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Brian

Conversational Marketing Tips for New Phone Representatives

I remember the first time I taught myself how to ride my motorcycle.

I remember climbing onto my old 1981 Suzuki GS650E and feeling quite nervous as I reached for the clutch and throttle. I didn’t know what to expect. I always loved motorcycles and knew that in my life I would indeed be a motorcyclist myself, so I had to start somewhere.

As I gave it a good fistful of throttle and learned how to let out the clutch, I got better and better at riding and, ultimately, took it on the streets. Needless to say, I have had many back road adventures since then, on my days off from Incept. Sure, it was a little nerve-racking at first, but I got good at it and enjoy riding my Suzuki over doing almost any other activity.

Lately, especially around the northeastern Ohio region, there are many call centers hiring new employees. Sounds good, right? So if you are one of those new employees getting ready to hit the airwaves, you are reading the right blog! Working in the telecommunications industry can be exciting! Each day is a new day. Each person you talk to is a new person. Each call is a new start and chance at success. It is easy to feel apprehensive or a little unnerved, though, if you do not have prior experience. What should you expect? Here is some advice from a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) – yours truly – with two years of consistent experience performing on the phone.

Tips for New Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs):

  • Your attitude is everything. Positive attitudes create positive results.
  • Voice inflection is one of your biggest tools. Put vocal emphasis on key, actionable points in your calls.
  • Do not take anything personally.
  • Focus first on the quality of your conversations with your customers, and positive results will follow.
  • Look at each new call as a fresh start to succeed.
  • People do not like to feel like they are having a script read to them. Don’t be afraid to put key points into your own words.
  • Listen fully to what your customer is saying before responding with an answer.
  • Do not be afraid to try different approaches to your calls if something doesn’t initially work.
  • Even if you are not able to close a sale or get an appointment, do everything you can to end the call on a positive note.
  • Be open, and convey out loud to your customer the steps you are taking to help them out.
  • Asking little things like, “How are you doing today?” and being professionally polite are easy ways to build immediate rapport with your customers.
  • Do not be afraid to be a “real person” and actually have a conversation with who you are talking to. People want to feel like they are being helped and that you are on their side.
  • Apologize for mispronouncing a name. It is a small step that shows you care about your customer.
  • Smiling while you talk will naturally help you have a friendly tone.

These are just a few tips that can help anyone just getting started in the telecommunications field. Keeping an open mind and being willing to learn something new is also invaluable, as you will get better at your job with practice and time. Hopefully, a few of these tips help you out! If you have any other additional tips or helpful pointers, please feel free to post a comment with them below!

Are you in the Canton Ohio area and currently seeking employment? Talk to us at Incept!

Image Credit: http://www.callcentrehelper.com

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Brian

How to Handle an Upset Customer

If you work in the wide and ever-growing world of telecommunications, then there is no way around it. You most likely have had to deal with at least one upset customer, or in my case, blood donor.

Dealing with someone who is angry doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience, however. In fact, it is quite the contrary. When a company is forced to deal with an upset customer, it becomes a crucial interaction that can determine how the customer will perceive said company when the call is over – that is, if the customer will remain a customer. When a blood donor calls me during my work, as a Conversational Marketing™ Expert (CME) at Incept, I make sure I do my absolute best in representing our clients.

Why do people get angry and make customer service calls, though? Is it because they don’t understand their billing statement? Did they have trouble due to technical issues with your product? Whatever the situation or case, upset customers really just want someone to listen to their problem, understand what they have been going through, and work with them to find a solution. It really is that easy.

How about we take a look at some basic pointers that anyone in any type of customer service-related industry can apply to their own jobs.

A Few Helpful Hints in Dealing with an Upset Customer

  • Never ask the customer to calm down. This might seem like a no-brainier, but in asking an upset customer to calm down, you might actually tick them off even more. The best thing to do from the very start is listen to why the customer is so angry in the first place. Empathize, and place yourself in their situation. Verbalize the fact that you understand what they have had to deal with. Nine times out of ten you will make that upset customer grateful due to the fact you listened, creating positive rapport that will open the gates to calmly and effectively discuss a solution.
  • Gentle and appropriate customer education goes a long way. People generally get angry at what they don’t know or when they feel like they can’t do something. When you know why an upset customer is calling, you can then analyze your method of approach. When you educate your customers on why the billing statements work the way they do, the correct way to use your product software – or anything else – they will get an understanding of you trying to help them, which is what they really want after all.
  • Literally guide your customer through the steps you are taking to solve their problem. So people looking for help like to receive help, yes? They will like it even more when you explain exactly what you are doing to address their problem and how it will be handled. An example of this would be when I get an inbound call from a blood donor who is upset with the frequency of calls they are receiving. I apologize, and let them know that I understand where they are coming from, and then ask what I can personally do to help them. If they ask to be put on our do-not-call list, or to have the call volume reduced, I let them know exactly how I coded their disposition and what they can expect from it all. I always make sure to ask them before ending the call if there is anything else I can do. Remember, helping an upset customer is always about strengthening the relationship between you, as a professional (or CME)  and them as your customer (or blood donor).

Isn’t it astounding how a person that called in upset can change their tone with you just by taking simple steps? The most important step of all is to listen. Look past the annoyed tone they might have; it is nothing personal. Dig deeper into the reason why they are calling. Be open to what you are doing as a professional to address the situation. These simple steps will not only help you retain and help an irritated customer, but above all, it will strengthen the relationship you have with them.

What suggestions do you have on how to handle dealing with an upset customer?

Image Credit: http://www.callcentrehelper.com

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bwells

Every Donation Matters: The Importance of Donating Blood

Here at Incept, one of our major focuses is the importance of donating blood.

The statistics concerning those in need of blood, speak volumes. For instance, consider the following:

  • A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.
  • Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.
  • Blood cannot be manufactured; it can only come from generous donors.
  • The number of transfusions nationwide increases by 9% every year.
  • At least 25% of us will require blood at least once in our lifetime.
  • If all blood donors were to donate blood three times per year, then blood shortages would be a rare event.
  • About 3 gallons of blood supports the needs of the entire nation for a minute.
  • Severe burn victims may need as many as 20 platelet transfusions.
  • Bone marrow transplants may require platelets from over 100 donors and red cells from over 20 people.

Incept’s blood bank clients expect every member of the Incept team to become educated, appreciative, and involved in the matter of donating blood. Accordingly, our training supervisors provide handfuls of information about the act of donating blood. It is vital that employees of Incept are well aware of the importance, and the actual process and guidelines of blood donations.

It is also important for Incept employees to appreciate blood donations. What if you, your child, or your loved one is in need of blood in the future? Obtaining a safe and much-needed blood supply is vital for communities.

Incept encourages staff to donate, if eligible to pause for the cause. We often have blood drives here at Incept for employees to participate in saving lives themselves. It leaves employees feeling great that they did a selfless act to help those in need, and it assists employees in the ability to connect with the donors on whom we call on a daily basis.

You may ask, “Why should I donate blood?” Blood contains many life-saving components that can help to treat different illnesses and injuries. You also benefit in other ways by donating blood, as it reduces the chances of ischemic heart diseases.

Here are the top-10 reasons to donate:

  1. Donating blood saves lives.
  2. Donating blood is a good way to give back to your community.
  3. The act of giving is selfless.
  4. You receive a free mini-physical.
  5. Every two seconds someone needs blood.
  6. The blood supply needs constant replenishment.
  7. One pint can help up to three people.
  8. Most people are eligible to donate blood.
  9. There is no substitute for human blood.
  10. You will have someone’s undying gratitude.

The act and process of giving blood is safe and practically painless. It does not take a long time to make a blood donation, and a person can leave assured that a great amount of good was done due to them taking the time to do it. So raise your sleeves, and let’s all save some lives!

What compels you to donate?

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Brian

Why Are There Blood Shortages?

America and Canada need roughly about 43,000 units of blood per day.

It is quite a real necessity in this day and age to have blood on the hospital shelves when needed, as there continues to be an ever-growing need for blood. Last September, there was a shortage that had enough impact in America to cause elective surgeries to be cancelled or put on hold in at least three major cities within the United States. During that time, in a phone interview with Red Cross President Dr. Bernadine Healy, she stated, “This is one of the worst ones that the Red Cross has seen.”

But what causes blood shortages? Don’t enough people donate already? Their answer is a very bleak, no. In America, what a lot of people do not realize is that three-out-of-four people will at one point in their life need at least one blood transfusion. About one in seven people entering a hospital for care or treatment will need blood on a daily basis. Below you will find a few of the reasons why blood shortages can and do happen.

Why Blood Shortages Occur

  • There is a growing demand for blood. Donation rates increase at 3% annually, but the demand for blood is increasing at 6% annually.
  • Higher rates of complex surgeries and treatments are taking place. These can include chemotherapy, organ transplants, and many other major surgeries.
  • Out of Americans, only 37% are eligible to donate, but less than 10% of those eligible actually do donate.
  • Blood transfusions can and usually do take more than one pint. A whole blood donation or red cell donation can take up to three pints for just that single successful transfusion.
  • There currently is no man-made substitute for human blood. It literally is something that has to be given to achieve any sort of supply.

These are just a few of the reasons, but one of the most mind-boggling little bits of information is that if everyone who donated blood just donated one more time a year almost all shortages would be eliminated or greatly alleviated. It certainly makes you think. It makes you think a little more about how crucial the message on those “URGENT! BLOOD DONORS NEEDED!” signs actually are. It makes you think a little more in-depth about how much blood is actually used every day. Hopefully it makes you think a little more about donating again when you are eligible.

Remember that even though you are only donating one pint of blood, you literally are giving part of yourself and that moment of your life in sacrifice so that others may live. In fact, as you might know, one blood donation can save up to three lives or at the very least improve someone’s current physical situation. If you are eligible what is stopping you from donating?

What else do you know that contributes to blood shortages throughout America and Canada?

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jhodgson

HOW TO Improve Your Results in Your Blood Donor Recruitment Calls

Have you ever walked past the 100% board and asked yourself  ”How can I get my name on there?” I have just the answer you are looking for…

It’s time to talk results. There are many ways to improve your results, and I would like to share with you the top 3 ways to improve your results immediately:

  1. Rebuttaling – “Rebuttaling is not just a part of the job, rebuttaling IS the job.” I’m sure all of you have heard Dave Walter say this before, but the truth is he is right. If everyone just came in to donate blood on their own, well then, you wouldn’t have a job. I realize that many of you don’t rebuttal because it can be uncomfortable, but the truth is, most times the donor just needs to be educated. The donor may not understand how it helps the blood center by scheduling an appointment. The donor also may not be aware that it is common for their iron level to be low, and that there are certain foods that they can eat to help raise their iron level. It is your job to educate them. Using a friendly and positive tone to educate the donor on why we need their donation and how it helps their community will make an uncomfortable situation exactly the opposite. So the next time you don’t want to rebuttal for whatever reason, do yourself a favor and try. If you don’t try, then your results surely will not improve.
  2. Sounding Confident - It is very important to sound confident in your calls. If you don’t sound like you know what you are talking about why would anyone else believe that you do? Be prepared for your calls and ready to answer as soon as the donor says “Hello!” Speak loudly and clearly so the donor is able to identify who you are representing and who you are trying to reach. Believe in the cause – remember that you are asking someone to make a life-saving donation. Most importantly, be proud of what you do each day to help save lives.
  3. Focusing on your calls - Focusing on your calls ensures that you are giving your donor the time and attention that they deserve. Making call after call, day after day, can become tedious, but it is important to remember that you are asking for a donation. Donating is something that is done from the goodness of the heart to help others, and it not something that has to be done. Therefore, being respectful of the donor’s time is very important when ensuring good customer service. Also, making sure to focus on the donor on the phone, instead of the person sitting beside you or the magazine in front of you, is a very easy way to improve results.

Now you have the tips and tricks you need; make every call count, and you will surely improve your results!

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Brian

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Conversational With Your Customers!

Lately I’ve been interested in studying different phobias that people have.

Does the thought of a chicken give you cold sweats or a nauseated feeling in the pit of your stomach? You might be suffering from alektorophobia.

You might have already heard that the fear of public speaking, or glossophobia, is one of the most prevalent fears, not just in America, but across the world. After numerous international studies conducted over what scares people most, the fear of public speaking usually comes out on top, even more so than the fear of death! But why? As a genuine people person, why is it so hard to break the idea that speaking to a person or even multiple unknown people is a terrifying ordeal?

As a Conversational Marketing™ Expert (CME) for Incept, I literally talk with hundreds of people a month that I do not personally know. If you work in any type of telecommunications field or customer service industry then you already know the importance and positive effects that being conversational in your calls can bring. However, if you are someone that struggles finding the right thing to say, can’t quite clear that conversational hurdle in your head, or are just plain scared silly of public speaking or speaking to new people, then you are reading the right blog.

Easy Ways to be Conversational With People

When it comes to the wide world of telecommunications being conversational in your calls won’t just make you or your company look professional, but people will also enjoy being spoken to in a more personal manner as well. Here are a few things I do personally in my work on the phones at Incept as a Conversational Marketing™ Expert (CME) that give me the ability to be conversational with people to a very effective degree.

  • Ask “How are you?” before going into anything.

Before I even consider talking to a donor about donating I make sure to always ask them how they are doing. It’s a very simple practice, indeed. By asking someone “How are you?” you immediately get a feel for the tone of who you are speaking with, as well as an idea of what is going on with that person. This simple step benefits you in two ways. It makes the donor or customer feel at ease about talking with you and begins the process of building immediate rapport with them.

  • Don’t be afraid to talk about what is going on in your donor’s life.

There are many times when I hear a donor’s dog barking. I often take this opportunity to ask, “What kind of dog do you have?” in an effort to simply be conversational. If I’m talking with a younger donor that is in college, and they let me know they busy due to their hectic college schedule, I’ll find myself asking, “What is your major?” When you have the ability to pick apart what you are hearing while in conversation, things have a tendency to naturally start flowing. People love talking about themselves and the details of their lives, and when you enable someone to do that the conversation tends to build itself with little to no effort.

  • Identify with your donor, and show empathy.

Part of being human is the fact that we all long to connect with like-minded individuals. When someone feels like you are on their side, they are going to give you the time to talk and will – more than likely – listen to what you have to say. If they are telling you something that’s going on, do not be afraid to actually be a real person to them and verbalize that you understand what they are going through (to a point). If  you can identify a trend in these pointers, more than anything, it is simply just being real.

Being conversational with your donors isn’t about trying to get them to “drop their guard.” It is about making your conversations with them genuine. Doing so will allow the conversations you are having become more of a dialog between you and your donors, rather than someone reading a script at them. This is a very small insight on how to strengthen the relationship through meaningful conversations.

What are other ways you make conversation while building positive rapport with your donors?

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jfegan

HOW TO Improve Your Variance Time

In the world of retail, an industry term known as “shrinkage” is frequently used as a reference to lost inventory that is never sold (i.e. theft).

There are an increasing number of industry experts who use the term “shrinkage” when referring to contact center operations. Instead of inventory, what is being lost to shrinkage in the contact center is the employee’s time. Simply put, contact center shrinkage is time when a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) is getting paid but not taking calls. At Incept, we refer to the two most common influences on shrinkage: variance and schedule adherence. Poor variance and schedule adherence have negative impacts on the CME, the company, and its clients.

For Incept the concept of shrinkage is more cut and dry. Notwithstanding planned meetings, such as Employee of the Month, paid breaks, and coaching sessions, we want the CME to be on phone calls or available to take phone calls for the entire time they’re clocked in. When an employee is supposed to be taking calls, but is not, we call it variance at Incept. At the CME level, variance represents the potential for lost appointments, fewer Lifesaver points, and a smaller bonus.

Since I am a numbers guy at heart, I would like to take a brief mathematical look at two hypothetical groups of CMEs to showcase the organizational impact of variance.

  • Group 1: Scheduled 26 hours, 5% variance
  • Group 2: Scheduled 26 hours, 10% variance

Let’s assume that, in a given week, Incept requires approximately 2,800 hours of phone time to complete the required work on the Saves/Outbound side of the business.

  • Group #1: 26 hours, less 5% variance = 24.7 hours of phone time.
    • 2800 hours of required phone time – 24.7 hours per Group #1 CME = 113.3 CMEs needed
  • Group #2: 26 hours, less 10% variance = 23.4 hours of phone time.
    • 2800 hours of required phone time – 23.4 hours per Group #2 CME = 119.7 CMEs needed

From an organizational perspective, the difference between 5% variance and 10% variance is an increase in labor requirement of 5.6%. This percentage may seem small, but extrapolated over the course of an entire year, it adds up. In addition, the extra infrastructural costs such as additional computers and dialer licenses have to be taken into account as well.

It should be clear that some variance, even in addition to what is minimal (i.e. your break) is understandable. We don’t expect employees to delay going to the bathroom until their meal or break periods. However, there are certain things that all of us as a team-minded organization can do together to accomplish these variance and schedule adherence goals.

Step #1 – Be personally accountable for variance.

Maintaining variance within permissible levels is a measure of your job performance, just like your % to goal or your CQ scores are. Typically, once an employee accepts accountability, their variance improves.

Step #2 – Consult with Contact Center Results Management to monitor your variance.

Personally, I love it when CMEs take an active role in understanding and working to improve upon the statistics that measure their performance. If you think you had a very good variance day, ask a member of management to look at the percentage to confirm it for you. Seeing your efforts to reduce your variance bear immediate results is an end in itself.

Step #3 – Honestly examine behavior that is driving up your variance.

Only you can make an honest examination of the things that drive up your variance. Imagine a CME who has a variance of 8%. Variance of 8% is equivalent to almost 40 minutes of time off of the phone in a shift of 6.25 hours. How much of that time is truly necessary? How much of that time is essentially an extra unauthorized, paid break?

Following these three steps can result in great improvements in variance. This will have a positive financial impact for both the CME and company while generating superior customer service and results for our valued clients.

What else need to be said?

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rweiand

Air Ambulance In UK First To Carry Blood Units

Last week, an air ambulance became the first to carry blood units on a flight.

This service, which was first developed by the U.S. and British military, allows for on-site blood transfusions instead of having to wait for a patient to arrive at the hospital. Transit is achieved through a refrigeration unit called a “golden hour “ box, which can keep four units of O-negative at a steady 4-degrees Celsius for up to 72 hours. O-negative blood is used since it is universal and can be used for any patient. Also, any unused units can be safely returned to the hospital and are still usable, meaning no units go to waste.

U.S. and British military rescue helicopters carry blood units, while civilian services in Australia carry onboard blood units, signifying just how few air ambulances are doing this. Will more continue to follow?

Let’s take a look at a few stats:

  • According to the London’s Air Ambulance unit, about 90 patients are bleeding to death when they arrive to the hospital.
  • There are about 160 patients who don’t make it to the hospital.
  • That is, on average, 250 patients that could have had a better chance due to having blood available on scene!

Imagine the total lives that could be saved!

Image Credit: http://www.stockphotopro.com/photo_of/blood/B095DB/Gloved_hand_holding_blood

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bwells

How Did You Get That Scar? Breaking the Ice With Your Training Class

People are usually surprised when I ask them to tell me about their favorite scar.

It’s the first thing I ask when starting a new training class, right after I introduce myself. I simply ask the training class introduce themselves by inquiring, “Why don’t you tell us your name, what city you live in and…your favorite scar.”

I don’t like to make people feel uncomfortable, because I want to create a safe environment for learning, so I try to give them a way out, in case they do not feel comfortable disclosing. To accomplish this, I tell everyone to feel free to make up a scar story if they’d like. This, of course, only increases the looks of confusion, and inevitably someone will try to clarify, “We can make it up?” they ask. Of course! The point of asking is not to gain information on current or past health issues, but to break the ice, to get the class talking and hopefully laughing and help them to forget that they are in a room full of strangers in a strange place to be trained on something they have never done before.

Participation is the goal of every teacher no matter what the subject may be. Scar stories provide a catalyst to begin the bonding of the group or class. As the trainer it is always a joy to see a group of strangers who laugh out loud at a funny story, or show surprise because a similar thing happened to them.

The group begins to form and the barriers to learning begin to fall. All this is possible from a simple question asked at the right time. When people are expecting one of the standard, getting-to-know-you questions, like a favorite food or band, asking someone about their favorite scar piques the interest. It’s unexpected, and like a good movie that surprises you at the beginning, it both intrigues and increases participation. I have heard about childhood scars, scars from carrying a child, scars from horrible accidents, and scars from birth marks, but every once in a while a trainee will share a very unique scar story. Some are graphic, some are lovely, some are horrific, some are silly, some are emotional, and some are shocking.

I have also found other ways to break the ice in my training classes. One way is to have the class write three interesting things about themselves, one of which is false. The class then has to guess which “fact” is indeed false based on first impressions. Another ice-breaker I may begin using is a conversation exercise, because conversation is big at Incept! Each person is given a sheet of paper with a series of instructions to follow. This is a good mixing game and conversation starter, as each person must speak to everyone else. For example: count the number of brown-eyed folks, find the person with the most unusual hobby, find the person with the most pets, what’s the weirdest thing someone has eaten, etc.

As an Incept Training Supervisor, I really enjoy every training class that I teach, and I find it fun to kick off with ice breakers!

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jhodgson

HOW TO Have A Productive Conversation With Your Donor

At Incept we consider a conversation to be productive when the end result is a stronger relationship. There are many ways to strengthen a relationship with your donor. Below are just a few examples of things you can do in your calls to ensure that your conversation is productive.

One of the easiest ways to do this is by genuinely asking how the donor is doing. This lets the donor know that you care about them as a person, and listening to their tone lets you know how the rest of your call is going to go. The donor may respond with “good” but sound rushed with children screaming in the background. You can strengthen the relationship by asking if now is a good time to talk or if it would be better if we called back at another time. If the donor really is surrounded by chaos, they will appreciate your consideration and respond positively to the next call, during which they will be able to schedule an appointment without distractions. This has also saved you time because you were able to move on to the next call instead of continuing on with the call with many interruptions.

Another way to strengthen the relationship with the donor is by thanking them for their support even when they are not eligible to donate. There are numerous reasons that a donor can be deferred from donating blood, so we want to make sure to acknowledge all of their past support and make them feel good about the lives they were able to save in the past. This will create a positive impression that will stay with them until they are able to donate again. You can even use their donation history as a reference to how many times they donated in the past, and convert that number into the number of lives they have helped save.

Lastly, you can strengthen the relationship with the donor by asking, ” Is there anything else I can help you with today?” after you schedule the donor’s appointment. The donor may need you to give them directions to the center or simply repeat a phone number for them. This is a very simple question to ask, and it lets the donor know that you are here to help them, not just schedule the appointment and get them off the phone as fast as you can.

Now that you have the knowledge you need to strengthen the relationship with your donors, ask yourself at the end of each call, “Was that a productive conversation?”

Image Credit: http://www.inkonit.com/blog/3-ways-to-strengthen-your-relationship-with-customers/

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