Delvie Columna Bernadas – Customer Relations Specialist

Olah! My name is Delvie – your all-round Virtual Assistant. I possess a Bachelors Degree in Broadcasting. I have a wide range of skills, knowledge, experiences and expertise when it comes to Customer Service and Administration.

I wasn’t born with silver spoon in my mouth but I was raised well knowing that I am well-loved by the people around me, especially my parents. Like most of the typical Filipino children – I was raised with a strong family bond and that family comes first no matter what.

I know Customer Service like the back of my hand. I have been with the BPO industry for more than 8 years focusing on Customer Service on different platforms. I can communicate with the customer or clients via phone, chat messaging and email.

I started my career in the BPO industry as a Customer Service Associate on a seasonal account when I was in my third year of college. I juggled work and school responsibilities in the hope of helping my parents with my finances. My Customer Service stint ended after a few months of my stay as it was just a seasonal account. I was given the option of staying with the company for a different account or stay with the same account but to relocate to a different site supporting such accounts that we handled. I chose my studies over the opportunity that was given to me. I didn’t want to compromise my studies then because I had to do my TV internship.

I graduated college in 2010 and landed my first full time job in the BPO industry as a Customer Service Representative. I had the same role for over 2 years then I was promoted as a Quality Assurance Specialist. I had been part of the team who listens and reviews calls making sure the agents adhere to the company policies and standard operating procedures but of course, not compromising the quality of customer service they provided to our customers.

I did one-on-one coaching especially with the Most-Help-Needed agents. After a couple of years being a Quality Assurance Specialist with the same company, I was promoted as a Service Delivery Specialist or an Assistant Team Leader. I assumed the role of a Junior Supervisor with a Senior Supervisor buddy on a team. We worked hand in hand in overseeing agents with the performance and meeting the goals of each month. I did admin tasks such as listening to calls still, keeping a tab on all the challenges and coming up with a coaching strategy/technique to cater and overcome the said challenges our agents had.

In 2016, it came up to me that I was no longer growing as a professional and as a person, so I tried a different company. I was hired as a Chat Support Specialist handling both Customer and Technical Care for a Canada-based TelCo account. I stayed in the same role for a year before I got promoted as a Quality Assurance Specialist handling a Serve-to-Sell account. Here, agents handled general customer service inquiries and transition the call flow to a possible sales pitch depending on the client’s needs.

My story, unlike most of the other VA you may have encountered, is not purely sugar and spice and everything nice. In August of 2017, I lost one important person in my life whom I dedicated everything to – my Mum. I took over the responsibility of being the family’s breadwinner when she got sick. I had to ask my Dad to stop working so he could take care of my Mum full time. But unfortunately, we lost that precious treasure. I still went to work and tried to move one. Come April 2018, I was still on the first base of my moving on process with my Mum’s passing when another unfortunate event came by me. My Mum’s younger brother passed as well. Sadness, depression and anxieties are just an understatement of what I really felt during that time. I could not afford to compromise my job… the job that had been the bread and butter of my family since day one – the job that I loved. I asked if I could take a leave of absence just for me to regain myself, but it wasn’t granted. I was left with no other choice but to leave. I could not compromise the quality of work I rendered because of my personal issues. So I left.

I went to Canada with one of my Aunta and continued my healing. Canada had always been a dream for me and my Mum. I fell in love with the country the moment I first stepped on Canadian soil and I must admit, it helped me heal. It helped me a lot. I came home May of this year hoping to start a brand new career. I wanted to be the daughter my father needed me to be. I wanted to provide for the family I have left.

My reason may not be the best of what you have heard so far but I want to work from home because I cannot stay in the office for 12, 13, 14, 15, even 16 long hours serving a client and forgetting that I have my Dad who I need to spend time with. I cannot lose my chance of spending time with the people I love most just because I want to earn and provide for them. If I can work from home, stay up late regardless of the long hours while being with them – then why not?

I chose to work from home because why not? I am taking my chances, I just hope you would take your chance on me too. I just need one single person to trust me, and have faith that I can deliver and be the best version of myself without leaving my humble abode and without me losing precious hours being with the family I have left. I can prove that I can work, beat the deadlines, be one of the best Virtual Assistant without taking a bath every single day, putting make-up on, dressing up and beating the red lights.

The experience and knowledge I have from my previous jobs, the goals that I have for myself and the willingness and commitment for this job are my key factors to success. I am someone who is self-motivated, detail-oriented, reliable, honest and passionate about what I do.

The Law of Attraction states, “You only become the person you always wanted to be”. Yes, I know I can, because I know I will.

Well, I guess that’s it for now. I am hoping to be hearing from you soon. Ciao!

For a copy of Delvie’s resume please click here.