Is it just me, or is this woman missing half a ring finger? Look at that left hand and you will see what I mean.

I am amused by AI image generation errors. It makes me giggle to myself. 😂 I think that is why I get so upset when people tell me my content is not worth reading over the use of an AI-generated feature image.

Does the general public not realize there are ethical issues involved with copyrights over images used in business? Sure, I opt for full disclosures. Even royalty-free images can have restrictions on commercial use, though. AI does not.

AI images like that just simply make me laugh because they remind me of “find the difference” puzzles. I like trying to spot what is wrong with the image.

Now I will step off that soap box and get to the point.

Heading Back into Customer Service

I have been in some form of customer service for over 20 years. I am really good with customers, but my poor brain struggled with every Kevin and Karen I encountered. I was not self-confident enough to ignore them. I did not have enough self-love to counter their insults internally.

While I have been working on school and my business goals, I have also been building my mental strength. I have a better tolerance for those situations. It took a long time, but they are much less problematic.

I still encounter trolls online through Stitched Delights and my Tumblr ads. At one time, their words would have dug so deep into my being that I would stop trying. Now I just laugh, make up some invective phrase that represents their behavior, and I move on. I’m not trying to please everyone. I am trying to run a business and guide my business growth through honest feedback.

Look back on my original statement about AI-generated imagery at the beginning of this post. These trolls represent what I used to struggle through in customer service. The traditional Karen presents herself everywhere—online, on the phone, and in person.

Thank you for calling, my name is…

The last time I took on any customer service work (outside of my business) was when I decided to pick up a customer service contract through LiveOps. They are not a scam, but I will tell you that it requires a lot of patience and extra time learning the content needed for certain contracts because they often lack clarity during training.

The pay is not good. They pay you for phone time only. Any training, time spent on customer email communications, updating the call log outside the call time, etc., is unpaid. The pay is by the minute during active calls.

This is key because most people are not aware of how much time they invest in a contract that will be unpaid until it is too late, and that is often why it receives a scam reputation.

Back to Contract Work I go

While I am looking for some executive assistant work, I wanted something that has the potential to make me a little extra money without interfering with my educational or business goals. I decided to rejoin LiveOps as an independent contractor outside of my business. I was approved for an upcoming contract for a health insurance company, taking provider calls and offering support.

The role itself does require confidentiality, of course. I’m not going to share the who. I will just say that LiveOps is going to be the middleman, so I can do some work for this contract and make some extra cash around my existing schedule.

If you have ever heard Mindful Crochet, then you already have a general idea of what my “customer service voice” sounds like. I always try to come across as friendly, helpful, and caring.

Training for the role does not start until the beginning of May, which is fine. It gives me time to adjust my schedule to reflect openings for taking calls and being present for mandatory training sessions. I already own all of the hardware I need, and my tech specs are well above the requirements.

Testing, Testing, 1… 2… 3!

I have not been in a consistent customer service role in a while. I have not had to place myself in a position where I go from one customer to the next during the past 2 years. This is going to test my abilities to maintain emotion regulation and professional composure.

Honestly, it is probably the best test of my mental strength I could get before I pick up a role as an executive assistant. It also offers me a way to make some extra money while my business continues growing. Due to my physical disabilities, it may be the right choice due to the seated/home office aspect.

Ready or Not

I feel ready to get back into a steady customer-facing role. I have a better grip on my emotional understanding, and my ability to remember that a Karen in my life builds character. Often, they are so miserable, they are just trying to rope me into their misery. Hurt people hurt others.

Karen, go back under your bridge and find another way to gather tolls for rolls, thank you.