World Cup meltdown: How call centre staff cope

They are the frontline for any company in crisis and their skill at dealing with disgruntled customers can leave a lasting impression.

When things go wrong in business - whether it be streaming for a sports event, a power outage, or a banking issue - it is call centre staff who often take the first hit.

This week there was fall-out after some Spark Sport customers had pixilated and blurred or blank screens during the South Africa v All Blacks Rugby World Cup game.

Taking call after angry call can have an impact on call centre staff in crisis mode.

Psychologist Sara Chatwin said how a company looked after its staff's mental health and stress levels was an indicator of a good employer.

Comprehensive training and support for call centre staff should be a priority, she said.

"There should be the expectation that call centre staff will deal with some unhappy and frustrated people and they should be prepared for that," Chatwin said.

"Companies should have the right training to start with but also services available and access to support is also important."

Chatwin, who founded Ponsonby company MindWorks has some easy tips for reducing stress at work - even when your day includes call after call from frustrated and often irate customers.

Seek counsel from more experienced staff. If you have had a number of tricky calls walk away from the phone, take time out and speak to a coworker who has done it before.

Breathe and keep calm. When you have a break try to leave the office, get some fresh air and clear your thoughts.

Don't take it personally. Let the person have their say and understand they are frustrated with a service and sometimes that develops into anger. It is not directed at you.

Reward yourself on the way home. If they day has been particularly tough be kind to yourself. Exercise, a walk on the beach or catch up with a friend can do wonders.

If you are looking for call centre work find out what training is offered.

Some companies have comprehensive training on how to handle every possible situation.

A spokesman for Spark said the company had an extensive 4 week training programme for customer care teams.

"We've set up training modules, use subject matter experts and training specialists to help our new and current staff get up to speed with what they will faced on a day to day basis.

"They are monitored and assessed throughout training and we always have floor support and leaders available so our teams are well supported."

Tracy Leighton, Chief Customer Operations Officer at 2degrees, said customer care could take its toll and staff were given plenty of support and training.

"The reality is that having a great care team is essential for our customer experience which is vital to the success of our business," she said.

"The other reality is that we know being part of any care team is tough – you're on the front line talking to customers about 85% of your working day. It's draining, so we make sure our people leaders are trained to know how to support their people."

Leighton said there was a four week core training programme that covered systems, product and brand. There was also work on 'softer skills' how they talk to customers and manage challenging calls.

Every three new call centre staff members had a 'floorwalker' or support staffer to help them during a 'nesting' period for a minimum of two weeks.

The company had also just introduced a mental health programme called "2degrees Together' after it was successfully trialed in Christchurch.