Most people have new years resolutions, and they strive to achieve great goals that they don't really intend to keep. For example, I thought of a new year’s resolution this year to actually exercise again and get into shape so that I don't turn into a fat lazy slob. I realized that this was a great goal, but I would probably not keep it.

So instead of a normal new years resolution that I probably will not strive to keep, I have chosen a resolution that I am determined to keep.

To help explain my situation a little bit, I work at a call center for Internet support. During the last 2 years here I have said the same thing over and over when answering the phone. On each phone call I have said something similar to the following, "Thanks for calling technical support, my name is Steve. May I have your ID number". I believe that by saying this statement I am deceiving the customers and myself.

I feel that by saying statements that are untrue to our customers is one way to make them realize that I really don't care and am a false person even though I say "Thanks for calling...".

If you talk to anyone that works in a call center and takes phone calls and is monitored and evaluated by the stats, taking phone calls is not fun in any way shape or form, especially since you are not taking phone calls from people that are happy. Every time that phone rings, there is a 90 percent chance that there is an annoyed customer because something is not working and they have been on hold. So when you answer that phone call, you are expecting complaints or problems and that you have to resolve. Taking these phone calls is no fun and I am ungrateful for when people call in.

So my new years resolution is to change my introduction to the phone calls. I was saying Thanks for calling technical support, now I am just going to say "This is technical support..." which will be an honest statement on my part to the customers.