You have so many other options: “I work in customer service,” “I am a customer advocate,” “I work in customer relations,” “I am a part of customer contact,” and so on.

I remember in the late 1990s when we tried to change our name as the first step in receiving respect. Since then, we have earned the respect by taking on new responsibilities, gathering essential data, integrating into the rest of the organization, and in some cases, earning revenue. Suddenly the drive to change our name is not so important anymore because the term “call center” has stretched itself to cover all contact types and various customer relationships. A recent poll found that the vast majority of us continue to say, “I work in the ‘call center.’” I do not know what makes “call center” so comfortable, even though we handle more than calls and aren’t centered in any one place anymore.

A similar term is “grocery store.” We might say we are going to the grocery store to use the ATM, have our prescription refilled, order a deli tray, pick up some light bulbs, select a flower arrangement, get a flu shot, buy some stamps and a bus pass, and maybe buy some groceries. We do not have to change its name to “SuperCenter” or “MegaMart” to know it means more than Campbell’s soup, Folgers coffee, and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes.

“Call center” is a term that describes entities throughout the world; it is a standard term. As a consultant, I am often asked, “How many call centers are in the United States? How many are there worldwide?” Wouldn’t it be interesting if our industry had its own SIC so we could more easily find others like us?

Has your company changed the name of your department to something other than “call center?” If so, what’s the current name? Has your company recognized your call center for meaning much more than just calls?