Author: Peter Lyle DeHaan

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, publishes books about business, customer service, the call center industry, and business and writing.

Categories
Business

It’s All Virtual

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

As I contemplated my publishing business, I was struck with the realization that I had structured it as a virtual company. This wasn’t intentional; it just worked out that way.

Not only am I the only one working in the “corporate office,” there are no local vendors either. Indeed everyone who takes part in the production of our magazine is from out of state – different states!

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Dave, our layout genius and designer extraordinaire is in Pennsylvania. His work gets sent over the Internet to our printer in Ohio. There they work up the proofs and put them on an FTP site for Dave and me to review and then approve.

The mailing list is maintained by myself in Michigan. For each issue, I output the file and email it to our list processor. They massage the data and sort the list, in turn forwarding it to our printer.

The printer merges the mailing list with the magazines and delivers them to the post office. An army of postal carriers deliver the finished package to your home or office.

The newest member of the team is Valerie, our media rep., in New York; she handles the display advertising sales. As editor, I plan, solicit, collect, and edit the articles and press releases. Finally, our websites are hosted by a in Arizona, but I update the content remotely from Michigan.

I have never met any of these fine people in person. We conduct business via telephone and make frequent use of email. Each issue is produced without any face-to-face interaction.

For our first issue, this was somewhat disarming and disconcerting, but I am convinced that the result is better than if we all worked together in the same office.

True, we miss out on some synergy, incidental communication, and camaraderie, but we are also each free to do what he or she does best and to do so with minimal outside distraction and interruption. As Bill Murray said in the movie “Stripes,” “We’re a lean, mean, fighting machine!”

I theorize that most organizations could similarly be configured as a virtual operation. Over the years I have run into more and more situations where aspects of a business are outsourced, including billing, accounts payable, and general ledger.

They hire a computer support firm to maintain equipment, an ad agency to do marketing, and an independent sales agent (in the spirit of a “manufacturers” rep) to generate sales. Not that any single company outsources all of these functions, but many companies outsource some.

It is important to note that “outsource” does not necessarily imply another country. Indeed, despite media attention to the contrary, the majority of outsourcing occurs to business within the same country.

Conventional wisdom says that you don’t outsource your “core competencies.” However, there are those who advocate that you can indeed, farm out your core competencies as well. What if someone else can do it even better – or cheaper?

What if your labor market has near zero percent unemployment or if you’re just plain tired of the HR aspect of the business? All of these are prime reasons to consider outsourcing your operations. In fact, I am aware of several companies which have done or are doing so.

Outsourcing the operations aspect for a start-up can solve many problems and conserve cash flow while a base of clients is being amassed; then it is all moved in-house. Others have opted to form permanent outsourcing arrangements either out of necessity or preference.

The end result is that there are no staff working in their office!

There are essentially six areas of focus and effort for most organizations: operations, customer service, sales and marketing, technical, accounting, and management. I have yet to see one company do all six with aplomb and excellence, yet any viable concern excels in at least one area.

Even the strong players master only two or three. In fact, some of the most profitable companies are, at best, average at five of the six, but because of a strong, visionary, and capable management, they consistently generate outstanding profits.

Since no one can master everything, it is pragmatic and even wise to consider outsourcing the weak areas of your company. Then you can focus on what you do best and your company will be better as a result. After that you can consider taking it to the next level and outsource the rest.

Ultimately, you too, could become a virtual company; a company of one!

As you begin looking for outsourcing partners, you must be careful in your selection. A bad choice can be costly or even crippling, but it can also be quickly corrected by merely finding a new firm to handle that aspect of your business.

Those who have outsourced their operations did not put “all of their eggs in one basket,” but have divided the work between multiple vendors. No more than 50% of your business should go to any one place; this gives you greater flexibility and minimizes risk.

You should scrutinize an outsourcing partner just like you would any other vendor. “Look before you leap.” Referrals are valuable; check references.

When outsourcing operations, unless they come highly recommended, visit them in person.

  • What does their facility look like?
  • Are they big enough to handle your work? Are they small enough to care about your account?
  • Do you have a good rapport with and respect for the key people in their company?
  • Is there the potential for a long-term business relationship?

Last, find out who will be your primary contact on a day-to-day basis.

  • How well do you mesh with that individual?
  • What is their anticipated future tenure with the company?
  • Should this contact leave, will your satisfaction with the outsourcer’s service disappear as well, or will someone else be capable and able to take over without impacting your organization?

Certainly, no outsourcing agreement should be entered into lightly or without due diligence, but when it is properly executed and for the right reasons, the results can be both liberating and profitable.

This is not to advocate that everyone needs to look into outsourcing, but it does offer some intriguing opportunities and is certainly another option to consider as you look to the future and consider how to make your company better—and more profitable.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

Categories
Call Center

Customer Service is a Strategy, Not a Slogan

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Does your organization make customer service a priority? I expect that it does. In fact, I suspect that the phrase “customer service” is found somewhere in your mission or vision statement, etched on a wall plaque, proclaimed in your marketing material, and oft orated by upper management.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

However, as is often said, “talk is cheap” and “actions speak louder than words.” So the question becomes, do you actually provide quality customer service or just brag about it? Has the vocabulary of providing world-class customer service been bandied about so often that you – and the entire organization – have been falsely convinced that it is a reality, when in fact it has no basis in truth?

An astute and long-time reader may remember a previous column, “A $175 Oil Change“, in which the local car dealership charged $175, accomplishing no tangible results other than changing the oil. This was the only impetus I needed to return to the trustworthy comfort and integrity of my local service station, where I continue to be a loyal and supportive customer of their car care services. Unfortunately, the day that I dreaded came last summer, when they informed me that repairing my heat-producing air conditioner was beyond the scope of their services; I would need to take the car to the dealer.

With trepidation, I walked into the dealer’s brightly lit and tastefully decorated service department. As I walked up to the “customer service” desk, a representative, clad in business attire with tasteful tie, greeted me by name.  I explained the problem and, knowing their mode of operation all too well, asked for an estimate. With a confidence-building smile and positive words of assuredness, he sent me on my way.

His phone call came shortly after I returned to the office: $1,575!  Following my dumbfounded silence, he launched into an extended explanation, mixing mechanic jargon and automotive terminology – which I doubt even he fully understood – seemingly aimed to intimidate me into accepting their costly diagnosis. According to their investigation, a heater problem was also uncovered and somehow related to the AC repair. True, for only $980, I could fix just the AC, but then it would be over $1,200 to go back later to repair the heater.

“Let’s get realistic,” I challenged him, determined to not be victimized again.

The representative apologized that he had no other options and admitted that his “hands were tied.” I declined to authorize the repair and made arrangements to pick up the car. He kept repeating, “I’m sorry; I know I’ve lost you as a customer.”

It took some time, but eventually I heard about a full-service garage with a reputation for honesty. I took the car in. Sitting in a small and somewhat dingy office with a dated décor and amidst organized clutter, I explained the chronology of events, sharing the dealer’s written estimate. The owner of the garage chose his words carefully, “Well, they could be right, but I think we can get it working for much less.” He had a $185 solution that he wanted to try. Plus, if he was wrong, he would apply that amount to the repair the dealer recommended (for which his normal price was only $800). As far as the heater issue, he found no justification for any work.

I followed his recommendation. The $185 AC repair proved to be accurate, keeping us cool through a hot and humid summer, with the heater working without incident throughout that winter.

The dealership had talked ad-nauseam about their top-notch customer service in their ads, promotions, mailings, and sales pitch. They even put on an impressive front, but there was no substance; to them, customer service seemed to be maximizing the repair bill. The garage, on the other hand, didn’t talk about customer service; they just did it.

A second pair of customer service stories are equally illustrative. Although my family is not often prone to renting movies, we did have a membership in a nearby town. My wife and I entered their store, with a two-for-one coupon in hand and the residual amount from a gift certificate on account. Our expectation was that we would each pick a movie and pay for them using the coupon and credit balance. We were wrong.

The first sign of trouble came in the checkout line, when the clerk could not pull us up in their computer. “We got new computers,” he said curtly as he continued typing in vain. After much too long, he impatiently demanded, “When were you last here?” Our answer irritated him. “Well, that’s your problem,” he announced. “We gotta put ya in again.” He took all of our information and had us sign an ominous contract.

As he scanned the DVDs, I handed him the coupon. “We don’t accept these,” he declared disdainfully. Dumbfounded, I asked why. “It’s for Acme Video Hits and we’re Acme Video Plus, now.” I pointed to the in-store sign displaying Acme Video Hits. “We got bought out and they voided all the coupons. It happened three months ago,” he explained exasperatedly, as though this was common knowledge of which only ignorant people were unaware; “We haven’t changed our signs yet.” He typed some more. “That will be seven dollars.”

“You charged us the price for current releases,” I informed him, pointing to a sign for 99 cent rentals of older movies.

“But you got DVDs,” he said with a not so subtle sigh and slight roll of the eyes. “Ninety-nine cents is only for VHS.” He paused and, saving me from another query, added, “They changed that, too.” An unfruitful discussion ensued, but he gave up and got “the manager” when I inquired our credit balance, which had been lost during either the acquisition or computer upgrade.

The manager appeared and with great boldness and partial aplomb, began demonstrating to his lackadaisical charge, proper problem resolution skills. He aptly summarized anew the critical information that we had pieced together from the unwitting clerk. He stated the company line and confirmed the price of seven dollars. However, he soon relented and eventually offered to partially accept our coupon, zero out the balance on our unverifiable account, and only charge us three dollars.

Sensing this was the best we could reasonably do, I accepted his offer and thanked him. He smiled broadly and shook my hand, no doubt assuring himself of a successfully resolved conflict and a customer retained. My wife and I, however, left with a far different perspective. The uncaring clerk had simply dug too big of a hole for his boss to climb out of; damage had been done and it was irreversible.

It wasn’t until a movie rental chain opened a local outlet that we again rented a movie. We walked in and hesitantly approached the counter. Michelle smiled broadly and genuinely welcomed us. Upon learning that we were first-time customers, she carefully and patiently explained how everything worked, including the store layout, membership, prices, and the specials. Her pleasant and easy-going demeanor was refreshing and put us at ease.

As we began browsing, clerk after clerk would momentarily appear, helpfully restating a tidbit of information, providing direction, or offering assistance, then moving away as quickly and stealthy as they appeared.  This was not like my usual retail experience when a clerk asks if I need help and I feel compelled to say “no” even though I do. At the movie store, the clerks’ interactions were both welcomed and beneficial.

When it came time to pay, Michelle, with her effervescent personality and evident enjoyment of her job, made the process of becoming a member both pleasant and effective, reiterating the value of membership and reinforcing the specials. She even did a successful up-sell – which seldom works with me – to pre-pay for several movies; this was quite a feat considering my prior experience with having a credit balance. But when one has a compelling offer that is presented with infectious enthusiasm, it is easy to be successful.

What amazed me most about Michelle, however, was that through all of this, she was training two employees! She had the ability to give them subtle cues and brief instructions in the midst of serving us, without leaving us feeling slighted or inconvenienced.

It is not surprising that I am looking forward to my next movie rental. I have even planned my selections for that snowy weekend this winter, when I take advantage of their “buy two, get three free” special! Good customer service is always an invitation to return.

To be successful, customer service needs to be more than just a slogan, more than mere lip service. It needs to be a strategy, one that is fully and successfully implemented with the customer’s best interest in mind.

[From Connection Magazine – November 2005]

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Call Center

Put the Customer Back into Customer Service

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

I’ve come to the realization that I tend to put off buying things. It’s not because I procrastinate (at least not too much), or because I am adverse to making decisions, or even because it is a money issue. Sadly, the reason that I often avoid purchasing things I want or need is simply because it is too much of a hassle. More to the point, going without some items is less inconvenient than investing the time and enduring the frustration required to acquire them.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

For quite some time – okay, it’s been more than a year – I contemplated getting a couple more cell phones. I anticipated signing up for a family plan and adding phones for my wife and kids. At 10 bucks a month per additional phone, it was a no-brainer. I could then find my wife when she was out and about, keep in touch with our daughter in college, and it would be I nice perk for our son, as well. (When our son garnered his driver’s license, he tactically implored, “Dad, doesn’t it concern you I’m off driving by myself without a cell phone?)  However, I put off expanding our cell phone infrastructure because I dreaded the process of doing so.

Finally the time for action came. I gathered my courage and boldly made a commitment to resolve my shopping-avoidance issues. My dubious plan was to call my existing carrier. They confirmed that my contractual obligation had long been met and would therefore not hinder making any changes. “What I want,” I explained, “is to get on your ‘family plan’ and add a couple of phones.”  I was even willing to buy the additional phones if need be.

“That’s not a problem,” the rep assured. “Each additional phone is only 10 dollars a month and some phones are free if you sign a one-year contract…and,” she added, “we can replace your current phone too!”

This was too good to be true, but before I could tell her to proceed, my short-lived euphoria was interrupted. “Oh, there’s a problem…” The problem was that they required me to be on a plan with more minutes – many more. I tried every angle I could think of: more phones, fewer phones, longer contract, and not replacing my current phone. She was intractable, “No, you still need to move to a bigger plan.”

Doing so, and adding just one more phone, would more than double my rate.  I’m not adverse to spending money – just to wasting it. Her proposal it didn’t seem very “family” oriented. I told her so and then tried an emotional gambit. “I guess I’ll just need to cancel my service and to go another carrier.”

The rep’s response was one of shocking gall and arrogance, “If you need to, go ahead, but you won’t find a better deal,” she stated matter-of-factly and lacking concern. “We’ve all got basically the same rates.”

“Okay, let’s leave everything as is for now,” I said, not wanting to burn my bridges.

Now it was time for plan B. Perhaps I needed to talk to someone face to face, to do business with a local person who would take a personal interest helping me complete my quest. So, on my next outing, I stopped by the local store of a national carrier that does lots of TV advertising. There were several aspects of their pitch that appealed to me. I was confident that they had a plan for me and I intended on completing my mission in one stop.

I walked in the door and as my eyes adjusted to the lighting, a stereo-typical salesperson charged towards me – must be they’re on commission. Brashly, he ushered me into his office and grilled me on what I wanted. With each request, he would nod knowingly and affirm that he could do that. He was typing things in a computer and then gave me a total. His solution was twice the amount of the prior one (I guess the rates are not all the same after all)! I couldn’t help but laugh at his audacity – which seemed to irritate him. “Okay, now let’s get realistic,” I suggested.

“Nope, that’s the best I can do,” he retorted. Thinking we were still pursuing a mutually desired goal, I begin to reply, when he stood up and gestured towards the door. “Sorry, I can’t help you,” he concluded disingenuously – maybe he wasn’t on commission after all.

Not ready to give up, I asked if he had any literature or paperwork he could give me about what we had discussed. “We don’t have any,” he retorted with aggravation. “It’s all online, just go to our website and order your phones there.” In five short minutes, I went from “ready to buy” to unable to leave quickly enough. I later learned that there was in fact a much more attractive package, closely matching what I wanted; I probably would have bought it from him had he only offered it.

On to plan C. Originally, the cell phones were going to be a surprise, but I knew that having eliminated the easier choices, I would need to call for reinforcements. I wisely enlisted the aid of my daughter, who was home for the summer and having just completed her summer-school job, had extra time on her hands. We made a list of the major carriers and she Googled some more. Then she got busy doing research online, while I went back to work. After more than a day, she presented me with a spreadsheet of comparisons. She explained what she learned, we talked about options, and she made a recommendation. It was going to require a two-year contract, so we needed to be sure it was right. We discussed each plan’s weaknesses, the fine-print, footnoted exceptions, and ways we could be charged for services we thought were free.

I agreed with her recommendation and we made a list of questions, the chief one being whether the plan’s coverage area included the city she anticipated moving to next year. I called carrier and verified our understanding of the details. Everything was confirmed and a sale was imminent. Lastly, I asked if the city in question was included. “Yes, it is,” the rep stated a bit too quickly and with insincere bravado. I doubted his veracity and prodded some more. His assertion could not be swayed, but doubting his honesty, I ended the call without placing an order. It was good that I did, as we later found a coverage map – albeit a bad one – online. The map showed the city in question to be annexed from the coverage plan. I have been lied to – imagine that!

We then discussed our remaining options and visited again the website of our fourth selection. Thinking I would once more attempt working with a local rep, I called their closest office. After several rings, a recording informed me that no one was available and summarily disconnected me. Next I dialed their toll free number. This rep was actually helpful. The first truly pleasant and knowledgeable person I had talked to during this whole quest. She patiently and professionally answered my questions, confirmed the plan’s coverage, and told me about their 14-day, no-obligation trail. I placed an order and the phones arrived the next day.

If cell phone companies can’t get a handle on decreasing their churn rates, I can help. All they need to do is to put the customer back into customer service. It will work for them and it will work for you.

Three Wrongs and a Right

  • With my existing carrier, I was willing to buy a second phone, pay an additional $10 a month, sign a long-term contract, and run the risk of overage charges; they were only willing to upsell me and lost a customer in the process.
  • At the second carrier, their rep got greedy (or was under-trained – or both), literally ushering me out the door.
  • For the third carrier, a cavalier lie on an important issue eliminated them from further consideration.
  • After a bad start at the fourth carrier, a well-trained, professional, customer-focused phone rep made a nice recovery and closed a sale.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Healthcare Call Centers

The Power of a Compliment

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D.

In the years between high school graduation and my first real job, I took on a variety of part-time work while being a full-time student. During one such vocational transition, the placement advisor at school knew of an immediate opening for an audio engineer at a TV station. I arrived to find out it would be a group interview, not a group of people interviewing me, but rather one person simultaneously interviewing three candidates.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

Stan was an odd-looking guy, with clothes and a hairstyle emanating from the previous decade. Despite the powerful magnification of his Coke-bottle glasses, he still squinted at everything. Stan led us candidates to an open classroom and the interview quickly fell into an awkward pattern. Stan would ask a question and we would respond in order, with me going last. With my classmates embellishing many of their answers, I struggled with how to honestly present myself as the desirable candidate. After a while, the classmate who went first blurted out, “I have a Third Class FCC License.” “This position doesn’t require an FCC License,” Stan responded. “I have a Second Class FCC License,” the second one boasted. Then all eyes turned to me. Should I let them know that my credential was even better, although equally irrelevant? Or would my silence communicate another deficiency in this game I was losing? Opting to avoid further silence, I informed the group that I had a First Class FCC License. Of course, this meant nothing as far as the job was concerned. Everyone was uncomfortable on this whole exchange but as the last one to speak, I felt it more acutely.

Seeking to defuse the tension, I changed the subject. “When would you need us to start?” I inquired. “As soon as possible,” was Stan’s reply. “I can start in two weeks,” volunteered contestant number one. “I can start in three days,” bested contestant number two. “I can start tomorrow,” I asserted confidently. “Okay,” Stan replied, “be at the station at 6:30 tomorrow morning.” I was hired!

The first day I watched Stan work and did a lot of listening. As he explained it, the job seemed simple. There was lots of idle time, four live broadcasts and on some days production work in between. However, he was more interested in regaling his glory days as a radio DJ than in training me. It turned out that Stan was also a silent partner in an out-of-town enterprise; his presence was urgently required to protect his investment. As soon as my two weeks of training were completed, Stan would be gone.

On my second day, Stan let me touch the control panel and I did the first live segment. It was a 30-second weather report. I turned on the mike when the weatherman was cued and turned it off when he was done. There was a mike check beforehand and I monitored the level as he spoke. I did the second live broadcast, too, a one-minute news segment. Stan did the third segment: news and weather – two mikes!

The half hour noon show, however, was overwhelming. There were a half a dozen mikes to activate, monitor, and kill, recordings for musical bridges, an array of possible audio sources, and a live announcer, plus an abrupt change in plans if a segment was running long or there was time to fill.

On the third day, Stan called in to tell me he would be late. He reviewed expectations of the first two segments and I did them solo. He called later, before the third, and we talked it through; he promised to be in before the noon show. I did the third segment by myself.  Then Stan called to say that he had been watching and I had done fine. Could I do the noon show by myself? “No!” I asserted. “Okay, he assured, “I will come in, but let’s talk through it just in case.” I never saw Stan again; my “training” was over.

With sweaty palms and a knotted gut, I muddled my way through the noon show, knowing that any miscue would be heard by thousands. By the time the show concluded, I was physically and mentally exhausted. This was a pattern that would repeat itself before each noon show for the next several months. If only I had gotten more training to boost my confidence.

On-the-job training was fine for production work. Time was not an issue and retakes were common, expected, and accepted. If I hadn’t been trained on something, the director would instruct me. The live shows were a different story. It was tense and nerve-racking; perfection was expected and errors were not tolerated. This produced an incredible amount of pressure and anxiety.

This stress was partly due to my lack of training, but more importantly a result of the directors; I worked with three. My favorite was nice and kind; he remembered what it was like to do my job and was empathic and understanding. Unfortunately, I seldom worked with him. The second director was aloof and focused only on the broadcast, not caring what he said or how he treated others. Fortunately, I didn’t work with him too much, either. Most of my interaction was with a third director. During live broadcasts, he became verbally volatile and abusive. He yelled – a lot. When he was mad, he yelled louder. And everything was laced with expletives. Management via intimidation was his style. My goal was to get through the noon show without a verbal tongue-lashing; usually I was unsuccessful. Of course, this made me even more tense.

Although most of the work was fine, my angst from this half hour each day caused me to despise my job. Thankfully, my time there would be short, as graduation was nearing. I grabbed the first job offer and gave my two-week notice. Ironically, the day after I tenured my resignation, explosive director inquired, “You should be getting some vacation, soon, shouldn’t you?”

“I haven’t put in enough time, yet,” I replied. Besides, I just gave my two week’s notice.”

“What!” he exploded. He slammed some papers on the table. “I can’t believe it,” his face turned red and with a curse, threw the papers on the floor. “We finally get someone good and they don’t pay him enough to stay.”

I was dumbfounded.  “Good?” I questioned. “I’m not good.”

“You’re the best audio engineer we’ve had in years.”

“What about Stan?” I asked.

“Stan was an idiot. He was always making mistakes. We couldn’t get through a broadcast without him screwing it up. You did better your first week than he ever did.”

“But…but, I make mistakes everyday, too”

“Your mistakes are trivial,” he disclosed. “Few viewers ever notice.” As he picked up his papers and left the room, I contemplated what he had said. I am a good!

Not surprisingly, I had a new attitude during the noon show that day. The nerves were gone, I made no “mistakes,” I wasn’t yelled at, and most significantly, I enjoyed it. My job was fun.

On my second to last day there, I met the weekend audio engineer. She was thinking about taking over my shift. She wanted to see what was involved in the noon show. Unfortunately, that day the show was one of the most difficult I had encountered. There was a live band, with each person and instrument separately miked, plus there were a few unusual twists. I would need every piece of gear in the room and use the entire audio console. Although it was stressful, it was a good stress, because I was a good audio engineer. I performed my part without error, earning a rare compliment from my critical director. At the end of the show, I leaned back with the knowledge of a job well done. My protégé shook her head. “I could never to that,” she sighed and left the room.

My last two weeks at the TV station were most enjoyable. As such, it is with fondness that I recall my time there. How might things have been even better if someone had told me sooner that I was doing a good job?

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Healthcare Call Center Essentials, available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of AnswerStat and Medical Call Center News covering the healthcare call center industry. Read his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.

Categories
Business

What I Learned on My Summer Vacation

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

This fall, the thoughts of school age children everywhere are focused on returning to school. Some approach the new school year with dread and trepidation, a few with excitement and high expectation, and others with inevitable acquiescence and acceptance.

Regardless of their personal perspective, many will be faced with the traditional writing assignment, “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.”

What I did, or more precisely, what my family did on our summer vacation is not noteworthy or unique as far as family vacations go. True, the time together as a family was special and the memories will last forever.

The time of bonding, through both the high points and the not so high points, fostered a deepened understanding of each other and a renewed respect for our individuality and divergent personalities.

My daughter summed it up succinctly, “Ya know, this is kinda like a once-in-a-lifetime thing!”

Family issues aside, it was also a vacation for me. It is one thing to take a vacation from the office; it is another to take a vacation from work. Taking a vacation from the office means you aren’t there physically, but you’re still there mentally.

Taking a vacation from work, means leaving work behind completely. That was my goal; one that I accomplished with a considerable degree of success. Nevertheless, our vacation experience did bring to mind some workplace lessons.

Our vacation was a pull-out-all-the-stops, eight-day adventure at Disney World. The Disney experience and their unique vision for achieving high “customer satisfaction” is legendary and has been the focus of many a discourse.

While true and correct, customer satisfaction was not the central theme of the three insights I gained.

Change Is Not Only Inevitable, It Is Also Necessary and Must Be Ongoing

At each of the parks we visited, we would see signs of change. At Epcot Center, one whole attraction was being demolished; at MGM, shows present just a few months prior were nowhere to be seen, replaced with newer, fresher alternatives.

The Magic Kingdom had one area boarded up with the simple explanation, “New attraction under development.” Some rides were shut down for “maintenance,” other areas were being expanded, and new developments were being squeezed in where space permitted.

Even Disney, with its reputation as the premier family entertainment company in the world, is continually reinventing itself. If this is necessary for them, then it is all the more true for us.

If you’re not making an ongoing effort to keep your business fresh and moving forward, then the rest of the industry is going to pass you by; don’t get left behind. The moment you assume that you have everything in place could signal the beginning of the end for your organization.

Nothing Lasts Forever, No Matter How Good the Idea

Several standard fixtures of the Magic Kingdom had been impacted by the march of time. The ride 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was no more; the lagoon still exists, but the attraction has disappeared. The Tiki-Hut was “Under New Management,” and “It’s a Small World” was, well, smaller – the portion of the ride outside of the building had been eliminated.

Even Disney, which has been thus far successful in re-releasing its animated movies every seven years for a new batch of kids, knows that no attraction will draw visitors and hold their interest perpetually. The same is true for all organizations.

No innovation will last forever, no paradigm is without end, and no idea cannot be bettered. Today’s revolutionary, earth-shattering development is nothing more than tomorrow’s status quo.

Staffing Is Key

Despite all of the technology, all of the marketing, and all of the organization and structure, the key to Disney World’s ongoing success resides with its people.

As I watched Disney employees in action, their performances (remember, all Disney employees are “cast members”) were on a higher level than any other organization I’ve encountered.

Certainly they outshone everyone at the airline, which brought us to Orlando, as well as the employees of the shuttle bus company, which took us from airport to hotel, but they also outpaced those at other theme parks. How?

Quite simply, they acted as though they enjoyed their work. They appeared to be saying, “I have a choice on how I do my job. I can do what’s minimally required to get by or with little more than an attitude change, I can make my job really enjoyable – for both myself and those around me.”

I assume their training played a big part in this, but I also saw many of them switch jobs frequently and conclude that variety and variation played a key role as well.

These are lessons we can apply directly to our businesses. Yes, we all advocate training, but do we really practice what we preach? Do we provide ongoing training, as well as coaching, mentoring, and career-path development?

All are required if we are to have employees who outshine the competition. In short, do we merely give our staff enough training and support to get by or do we give them enough training so they can excel?

Summary

It is highly unlikely that your organization will ever achieve the status or prominence of Disney. However, we can all aspire to improve our business and take it to the next level.

Rather than be overwhelmed by the formative challenge that the Disney example sets and the enormity of the task before us, we are well advised to start small and put things in proper perspective by recalling the humble words of Walt Disney himself when he stated, “Remember, it all started with a mouse.”

Key Lessons

  • Change is Inevitable and Necessary: Make an ongoing effort to keep your business fresh and moving forward.
  • Nothing Lasts Forever: The edge your business enjoys today will not sustain it tomorrow.
  • Your Staff is the Key: Give your employees the training needed to excel.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

Categories
Call Center

The Myth of Self-Service

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

What is your self-service strategy? Is it in-place and fully functional? Perhaps it’s moving forward, slowly but surely. Conversely, you may still be contemplating what your self-service offerings should be – if any at all.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

If you do make available self-service to your clients or their customers, is it used much? How is it perceived? Has it proven to be a time-saver and relationship enhancer or merely as the lesser of several unacceptable means to solve problems or procure information?

The idea of self-service has existed in many industries for years and even decades. This includes self-serve gas pumps, checking your own groceries, buying airline tickets online, and banking.

First, let’s consider gas stations. Unless you are a 20-something driver, you probably remember the days of full-service gas stations. In fact, they were called service stations, because service was what they were all about. These service stations almost always had one mechanic – or more – on duty. For smaller stations, the mechanic was often the one who filled your car with gas. Here’s how it worked. When you pulled into the station, a strategically placed air hose pneumatically activated a mechanical signal. This alerted the attendant that a customer had arrived and he would scurry out to greet you. Staying in your car, you would roll down your window and make your request, “Fill it up, please.” Often you and the attendant were on a first name basis. As he was filling your tank, he would wash your front windshield and often the back. Next, he would offer to check your oil. (Unless it had just been changed or recently checked – which he remembered.)   That’s not all. He would surreptitiously glance at your tires and if one appeared under inflated, they would whisk a tire gauge out of his pocket and check the pressure, putting in more air if it was warranted. He would also offer recommendations based on other observations, such as, “Looks like you’re ready for new front tires,” “That muffler doesn’t sound too good” or “We better at a look at those brakes soon.” Yes, this was a full-service operation, deftly suggesting up-sells (“Do you want to try Premium today”) and cross-sell opportunities (“When do you want your oil changed”) – though that wasn’t what it was called; it was just good customer service. Today, with self-service, we are left on our own to keep our car in good operating condition and we only see our mechanic when something is wrong.

In an apparent effort to save on labor or cut overhead, some stations began offering “self-service” pumps. In order to entice the public to pump their own fuel, the self-serve gas was priced lower. Most people weren’t too interested, at least until the price of gas jumped and the discount increased along with it. Still some people swore they would never fill their own tanks, but over time they were forced to do so as full-service pumps became scarcer and scarcer. The truth is that most people didn’t want self-serve, but reluctantly did so to save money or were forced to when it became the only option. Today, self-serve gas pumps are an expected way of life, but that simply happened because it became the only option.

Then there is the grocery store. I’ll admit that I don’t often find myself there – and when I do, it’s only to buy a couple of things – but I do gravitate towards the self-checkout. For a few items it can be faster – providing that everything works correctly. Self-checkout can also be irritating, repeatedly barking out annoying instructions and getting obstinate if it thinks you did something wrong. Given a choice between a next-in-line cashier (think of a call center with no queue) and self-service, I will always opt for a person. I find it to be faster and less frustrating. I can’t imagine the time-consuming task of doing a large order via self-checkout. However, when the cashier lines are long – which is generally the case, I gladly duck into the self-checkout and hope for the best. In this case, self-service wins out when full-service lines (that is, queues) are too long. It’s not that it’s preferred, but merely the least objectionable.

Nowadays, it seems that everyone books their airline tickets online. It certainly doesn’t save me time, but it does afford the opportunity to check every conceivable option, finding the ideal balance between cost and convenience. Maybe I scrutinize my options too closely, but I would gladly spend an hour researching flights, times, and airports if it will save me from a long layover, an extra night in a hotel, or a $100 on a fare. Still, the days of calling a travel agent, giving her my travel itinerary in a few seconds, and having tickets arrive the next day provide an appealing invitation to return to full-service.

The banking industry is full of choices. I can select from two full-service options and three self-serve options. For transactions warranting full-service, I can go to the nearest branch or phone their call center. For self-serve, I can use an ATM, bank-by-phone (using an IVR system), or access my account via the Internet. The option I select is primarily a result of what I need to accomplish, but my focus is on speed and convenience. It’s nice to have options: self-service for some things, full-service for others.

The dot-com boom in the late 1990s brought the prospect of self-service to an unwise conclusion. In simplistic terms, their generic business plan (aside from burning through mass quantities of investor cash) was that they would create a scalable website, which could be quickly ramped up as demand for their product or service grew. Customer service would not be an issue (or so they thought) as they would offer self-service options that were likewise scalable. There would be no massive call centers to build and no agents to hire. Basically there would be no people to help their customers; computers would do all that via the Internet. It didn’t work. The few dot-coms that survived did so because they wisely realized that they needed to offer more options than just self-service.

Even with this history and varying degrees of success, it doesn’t imply that self-service is the way to go, especially for call centers, which have the potential to far surpass the generally mediocre service level of self-service. Yes, there are times when self-service is the answer; there are also times when it is not. When properly implemented (which means it must be user-friendly, accessible, and reliable), people will opt for self-service only if it can increase timeliness, save money, be more effective, or is more available. If it can’t do at least one of these things, people will only do self-service if they have to – grousing about it all the while. In reality, most people don’t really prefer self-service. What they want is full-service that is friendly, accessible, and reliable. In our global economy, that often means they want a call center – a good call center.

Self-service is generally not selected because it is the superior option, but because it is the least objectionable one. So what is the ideal solution? It’s a call center; not one with its own self-service options, but one with people. Think about it; who would prefer to spend an hour on the Internet, scrolling through FAQs or waiting for an automated response to an email query, if they could just pick up the phone and quickly get a response? Of course this means a call center done right. What does that look like? Ideally it is:

  • Calls answered quickly
  • No busy signals
  • First-call resolution
  • No transfer
  • No queue or short queue (or a creative, entertaining on-hold program with accurate traffic updates)
  • Trained, knowledgeable, personable, and polite representatives
  • Correct responses
  • Consistent experience

With that, why would anyone want self-service? Why would they ever switch to a different company? A call center, done right, will beat self-service all of the time.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Healthcare Call Centers

Watch Your Attitude

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D.

On a weekend trip a while ago, my wife and I found ourselves at the local McDonald’s for breakfast. “I’ll have a number 10,” I decisively informed the perky and personable teenage-looking girl at the counter. She acknowledged my request and smiled pleasantly. This encouraged me to make small talk while my wife contemplated her choices. Not fully awake or alert, I said something which was apparently mildly humorous, causing her to laugh and brighten her smile. “What a pleasant way to start my day,” I thought, glancing at her name tag; it said, “Amber.”

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

My wife conceded that what she wanted wasn’t part of a meal deal, nor were the items listed individually. Amber was helpful. “Tell me what you want and I will see what I can do,” she encouraged. My wife listed three disparate items and Amber began pushing buttons on her cash register. After a series of thoughtful keystrokes, she proudly announced that she had accomplished my wife’s request. We paid for our meal and stepped aside to await it.

As the people behind us placed their order, Amber’s positive, friendly demeanor continued to capture my attention. Suddenly she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. Her smile widened as she looked up and her face beamed, “Good morning Jimmy,” she excitedly called out. In the split second that it took for my glance to move from Amber to Jimmy, I anticipated whom I might see. Certainly, he would be her peer, perhaps a jock or a maybe prep, possibly even her boyfriend.

I was wrong. Jimmy was an older man with a weathered face, worn clothes, and a considerable limp. He moved forward with deliberate effort, alternating between a herky-jerky lunge followed by a short shuffle. As he made his way across the room, he did not attempt to get in line, but headed straight to an open space at the counter near Amber.

With considerable effort, he produced a handful of coins and cupped them in his twisted and arthritic-looking hand. He tipped his hand forward and with careful effort, gave it a little shake. Two coins spilled out onto the counter and then a third. As if not satisfied with his progress, he poked his gnarled index finger into his open hand and moved it around as though stirring a pot. Then he flicked a fourth coin onto the counter, stirred some more, and released a fifth. With the last coin still rattling on the counter, Amber was there. She picked up the coins, rang up an unspoken order, pulled a dime from the cash drawer, and carefully dropped it into Jimmy’s still cupped hand.

What happened next made me curious. Amber reached under the counter and pulled out a handful of supplies. Then she turned to the coffee pot behind her and laid the contents in her hand on the table – two containers of cream and several packs of sugar. This seemed backwards and inefficient – pour the coffee first, then get the additives. Amber grabbed a coffee cup and filled it half full. Even more curious. Did Jimmy only want a half of a cup? She then picked up one of the creams, gave it a brisk shake, meticulously opened it, and carefully – dare I say, lovingly – emptied its contents into the cup. Then she repeated the procedure with the second cream.

Amber glanced around the room to see if anyone else needed her assistance. Assured that she was not neglecting another customer’s need, she picked up a pack of sugar, shook its contents to the bottom and prudently tore off the top, so as to not waste any, pouring every granule into the coffee. She repeated this a second time, but then another customer momentarily diverted her from Jimmy’s coffee. She returned to the partial cup and added two more sugars. But her task was still not complete. Amber then produced a stir stick and thoroughly mixed the contents. Upon being satisfied with the results, she then topped off the amalgamation with more coffee, put on a lid, and presented it to a grateful Jimmy.

She didn’t do any of this begrudgingly or with indifference, but with all the care and precision of someone making their own cup of coffee. She was there to serve Jimmy and she did so happily and without hesitation. I was touched by her kindness and thoughtfulness. Such a gesture was probably not found in the restaurant’s efficiency manual, but it was the right thing to do. Amber’s attitude and actions established the framework for the rest of my day. If her example affected me to such a great extent, I can only guess what it did for Jimmy’s day.

I imagine that, when Jimmy woke up that morning, there was no question in his mind where he would go for coffee. I surmise that his morning trek to McDonald’s was routine and habitual. I surmise, however, that he wondered who would wait on him. He might have said to himself, “I hope Amber’s working today.  She treats me like I’m special; my whole day goes better when she gets me my coffee.”

Likewise, I wonder what Amber thought before work that morning. Did she make an intentional decision to have a positive attitude, thereby producing a difference in the lives of those with whom she came into contact? She may have, but I suspect it wasn’t necessary. I think that her attitude of cheerfully going the extra mile was so much a part of her that it had become routine and habitual. While I was focused on my own needs, Amber’s attitude was to focus on those around her. And what a difference she made, not only for Jimmy and for me, but for the other customers and for her co-workers as well.

I was challenged by all this. My attitude as I start each day, no doubt, affects how my day goes and has a ripple effect on those around me. Though it’s unlikely I will ever match Amber’s personable, outgoing disposition, I can aspire to her positive, helpful, serving attitude.

Do you have someone like Amber working in your call center? What if all your staff was like Amber? Then caller satisfaction would be exceeding high, complaints and service problems would be non-existent, and your call center would be an even greater place to work.

Whether it’s pouring coffee or answering the phone, you can have employees like Amber – and it’s not hard; all it takes is an intentional effort to have a positive attitude. That positive attitude starts with you – and it can start today!

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Healthcare Call Center Essentials, available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of AnswerStat and Medical Call Center News covering the healthcare call center industry. Read his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.

Categories
Healthcare Call Centers

Voice Mail Has Come a Long Way

By Peter DeHaan, Ph.D.

Voicemail systems have come a long way during their 25-year history. When first introduced in the early 1980s, these systems came in large floor to ceiling cabinets and did little more than match the functions of an answering machine. At that time, many call centers and teleservice companies feared that voicemail technology would eliminate the need for them. However, other call centers embraced the technology, integrating it into their operations. The list of possible uses grew over time as innovation occurred. A partial list of voicemail features and functions now includes:

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan
  • Message taking (that is, replacing an answering machine)
  • Call screening
  • Automated attendant/Interactive Voice Response (“For sales, press one…”)
  • Auto-answer (generic, personal, and agent/client specific)
  • Operator revert
  • Giving out routine information
  • Recording portions of a call for clients’ future reference (a summary or verification, the caller’s message, or the entire call)
  • Voice forms
  • Non real-time communications
  • A dispatch tool (pager activation)
  • Conference bridges
  • Text-to-speech
  • Unified messaging/unified communications
  • Speech recognition (which distinguishes spoken words)
  • Voice-to-text conversion
  • Voice recognition (which determines the caller’s identity)

Although all of these items are an outgrowth of voicemail, some applications have spawned completely new categories of systems. This includes voice logging, unified messaging/communications, IVR, and speech recognition.

Most systems today feature a digital architecture, which provides outstanding quality voice recordings. Also, systems with graphical user interfaces (GUI) allow intuitive system changes and mailbox programming to be easily and quickly accomplished. Flexible programming options allow for customization which is critical to call centers, especially those who pride themselves in being innovative and finding creative solutions. Although today’s systems are designed for high reliability and far surpass past systems’ run-time figures, maintenance is still a factor. System updates and backups should be able to occur without interrupting call processing; dual hot-swappable disc drives are now a common and expected feature.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Healthcare Call Center Essentials, available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of AnswerStat and Medical Call Center News covering the healthcare call center industry. Read his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.

Categories
Business

Successfully Submit Press Releases and Informative Articles

Adhere to Best Practices, Follow Guidelines, and Write for Your Audience

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Consider this: “ABC Company, a strategic provider of advanced business technology applications to facilitate organizational utilization of game-changing convergent networks, announced today the release of its unprecedented Widgetizer solution, which is guaranteed to revolutionize existing technological infrastructures overnight.”

This is a fictitious example of an all-too-common press release. It’s a lesson in how not to submit press releases. On any given business day, I receive multiple news announcements and an article or two. Only a small percentage ever make it into print or get posted online.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

Although the practical restriction of limited space in a printed medium is one reason, the reality is that most submissions were doomed from the start—much like the above example of verbosity.

Whether submitting a press release or trying to place an article, when you seek publicity, understanding how publishing works is the first step toward successful placement.

Target Your Submissions

When submit press releases or content to a periodical is not like shooting a shotgun, where pellets disperse in a general area with the hope of some hitting the target.

Rather, getting published is more like firing a rifle, where a single, carefully aimed bullet has a good chance for success when you submit press releases. True, not every shot will hit, but the chances are much greater than just blasting off a shotgun in all directions.

With email, the temptation is to fire off hundreds of messages at every possible target, regardless of how relevant. Doing so, however, reduces your thoughtfully composed prose to spam, earning it a quick end and damaging your reputation as an email marketer.

A carefully targeted approach is a better way to go.

Know Your Target

My first article submission was published. This gave me a false sense of success. I assumed getting published was easy. The reality was that I knew the target publication. I’d been a subscriber for years. I faithfully read each issue and understood the content and style of the articles they used.

The same applies when you submit press releases.

Tap Online Resources

Most periodicals have websites, which often post useful information for aspiring contributors. The first step is to check their website for direction.

My publications’ websites, for example, give guidelines for writing and submitting articles and press releases, including the preferred length, the method of submission, writing style, and so forth.

Limit Communication

In today’s publishing world, some editors will respond to emails about submissions, but most do not. Contacting them when you shouldn’t will just irritate them. Only reach out when needed and according to their online submission guidelines.

At best, hope for a brief response. Today’s editorial staff must do more, in less time, and with fewer resources. Don’t take it personally if they ignore your email or send a terse reply. Make the best of any communication and move forward.

Know Your Subject

My first article was “All About Pagers.” I knew the topic well, working for a paging company and with several years of experience. You’d think my writing would have flowed easily. It did not.

As I began to write, I realized how much I didn’t know. Fortunately, I was able to find the missing pieces and fill in the gaps. The result was an informative submission that clicked with the editors.

It’s easy to spot—and dismiss—authors who write about things they don’t understand. Don’t be one of them.

Follow Directions

The quickest way for you to be ignored when you submit press releases and articles is to assume the rules don’t apply to you. Editors more readily use material that follows their guidelines and needs less editing.

They don’t make rules just because they can, but to make the process easier for everyone.

If they request your submissions via an email attachment (my preferred method), then do it. Other publications avoid attachments and prefer the text be in the body of the email.

Also, if a piece is too long, the publication will edit it for length. The reality is, when an editor is on deadline or pushed for time, content requiring significant editing will often be delayed or deleted.

Increase your chances of publication by simply following directions.

Don’t Miss Deadlines

Deadlines exist for a reason. Without them, a publication would never make it to the printer. Be aware and follow submission deadlines (usually posted online and printed in each issue).

If you promise an article by a certain date, don’t miss it. If you want your hot news item to be in a specific issue, get it in on time; sooner is better. Weekly papers—and especially magazines—have a much longer lead-time than most people imagine, so be aware of it and adhere to it.

Third Person Preferred

Writing objectively in the third person gives your piece integrity. It’s more credible. First person is never acceptable in news releases as it comes across as self-serving, bragging, or unnecessarily introspective.

Always write press releases as an impartial third party. Articles generally work best in this same style. Notable exceptions are how-to pieces and first-hand accounts—such as this book. If you have any doubt about which style to use, act like a reporter and write in third person.

Proofread Carefully

Too often, I receive press releases and articles that have serious errors. Some writers didn’t even bother to spell-check their work. This is a sure way to lose credibility and frustrate an editor. Make their work easier by double-checking yours.

Enlist the help of a coworker or hire your own editor. It’s not realistic to successfully proof your own work. This is because you know what you intended to write, so that’s how you read it, easily overlooking errors and mistakes.

Expect Edits

It’s tough to work hard on a piece only to have someone else change it. Similarly, it’s easy to become enamored with what you wrote, wanting to see it published verbatim. But this is unrealistic.

Even the most experienced authors have their work edited. This can be for many reasons. A common one is length, another is style, and a third is content suitability.

Sometimes giving a piece a different slant makes it better fit a publication’s focus. Or an editor may remove a section because it doesn’t work well with the issue.

Although some publications have a reputation for twisting, manipulating, or even corrupting an author’s work, most make a good-faith effort to retain the writer’s intent and present their work in a positive way.

Avoid Hyperbole

The more spectacular the language, the less believable it is. Overused words include “unique,” “revolutionary,” “leading,” and “premier.” Avoid them in your writing.

Exaggerated copy and unsubstantiated claims only serve to push away readers and weary editors. Yes, clever wording has its place, but when it surpasses the message, something is wrong, and clear communication doesn’t occur.

Conclusion

There’s no guaranteed way to get your news item or article published, but implementing these ideas will increase the chance of that happening.

Marketing Tactics Success Tip

The more effort you put into crafting a professional and engaging piece for a publication or website, the greater the likelihood of having it published.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer Service, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

Categories
Call Center

A Word is a Powerful Thing

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

A reader complained about our content in the May issue. In fact, he was downright mad over our coverage promoting outsourcing call centers. The ironic thing is that this reader actually works for an outsourcing call center! Yes, they go by a different label, but they are, by definition, an outsourcing call center – no more and no less.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

The May issue had focused on explaining and advancing the cause of call center outsourcing, which would benefit this reader, but offense was taken and ire stirred. My response to this unexpected criticism ranged between bewilderment and anger, but has since settled down to be mere amusement. Yes, a word is a powerful thing.

It seems that “outsourcing” has been politicized. Once a word becomes politicized, as outsourcing was in the 2004 United States presidential campaign, all reasonable thinking stops and logic becomes, well, illogical. Rhetoric steps in and common sense is relegated to lesser important things.

Think of any major societal issue and it has likely been politicized by a one word rallying cry. Regardless of what the word is, or it’s original and true intent, proponents hold it up high as a emblem of virtue and all that is good, while opponents decry it as indicative of evil, being characteristic of what is wrong in the world today.

Twenty years ago, the word telemarketing was coined to put an apt and descriptive label on a nascent and promising industry; one that used the telephone to cost-effectively promote products, better service customers, and provide companies with a competitive advantage. But then that simple and benign word became politicized and now few people use it; in most circles we are reluctant to even utter it out loud.

Those who still do telemarketing, have long since adopted a less emotionally-laden label for fear of verbal retaliation or psychological retribution. While those who vehemently object to telemarketing’s practice, wield that word as an offensive slur to convey their frustration against all they find unacceptable relating to conducting business over the phone. In short, it is no longer politically correct to engage in telemarketing. A word is a powerful thing.

So, emotion and rhetoric aside, what is outsourcing? In it’s broadest, most general sense, outsourcing is having another company to do work for you that you could do yourself. This occurs at both the business level and a personal level – and more frequently then you might think.

Some common business outsourcing examples include: payroll, bookkeeping, human resources, building maintenance, cleaning services, telecommunications management, public relations, executive search, tax accounting, information technology, and, of course, call processing.

On the personal level, we outsource as well. Consider the dry cleaners, car washes, tax accountants, lawn services, car mechanics, maid services, pizza delivery, catering, and so forth. In fact, anyone who provides a service is actually an outsourcer and we are all, in one way or another, consumers of outsourcing services.

Does this imply that outsourcing is a manifestation of laziness? Although that may be the case in some limited instances, the far more common and general reasoning is that outsourcing can reduce costs, save time, or result in higher quality. Sometimes outsourcers can provide two of these results or maybe even all three.

Another oft-stated justification for outsourcing is that it allows organizations to offload nonessential tasks, thereby permitting them to focus limited resources (which is a reality for every organization) on their core competencies. Some organizations have found it beneficial to even outsource their core competencies. Why not if it can be done cheaper, better, or faster by a specialist?

Therefore, we can correctly conclude that the entire service sector provides outsourcing services, that we all use these outsourcing services, and that there are many wise and beneficial business reasons to do so. So why all the flap over something that is so common and so pervasive?

Although the word “outsourcing” is the moniker that has been villainized, this is a grossly unfair and ignorant generalization. What the focus and outcry is truly about is offshore call center outsourcing that is done badly. Offshoring is not outsourcing, but rather a small subset of it.

In fact, the majority of call center outsourcing today is reportedly intra-country, that is, it is companies located within the United States, outsourcing call processing work to call centers located within the United States.

Yes, there is an increasing trend towards offshore call center outsourcing, and it may one day represent the majority, but for the near future it embodies a minority of call center outsourcing, where it is projected to remain for the next several years.

This is in no way to imply that I am against offshore call center outsourcing per se. I am, in fact, a hard-core, free-market, laissez-faire idealist. At least until my phone call is answered by someone who I can’t understand, be it due to a heavy accent or words that are used in a way that simply doesn’t make sense.

While such a result may be indicative (but not necessarily so) that a call center is located outside the country, it is critical to point out that the converse should not be assumed either. That is, every agent who speaks with clear and comprehensible English, is not automatically US-based.

Just as lucid and concise communication can occur with agents in other countries, severe communication hurdles can exist with agents located within our borders. The original and true frustration was not with the location of the agent, but quite simply with their ability to effective communicate in understandable and conversational English.

Politicians saw this frustration as a safe and universally acceptable cause on which to campaign. They made the false assumption that it was a location issue, put a wrong label on it (outsourcing versus offshoring), vilified it, and promoted themselves as the ones who could solve the problem they defined. That’s politics!

The next step was to feed the fire by adding fuel to their argument. National security issues were brought into play, as was personal privacy concerns, since information was leaving the country to reside in a foreign-located database. The exporting of jobs was denounced, as was the harm that this was causing to the U.S. economy. By the time the politicians were done, “outsourcing” (or more correctly, offshore call center outsourcing) was portrayed as a threat to all that is near and dear to the hearts and minds of the people. It was the enemy and it had to be stopped. Rhetoric is persuasive and as such, a word becomes a powerful thing.

The results of all this are sad, but predictable. First, people learned that is was okay to be intolerant of agents who spoke with an accent or hadn’t yet fully mastered the English vernacular. Unfortunately, some people went beyond intolerance, with their attitudes spilling over into hatred, bigotry, and abhorrence.

Secondly, we were taught that any form of call center outsourcing – and to a degree, all outsourcing – is an increasingly unpatriotic and unacceptable act.

Lastly, and most dangerously for the industry, is a spate of bills that were introduced on the national, state, and local level to control, limit, or restrict the inbound call center industry.

Although the intent of these bills are ostensibly focused against the offshore call center, their broad and inclusive language is all-encompassing, covering all call center outsourcers (remember that U.S.-based call centers handle the majority of US outsourcing work) and has widespread ramifications for the in-house call center as well.

Less anyone misunderstand what I am saying or the way in which I communicated it:

  • Outsourcing is not synonymous with offshoring.
  • I support outsourcing as good, beneficial, and necessary and I am passionate about the importance and value of call center outsourcing.
  • Offshore outsourcing is here, it is real, and the marketplace should decide its position in the global economy.
  • The real enemy is legislation, which if left unchecked will forever and detrimentally change the entire call center industry, be it outbound or inbound, outsource or in-house, as well as offshore.
  • I love the United States of America – it’s the politicians that drive me crazy!

Yes, a word is a powerful thing – and I try to choose mine carefully.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.