What a call centre agent does
A call centre agent handles inbound or outbound calls in a structured environment. Inbound agents answer customer questions, take orders, troubleshoot problems, process payments and log each call in the system. Outbound agents may confirm appointments, follow up on accounts, conduct surveys or contact existing customers. Agents usually work from a queue, follow scripts or knowledge bases and are measured against quality and productivity standards set by the employer.
Call centre work is demanding. Agents handle one conversation after another, often with customers who are frustrated before the call begins, and attendance problems quickly affect service levels. Finch screens for a clear phone voice, composure under pressure, comfort with scripts and systems, and a dependable work record. We also confirm availability for your shifts and talk honestly with candidates about the nature of the work so they arrive with realistic expectations.
Typical responsibilities
- Answer inbound calls from a queue and resolve customer requests
- Make outbound calls for follow-ups, confirmations or surveys
- Follow scripts, knowledge bases and call-handling procedures
- Log call details and outcomes accurately in the system
- Process orders, payments or account changes
- Transfer or escalate calls that need specialist support
Qualifications and credentials
- A high school diploma
- Previous call centre, contact centre or phone-based customer service experience is an asset
- Clear spoken English; French or other languages can be a strong asset
- Comfort using several applications at once while on a call
- Availability for the shifts, weekends or evenings your centre requires
Who hires a call centre agent
- Insurance and financial services contact centres
- Telecommunications and utility providers
- Health care booking and patient contact centres
- Retail and e-commerce customer support teams
Where we recruit call centre agent candidates
We fill call centre agent roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Phone voice, clarity and tone in a live conversation
- Composure when responding to a difficult caller scenario
- Typing and moving between screens while talking
- Attendance and reliability in previous roles
- Confirmed availability for your shift schedule
Interview questions to ask
- How do you reset after a difficult call so the next caller gets your best?
- Tell me about a time you had to stick to a script or policy that the customer did not like.
- Which call centre or CRM systems have you used, and what did you track in them?