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How do you manage a Contact Center that focuses on building relationships and having productive conversations. Julia Busto, Director, Contact Center Results, shares some insights on how Incept does it and what makes us so special.
How does your Contact Center strengthen relationships with your customers and your customers’ customers?
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At Incept, the most important part of the day for our Contact Center is coaching our Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs). Steve Kieffer, Program Results Manager, shares some insights on how we coach our CMEs at Incept.
Now we want to hear from you. What is your coaching style? How does it help your CMEs grow and build stronger relationships with your customers and your customers’ customers?
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I know. I know. You already know how important it is to donate blood.
But how many of you do it on a regular basis? I understand all the excuses. Trust me! I have heard them not only on the phone when I call to schedule appointments to donate, BUT I have said them myself – not something that I am proud of.
On December 21, 2011, all that changed. I donated blood for the first time in my life. I not only ran out of excuses, but I had a very good reason to donate as well. I donated in honor of my dad.
In November, my Dad had knee replacement surgery and had complications after surgery. He needed to have a transfusion; he received two units of red cells. I watched in amazement as he received the gift of life. I thought about the people who didn’t give the excuses and complain that they were too busy. Those special individuals who took the time and donated blood so someone who they do not even know could have life.
As I watched, I realized that there are many people out there who are in need of this gift. I knew that I would also make that same selfless gift so that other lives might be saved, as well. How many of you can say that you save lives on a regular basis? I know that because of this, I will continue to donate blood.
How about you?
Image Credit: http://bloodsavelives.org/
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It seems when donating blood, sometimes the longest part can be filling out the paperwork before you donate. While the process can be lengthy, it is definitely a necessity to ensure a constant, safe supply of blood. However, what if there was a way to make this easier and faster? Enter BIO-key’s TruDonor 
biometric identification technology, which allows donors to use their finger to check in.
Oklahoma Blood Institute was one of the first blood centers to start using this technology at a blood drive last week. As donors came to donate, they were able just to use their finger to register, which makes it easier on them, as IDs are no longer needed. Few things are more secure than your own fingerprint.
The technology has been around for years and will allow blood centers to cut down on the duplicate paperwork a donor fills out each time they donate. It also allows for more privacy as blood donors are no longer required to show their driver’s license or Social Security card. An added benefit of this process is that it eliminates the potential for human error.
OBI is not the only blood center that has started to use this technology, and with the convenience and ease of use, more blood centers should begin using this technology in the near future.
What are your thoughts about checking in to donate blood with just your fingerprint?
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The need for blood is always high throughout the year.
That is why if you are a blood bank, it is always equally important to have a donor base that is loyally built, engaged and informed of your needs. But did you know that if only one more percent of current and eligible blood donors in America started donating then the issue of blood scarcity would almost vanish? That would help out a lot, considering in the United States and Canada about 43,000 units of blood are needed every day!
At Incept the role of the Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) goes far past that just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill phone representative. Collectively as an organization, not only do we care about our clients’ goals, but we voraciously believe in the healing power that even just one blood donation can bring to someone’s life and beyond. We literally do believe we are the human link between our clients and their donors, and that is why the quality of each conversation we have is so important to us.
Quite simply, when it comes to setting meaningful appointments and recruiting blood donors, it really all does lie in the conversations you have with them. Donors should always be recognized for the fact that they have previously donated! A blood donation isn’t just a pint of blood, it is that person’s time they gave up to come in and the consideration they had to even donate in the first place. That being said, here are three tips in guiding any blood center who is recruiting donors that can result in setting even more meaningful appointments that show up and ultimately help save lives.
At Incept, we have conducted specific tests and have the data that shows that when a blood donor is scheduled within ten days of when we have spoken to them they are much more likely to donate than if they were scheduled past that time frame. Scheduling within ten days keeps the appointment fresh in the donor’s mind and encourages them to pick a feasible and realistic time that is convenient for them to fit into their own agendas in the short-term future.
Isn’t it awesome when you get recognition for past good deeds? Everyone can always appreciate a friendly “thank you” and metaphorical pat on the back. Many Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) will incorporate a donor’s total number of donations into their calls to really emphasize the fact that each donation is appreciated and that they are an integral part of their local blood bank’s success. Simply showing appreciation like this makes the donor instantly feel good about what they are doing and gives them the drive and self-awareness of their role as a blood donor, making them more likely to donate.
Our results come directly from the quality of conversations we make an effort to have each and every day. Anyone can read a script, and anyone that is being read a script over the phone can usually tell. People like feeling like they are talking to another human being and not a salesperson or telemarketer. Before diving into asking a donor for a blood donation, genuinely ask them how their day is. Do you hear a dog barking in the background? Ask them what kind of dog they have. It all comes down to being professionally personable and finding quality common ground with the donor. It really does go a long way and makes the conversation and appointment setting process enjoyable for both the donor and the Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) or respective blood donor recruiter.
All of these tips can be used by any blood bank or center needing advice on recruiting. Please feel free to share and distribute this information.
What other helpful blood donor recruitment tips can you think of when it comes to setting appointments for donors to donate?
Image Credit: http://www.beltina.org
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It is going to happen. We all run into it…an upset donor!
There will be times when making blood donor recruitment calls where we contact a donor that had a previously poor experience donating, or we unintentionally interrupt a donor right in the middle of their favorite show. Whatever the situation, it is our job as Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs) to handle the call properly and do what we can to change the situation for the donor.
Here are some tips on how to accomplish that:
Using these tips the next time you reach an upset donor will help the call flow a lot better and make the donor feel like their concerns were heard and not ignored.
What additional tips do you have for handling a call with an upset donor?
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Most companies focus their efforts on teaching specific job details and responsibilities when training a new employee. At Incept, we approach training with a focus on welcoming new team members into our company culture. By creating an open and comfortable atmosphere we empower each new Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) to be at their best from their first day on the job.
Once our new team members know they’re a part of the team we focus on learning step by step how to have productive conversations by using techniques like role-playing in the classroom. From there it’s a short, natural (although sometimes uneasy) step to having conversations with real donors and customers on the phone.
Because our employees come from a variety of sources (many of them are referred by current members of the Incept team) we think it’s critical to make them feel welcome to our culture. An employee who feels like they’re on the outside looking in is a lot more likely to go looking for work elsewhere than one who feels like they belong.
Interested in becoming a part of our team?
Interested in putting the Incept Team to work for you?
If so, visit our website and Let’s Talk…Results.
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At the beginning of the work week, how easy is it to find yourself in that “Office Space” kind of mindset?
Trudging into work with your personal autopilot switch already flipped to “on” is, without a doubt, all too easy of a routine to get into. But think outside the cubical in terms of what you really do on a day-to-day basis. Having a job – or even a career – at its roots is how most of us make a living. However, beyond the paycheck, what do you take away from your occupation?
The reason I say this is because, quite simply, life is too short to have a never-ending case of the Mondays.
At Incept, our Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) have a purpose that certainly goes beyond their paychecks. They save lives through conversations, and that fact is reinforced the very moment training starts. In one year’s worth of employment at Incept, a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) can save more lives than any fireman or policeman will save in their entire careers of service – and I say that with the utmost respect. One whole blood donation has the amazing ability to save the lives of up to three people, or at the very least make the lives of those people better. It really is because of the many meaningful conversations that take place every day at Incept that we are able to accomplish not only our goals for our clients and our own company, but make a real-world difference for an individual in need.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called someone, as a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME), and have had a genuinely great conversation with the donor I’m speaking with. The number is simply countless. But why? Because I believe in what I do. I believe in donating blood and the life-changing effects it can bring to someone’s life. I believe in giving our donors the best customer service experience possible. I believe in Incept’s drive and leading ingenuity within our industry. I believe in my fellow coworkers and value my comradeship with them. I believe that even if I only schedule one person to donate on a given day that I have still made the world a better place before I clock out for the night.
Now, granted, every employer is different. Every occupation brings its own challenges to the table, as well, but that doesn’t mean you cannot look for purpose in anything that you do. I implore you to literally take an approach to treat everyone as your customer in whatever it is you do. Remember, no matter what job you have, no matter if it is a Monday or not, search for the meaning and purpose in your job. Chances are you have a bigger purpose than you really think!
What is something meaningful you take away from your occupation?
Image Credit: http://4.bp.blogspot.com
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2011 has come and gone, and 2012 has just taken off!
If you are reading this, congratulations on making it through yet another year! Can I ask you a question? Do you have any plans in store for the big twenty-twelve? Is there something you’ve been meaning to do or improve upon, and that celebratory date of New Year’s Day just seem to ironically fit the bill for a starting point? Well you’ve come to the right blog!
As cliché as New Year’s resolutions are, I actually welcome them with open arms and have set a few for myself this year. However, how often in the past have Januarys gone by with you saying you are going to quit smoking, yet continue to cave in, in the form of a sneakily, delightful after-dinner puff? How many countless times have you thought to yourself, “I’m definitely going to start working out and lose these love handles after the new year hits,” yet still cannot break the grasp of binge-playing Skyrim for hours on end? No matter what your goal, resolution or desire to change might be, here are a few common sense tips to help keep you motivated and improving towards your goals:
If you don’t remember reading my blog about goal setting and the Harvard study about writing goals down, then trust me, you want to get in the practice of writing your goals down and keeping them visible! Can you believe that statistics show that only 3% of Americans actually write down their goals? When you do this, you enable yourself to clearly define what it is you want while being able to start thinking about different ways to accomplish it. Not only are you giving yourself a defined starting point, but you are able to creatively assess what will and will not work for you and what it takes to reach your goal.
It is always too easy to look for the bad in something without seeing the good first. A good friend once told me, “Fighter pilots aren’t turned into aces without going through a few dog fights!” He was exactly right. Whenever you come up against adversity or something else that blocks your way in completing or living out one of your goals, look at it and use it as a learning experience. Keeping positive during times of affliction will only breed even more positivity. In fact it was Albert Einstein that once said, “In the middle of a difficulty lies opportunity.” To find that opportunity, sometimes we just need to take a step back from what we are doing and ask, “Why?”
I can’t tell you how often I find myself in a daydream tangent on ideas about how to improve things at Incept or even in my own life really. I can’t help it, it’s just in my nature of being never satisfied. I’m someone who can formulate brilliant ideas, but I admit when it comes to getting these ideas off the ground I have a tough time executing my intentions. If you are like me, then start setting short-term goals accordingly (that are realistic in helping you accomplish your long-term goals).
So you already know what you want out of this year. What is stopping you from achieving it? Nine times out of ten we already have what we need to be successful right in front of us!
Tell me about what you want to accomplish this year either professionally or personally. What tips do you have for staying motivated and seeing your goals through?
Image Credits: http://3.bp.blogspot.com
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Did you know January is declared National Blood Donor Month? Started in 1970 as a way to give recognition to the millions of donors that take time from their busy lives to make a life-saving blood donation. January was selected as the month to honor donors as it is when donations are needed the 
most. With busier schedules due to the Holidays and the colder weather causing for more donors to get sick or not want to leave their toasty warm homes, there is a decrease in donations and with the weather changes leading to more accidents, blood is needed more than ever.
You need to make sure you are doing your part and donate this month if you are eligible! Encourage others to come with you and donate as well. Your donation is always needed, but now more than ever! Make sure you are doing your part this month!
For more information on National Blood Donor Month or to schedule an appointment to donate blood, just check with your Local Blood Bank!
Thank you to all the blood donors out there, you are truly a lifesaver!
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