Tag Archives: industry news

Customer Service Book Published

Peter Lyle DeHaan Releases Sticky Customer Service

Peter Lyle DeHaan released his newest book, Sticky Customer Service: Stop Churning Customers and Start Growing Your Business, on June 17. 

Sticky Customer Service: Stop Churning Customers and Start Growing Your Business

“Customer service isn’t a once-and-done effort,” DeHaan says. “It takes ongoing work to truly meet your customers’ expectations.” In Sticky Customer Service, unearth practical, action-oriented insights to help turn customer service from an ehttps://peterlyledehaan.com/books/sticky-customer-service/mbarrassing weakness into a business strength. “Though Sticky Customer Service addresses all aspects of customer service, the telephone takes center stage, with added attention given to online and multichannel interactions.”

In Sticky Customer Service, you’ll discover:

  • The three key areas where customer service occurs and why they must work together.
  • How to avoid common errors that too many businesses make.
  • Why delighting customers is not the best approach and sets up future failure.

“Most businesses today give more attention to customer acquisition then customer retention. This is backward thinking,” DeHaan states. “It’s much easier and less costly to keep existing customers than it is to find new ones. Yet the actions of most businesses prove that they don’t understand this.”

Peter Lyle DeHaan, Publisher and Editor of Connections Magazine

Sticky Customer Service is book one in the Sticky series. Future titles include Sticky Leadership, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Living.
Sticky Customer Service is available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy of Sticky Customer Service today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine. He’s a passionate wordsmith whose goal is to change the world one word at a time.  Read more of his articles at PeterDeHaanPublishing.com.

2021 NAEO Convention to Go Virtual

Amtelco Cloud-Based Platform Solution

The National Amtelco Equipment Owners (NAEO) announced that the 2021 NAEO Annual Conference will be held virtually rather than live in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference will run from April 13–15 and 21, 2021. With continued substantial risk for large gatherings due to the Covid-19 pandemic and so many travel restrictions still in place, the board made the difficult decision to hold the 2021 conference virtually. 

“While we are disappointed not to be able to meet in person, we believe this virtual option will open new opportunities for our membership this year,” said association president Marvin Cooper. “Over the past year we have grown accustomed to virtual events and are more equipped to get the most out of this option. We will be able to involve more people at our offices than may have been possible in the past, hear from some new voices and minds that may not have been at past live conventions, and save on travel costs.” This year’s theme is Resilience and Reinvention.

In other news, NAEO welcomes Marie McGuire of AnswerTel in Athens, Alabama who was elected to a second term, Kelly Cammack of Apollo Answering Service in Houston, Texas who was elected to an initial term, and Michael Lebowitz of Call Experts in Charleston, South Carolina who was elected to an initial contemporary term after having served two terms in the past.

Amtelco Summer Interns

Amtelco Cloud-Based Platform Solution

The summer is fast winding down, and Amtelco has started saying “thank you” and “good bye” to the fifteen students who completed internships this summer.”

AMTELCO summer interns

Shown left to right:

  • Adam LaLuzerne: University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Field Engineering Department
  • Marcus Seaton: Madison Area Technical College, Production QA Department
  • DJ Hogan: Production QA Department
  • Kyle Anderson: Production QA Department
  • Brevin Becker: White Rhino Co. Property Management Apprenticeship, Production QA Department
  • Hannah Anderson: Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship, Production QA Department
  • Luke Anderson: University of Wisconsin-Stout, Software R&D Department
  • Emmanuel Barber-Thomas: Herzing University, IT Department/ Production QA Department
  • Jessica Mohns: Rockford University, Field Engineering Department
  • Sean Scanlan: Madison Area Technical College, Field Engineering Department

 Not pictured:

  • Dillon Clark: St. Cloud State University, Production QA Department
  • Tyler LaLuzerne: Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship, Marketing Department
  • Angela Riederer: Viterbo University, Business Office
  • Ashley Werner: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Software R&D Department
  • Bennett Olson: Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship, Production QA Department

For more information, contact Amtelco at 800-356-9148 or info@amtelco.com.

Call Center Sales Pro Taps Chris Calhoun as VP of Operations



Chris Calhoun has joined Call Center Sales Pro to fill the newly created position of vice president of operations. Calhoun’s primary focus is on optimizing the existing infrastructure of the company to maximize the effectiveness of the staff so that they can serve their clients even better.

“I’m thrilled to have Chris join the Call Center Sales Pro family,” said Janet Livingston, founder of Call Center Sales Pro. “Chris brings the leadership and team building skills to the table that will allow us to better scale Call Center Sales Pro. This will enable us to provide more services, products, and innovations to the call center and contact center industry.”

After a distinguished career in the U. S. Coast Guard, Calhoun built on his exacting military training to take key leadership roles in technology companies. “I am extremely excited about joining Call Center Sales Pro,” Calhoun said. “I look forward to bringing my thirty plus years of leadership, management, and systematic approach to human performance to the Call Center Sales Pro team.”

Learn more at www.callcenter-salespro.com or call 800-901-7706.

PACE Association Announces Hiring of CEO



The Professional Association for Customer Engagement (PACE), formerly the ATA, is setting the PACE once again. The association announced the hiring of Stuart Discount, formerly the chairman of the PACE board of directors, as its new CEO effective November 1.

As the only trade association dedicated to contact centers and with a mission of being “customer focused and contact center driven,” Discount’s role will ensure PACE continues to expand and deliver on all its value pillars including compliance, education, networking, and advocacy.

The decision to bring Discount on as CEO is the first of many steps the association plans to take to expand its critical mission. In this role, Discount will oversee daily operations, expand strategic member value, and actively engage with federal and state regulators. Discount will report to the PACE board of directors and execute strategies designed to expand the association’s objectives and improve member experience.

Discount has served in many roles on the PACE board of directors, most recently as the chairman of the National Board. In this role, Discount regularly represented the organization in front of the FCC and FTC. He also regularly met with Congress on industry-related issues. Discount has been associated with PACE for more than twenty years, providing leadership on compliance and advocacy issues, among others.

Stuart has a distinguished career in the contact center industry, having founded his own BPO (business process outsourcer), which grew rapidly in both the US and Guatemala. Most recently, Discount held the position of chief commercial officer for Allied Global BPO, where he was responsible for business development and client relationships.

“I am honored to accept this role as the CEO of PACE,” Discount said. “I have a passion for the contact center industry and believe there is great opportunity to take PACE to a new level. At times like this, having a healthy relationship and open communication with regulators is critical to our members’ ability to conduct business. I am very excited to continue to lead PACE’s efforts on this front to protect both our members and the customers they serve.”

Lori Fentem, president and co-founder of Synergy Solutions, and current vice-chair of PACE will move into the role of chairperson. Fentem is a longtime active PACE member and a tenured board member. In addition, Ken Sponsler, senior vice president and general manager of CompliancePoint, will assume the responsibilities of the vice chairperson position. Both Fentem and Sponsler are committed to the industry and to the success of PACE. They will ensure continuity on the board and collaborate with Discount as he transitions into this new role.

“We are truly honored to have Stuart at the helm of the association,” Lori Fentem said. “After much deliberation around our strategy to deliver greater value, the board of directors agreed that he not only brings the knowledge and experience to the role but also the passion for the mission and our members.”

“The services PACE offers to its members continue to expand and improve,” Discount added. “I am excited and honored to lead an organization that takes pride in being a resource, an ally, and an advocate for the companies we serve.”

Founded in 1983, PACE is a trade association dedicated to the advancement of companies that engage with customers via the contact center. The association promotes its members’ ability to provide outstanding customer service and sales solutions delivered via omni-channel communication. In addition, PACE provides up-to-date and ongoing compliance education and accreditation for its members.

DialAmerica Taps DailyPay to Reduce Agent Turnover

DailyPay, a financial solutions company that reduces employee turnover through instant access to wages, announced a partnership with DialAmerica, a call center company with over 3,000 employees. Together, DailyPay and DialAmerica are combating the financial burden caused by the delay that arises from biweekly pay schedules. Through this partnership, employees of DialAmerica can now receive their earned but unpaid wages instantly, even on weekends and holidays.

The call center industry has one of the nation’s highest turnover rates averaging up to 45 percent with a typical call center spending up to 6,000 dollars to hire and an additional 4,800 dollars to train new hires. Financial stress is cited as one of the leading causes of employee turnover. When call center employees can’t pay their bills on time and suffer late fees, they quit in search of a new job.

“When employees achieve financial security at a job, they stay longer,” said Jason Lee, Chief Executive Offer of DailyPay. “We are very excited to integrate DailyPay as an employee benefit across DialAmerica’s nineteen locations and help the company improve employee retention and recruiting. Since launching the partnership, we’ve already found tremendous improvements in employee retention.”

“The consensus regarding DailyPay is that the app is extremely convenient and provides a safety net in case of emergencies.” explains Mike Beaubrun, Operations Manager at DialAmerica.

DailyPay’s mission is to help companies reduce turnover by mitigating their employees’ financial hardships. Seventy percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and 47 percent cannot afford a 400 dollars unplanned expense. By being able to access earned wages before the scheduled payday, an employee can pay his bills on time and ultimately achieve financial security at his place of employment.

For more information about DailyPay, visit trydailypay.com. To learn more about DialAmerica, visit www.dialamerica.com.

Bill Tucker Inducted into the CAM-X Hall of Fame

Bill Tucker has been inducted into the 2015 CAM-X Hall of Fame. Bill proudly accepted the award during the Gala banquet at the 51st Annual Convention and Trade Show held recently at the Doubletree Hilton in Charleston, SC.

Bill was nominated for this Hall of Fame Award by Sherry Oxner on behalf of everyone at Answer 365. Sherry says, “Bill is always passionate about improving, partnering, and finding ways to evolve the business and is a true advocate for every individual who he coaches in business or otherwise along the way.”

Upon receiving the award Bill said, “I am honored and humbled by my selection to the CAM-X Hall of Fame. Over the past thirty years, I have had the opportunity to work with many industry role models who have and continue to inspire me. With their leadership, we have dramatically improved the quality, scope, and value of the services we provide. It was a special honor to have longtime friend and Hall of Famer Paul Lloyd perform my induction. None of this would be possible without the support of my family and our team at Answer 365 who have provided me with the flexibility, confidence and support to fulfill my commitments to CAM-X and the industry.”

Gary Pudles Receives Tom Ryan Award

Congratulations goes out to Gary Pudles of AnswerNet, in Willow Grove, PA for winning the 2015 Tom Ryan Award for Ethics, Integrity and Quality Above All. This prestigious honor was accepted at the 51st Annual CAM-X Convention and Trade Show held recently at the Doubletree Hilton in Charleston, SC.

The coveted Tom Ryan Award is presented annually in memory of one of the Contact Management field’s most ardent advocates, Tom Ryan, a pioneer of the Telephone Message Industry. This industry-specific award pays homage to companies that exhibit quality service while adhering to a mandate based on commitment to ethics and integrity above all else.

Also taken into consideration is the company’s overall dedication to maintaining a cohesive working environment, practicing ongoing internal and external customer service initiatives and continuous involvement in industry and community programs.

Upon receiving the award, Gary said, “The Tom Ryan award represents the values that makes this industry great. This award also recognizes the incredible work of my AnswerNet family in providing support and services to our customers, competitors as well as our community.”

CAM-X Launches Online Pre-Employment Test

Due to high industry demand, CAM-X has developed a cloud-based pre-employment testing program specific to the inbound call center industry. The online program tests six core skills deemed necessary in a successful customer service receptionist.

The intent of the test is to aid in the screening and hiring of candidates, minimizing the number of unqualified candidates, and reducing the overall time and cost associated with recruitment. Test results are emailed immediately to your office, allowing an immediate decision as to whether or not to bring the candidate in for a face-to-face interview.

For more information, contact Linda Osip at linda@camx.ca, 800-896-1054, or www.camx.ca.

Save

Christopher Conway Named DialAmerica President and COO

DialAmerica, one of the nation’s largest teleservices companies, announced that Christopher Conway has been promoted from chief financial officer to president and chief operating officer. Arthur Conway has assumed the title of chairman and chief executive officer. In his new position, Chris is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of DialAmerica and accelerating its growth path. He becomes the third generation of Conways leading the company that was founded by his grandfather, William J. Conway, in 1957.

“This promotion recognizes Chris’ achievements, as well as his clear understanding of today’s business environment,” said Art Conway. “While I am honored to have led DialAmerica for many years now and proud of our industry leadership, I feel this is the right moment to pass on the responsibility of overseeing the company.” Chris began his career at DialAmerica in 1993 and has worked across the organization to fully understand all aspects of the business.