What Steve Jobs Taught Us

By now, we have all heard about the passing of Steve Jobs.  Whether or not you are a fan of Apple, there is no denying that Steve Jobs has profoundly affected the lives of us all.  In the 1970’s, Stephen Wozniak and Steve Jobs formed Apple and it soon became the symbol of the personal computing revolution worldwide.  The company went public after just four years!  But what made Apple different from other computer companies? Well, most importantly, Apple made personal computers accessible to just about anyone.  Apple was also the first company to focus on aesthetics.  An unsurpassed, sleek design has always been Apple’s trademark. However, Steve Jobs taught us about more than just the design of personal electronics. Entrepreneur Media shared an article stating Jobs’ 7 Rules of Success.

1.    Do what you love.

2.    Put a dent in the universe.

3.    Make connections.

4.    Say no to 1,000 things.

5.    Create insanely different experiences.

6.    Master the message.

7.    Sell dreams, not products. 

While we thank Jobs for the products he introduced to us, we must also thank him for the lessons he taught us.

The article of Steve Jobs and the Seven Rules of Success can be found in its entirety here.

Feature Employee October 2011- Traci A.

Our feature employee for October is Traci. Traci has now been with Accurate for 6 years; she started as a temp and decided to stay full time because she liked it so much.   She mentioned, “I love Accurate. I like working for the people I work for. I love what I do.”  Traci said that her favorite accounts to help are the ones that require a lot of details and research.  Her favorite part about the job is getting an upset customer on the phone, helping them out, and then receiving a “thank you” at the end of the call; “I like seeing the reverse,” she says.  “Accurate really encourages good customer service and courtesy.”

One funny story Traci shared is that people are often distracted on the phone by her deep, raspy voice. “It’s this way because I sing a lot at church”, Traci explains. 

Last week was Customer Service Week and Traci pointed out that she tried to be more involved this year; she even wore a hat for Accurate’s “Hat Day” and pink on “Breast Cancer Awareness Day”.  Thank you, Traci, for participating in the activities this week and all you have done for Accurate!

Customer Service Week 2011

Last week was Customer Service Week.  It is a week devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and to honoring the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.  In 1992 the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, celebrated annually during the first full week in October.

We experienced a great Customer Service Week!

Monday was the gumball contest with a prize going to the person who guessed closest to how many gumballs were in the jar! Michelle Baker guessed 355; there were 349 gumballs in the gum jar.  Monday’s QA winner was Lisa Shadle, scoring a 91%!

Tuesday’s QA winner was Katrina Watton, scoring a 90%!

Wednesday was hat day! Thank you to all who got participated and work a hat! Wednesday’s QA winner was Greg Park, who scored a 93%!

Thursday was pink day! Thank you for supporting the fight against breast cancer and wearing your pink to work! Thursday’s QA winner was Amy Walsh, scoring a 92%!

Friday was team day- a day to wear your favorite sports team’s gear! Friday’s QA winner was Michele, with a score of 90%!

Saturday we announced the winner of the Husker Score Guess! Nathan won predicting a score of 35 Nebraska, 31 Ohio- the actual score was 34 Nebraska 27 Ohio! Saturday’s QA winner is Ellen with a score of 94%!

Sunday’s QA winner was Donna! Donna scored a 93%!

Thank you so much to all of you for participating in Customer Service Week!

Feature Employee September 2011- Kelly

Our Feature Employee this month is Kelly. Kelly started with the company when it was called "Answer Omaha" 32 years ago, in 1979, and was in a different location.  She likes the current building much better! Kelly is now on her third owner of the company and started back when the company had only about 3-4 agents, she said.  She remembers when, “The agents and management were all in one room.”  She, too, started as an agent. Kelly was an agent on the telephone for over 20 years!

Over the years, Kelly’s various roles in the company have included telephone agent, supervisor, receptionist and customer service representative.  Her favorite, and most recent, position is being a customer service representative. “It’s easier for me because I’ve been an agent before. I understand how the system works from the agent’s view and the customer’s view. I understand both sides,” Kelly says about her current role. She mentions that previously, when the company was smaller, there were no CSR’s, just agent supervisors to handle issues with clients.  “Now, we can take the time to look into issues and review them. Supervisors are helping the agents. We are here just for the clients.”

Join us in congratulating Kelly for a wonderful 32 years of service and an exceptional job well done!!

Accurate Communications

www.accurate800.com 

Why you need a social media policy NOW

With the increasing use of social media sights such as Facebook, Twitter, blogging and others, it is increasingly important to realize how social media can both help or hurt your company’s reputation.  Social Media can help your brand reach millions of potential customers.  However, negative comments can potentially hurt your reputation as well.

A negative comment from an employee can have devastating consequences for your company’s reputation.  With proper management, you can minimize the risks. Implementing a social media policy is probably the most proactive way to control this behavior leading to a negative reputation.  A social media policy well let employees know their responsibility and expectations when handling social media outlets.

Many websites and articles exist informing you what needs to go into your social media policy. However, one article that I have found particularly helpful is attached below. It discusses the 10 “must-haves” of a social media policy.

Don’t wait to start a social media policy. Your employees need to know what is expected of them and waiting until your reputation has been tarnished is too late!

10 Must-Haves for Your Social Media Policy

Katie Liquori

Social Media Manager
www.accurate800.com

Feature Employee August 2011- Sue S.

Our feature employee this month is Sue.  Sue has been with the company now for 35 years this month! She has seen many changes with the company over the years.  In 1976 when Sue started with the company, there were 6 operators- 4 of them were named Sue! She recalls, “Customers thought it was either a code name or Sue just worked all the time”!  Back then, Sue explains, the owner worked answering the phones every morning from 8:00am until 10:00am and it was not a 24/7 service- they answered phones from 8:00am-6:00pm Monday through Friday, and on Sunday from 8:00am-12:00noon.

Sue recalls that most of the changes she has seen have been with the technology.  There were only three work stations for the operators then and all message tickets were written on paper and hand time stamped by the operators. Customers had to retrieve their message tickets from the office to read them.

Sue names the primary reason she likes working at Accurate so much is the people!  She also mentions she is never bored!

Help us in thanking Sue for a wonderful 35 years of service!!

Productivity Goals in a Call Center

Agent/Company Productivity: The age-old question

So I asked the question:  For those of you that track agent productivity, what ranges are you experiencing?

My “logged in” productivity goal is to have agent available time of 90% and my “billable” goal is 80%.  Billable time is determined by dividing talk time by paid time; I also track reassigns and error margin.

Logged in means the agent is available for a live call. For instance, on an 8.5 hours shift, we look for 90% logged in time; that is, 459 out of 510 paid minutes.  We pay for a 30 minute lunch and two 10 minute breaks. We look at “billable” time as highlighted time; this includes talk and wrap time.

Here are the summarized responses that I received:

·        Those who pay for ON/highlighted time only have around 84% productivity with an average call of 1.5 minutes

·        Most companies answered that they have a one hour, unpaid lunch and breaks

·        Very few companies averaging 1 minute calls have accounts that pay per minute.

·        Overnights are a problem for many companies with productivity dropping to 65-69%

·        Company-wide talk time versus paid time ranged from 48-55%

·        Many felt that when productivity increases, the quality of service starts to decrease and agents start to get burned out

·        Many utilization/productivity/occupancy ranges averaged 40-70%, but would like to see it around 55%-75%   

·        Many companies with productivity averaging 69-72% believe these ranges are higher than the norm.  If programmers and managers comprise 10%, then the total is still around 60%...still higher than the norm.

·        Many companies said they can’t see striving for 80% productivity in a typical TAS environment without serious danger of agent burnout, and that 50% utilization is fair.

It appears that those who track productivity agree that 50% utilization is an average number, and that 55-65% is achievable and could be a goal.

In calculating these numbers, it is important to understand the calculation—Paid agent time divided by billable time. We are discussing productivity and for the purpose of this discussion, management labor is not included.

- Owner, Jeff Zindel

We would like to hear your feedback- tell us what you think!

Accurate Communications

www.accurate800.com

Last Edition of Call Center Humor!

HELLO, OPERATOR

Actual dialogue of a former Word Perfect Customer Support employee.

Operator: 'Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?'
Caller: 'Yes, well, I'm having trouble with Word Perfect .'
Operator: 'What sort of trouble?'
Caller 'Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away.'
Operator: 'Went away?'
Caller: 'They disappeared'
Operator: 'Hmm. So what does your screen look like now?'
Caller: 'Nothing.'
Operator: 'Nothing??'
Caller: 'It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type.'
Operator: 'Are you still in Word Perfect, or did you get out?'
Caller: 'How do I tell?'
Operator: 'Can you see the 'C: prompt' on the screen?'
Caller: 'What's a sea-prompt?'
Operator:'Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?'
Caller: 'There isn't any cursor; I told you, it won't accept anything I type..'
Operator: 'Does your monitor have a power indicator?'
Caller: 'What's a monitor?'
Operator: 'It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on?'
Caller: 'I don't know.'
Operator: 'Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??'
Caller: 'Yes, I think so.'
Opera tor: 'Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall..
Caller: 'Yes, it is.'
Operator: 'When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one? '
Caller: 'No.'
Operator:'Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and
find the other cable.'
Caller: 'Okay, here it is.'
Operator: 'Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer..'
Caller: 'I can't reach.'
Operator:'OK. Well, can you see if it is?'
Caller: 'No..'
Operator: 'Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?'
Caller:'Well, it's not because I don't have the right angle -- it's because it's dark.'
Operator: 'Dark?'
Caller: 'Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.'
Operator: 'Well, turn on the office light then.'
Caller:'I can't.'
Operator: 'No? Why not?'
Caller: 'Because there's a power failure.'
Operator: 'A power .... A power failure? '

And don't forget to visit our website for 24/7 call center answering service: www.accurate800.com

Have a great day, everyone!

Great Service is a Choice

At Accurate Communications, we strongly believe great service is a choice. It's not something that comes without effort and we strive each and every day to provide our customers with great service.
Below is a great article about the mindset in choosing to give great service.

Great Service is a Choice

No one can make you serve customers well. That’s because great service is a choice. Have you taken a taxi ride recently? Well, I was told a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point. A man called Harvey was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey. He handed Harvey a laminated card and said:
“I’m Wally, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk, I’d like you to read my mission statement.”
Taken back, Harvey read the card. It said:
Wally’s Mission Statement:
“To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment”
This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!
As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, “Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.”
Harvey said jokingly, “No, I’d prefer a soft drink.”
Wally smiled and said, “No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.”
Almost stuttering, Harvey said, “I’ll take a Diet Coke”
Handing him his drink, Wally said, “If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.”
As they were pulling away, Wally handed Harvey another laminated card. “These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.”
As if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of the day. He also let him know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights, or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.
“Tell me, Wally,” Harvey asked the driver, “have you always served customers like this?”
Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. “No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, on the radio one day. He said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.’
“That hit me right between the eyes,” said Wally. “He was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.”
“I take it this has paid off for you,” Harvey said.
“It sure had,” Wally replied. “My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cab stands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.”
Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles. How about you?
Excerpt from: The Simple Truths of Service,
by Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz

www.accurate800.com

More Call Center Humor

Enjoy some more call center humor from actual calls!

Directory Inquiries
Caller: 'I'd like the number of the Argo Fish Bar, please'
Operator: 'I'm sorry, there's no listing. Are you sure that the spelling is correct?'
Caller: 'Well, it used to be called the Bargo Fish Bar but the 'B' fell off.'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Then there was the caller who asked for a knitwear company in Woven.
Operator: 'Woven? Are you sure?'
Caller: 'Yes.. That's what it says on the label -- Woven in Scotland ...'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
On another occasion, a man making heavy breathing sounds from a phone box told a worried operator: 'I haven't got a pen, so I'm steaming up the window to write the number on.'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tech Support: 'I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop.'
Customer: 'OK.'
Tech Support: 'Did you get a pop-up menu?'
Customer: 'No.'
Tech Support: 'OK. Right-click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?'
Customer: 'No.'
Tech Support: 'OK, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?'
Customer: 'Sure. You told me to write 'click' and I wrote 'click'.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tech Support: 'OK. At the bottom left hand side of your screen, can
you see the 'OK' button displayed?'
Customer: 'Wow! How can you see my screen from there?'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Caller: 'I deleted a file from my PC last week and I just realized that I need it.
So, if I turn my system clock back two weeks will I get my file back again?'

Check back in the future for some more call center humor!

And don't forget to visit our website for 24/7 call center answering service:

www.accurate800.com

Have a great day, everyone!

Call Center Humor!

HELLO OPERATOR

Enjoy some call center humor! Actual call center conversations!

Customer: 'I've been calling 700-1000 for two days and can't get through;
can you help?'
Operator: 'Where did you get that number, sir?'
Customer: 'It's on the door of your business.'
Operator: 'Sir, those are the hours that we are open.'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Samsung Electronics
Caller: 'Can you give me the telephone number for Jack?'
Operator: 'I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand who you are talking about.'
Caller: 'On page 1, section 5, of the user guide it clearly states that
I need to unplug the fax machine from the AC wall socket and
telephone Jack before cleaning. Now, can you give me the number for Jack?'
Operator: 'I think it means the telephone plug on the wall.'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
RAC Motoring Services
Caller: 'Does your European Breakdown Policy cover me when I am
traveling in Australia?'
Operator: ‘Does the policy name give you a clue?'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Caller: (inquiring about legal requirements while traveling in Europe)
'If I register my car in France, and then take it to England,
do I have to change the steering wheel to the other side of the car?'

Check back in the future for some more call center humor!

And don't forget to visit our website for 24/7 call center answering service:

www.accurate800.com

Have a great day, everyone!

Help us spread the word!

Please help our friends at Deal Garden spread the word about their first Midwest Getaway!

Deal Garden offers its members unprecedented deals on the best stuff to do, eat, see, and buy. Deal Garden uses its collective buying power to deliver unbeatable offers to its members and drive immediate foot traffic to its merchant partners.

This week's deal offers a 2-night stay, 4 two-day water resort passes, $80 food credit, & a $30 arcade credit to the Ramada Plaza Hotel & Water Resort. http://www.dealgarden.com/deal/midwest-getaways/ramada-omaha-water-resort

So share it with your spouse, your neighbors, co-workers, or whomever you see fit.  Anything you can do to help share the deal.  Thanks for everyone's support.  

Accurate Communications
www.accurate800.com

Owner Jeff Zindel Appointed to Universal Service Fund Advisory Board

In April of this year, Accurate Communications owner, Jeff Zindel, was appointed to the Nebraska Universal Service Fun Advisory Board as a representative of the Public on behalf of the Nebraska Public Service Commission. 
 

The Nebraska Public Service Commission’s mission is to assure Nebraskans receive high quality, safe and reliable public services at fair and affordable rates.

This appointment is for a 3-year period.  Jeff is also involved in the legislative committee for the Association of TeleServices International and has served on the boards of Downtown Omaha Inc., Park East, Opera Omaha, ASID, Fontenelle Nature Center and Sacred Heart throughout his career.

More information on the services of the Nebraska Public Service Commission can be found at http://www.psc.state.ne.us .

Meet the Millennials

Many of us are hiring these millennial folks right now.  If you’re like me, you don’t know, or haven’t heard, that the new young people you are hiring are Millennials (they are anyone born since 1982).

I have been perplexed about this generation for quite a while now- what motivates them, how they dress, how they communicate (or not), and even how they think.

Well, these answers and many more are revealed in Neil Howe’s “Millennials in the Workplace”.

 

 

Surprisingly for me, I wasn’t out in left field with my questions and concerns about the millennials. In fact, many of us are wondering the same things about this generation. I am just beginning the book, but highly recommend already.

-          Owner, Jeff Zindel

Accurate Communications in Omaha World Herald for offering relief efforts

As you know, many businesses are being affected by the recent flooding of the Missouri river.  The Omaha World Herald posted an article today about this flooding.  The article states that, “The worst of the flooding is likely still on its way”.

Many businesses who are not affected by the flooding, are pitching in to help.  Accurate Communications is one of them.  The article explains that, “Accurate Communications officials want to help businesses dealing with hardships answer their phones. In a statement, Accurate said it's offering answering services, customer care, medical call assistance and order entry.”

The complete article can be found here: http://www.omaha.com/article/20110616/MONEY/706169870

We would like to help as many businesses as possible, so please help us get the word out about our offerings.  Thank you.

Considerations for Outsourcing your Call Center

I am frequently presented with clients who have in-house call centers of 25-40 seats that want to use an answering service company for their overflow calls.

As we discuss what the call volume is and what exactly their needs are, it becomes evident that they are not only looking for overflow coverage, but they are really looking for a variable staffing model.

Generally, a 35 seat call center is not always fully staffed, which results in longer holds, service levels that are not acceptable, befuddled call center managers and unhappy clients.

The permanent variable staffing model fixes this; contract with an outsourcer for 5-7 agents, the outsourcer manages the over-flow AND allows the customer to manage the call center and the agents to maximum efficiency. Imagine having all seats full, agents at 75-80% productivity, and then the over-flow goes to an outsourcer. 

A monthly minimum is guaranteed to the outsourcer and is a fixed cost for the client. If they hit the high volumes or times when agents are out sick, they are covered.

The Permanent Variable Staffing Model is a great solution!

- Owner, Jeff Zindel

We would like to assist companies affected by the recent flooding

We would like to announce that we are here to assist any company experiencing hardships by the recent flooding with the facilitation of their call volume, free of charge. Please call 800-779-5505 for more information. Thank you!

Accurate Communications owner, Jeff Zindel, interviewed for Fox Business article

Accurate Communications and The Small Business Group owner, Jeff Zindel, was recently interviewed for an article on Fox Business about coming up with profitable business ideas.

Jeff discusses how being your own boss is not as "stress free" as some may believe, and how crucial it is for entrepreneurs to follow what they're passionate about.

Jeff also discusses how important it is to build a network of mentors, stating, "It can get lonely at the top, so you need people you can bounce ideas off of."

You can read the entire article using the link below! Be sure to follow this blog and find us on Twitter and Facebook for more great articles and industry trends.

http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/starting-a-business/2011/06/07/how-to-come-up-with-profitable-business-idea/

HVAC Answering Service Solution

Can you place yourself in this picture? During the long, hot summer, and the cold, snowy winter months, business is booming. You’re flat-out swamped.

But, with this hectic pace comes the problem of handling more and more time-consuming telephone calls from prospects and customers…all screaming for service.

So now your gnawing question is…”How can I manage my workload without spending a fortune on more phone lines and additional employees to answer them?”

Click below to read more...

http://answeringservicesanantonio.com/heatingandairconditioning.aspx
OR
Call us at 800.779.5505

Mention this blog to save $50 off your first month of service!

Denver Answering Service

Are you in the Denver, Colorado area and have a need for any of the following?

Denver Armored Car Answering Service
Denver Bail Bondsman Answering Service
Denver HVAC Answering Service
Denver Church Answering Service
Denver Funeral Home Answering Service
Denver Limo Answering Service
Denver Property Management Answering Service
Denver Real Estate Answering Service
Denver Virtual Receptionist
Denver Roofing Answering Service
Denver Towing Answering Service
Denver Medical Answering Service
Denver Dental Answering Service

If so, we welcome you to visit our web site at http://www.answeringservicedenver.com for more information about the services Accurate Communications provides for your answering service and call center needs.

Maryland Answering Service & Call Center

Located in Omaha, Nebraska since 1964, Accurate Communications has had an established answering service and call center presence in Maryland for many years. We also provide answering service solutions for clients in Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Visit our web site at http://www.callcentermaryland.com for more information about the services Accurate Communications provides for answering service and call center needs.