August 1999

Letters

Dear Nadji:

I must say that I agree in the strongest terms with the issues you discussed in your editorial (“Why Teleservices Companies Fail Or Succeed”) in the June 1999 issue of C@LL CENTER SolutionsTM. American business appears to be run by a bunch of 25-year-old whiz kid MBAs who have never had to write a script, calm an irate customer or personally terminate long-term employees because management’s poor decisions have ruined the business.

Unfortunately, as an industry we must shoulder some of the responsibility for this state of affairs. How many times have we passed over the 45-year-old with 15 years’ experience because we could hire someone 20 years younger for $20,000 less? The complexities of this business are not mastered in a few weeks, and are rarely taught in the academic world. Older and experienced does not necessarily mean tired and hidebound. Youth and energy do not always connote expertise.

Keep up the good work, Nadji. Maybe someone will listen to you.

Tom Iarossi
Site Manager, RMS North

Dear Nadji:

You’re a busy, busy man. I hope you actually get a moment to read this. In respect to your time, I’ll be as brief as possible.

Nice editorial on the state of the Wall Street versus private call center organization! (June 1999, “Why Teleservices Companies Fail Or Succeed.”) I just have a few remarks.

I’ve been a telemarketing professional for 15 years, 10 of those in service agencies. I’ve vendored to several Top 50s who are now amidst the Wall Street dilemma. I’ve run two entrepreneurial organizations where I can assuredly say, the quality, the client-first attitude, the focus on specialization and consumer respect was enormous. I can be proud of where I worked, and I can be embarrassed of the performances of some vendors.

Nadji, there have been a few times in my career when I questioned the worth of the TOP 50. I’ve sought after and won MVP status, ACCE status, and other awards because they are about quality. In the early ’80s the quality firm I worked with did place in the TOP 50, but I’ve never forgiven volume as an excuse for results. It can be an indicator of leadership and exceptional business...and that can mean quality. But I held you somewhat accountable for the message that bigger must mean better. Surely, I was wrong and owe you a passive apology for that. You have long stood for leadership and quality and I knew that. But this last editorial redemonstrates your commitment to that end, and reaffirms C@LL CENTER Solutions™’ position as the pulse of this industry.

Thanks for the message. It means a lot to those of us who want this industry to service and stand for excellence.

Curt Herwers
Vice President of Operations, Strategic Telecommunications, Inc