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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend May 11, 2006 Carol Hasskamp and Richard Hall take calls for Mother�s Day gifts at Harry and David Operations in Medford. (Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell) Call centers cope with frustrations Survey: people frustrated with overseas help lines, companies broaden options By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Few things send consumers over the edge faster than a voice they can't understand on the other end of the customer service phone line. A new study by Seattle-based NetReflector indicates a variety of factors frustrate customers when they call for help. The research showed a trend among companies to find alternatives to counter Americans' hostile attitudes toward overseas call center agents, using online chat, e-mail, and improved automated voice systems to resolve problems more quickly. Such consumer and client attitudes resonate in the Rogue Valley economy, where hundreds of residents earn paychecks at a dozen or so call centers, handling everything from catalog orders and freight shipping to flowers and membership renewals. "We have a great way to alleviate apprehension," says Bob Bailey, executive vice president at ComNet Marketing Group on Stowe Avenue. "We tell them 'We're located in beautiful Southern Oregon, have you ever been here?' That tells them that this is not New Delhi." Not only does it break the ice, but it allows the ComNet staff to more easily navigate to the point of getting the person on the other end of the line to renew memberships with its clients such as public radio and television stations, museums and zoos. Advertisement At Harry & David Operations, where as many as 1,400 people work in one of the company's three call centers the other two are in Eugene and Hebron, Ohio, the No. 1 rule is that the customer is always right, says vice president Kristen Winter. "We try to exceed expectations." Complaints aren't necessarily generated by the buyer, but the one who received a package from the gourmet gift giant. "Typically when we get a call, it's from the end user who doesn't want to bother their mother, or whoever sent the gift," Winter says. "Maybe they are allergic to nuts or they received something other than was ordered." Winter says Harry & David places a premium on listening to the caller. "We want our people to understand what the question is and not to jump to a conclusion," Winter says. "Let's say they call in and talk about the pears they have received. They could be calling to say those are the best pears they've eaten, and if we aren't listening, we might say 'I'm sorry, we'll replace them.' " Associates are told to take their time and be empathetic with customers. That's important when dealing with an angry caller. "We might start off with an irate caller, but if we let the customer have their say and don't interrupt, we can turn it around," Winter says. "If you give customers a chance to tell their story, chances are you will leave that call with a happy customer." Federal programs, such as Medicare Part D, have influenced both the volume of calls and raised new questions for the 324 employees at the Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield center on Commerce Drive. When it comes to insurance there is a general lack of knowledge and information, says Lori Humphrey, Regence's customer service operations manager. "What we really focus on is trying to educate our customers," she says. "If I call into a car repairman, I lack the knowledge about the car and have to trust the information they're giving me is accurate." Because of the technical nature of insurance information, Regence puts its call center employees through five weeks of classroom training before they enter two or three weeks more of on-the-phone training. "Compassion is important," Humphrey says. "When people are calling it's usually not because things are great, but because they have a medical concern." Even though Regence members have benefit books, Humphrey says, it's likely they'll call for help before digging through its pages. "If you have a new car and a manual, it's still easier for people to call in rather than look it up," she says. Competition adds another element to the interaction between customers and call handlers. At Sprint's Medford call center, general manager Bob Morgan says customers expect 100 percent service because there are so many options. "It's not like in the days when there was no competition and you had to take the phone from your local company or you didn't have phone service," Morgan says. "Today, there's competition between cable, landline and wireless companies." Sprint employs 280 people at its South Gateway shopping center location who handle sales and service for operations in 18 states — ranging from the Northwest to Florida. "People, whether they are in Eagle Point, Lincoln City or Las Vegas, think of us as their local company," Morgan says. "If we haven't handled something correctly, we have to resolve it immediately." While the holiday season build-up is the busiest time of the year at Harry & David, the peak season for FTD.com is right now with Mother's Day approaching. As a result there are 300 people working at the 24/7 call center on Cardinal Avenue. Alan Shimozawa, who has overseen the operation for the past four years, says roughly half the customers know what they want when they call. The rest depend on the center's expertise to sort out the hundreds of available items. "We are a sentiment expression company and our sales consultants are here to help the callers select items," Shimozawa says. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisements Advertisement