NZMA Certificate in Call Centre and Employment Skills

Marcia Wiki gave her self-confidence a boost as well as being ideal for Mercury. Picture / Fotopress

The course

Think of the number of times you talk to a customer service representative when wanting to get something done - power connected, account number checked, flight booked. The NZMA Certificate in Call Centre and Employment Skills is a 21-week course that trains people in call centre techniques.

The course, which is 50 per cent practical, includes customer service and sales techniques, how to cope with difficult customers, inbound and outbound call management, computer skills, stress, and time management.

Training takes place in three call centre training rooms with industry standard computer programs and individual telephones and headsets. Students' ages range from 16 to 50.

A workplace assessment is part of the course.

The NZMA students are assessed "going live" and making calls for charitable campaigns over two and half weeks.

The charities include the Cancer Foundation and the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind.

The course also includes preparation for employment, including CV preparation, interview techniques and job-hunting techniques.

Students can choose to attend a day or evening course but can't move between the two.

The evening courses are run from 5.30 to 9.30pm Monday to Friday.

There are regular intakes throughout the year at the Henderson, Otahuhu and Hamilton campuses and applications are accepted until the course start date.

To be accepted for the course, New Zealanders must be 16.

International students need to be at least 18, with an IELTS of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 550 or the equivalent.

Everyone must gain an 80 per cent pass in NZMA typing, comprehension and numeracy assessments. There is also a telephone interview.

Course fees are $4391, which includes all course materials and resources.

What employees think
Marcia Wiki, 26
Mercury Energy Customer services representative

I've been working at the Mercury Energy contact centre for three months. I enjoy answering queries, open and close accounts, and talk to customers to build rapport and help with their problems.

I like shift work because it means I'm not stuck on the same roster. I have also enjoyed making new friends. But it is busy work. You're not just sitting around filing your nails waiting for the phone to go.

I was really keen to get a job in a well-known organisation's contact centre but I never thought that I, a single mum with no qualifications, would end up working in a centre for Mercury Energy.

The course gave me the confidence to apply as well as the skills I needed. As well as increasing my computer skills I learned a lot about customer service, especially about listening to the tone of the person's voice to work out how they're feeling and giving feedback so they know you're listening.

The course also helped me with my CV, which was great because I did not have one before.

This job keeps my mind ticking over because I never know what the next call is going to be about. It is very satisfying.

What employers think
Cath Hart
Manager of Customer Services
Mercury Energy Contact Centre

Contact centre work is busy and challenging and we are always looking for good staff.

Our customer service representatives need to be able to identify and understand the customer's needs quickly, make them feel understood and pull together a solution in an appropriate timeframe.

The job requires a high level of problem-solving and getting it right the first time for the customer and the business.

From the start, Marcia had a clear understanding of the needs of a contact centre and the importance of a customer focus.

She really appreciated the importance of the customer.

I like the NZMA course because it is a Level 3 course.

It is also longer than most call centre courses and I believe these students are showing a real commitment to contact centre work by taking on a longer course and they come out with a broader knowledge and understanding.

We want people who add value to the role and don't just see it as a stepping-stone into other areas of the company.

Marcia has that attitude.

Qualifications NZMA Certificate in Call Centre and Employment Skills

Level 3, incorporating the National Certificate in Call Centre Operations Level 3.

New Zealand Management Academies (NZMA)

Ph 09 302 0707 or 0800 222 336 (0800 ACADEMY)

Fax 09 306 4194

Salary: From $30,000 to $35,000 depending on centre size.