared in between avail time and breaks and lunches, they have entrusted me their life experiences so I can learn from them as well. I can get a whole screenplay about them done in no time, but because there is so much to write about this team, I don't even know where to start.
I cannot take full credits to where and what bigger roles you will assume in the future because of the skills and a few notes you've learned while you were in this team, but I am and will always be thankful of this chance to lead you. I wish I knew some other way to say these things without sounding too cheesy but I don't. I am just glad that in a way, I have managed to grapple a little less too tight and save myself from excessive separation blues.
And yes, regardless of how many instances I have swore and wished I could have whipped you with baseball bats and how many times I bathed you with threats--if I had the chance, I will still want to keep each and everyone of you. No exemptions, no conditions.
Thank you Speedpay.
I shall write your stories someday-- when I know where to start and when I learn how to end it.
