Welcome
Welcome to the new blog of Better for Everyone, the UK call centre with intelligence, integrity and initiative based in Bradford, West Yorkshire!
The traditional call centre approach has earned the industry its awful sweatshop image and reputation for terrible customer service. I knew there was potential for something much better and that creating my own company with a better, more ethical approach to call centre services was the right thing to do.
Through this blog, we’ll keep you informed of our news and let you know our thoughts on what’s going on in the industry and in management generally, so do keep coming back.
Yesterday, mobile phone giant Orange announced its plans to close its call centre in Bristol, resulting in the loss of 300 jobs. An anonymous spokesman for Orange commented “As part of our strategy to improve, grow and evolve the company, we are continually looking at ways to ensure we are operating in the most efficient way.”
OK – so let me translate – in order to cut costs (perhaps something to do with their impending merger with T Mobile who operate their call centres overseas??), Orange have sacked 300 customer facing staff.
But is that really the smartest thing to do…? Many of the internet sites that published this story had comments posted that not only sympathised with the displaced workers, but also were critical of Orange’s management and customer service. If the company is facing financial challenges, customer service isn’t good enough, then to simply slash jobs in customer service is downright foolish!
I’m not advocating that Orange simply soldier on regardless – that would be commercial suicide. However, I do think they must change the way they work so they are able to deliver better quality more efficiently.
As I’ve said before, this is possible – not through some magical, mystical approach, but through applying a bit of common sense! Instead of focusing on productivity, the management at Orange need to measure what matters to their customers: focus on quality, and trusting and empowering their staff to do what customers ask them to and taking the time to do it right first time, every time. Then their efficiency will be better as a direct consequence.
Delivering a better quality service means lower operating costs, lower prices, improved market share and company growth – which sounds a bit to me like what Orange said they wanted…
So come on Orange – be a bit smarter in your thinking and do something different from the norm in your industry so you can save money and offer a better service to your customers!!!
