Author: Peter Lyle DeHaan

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

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.

Categories
Healthcare Call Centers

Are You Certifiable?

By Peter DeHaan, Ph.D.

Your call center may be an in-house operation or an outsourcer processing calls and contacts for other organizations. Regardless of the type of call center you work in, there is a common need for increased, positive visibility. This is necessary for two key areas. The first is budgeting; the second is your center’s ongoing viability and existence, that is, self-preservation. Related to both of these is staffing costs, technology upgrades, new software, and…respect.

Peter DeHaan, Publisher and Editor of AnswerStat

One option is to do nothing and hope for the best. The other is to be proactive. One such tactic is to seek third-party validation of your call center and/or staff. These can serve to provide credentials on which you can form a positive PR push with upper management, justifying your call center’s budget request and, if need be, your center’s continued existence.

Fortunately, there are organizations ready and able to help this substantiation of your operations’ overall quality, professionalism, and adherence to standard operating procedures in the medical community. Although these are not the end-all, one-stop solution to guaranteeing a favorable nod from your organization’s budgeting and planning committees, they are a great first step.

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

Appointment Scheduling and Reminders

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D.

For as long as call centers have been answering calls for doctors, there have been requests to handle appointments, be it to set, cancel, or change an appointment. Although the doctors were serious about these requests and the call centers anxious to assist, the result was, at best, less than desirable and at worse, a complete failure. Problems with double booking, tracking cancellations, and coordinating openings were rampant, often overshadowing the benefits. The root cause of this was the lack of a centralized and common scheduling resource. Even after the advent of computers allowed schedules to be accessible electronically, connecting to a remote database was slow, cumbersome, and unreliable. Fortunately, the Internet has solved this last dilemma.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

When powerful appointment scheduling software is married to the ubiquitousness of the Internet, the result is an up-to-date schedule, available to both the medical practice and the call center. This allows both medical staff and call center agents to fill, cancel, or change an appointment at any time, without the concerns of double booking or appointment overlap. With the Internet, accounts can also be easily dispersed throughout a multi-location practice or call center.

These programs can address a medical practice’s appointment-taking needs, while providing the option for remote access by supervisors, managers, and even doctors as they plan their day. Many of these scheduling setting programs are hosted software. This means that the call center does not need to purchase, install, maintain, or upgrade any software, but rather accesses it via the Internet. Fees vary from flat rate to usage sensitive. Some packages can alternately be purchased by the call center for in-house installation. This allows call centers to use the hosted version as they get started, with the option to purchase the software later, if it becomes cost effective to do so.

For all of this power and flexibility, these programs tend to be intuitive and easy to learn. The learning curve for agents is quick; they often comprehend the basics after just a couple of appointments and master the details within an hour.

Also, there is often a web component available, which can be extended to the patient or referring partners for self-scheduling. This can serve to increase visits and maximize doctor’s schedules. Common features include:

  • Multiple schedules (such as separate doctor and nurse schedules)
  • Multiple event or appointment types
  • Various length appointments
  • Ability to perform database lookups (to pre-populate fields with patient information)
  • Provision of drop down menus (to enforce database consistency)

Booking a full day’s worth of appointments, however, is just the first step. Unfortunately, it is all too common for appointments to be missed, either through neglect, forgetfulness, or patients who are simply too overloaded to remember. As such, reminding patients of their scheduled time, a day or two prior, is a needed task. Therefore, most appointment setting software also includes a means of confirming or reminding patients of their scheduled time. This can be completely automated and technology assisted, and often includes multiple contact methods, such as a phone call, email, or fax.

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

A $175 Oil Change

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D.

A few years ago I bought a new car. Although it wasn’t my practice to take my cars to their respective dealers for maintenance, a new car changed that habit. After all, there was warranty work to be considered and their coupons for low cost oil changes were enticing. It was about the time that my auto servicing behavior was firmly altered that the warranty ran out and the discount oil change incentives stopped. Still, I continued returning to the dealer for service. It was smart marketing on the part of the dealer. Too bad their efforts were thwarted.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

It was time for my regular oil change and I had a list of other things that needed attention. Since I am not a mechanic, I try not to tell them what needs to be done, but rather inform them of symptoms. I want to make sure that I don’t ask for, and pay for, a tune-up when the problem may be a loose vacuum hose. It only took one passive-aggressive mechanic to do exactly what I said, while ignoring the real problem, to drive this point home.

When I dropped off my car, I said, “It is time for an oil change. Also, the car pulls to the right and it starts hard and runs rough.” I left anticipating that they would change the oil, do a front-end alignment, and give the car a tune-up. I estimated the cost would be about $100.

Later, I was somewhat taken aback when I was presented with a $175 bill. As I read the paperwork, my mild surprise changed to anger. Here is what it said:

  1. Change oil: Oil, lube, filter, labor: $24.95
  2. Car pulls to right: Test drove car; recommend front end alignment: $19.95
  3. Hard to start: Instruct driver not to press gas pedal while starting vehicle: $56.00
  4. Runs rough: Perform engine analysis; checks okay; do tune-up in 3,000 miles: $75.00

So, for $175 I had my oil changed and was given some costly advice. My complaints to the service manager accomplished nothing, so I left and never returned. Once again, my local mechanic, who I trust to do good work and to be fair, is servicing my cars.

Like call centers, car dealers measure the work their employees do. Mechanics are checked to make sure they are productive throughout the day, that they document and bill for all of their time, and that they complete their work within the “standard” allotment. Mechanics who meet expectations are given raises and promotions; mechanics who don’t, even when it’s in the customer’s best interest, are given poor reviews, lower raises, or let go. Some garages pay their mechanics based on billable work. Therefore, the more they bill, the more they make. I think I have been to those places, too. At one shop, specializing in unusual foreign cars, it seemed that every bill was always around $500. They weren’t in business long.

Other people also bill by time. Lawyers and accountants come to mind. I have been advised to never use an attorney trying to make partner. In order to get the attention of the other partners, he or she will need to log over 2,000 billable hours a year and their clients will pay the price.

I once called my CPA’s office to discuss converting my IRA to a Roth IRA. I talked with the junior accountant to whom I had been assigned, asking if there were any other tax ramifications that I should know about. She said there weren’t and suggested she do an analysis for me. “No, that is not necessary.” I replied, “You confirmed what I needed.” “But we just got this new program that I want to try out,” she begged. “Will you let me do an analysis for you?” Thinking that I was doing her a favor, I consented. The call took less than a minute. A few days later, I received a one page spreadsheet telling me that I should switch to a Roth IRA and a bill for $100. The managing partner agreed that the charge was unwarranted, but insisted that I pay it anyway!  He promised to “make it up to me later.” I quickly found a different tax advisor.

Many years ago, a friend landed a summer job repairing TVs. He was paid 20% of whatever he billed. Being enterprising, he analyzed the rate chart and quickly determined how he could add $35 to each bill for only a minute and a half of additional work. He would take the back off of the unit and hit it with a burst of compressed air, charging $8.00 to “clean chassis.” Next, he would squirt the tuner with cleaning spray, charging $10.50 to “lubricate tuner.” Then he would turn on the set. If the filaments of the vacuum tubes glowed, he would bill $16.50 to “check all vacuum tubes.” With these rudimentarily tasks completed, he would then repair the problem and add to the bill accordingly. He earned a lot of money that summer.

It has been said, “What gets measured, gets done and what gets paid for gets done better.” Consider what you are measuring in your call center and what you are paying for. The intent, no doubt, is to improve your operation, be it to pursue greater efficiency, increase the number of calls handled per agent, decrease the cost per call, or maximize “revenue” (be it directly from callers or indirectly by charging other departments).

But carefully consider the consequences. In an effort to please you, maximize their statistics, or earn a raise, are your agents directly or indirectly encouraged to do things that ultimately drives away callers or hurts your call center?

If you monitor agent productivity by measuring talk-time time, does your staff, either intentionally or subconsciously, prolong call durations? If you track units of work per hour, do agents assume they need to work faster, being short with callers and abruptly ending calls, thereby setting aside all semblances of quality?

If your customer service staff, programmers, or project managers track project time, is unnecessary work performed? Are time logs padded? Do they think they need 2,000 hours of “billable” time a year to get a raise?

If your call center sells products or services, do your commissioned agents sell what isn’t needed, or even wanted, so that they can meet their quota or earn a bonus? Do you have a “no credits” policy, either stated or implied, that leaves staff with no viable solution for frustrated callers?

Lastly, consider billing (be it internal or external). One only needs to look at phone company bills for examples of how to do it wrong. First of all, does anyone really understand their telephone company’s bill? Can the phone company reps comprehensibly explain it? Often times they can’t. Consider the countless surcharges and fees that are tacked onto each bill. The amounts change frequently and coherent explanations are rare. These ancillary charges are blamed on the FCC, credited to an esoteric law, or attributed to local or state government. On my long distance bill, dividing the total owed by the minutes used, reveals that my 4.5 cents a minute long distance actually costs me 9.7 cents a minute.

What message do your invoices or intra-company charges send? Are they easy to understand and read? Can your staff correctly and concisely explain every line item and charge? Are you billing surcharges and blaming it on HIPAA? What about holiday fees, call logging charges, phone number rental, on-call fees, and so forth? Are you making a 75 cent a minute service, effectively cost $1.50?

Yes, there are sound business reasons for each task that you track and measure; these practices can leave your call center stronger and more fiscally sound, but there is also a risk. Don’t be “penny wise and pound foolish” when it comes to measuring your call center; being astute and pragmatic – from the caller’s perspective – will ultimately produce the result you want.

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
Call Center

The Art of Delegation

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Two decades ago, as a first-time manager, I was green and had much to learn. Management had looked easy when viewed from the outside. Many times had I assured myself that, given the opportunity to lead, I would never make the same seemingly dim-witted, hasty, or unwise blunders that I had witnessed or been subjected to.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

Yes, I would direct my future staff and conduct myself with enlightenment and common sense, never forgetting the negative examples I had witnessed over the years. Quite simply, I pledged to do a better job as a manager. It was a commendable yet lofty goal; one that I found much easier to proclaim than to perform.

I walked down the hall with my boss, a man whom I respected, yet feared; loyally loved, yet occasionally detested. Publicly I defended him, yet privately was confounded by his seemingly inexplicable demands and thoughtless pronouncements. He was the source of countless frustrations while offering inadequate praise and encouragement. He had just given me yet one more assignment, a task that I didn’t have time to do.

I protested at his directive, insisting that I already had too much on my plate. “Don’t worry,” he assured me. “Just delegate it.” I mentally reviewed the capabilities and level of expertise of my charges. Although a group of capable young technologists, none of them, I concluded, were ready for a project of this magnitude or capable of completing it in way that would meet my boss’s high standards and exacting expectations.

“But there is no one I can delegate it to,” I objected plaintively.

“Do you want to know the secret of delegation?” he inquired. There was a twinkle in his eye. I moved closer and held my breath, expecting the secret of managerial nirvana. My expecting eyes were all the encouragement he needed to continue. “It’s simple,” he instructed, “Just look for your busiest guy and give the project to him!” I was dumbfounded at the seemingly ridiculousness and unsound nature of his great “insight.” Wisely, I said nothing and he continued. “You see, the busiest guy is the guy who gets things done; that is always who you want to delegate to.”

Inside I was seething, but outwardly I kept quiet, giving a comprehending look, a respectful nod, and a faint smile. His deputation of me and dissemination of knowledge now complete, he strode down the hallway to his next victim, while I gratefully ducked into my office and closed the door.

His air of acumen angered me on multiple levels. First, I had yet another project to attend to. Second, it was illogical and unfair; delegating to the busiest employee would only serve to make them more busy, setting them up to be the leading candidate for the next project. Lastly, and on a grander level, I realized that as the busiest of those under his command, I was, and would forever be, his “go to guy.”

There had to be a better way. It took a while, some investigative reading, and a lot of trial and error, but I eventually came to understand the art of delegating. Delegation is something all managers need to do. Unfortunately it is easier said than done. Many who attempt it are unhappy with the results, often accepting sub-par outcomes or completely giving up. Sadly, successful delegation requires an initial investment of time, often more time than for you to do the work yourself. If that is the case, why bother? Quite simply because once you have taught your employees on how to receive and complete delegated tasks, you can realize a huge savings of time as you empower them, allowing them to grow as individuals and to contribute to your organization’s success. As such, delegation is well worth the extra effort to do it right. A five step procedure paves the way to successful delegation.

The first step is to select the right people. A person who has proven themselves in small things can be given greater responsibilities with increased latitude. However, until they have proven their ability to responsibly and effectively handle assignments, the scope of their tasks must be kept small and somewhat trivial. For example, if they can’t arrive at work on time, is there any reason to assume they can accomplish something more challenging? To give unproven employees a chance to substantiate themselves, start with small assignments (yes, the first one might be to arrive on time) such as sorting mail, stuffing envelopes, or making copies. Next, they can graduate to placing an office supply order (you select the items and quantities, they call it in), or processing UPS shipments. Each time they successfully complete a delegated assignment, they can be rewarded with additional responsibilities; each time they fail to properly or timely complete a task, they must be confronted. All employees should be trained to handle delegated projects at a basic level. If they are unable to handle even the most basic task, you should seriously ask yourself why you are still employing them. Some employees will advance to assignments of medium difficulty, while a few will be superstars, able to work independently and largely unsupervised. Therefore, match the task to the employee based on their record.

Once the correct employee has been selected, ensure they have the proper tools and knowledge to do the job. If the work requires a computer, is one available for them? If it requires a program, do they know how to use it? Next, consider whether they have the background knowledge to complete the project. It is easy to assume that key details are common knowledge or to oversimplify a project. Often, an employee needs instruction or training before they can successfully navigate an assignment. Not only do you need to ensure they have been given this information, but also to provide it in the ideal format for them. Some people learn best in written form, others want to be shown, and some need to do it; occasionally a combination is appropriate. Regardless, asking an employee to embark on a project without the proper resources is setting them up for failure.

Thirdly, give them a clear timetable for completion. Saying that a project is “urgent” means different things to different people. Saying “when you have time” can likewise be misinterpreted. When giving a deadline, you cannot be too specific. Examples include, “I require your written overview on my desk every Monday by 5 p.m.”, or “I need your preliminary work by the end of the day on Thursday, the 12th.”

Next — and this is the hard part – hold them accountable. Follow-up needs to be consistent and expected; let them know ahead of time that you will be checking on their progress. Also assure them that you are available for questions. If they do unsatisfactory work or miss a deadline, there must be a reaction. This could be merely asking them to explain what happened. Perhaps, despite your best efforts, instructions were incomplete or training was insufficient; then shoulder the blame yourself and correct the oversight. Sometimes, they need to be made aware of the ramifications: “Because you did not complete this on time, we lost the client, which will cost us X hundred dollars.” If you correctly follow step one (select the right people and allow them to prove themselves) only in the rarest of cases will disciplinary action be required or even appropriate. The story is told of a loyal, responsible, and trusted employee who made an error costing his company $330,000 dollars. He submitted his resignation. “What!” his manager exclaimed, “You can’t quit now; we just invested a third of a million dollars in your training!” What confidence and assuredness this must have instilled in that employee.

Lastly, as they prove themselves in small things, begin giving them bigger and more important assignments. Now you can then begin to phase out much of your effort in the “accountability” step. Yes, they still need to be held accountable, but it gradually becomes ancillary to the process of delegation, instead of integral to it.

If you follow these steps consistently, all employees will become better at responding to delegation; some employees will even advance to the point of self-determination, where you no longer need to assign things to them, they take the initiative to do what needs to be done without your input or direction. This is delegation at its finest!

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

Voice Logging: A Call Center Necessity

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D.

Voice logging, that is the recording of calls in a call center, was once viewed by many as an optional product that was relegated to the annual budget “wish” list, but never important enough to become a “must have” technology and make the approved version of the budget. The original function of voice loggers was to resolve “he said – she said” dilemmas. All too often, the caller says one thing, the agent has an opposite account of what transpired, and management is left in a quandary who to believe. Without a means to verify the precise details, all that the call center manager can do is to apologize.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

With a voice logger, this once inevitable outcome is no longer a certainty. Quite simply, the supervisor merely accesses the recording of the call to hear exactly what happened. Call centers with voice loggers regularly report that their agent is completely exonerated over 90% of the time. For that reason alone, call centers began to buy and install voice loggers. But then innovation by end users began to take place, realizing that loggers were a critical quality assurance (QA) device and an excellent training tool. Real-world voice logging recordings allowed call centers to provide examples to trainees of what to do and what not to do. Additionally, voice logging can be used for trainee, as well as agent, self-evaluation and discovery.

Quality assurance staff are quick to confirm the value of voice logging, noting that loggers are one of the most important systems in the call center. To further facilitate quality assurance, some voice loggers include an agent assessment tool that allows the integration of the recording, call record, and QA report. Another common option is a password-protected Web interface that lets key personnel listen to calls remotely.

There are some legal issues about voice logging to be aware of, related to notification (either one of the two parties on the call or both) and the way in which that notification takes place. Before you record any phone calls, each call center should check with an attorney familiar with laws in their state and at the national level for clarification before proceeding.

For more information about vendors who provide call recording equipment and software, see our listing Voice Logging listing.

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

Remote Agent Stations

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D.

There are many benefits to having remote agents as part of your call center. Remote agents can either reside in a secondary, but connected call center, or work out of their home. Among the many benefits of using remote agents, according to Tom Curtin, president of Amtelco, are reducing or eliminating commute time, nullifying the ramifications of traffic problems, and avoiding weather related issues.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

Home-based agents are much more open to accept split shifts, being on-call, and logging in at the request of management (Curtin calls them “on-demand” workers). All three of these scenarios are less intrusive to and easier to accomplish by a home-based agent who does not have the issues of a commute or dress code to impede their availability or thwart their responsiveness.

“If you know your traffic patterns you know when you get hit with high call volume,” said Curtin. “By using remote agents you can more economically have on-demand workers that may be part time, but get you through the high spikes in your traffic.” Also, “Remote agents can work nationally and internationally, across many time zones, which will also help with staffing.”

“This leads to more content and productive agents,” said Bob Erdman, Vice President of Qualify Assurance, Amcom Software. Plus, “a certain level of redundancy can be obtained by having multiple application node/agent sites.” Another benefit is “if the call center has reached capacity, allowing agents to work remotely allows for more FTE’s without necessarily having to build out more office space.” This is especially important when space is at a premium or simply not available at the main call center site.

Other reasons to use remote agents include a “desire to capitalize on a wider pool of labor” and reduce overhead, stated Peggy Gritt, Senior Director, Global Market Solutions, Interactive Intelligence Inc. Tax incentives are another benefit she recommends be considered.

Today’s technology, specifically the Internet, has taken much of the uncertainty out of remote agent stations, ensuring that “telephony traffic can be presented to the remote agents as if they are in the main call center, allowing them to access a remote data store for lookup information and to [send] back relevant information, in real time,” said Erdman.

The future is promising for remote agent stations. “Demand for remote agents will grow as employees look for more flexible scheduling and for ways to avoid the daily gridlock that plagues many areas. Employers will increase their use of remote agents as a way to cut costs and increase redundancy and employee productivity,” predicted Erdman. “It will become more of a necessity as our population expands and sprawl continues,” Curtin concurred.

To make a remote station work, there needs to be a provision made to extend audio and data from the main call center to the remote location. There are various ways to accomplish this, each with inherent advantages and disadvantages.

For the audio connection, dialup and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) are common methods. When using dialup, the connection is made at the beginning of each shift. This may need to be accomplished by manually dialing a phone number to access the needed analog port at the main location, though more commonly this is automated and therefore transparent to the remote agent. The VoIP option uses the Internet as a voice transmission path, sending audio, in digital form, over the Internet. In order to achieve quality audio, a high-speed connection, such as DSL or a cable modem is needed (though some vendors recommend avoiding cable modems due to reliability and availability issues that sometimes result on certain systems). The minimum recommended data speeds for VoIP varies from vendor to vendor. In addition to VoIP, Amcom can provision audio to remote agent locations via an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) phone.

In similar fashion, a data path is also needed in order for the remote agent station to communicate with the call center switch and databases. All of the vendors contacted for this article accomplish this using the Internet (generally through a VPN – a Virtual Private Network). Two vendors, Alston Tascom and Amcom, also allow for dialup access as an alternative, but recommend VPN for both speed and reliability. Again, the recommend minimum data rates vary from vendor to vendor, but it is safe to say that, in this case, faster is always better.

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.

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Call Center

Perfection

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Hello, my name is Peter and I’m…a perfectionist. Yes, I can now openly admit it, I am a perfectionist. I have amassed decades of experience fine-tuning my craft and learning more about it. Perfection, has many advantages but it has a dark side, too.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

Over the years, I have learned how to tap into and celebrate the many strengths and benefits of pursuing excellence. At the same time, I have endeavored to guard against it’s limiting, self-defeating, and even paralyzing facets. As such, I consider myself to be an informed perfectionist, more to the point I am a recovering perfectionist.

[Star Trek fans may be anticipating an enlightened discourse on Seven of Nine’s unremitting pursuit of Borg-style perfection. Alas, this is not the case. If you are disappointed, I recommend watching, “The Omega Directive” (StarTrek Voyager, season 4, episode 19) and then consider the cost of perfection.]

In my early days at the helm of this magazine, I lamented to it’s founder and prior owner, Steve Michaels, about my frustration that I was yet to produce an error-free issue. He laughed at my angst, informing me that out of the 50 issues he had produced, there was only one, or perhaps two, in which an error was never discovered.

He helped me to realize that it is worthy to pursue quality, but that publication perfection would be largely unobtainable. In fact, I soon learned to take reasonable measures that everything was correct and then be content with the results. My track record for error-free results is closely matching Steve’s and I’m okay with that – for the most part.

Doing research on perfectionism reveals a host of ominous and debilitating traits: starting with compulsiveness and going downhill from there, but I won’t delve into them in this article. After all, I am a recovering perfectionist and they don’t pertain to me any more!

As a recovering perfectionist, I can tap into my natural tendencies when I need to, that is, when it is to my advantage to do so, but can usually avoid being handicapped by perfection’s unrelenting snares. As a perfectionist, there are several traits in which I relish:

  • Produce quality work: perfectionists tend to produce high quality work. I take pleasure in excellence and find satisfaction in a job well-done, more to the point, done to near perfection or at least better than anyone else.
  • Exceed expectations: if the boss expects a handwritten report, the perfectionist will type it; if achieving a 99% rating is admirable, the purist will aim for 99.9 – and then 100! Being above average is not good enough; being the best is a self-imposed requirement. In sports, this results in shooting free throws while the rest of the team showers or taking 30 minutes of extra batting practice – every day.
  • Go the extra mile: perfectionists often go the extra mile. If a report needs to be five pages long, they will turn in six; if a product needs to have three new features, they will add a fourth and maybe a fifth. If they set a record last month, they will strive to better it this month.
  • Set high standards: another trait is that perfectionists set high standards, both for themselves, as well as others. As long as the standards are reasonably attainable, it is acceptable, and even admirable, for the perfectionist to set the bar high – for him or herself. But foisting faultlessness on the others does little more than establish the groundwork for future frustration, disappointment, and conflict between the precision-minded and the rest of the world.

Of course, there are counterparts to these traits. One, which I still struggle with, is procrastination. This column is a case in point; it is the last item being written for this issue! I understand that the perfectionist subconsciously reasons that the results of their work will never be just right – no mater how much time is invested – so why start?

In fact, the project is often delayed until the last possible moment, so that at least there is a plausible excuse as to why it’s not perfect: “I didn’t have much time to work on it!” Taking this to an extreme, some perfectionists miss deadlines and blow past due dates — often stressing about or agonizing over some trivial or irrelevant detail. Fortunately, I rarely take my proclivity for fastidiousness past a deadline.

Another side-effect of perfectionism that I have yet to completely master, is making quick decisions. Most of the time, I can analyze the facts that are available and known, consider the risks, and make a speedy proclamation. Some times, I need to “sleep on it” to be assured of the correctness of my judgment.

Occasionally, however, decisions can be agonizingly difficult for me to reach. This, most likely, is because I fear making the wrong conclusion, that is, a less than perfect one. The urge is to delay a pronouncement, while awaiting more information, so that a proper and informed analysis can be considered. Unfortunately, this mental paralysis is seldom cured by amassing more data. Though it is possible for me to logically reason myself out of this conundrum and move forward, more likely than not, a hard deadline approaches, and realizing that not deciding is the same as deciding no, I render a verdict – hoping that it is correct.

Happily, being self-aware of these tendencies is the first step toward avoidance, allowing me to confidently and gladly call myself a recovering perfectionist. Over the years, I have often interviewed other perfectionists, particularly during job interviews. As it becomes more and more apparent that I am talking to one of my own kind, I segue into a special interview segment, just for them.

“So,” I inquire, “Do you consider yourself to be a perfectionist?” Their responses fall into one of three categories. The first one is shock or denial. If a person who has just professed several perfectionist traits is taken aback at the thought of being called one or disavows any connection whatsoever, I judge them to either be disingenuous or not too self-aware. Neither are characteristics that I seek in an employee.

The second type of response to my perfectionist query, is unabashed pride and total satisfaction in possessing this quality. To make sure I am not rushing to a snap judgment, I give them one last chance for redemption.

“What,” I ask, “do you see as the weaknesses of being a perfectionist?” Occasionally, they will comprehend the importance of that question, using an astute answer to move them from this category over to category three.

Usually, however, they give me a blank stare, as if my inquiry was nonsensical, responding that there is no downside or that they don’t understand what I am asking. In similar fashion, I don’t want to work with a perfectionist that has failed to realize the turmoil and trouble they can produce by their ignorance in this matter.

The third type of perfectionist applicant smiles at this question and begins to share their self-awareness about the limitations of how their version of perfectionism is manifested. They openly identify the less than admirable ways that it reveals itself in them and often proceed to communicate how they guard themselves and others against this tendency. This is a person I want on my team.

Yes, they may take a bit more management effort from time to time, but doing so is worth the extra energy as the results will be an employee who produces quality work, frequently exceeds expectations, goes the extra mile, and sets high standards for themselves. Isn’t that who you want to work in your call center, too?

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.

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Healthcare Call Centers

A Little Help From My Friends

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D.

“You need a hobby,” my wife exclaimed in exasperation. I don’t recall the circumstances, but it is safe to assume that I was doing something she deemed a nuisance. Regardless of the cause of her frustration, her impromptu advice gave me pause. Yes, a pastime, a relaxing diversion, would be good, but what should I do?

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

I briefly considered stamp and coin collecting, both of which I sporadically dabbled in during my youth. But I realized that my interest lay solely in the hope of stumbling onto a valuable find or realizing greatly appreciated value over time. These were not hobbies but investments, investments which demanded time, organization, and planning. They would be more like work – far removed from a relaxing hobby.

I asked myself what I was interested in. What about my proclivity for watching classic movies? To be a true hobby, I reasoned, it must consist of more than watching timeless films. It seemed that to reach hobby status, I would need to collect them, catalog them, or perhaps read about them. This additional effort, however, would serve to diminish my infatuation with ageless cinema.

Next, I considered a passing, yet ongoing attraction to crossword puzzles. Even though I had only rarely picked up a crossword puzzle and was never able to complete one, it did seem like a worthy pursuit, a good complement to my interest in words and my longstanding effort to use them to help, educate, and inspire.

Yes, I concluded, crossword puzzles would be my new hobby. I began looking for these word challenges, setting aside time to contemplate and complete them, reasoning that with a consistent effort I would improve. I was wrong. By my own initiative, I had not been able to develop my skills.

The turning point came by chance, on a plane. As I puzzled over the seemingly impossible offering in the airline magazine, I sensed that my seatmate was reading over my shoulder. Finally, no longer able to contain herself, she gently whispered, “You should know 12 down.”

I looked at the clue anew and an answer formed in my mind. I shared my suspicion with her and with a pleased smile, she confirmed it to be correct. Immediately, she apologized for intruding, but I assured her that her help was appreciated.

Though she attempted to distract herself, a few minutes later she was again captivated by my perplexing puzzle, so I slid the magazine in her direction, allowing us both to see it. She quickly directed my attention to another clue, encouraged me think in a different direction, and then confirmed my uncertain solution.

Again, she apologized and again I said it was okay. This pattern repeated itself throughout the flight and soon we had most of the puzzle complete. I learned that she was a retired schoolteacher and that one of her many interests was crossword puzzles. She shared with me tips for discerning a puzzle’s theme and how to tap in to it.

She gave advice on deciphering seemingly arcane clues and cutting through the deceit of intentionally misleading references. In the span of an hour, she gave me the direction and education that I needed to improve my skills and increase my enjoyment in my nascent hobby.

Another interest of mine is horticulture, one instilled in me by my parents, but I only gave it passing attention for many years. My home’s landscape once consisted only of green grass and strategically placed trees. Inside the house were one miniature orange tree and a lone aloe plant. (Aloe is a reoccurring word in many a crossword puzzle.)

To increase the greenery inside and add color outside, I endeavored to tap into this slumbering fascination with plants. Again, guidance was in order and easily found in my parents. They have more insight and experience in this area than anyone else I know.

Also, any additional information can be quickly uncovered in their treasure trove of resource books, which would rival or surpass many a library. Now my yard has an abundance of carefully selected plants and shrubs, designed to add color and beauty throughout the growing season.

My indoor collection has also greatly expanded, at times prompting complaints of overflowing its designated areas.

All of us, myself included, need guidance in many endeavors, not just hobbies. A few years ago when I embarked on a consulting career, many people gave me sage advice.

Three people in particular stand out. One was an industry friend who helped me sort through and clarify a transition strategy and first year game plan. Another was an industry consultant who shared years of experiences and warned of common pitfalls. The third was a consultant in a parallel industry who gave expert recommendations for a pricing strategy.

Together, these folks shortened my learning curve and paved the way to success.

In similar fashion, when I bought this magazine’s sister publication, Connections Magazine, the sellers provided a wealth of advice, guidance, and recommendations. Even now, with the formal consulting commitment long past, they continue to generously share ideas and observations.

I also needed assistance from a publishing insider and contracted with an industry guru who quickly got me up to speed on standard practices and procedures for the magazine business.

In my previous column, “It’s All Virtual,” I mentioned that I have outsourced key aspects of AnswerStat magazine. Though I could lay out and design each issue, it is better left in the capable hands of Dave Margolis, whose creativity and genius far surpasses anything I could offer.

Similarly, I could handle advertising sales, but that important task is better suited to the focus, tenacity, and precision of Valerie Port. Additionally, I tap a team of proofreaders at Brynmor Associates to review each article, performing the final edits, correcting grammar, checking punctuation, and ensuring that each piece is clear and understandable

As with most businesses, I have an attorney to assist with legal matters and a CPA to navigate the maze of accounting and tax issues imposed by the IRS.  Like many of you, I have a computer and technology expert available to guide me through the latest developments with Microsoft, the Internet, and computer software and hardware.

The point is that I get help from many people. With some, it is a formal, contractual arrangement; with others, it is informal and freewheeling. In all cases, it helps me find a quicker and better path to an end goal or desired result.

All of this is “outsourcing” in one form or another. In a previous column, I advanced the premise that any aspect of a call center (save the ownership aspect) could be and has been outsourced. Indeed, no person can master everything and no organization can excel in all areas.

If someone else can do something you can’t, tap into his or her expertise; it is foolish to proceed under your own resolve. Likewise, if another organization can do something better than you can, form a partnership or outsourcing arrangement.

Today, when excellence is expected and demanded, are you better off to do an acceptable job in house or to do a superb job with the help of others?

We can all use a little help from our friends.

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.

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Call Center

Learning from History

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

One of the assignments I enjoyed most in college was analyzing case studies. I was, and continue to be, fascinated with learning what founders and their companies have done – both right and wrong. While the success stories are the more exciting and inspirational, it is the failures and missteps that are the more enlightening and educational.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

It should not be surprising that I take most seriously the adage, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” For those in business, the best histories to learn from are business case studies, especially those accounts of the downfall, demise, or defeat of once prosperous and successful businesses and entrepreneurs.

Of course, scrutinizing the steps taken in a remarkable turnaround are also instructive, as well as encouraging for anyone faced with a formidable uphill battle.

I consider the phenomenal success stories, which are uplifting, to be “light” reading and as much entertaining as educational. Success stories abound of the cash-strapped entrepreneur who by focused vision and through sheer determination, bootstraps a dream into a profitable and flourishing business.

In like fashion, there are many accounts of the big-business corporate executive who leads his or her company to the next revenue plateau, into a new line of business, or to revolutionize an industry.

Rare, however, is the entrepreneur who starts with nothing and using equal parts vision, moxie, and genius launches a business and is still at the helm as it reaches the Fortune 500. These individuals are a unique breed. They have the ability to grow, change, and mature as leaders, in parallel with the evolving entity they parented. These are the business superstars; three such examples come to mind.

The first is Steve Jobs who, with buddy Steve Wozniak, yearned to bring the power of computing to the masses. Financed by the sale of their only tangible assets, the pair began making computer kits in a parent’s garage. Apple computer was born, and though Jobs was for a season extricated from the company he co-founded, he is now back at the helm guiding this eight billion dollar a year company.

The next example is found in Bill Gates and Paul Allen who founded Microsoft. Starting in 1975, by providing operating systems and programming languages, they parlayed their fledging company into a 37 billion dollar a year juggernaut.

Then there is Michael Dell who started assembling PCs in his college dorm room, hence the humble beginnings of Dell Computer. Now a 41 billion dollar a year company and ranked number one in PC sales, Dell sets the business and operational standards to which the rest of the industry aspires.

Many, if not most, outsourcing call centers started with equally humble beginnings. Tales abound of founders sleeping next to the phone so that they could offer 24/7 coverage. Others answered their first call in their apartment, out of a converted warehouse, from their front porch, or even in a garage.  

Fortunately, those call centers that survived soon left these inauspicious beginnings. In true entrepreneurial fashion, they grew their meager investment into viable, ongoing concerns, quickly moving to more suitable and appropriate environs.

While it is not realistic to expect a call center to grow into the multibillion-dollar size of Apple, Microsoft, or Dell, it is wise to consider their founders’ paths. Indeed, the very traits and characteristics that serve one well as an entrepreneur, can become a hindrance and counterproductive as a business grows and matures.

Although Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Michael Dell all made this transition (and had books written about them as a result), few individuals can successfully transform their leadership style each time their enterprise metamorphoses into the next iteration of scale, scope, and complexity.

Case histories and business literature repeatedly shows that, all too often, the next plateau is met with disaster. Frequently, the entrepreneur turned reluctant CEO, micromanages his or her business and unconsciously reduces it back down to a more comfortable size that he or she can successfully handle; at worst, the miscast founder mismanages the business into insolvency.

The astute entrepreneur, well aware of this trap, can employ several strategies to avoid this. One technique is to form an advisory board, consisting of those owning and running larger concerns, to guide the founder’s nascent climb into management acuity. Some bring in an experienced and seasoned business manager to handle the day-to-day management, allowing the entrepreneurially focused founder to concentrate on visioning, planning, or innovating – whatever he or she does best and enjoys most.

One wise founder confided that he always hired management people who were over qualified and paid them accordingly – knowing that as the business continued to grow, they would easily rise to the occasion. Others go back to school and earn their MBA. Another approach is founders who send their kids to college, in anticipation that the next generation can guide the company to the next level and beyond. But that brings up a second caution for small businesses – passing the baton to the next generation.

Although studies differ by degree, they all confirm that the majority of small, family businesses are not successfully passed on to the second generation and only about 15 percent make it to the third generation. There are many theories as to why this is the case.

The leading supposition is that the second generation, not needing to make sacrifices to launch the business, lacks the requisite drive and wherewithal to persevere. Another is that problems occur when the business is handed over too quickly to adult children who are still too young or too inexperienced.

Some entrepreneur parents attempt to avoid these problems by making their successor children start at an entry-level position and work their way up the organization. But this fast-track status often backfires, engendering resentment from non-relatives who may be otherwise more qualified, better educated, and possessing greater tenure.

In attempts to avoid this pitfall, some founders add a stipulation for their children to earn a degree and put in time at another firm, gaining valuable experience and acumen before joining the family business. Although this final approach is the one that seems to offer the greatest chance for success, it is by no means a sure-fire strategy.

Other growth problems occur when a single location business adds a second location or acquires a geographically disparate competitor. Since most small business owners employ the simple, yet effective style of “management by walking around,” they find it impossible to successfully and simultaneously manage multiple locations – this is especially true for a service business, such as a call center.

Indeed, this common management style does not work for long if the manager is not physically present. As stated earlier, the results are usually disastrous, rooted in either micromanagement or mismanagement that thwarts growth, hampers quality, and limits profitability. The solution is simple, albeit difficult.

Quite simply a change in management style is required. Either the founder must adapt a new way of doing things or find someone else who can, giving them the leeway and latitude to do their job. However, neither approach is comfortable or painless for an entrepreneur used to putting his or her mark on everything that happens and in making all decisions.

A fourth problem faced by the entrepreneurial founder is addressing life-cycle changes. While some may have both the drive and ability to run a business for the remainder of their lives, most get to a point where they want to scale back, be it not handling the day-to-day issues, taking longer vacations, semi-retiring, or not working at all.

These are all various forms of letting go; it is hard, if not impossible, for someone who sacrificed to launch a business, makes every decision, and oversees all activities. The solutions to the first three entrepreneurial dangers all apply to this situation. If there is a son or daughter interested in taking over the business, this may be the best solution, providing there is time to do it properly and correctly.

Changing one’s management style is another option, just as is required for the growing or expanding enterprise. Still, all too many founders find themselves in a position where their kids don’t want the business but they can’t change their management style, so they opt for the only other solution; they sell the business.

Regardless of the situation or business dilemma one faces, rest assured that someone has encountered it before. Don’t struggle with a problem as though it is unique to you because in all likelihood it is not.

Do some research, read some business books and case studies, and whatever you do, learn from history so that you are not doomed to repeat it.

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.