BY RUNUEL SALVADOR
COFFEE is known to be the call center agent’ s most loyal companion; it gives them the stamina and energy to finish their 8- to 12-hour night shifts, keeps them active between conversing with their customers and pulling them through the long nights of taking calls and working full-time, five days a week.
Drinking coffee is a necessity for most Ilonggo call center agents before and during their daily shifts.
You may consider it “petty” but, yes – the question of which is better – hot or cold coffee is an issue.
The call center agents have their respective preferences and choices and this ranges from health benefits to the influence of colleagues, all the way to personal options.
According to Andrew Baron, a call center agent for a couple of years now, he prefers to drink hot coffee over cold coffee.
He says, “I prefer hot coffee because when you drink cold coffee while you are on duty, dasig ikaw dakpon ka lamig kung tugnaw (You can easily catch a cold when you drink your coffee cold.), and there’s no perfect time to drink coffee because as long as I want to, I’ll drink.”
Furthermore, he believes that “hot coffee is more aromatic compared to cold coffee.”
On the contrary, Jean Marquillero, who has a tenured status in the call center industry, chose cold coffee because he often drinks coffee late in the day.
According to him, “I love to drink cold coffee because it is for pampalamig sa mainit na panahon dala na pampukaw (It is refreshing during warm weather, and at the same time, it wakes me up,” adding that as a call center agent, “Coffee is in our blood, and most working people will know that coffee is one of the best ways to kick-start your day at work.”
Raine Bernardo, another old-timer in the industry, loves both hold and cold coffee and the choice depends on her mood on a particular day. A posh coffee chain is her go-to for coffee because of the wide options.
“Drinking coffee helps keep me awake, active, and in a good mood at work. Let’s say it is the fuel for my body before I go to work,” says Raine.
For Ilonggo call center agents, individual preferences matter the most. Coffee is life, hot or cold – for as long as it keeps them kicking and functioning every night while working./PN
