THE CLASS

Two days later I returned and taught a full-day class on the 5 primary calls and how to handle them. I made sure that the new techs had the right tools to answer the questions and also knew what to do when they were stuck. I allowed 1-hour for them to interact with existing techs to ask questions.

THE RESULT

1 day of assessment, 2 days of development, 1 day for delivery.

• On hold times went down.
• Calls were answered in fewer rings.
• Customers were more satisfied with the answers.
• Successful Non-for-Profit Fundraising Letters Share Eight Qualities
  You’ll be encouraged to know that the art of writing effective fundraising letters can be learned. I learned it. So can you.Successful fundraising letters share a number of things in common. Once you know what these things are, your letter is already half-way written. Before I share what they are, let me explain what I mean by a “successful” or “effective” fundraising letter. I mean a letter that generates a gift, certainly, but I also mean a letter that builds upon the relationship you have with your supporters. You can easil
  If you work as an organizational consultant, you are sure to hear all types of request from clients. Instead of consulting with you the client actually brings you a solution that he or she wants implemented. You know that following that line is the wrong thing to do and more importantly it will not provide your clients with the results that they are look for.

  So, what do you do?

  This is the story of one of my favorite client engagements. I call it "Disconnecting the Phone Doctor." Take a look at the client's request and you'll understand why.

  THE TRAINING REQUEST

  The manager said that he had 125 people in the technical center and that they had recently experienced an 8% drop in our customer satisfaction and responsiveness ratings. Customers reported that the phone rang too many times before being answered, the hold times were too long, and sometimes there was no answer at all. The customers said that they had to call back to get an issue resolved.

  Could you please deliver "Phone Doctor" training?

  The “Phone Doctor” is a training class to teach people better phone etiquette. This was a sophisticated telecommunications network center staff with telecom specialist, engineers, and systems professionals. The center was responsible for building client networks, monitoring the networks, and troubleshooting network failures.

  MY IMMEDIATE THOUGHT

  If performance was good what caused the 8% drop. I don't seriously think that it is because people don't know how to answer a ringing phone or speak when they answer it. After all they all had telecommunication or information technology degrees and they had communicated well enough to get the job.

  THE FINDINGS

  This manager had hired 15 new people within a 45-day period. Someone had the bright idea that the best way to get the new people up to speed was to immediately expose them to the types of issues that they would be handling. Management decided to assign the new people to phone detail. They were to answer very technical telecommunication network calls from experienced technicians at their client locations.

  Without knowing what to say, the new technicians would place people on hold and walk around the center looking for assistance. Though they would try to repeat what was told to them much was lost in translation. They did not know the job, the processes, the terminology, or the needs of the clients.

  THE RECOMMENDATION

  I immediately refused to deliver Phone Doctor or any other type of verbal communication training. I suggested people be removed from the phones. The manager agreed with the first part but said it would take time to reassign people.

  THE PLAN

  1. I grabbed two more team members from my group and asked the manager if we could have eight hours to gather information from the people. He agreed.

  2. In about six hours we conducted face to face meetings with the five top people in the group. We learned that there are five common technical problems and reasons why customers call into the center.

  3. We spent time with five new people to understand their challenges and what they absolutely needed to know.

  4. We created job aids for each of the five call types. We developed the 5 questions that are usually asked by the customers and prepared the answers. We included directions as to when the "newbie" should go for help and how to position that with the customer.

  THE CLASS

  Two days later I returned and taught a full-day class on the 5 primary calls and how to handle them. I made sure that the new techs had the right tools to answer the questions and also knew what to do when they were stuck. I allowed 1-hour for them to interact with existing techs to ask questions.

  THE RESULT

  1 day of assessment, 2 days of development, 1 day for delivery.

  • On hold times went down.
  • Calls were answered in fewer rings.
  • Customers were more satisfied with the answers.
  • C
    Medical Billing - GD0 Record Fields 41 Through 50
    The long and winding road of medical billing and the GD0 record is starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. If you've been with us this far, hang in there just a little longer. We're picking up our review of this generic CMN with field number 41.GD0 fields 41 - 44, positions 160 - 179, are the diagnosis codes. Many people don't understand why diagnosis codes are required for a CMN since these codes are transmitted in the FA0 record. Well, the reason that diagnosis codes have to be transmitted with the GD0 record is
    ang too many times before being answered, the hold times were too long, and sometimes there was no answer at all. The customers said that they had to call back to get an issue resolved.

    Could you please deliver "Phone Doctor" training?

    The “Phone Doctor” is a training class to teach people better phone etiquette. This was a sophisticated telecommunications network center staff with telecom specialist, engineers, and systems professionals. The center was responsible for building client networks, monitoring the networks, and troubleshooting network failures.

    MY IMMEDIATE THOUGHT

    If performance was good what caused the 8% drop. I don't seriously think that it is because people don't know how to answer a ringing phone or speak when they answer it. After all they all had telecommunication or information technology degrees and they had communicated well enough to get the job.

    THE FINDINGS

    This manager had hired 15 new people within a 45-day period. Someone had the bright idea that the best way to get the new people up to speed was to immediately expose them to the types of issues that they would be handling. Management decided to assign the new people to phone detail. They were to answer very technical telecommunication network calls from experienced technicians at their client locations.

    Without knowing what to say, the new technicians would place people on hold and walk around the center looking for assistance. Though they would try to repeat what was told to them much was lost in translation. They did not know the job, the processes, the terminology, or the needs of the clients.

    THE RECOMMENDATION

    I immediately refused to deliver Phone Doctor or any other type of verbal communication training. I suggested people be removed from the phones. The manager agreed with the first part but said it would take time to reassign people.

    THE PLAN

    1. I grabbed two more team members from my group and asked the manager if we could have eight hours to gather information from the people. He agreed.

    2. In about six hours we conducted face to face meetings with the five top people in the group. We learned that there are five common technical problems and reasons why customers call into the center.

    3. We spent time with five new people to understand their challenges and what they absolutely needed to know.

    4. We created job aids for each of the five call types. We developed the 5 questions that are usually asked by the customers and prepared the answers. We included directions as to when the "newbie" should go for help and how to position that with the customer.

    THE CLASS

    Two days later I returned and taught a full-day class on the 5 primary calls and how to handle them. I made sure that the new techs had the right tools to answer the questions and also knew what to do when they were stuck. I allowed 1-hour for them to interact with existing techs to ask questions.

    THE RESULT

    1 day of assessment, 2 days of development, 1 day for delivery.

    • On hold times went down.
    • Calls were answered in fewer rings.
    • Customers were more satisfied with the answers.
    • Deciphering the Indian Business Space
      Managing a Business activity in India is not the easiest of tasks. In fact it is one endeavor where even some of the world’s biggest organizations have failed. The single reason for this is the flawed perceptions most business concerns have about the Indian Business space. The media in a certain way has contributed to these perceptions. There are certain cities in India that seem to have hogged the limelight with the Western press and they include Bangalore and Hyderabad. But remember the realities are not necessarily what you read a
      unication or information technology degrees and they had communicated well enough to get the job.

      THE FINDINGS

      This manager had hired 15 new people within a 45-day period. Someone had the bright idea that the best way to get the new people up to speed was to immediately expose them to the types of issues that they would be handling. Management decided to assign the new people to phone detail. They were to answer very technical telecommunication network calls from experienced technicians at their client locations.

      Without knowing what to say, the new technicians would place people on hold and walk around the center looking for assistance. Though they would try to repeat what was told to them much was lost in translation. They did not know the job, the processes, the terminology, or the needs of the clients.

      THE RECOMMENDATION

      I immediately refused to deliver Phone Doctor or any other type of verbal communication training. I suggested people be removed from the phones. The manager agreed with the first part but said it would take time to reassign people.

      THE PLAN

      1. I grabbed two more team members from my group and asked the manager if we could have eight hours to gather information from the people. He agreed.

      2. In about six hours we conducted face to face meetings with the five top people in the group. We learned that there are five common technical problems and reasons why customers call into the center.

      3. We spent time with five new people to understand their challenges and what they absolutely needed to know.

      4. We created job aids for each of the five call types. We developed the 5 questions that are usually asked by the customers and prepared the answers. We included directions as to when the "newbie" should go for help and how to position that with the customer.

      THE CLASS

      Two days later I returned and taught a full-day class on the 5 primary calls and how to handle them. I made sure that the new techs had the right tools to answer the questions and also knew what to do when they were stuck. I allowed 1-hour for them to interact with existing techs to ask questions.

      THE RESULT

      1 day of assessment, 2 days of development, 1 day for delivery.

      • On hold times went down.
      • Calls were answered in fewer rings.
      • Customers were more satisfied with the answers.
      • Utilizing a Virtual Assistant is Just Good Business Sense
        Virtual Assistants are fast becoming a popular industry. It is through education that this field is beginning to truly grow. Hopefully someday soon people will be asking, “Who is your Virtual Assistant?” rather than “What is a Virtual Assistant?” Virtual Assistants are the key to allowing small business owners to truly create a thriving. Before deciding to work with a Virtual Assistant there are six questions that need to be answered.What is a Virtual Assistant?First and foremost, you must understand what the term means
        the needs of the clients.

        THE RECOMMENDATION

        I immediately refused to deliver Phone Doctor or any other type of verbal communication training. I suggested people be removed from the phones. The manager agreed with the first part but said it would take time to reassign people.

        THE PLAN

        1. I grabbed two more team members from my group and asked the manager if we could have eight hours to gather information from the people. He agreed.

        2. In about six hours we conducted face to face meetings with the five top people in the group. We learned that there are five common technical problems and reasons why customers call into the center.

        3. We spent time with five new people to understand their challenges and what they absolutely needed to know.

        4. We created job aids for each of the five call types. We developed the 5 questions that are usually asked by the customers and prepared the answers. We included directions as to when the "newbie" should go for help and how to position that with the customer.

        THE CLASS

        Two days later I returned and taught a full-day class on the 5 primary calls and how to handle them. I made sure that the new techs had the right tools to answer the questions and also knew what to do when they were stuck. I allowed 1-hour for them to interact with existing techs to ask questions.

        THE RESULT

        1 day of assessment, 2 days of development, 1 day for delivery.

        • On hold times went down.
        • Calls were answered in fewer rings.
        • Customers were more satisfied with the answers.
        • The Anatomy of a Brain Cramp; The Retainer and the Lavalava - Communication
          In life, you have to successfully work with people to get anywhere. You can’t avoid it.Some people are fun, good, and wholesome, and others can feel like a thorn in your shoe. Some will be there to boost you up and be a savior, and others will be there to take advantage of you, sometimes without the slightest care.There is absolutely no way to lead a successful life without effective communication with those who can help you reach your goals. And the secret to effective communication is to fully understand—or at leas
          created job aids for each of the five call types. We developed the 5 questions that are usually asked by the customers and prepared the answers. We included directions as to when the "newbie" should go for help and how to position that with the customer.

          THE CLASS

          Two days later I returned and taught a full-day class on the 5 primary calls and how to handle them. I made sure that the new techs had the right tools to answer the questions and also knew what to do when they were stuck. I allowed 1-hour for them to interact with existing techs to ask questions.

          THE RESULT

          1 day of assessment, 2 days of development, 1 day for delivery.

          • On hold times went down.
          • Calls were answered in fewer rings.
          • Customers were more satisfied with the answers.
          • Customer made fewer calls back.

          • Employee confidence went up.
          • Employees were more engaged.
          • Employees learned a great deal in a short time.
          • Employee increased their own learning with every call.