"Call Center Blood types"

"Call Center Blood types"

by:

Virgilio F.De leon Jr.

I believe that call center agents now have new Blood types.ER's all over the Philippines should have these in stock least a crisis occurs of epic proportions when a shortage is found too late.

These are the following:

Extra Joss +

Explode +

Sting +

Samurai +

Cobra +

Monster +

Rockstar +

Red Bull+

Bacchus +

Ion +

I guess these will be the major blood types for now as these are constantly imbibed by a specific set of people whose major need for caffeine can feed an entire nation of coffee farmers. These energy drinks are taken on top of the normal caffeine intake that makes a call center agent nocturnally active. Sort of like a vampire without fangs. Of course some of the one's that I have seen over the years could very well pass for vampires with their pale and waxy complexions. I am happy to report that I have not seen anyone glittering in the daytime (which will prompt me to burn them the soonest chance I get).Coffee and Energy drinks flow through their veins and is considered a necessity in surviving 5 day or 4 day shifts if you are on a 4/11 schedule.It is not an easy life and help is always welcome.  

I was able to try all of these energy drinks in the course of my Call Center Tour of Duty and they are all very potent. Some seem to be more "Hiyang" to others than me.Here are some of the things that I have seen and heard in my time in the industry.

Acidic Cobra...

The commonly accessible Cobra seemed the more acidic of the bunch and normally caused an upset stomach , at least for me. You could buy it out of your Corner Suking Tindahan and hang out with a bunch of construction workers who feel conio after drinking it. I don't know how their stomachs are built but mine just can't stand the acidity of the drink and feel really upset afterwards. At least I'm awake...due to the burning pain that continues to the end of my shift. There is a Silent Hill in my belly.The fires keep on burning.

Hypertension Sting...

Sting while very good in keeping one awake had caused one or two of my team mates to have hypertensive incidents aka "Na-high blood ako TL" on more than one occasion. I'm not sure if it was just the timing when they drank it but it does make you question the product if it affected them a 2nd time around. They have also tried other drinks but Sting really does a number on them. 

A little Extra Joss...A little to much...

Extra Joss was so effective that one of my teammates really had sleeping problems and was awake for more than 14 hours after she took the drink. In her case though it had to do more with the double dose that she usually takes in an 8 hour shift. Taking one before the start and another after lunch(others would consider it Midnight snack rather than lunch). She was able to sleep after cutting back a bit. She had to because she was looking like a cast member from the Walking Dead even before they aired the series.

Sugar Crashing Monster...

Monster surely comes in a monster size of a can. These cans let you take in twice the normal amount of any energy drink. This also makes it the most expensive energy drink out there. Almost a 100 bucks a piece! As part of an ongoing experiment I tried the 2 flavors available in the local market. The thing I have observed though is that after 4 hours you then have a massive sugar crash that beats the purpose why you took the energy drink in the first place.The first 4 hours was great though so this can be used as a boost for when...oh wait...this is my wholesome blog. hehehhehe

Rockstar Living...

One of the most of effective energy drinks is Rockstar because it lets you go on when most have already collapsed...of course after staying up all night in a very tiring shift you actually want to collapse in bed because of your normal biology that says you are waayyyyy beyond your bedtime. Rockstar allows you to bypass this biology and just keep on going. Of course by this time you are not thinking straight and you are on your feet merely by this drink and may have no proper control of yourself. You are not efficient and cause more harm to yourself than good. So take only in extreme cases. 

Bringing Balance Back...

I don't want to heap too much praise on the following drinks because it might work for me but have different results altogether for someone else. My best bets when I really need to stay up is Bacchus and Explode. Explode was on sale during those times too which led me to add it to my grocery list. Bacchus is just good for me but I have found that my brother seems to sleep regardless of the Bacchus that he has taken. 

And since I am writing about Energy drinks..

Vodka Energy Drink..An Oxymoron in a brand

Yes you read it right. Vodka energy drink. 3 words that should not be associated with each other. Alcohol basically replaces oxygen that should be taken to your brain to keep it more active and functioning at tiptop condition. Less Oxygen means the more sleepy you get and the component that makes it an energy drink will not do anything to reverse that process. What it actually does is does is allow you to get more drunk since it gives you the feeling that you are not drunk. You end up with more alcohol in you could possibly judge.  So please do not drink this if you want to get any work done. Unless that was why you were drinking this in the mini stop before going to work then by all means do carry own. Some people are more effective when they are drunk anyway. Who knows if you are one of those Call Center Drunken Master types who could sell , trouble shoot , collect or provide better customer service when drunk right? Drink on Little Grasshopper.Drink on.

So those working the night shifts. Start wearing bracelets with your blood type. The life you save will really be your own.