DialAmerica

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a project manager in the marketing department at Southern California Edison, an electric company. I primarily focus on marketing objectives and initiatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DialAmerica?

We were switching to a new program that not every customer would benefit from, so we needed to reach out to those who we considered “non-benefitters” to allow them to opt-out. This customer service would go hand in hand with our online communications and marketing pieces about the new program.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DialAmerica provided outbound call services for us. After we identified the extreme “non-benefitters,” their team reached out to them during specific hours and explained the change we were making to our program. Our pilot version of the program affected 400,000 customers and about 20,000 were “non-benefitters” that needed to be reached out to. DialAmerica ensured they acknowledged the situation and made a rate change if necessary.

Our team came up with the basic script, but DialAmerica helped us make changes based on their expertise. Their operators helped us craft different iterations of it based on how customers reacted to it, rewording it to avoid misunderstandings. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with four members of the DialAmerica team, including their vice president, their main training officer, the lead at the Cleveland Call Center, and a salesperson who was my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with DialAmerica?

Their team applied for our RFP and was approved by our company.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with DialAmerica began in October 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We consider it a successful campaign because they were able to reach out to all of our customers in a shorter time period than anticipated. Not everyone is happy with their electricity rate and might want to complain once they have them on the phone, but DialAmerica took that in stride.

How did DialAmerica perform from a project management standpoint?

They reached the 4–6 week deadline we initially set early. They followed all of the procedures in place. Training went very well and whenever they had some turnover they were able to get new reps up to speed very quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Working with DialAmerica was a team effort. I wasn’t just directing them, they made sure to work with us directly. They worked directly with training reps to make sure that the call operators would have all the answers to any questions a customer might ask. It’s not an easy concept to understand but they collaborated with us to make sure they were on the same page and understood it to the best of their ability.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only negative was the time difference because the call center was in Cleveland. It worked out fine, they made sure to time the calls for Pacific time. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, just a preference.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Engage with them early on so you can work out any potential bumps in the road. The earlier you start, the fewer hiccups you’ll have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the assistant agency director at a company that sells supplemental health insurance to individuals, families, and small businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DialAmerica?

We wanted them to handle our lead generation services. Our direct mail was declining, so we wanted to develop other lead sources, such as telemarketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created an outbound calling program for small businesses. We work together to write a legally approved script and then contact small businesses. Appointments to talk about health insurance needs are then set up. The program has grown from around 200 hours to 3,000 hours of calling per month.

They have the representatives, manage all training, and perform all training. Their team doesn’t talk about our products, they essentially set appointments that go to our local office. After that, we handle the rest of the process. Initially, they were just the recipient of inbound calls from a mailer or display ad. However, we decided we could use them for outbound calling as well.

What is the team composition?

They provide calling representatives. We work with the managers to give an overall strategy and structure.

How did you come to work with DialAmerica?

We were doing a multi-channel marketing campaign with a marketing firm and part of their solution was using DialAmerica for inbound calling. That’s how we got to know them.

How much have you invested with them?

In the initial stages, we were spending $8,000–$9,000 per month. In the last nine months, we’ve been spending approximately $100,000 per month. In total, it’s been around $700,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in April 2017 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

If it weren’t working, we wouldn’t keep ordering it. They kept sticking with it so that we’re at 3,000 hours. The fact that it’s grown is a testament to the quality and value of the service. The results speak for themselves. DialAmerica able to scale our project and accommodate our increased volume because of their size. The cost per acquisition we’ve had is far more efficient. We’ve also had far more high-quality leads.

The return on investment is a no-brainer. We’re working on getting the data and reporting set up, but right now our teams have the confidence to keep spending more.

How did DialAmerica perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s been great. We talk every week where we discuss stats and metrics around the calling. There’s a quality review concerning the lead generation and the pricing (it’s charged per hour).

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of leads sets them apart from other providers. A previous company we worked with gave us tons of leads, but they were terrible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The reporting and data collection could be improved. I’m challenging them to give me reporting that’s based on individual orders rather than total calls. They’re working with our IT to get to that point.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just give it time. It takes a while to get a feel for the program.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your company use Business Process Outsourcing services? Did you use to handle these needs in-house?

We use this service for the formality and the image of the company. We want to offer one of professionalism and quality. I have not used this service at home.

What is the volume of inbound calls your company was handling per day?

We receive approximately 30 to 40 calls in a day.

What were your company’s goals for the partnership with this service provider?

Our goal was to improve the quality of the service.

SOLUTION

What does this service provider provide for you on a normal basis?

They handle customer attention, call volume, orders, organization, orders processing, and department distribution.

Could you describe this service provider's pricing structure and how they bill you?

They offer several economical and expensive packages. They invoice everything in a very detailed way.

How did you find and select this service provider?

We found them through publicity and comments from users through social networks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Please assess this service provider's quality of work.

They are very good and provide excellent service.

How much time and money do you estimate that this service provider saves you each month?

I think we save a couple of hours a day, which is about 10 hours a week. We save more than 25% on the cost.

Based on your experience, what takeaways can you share about working with this service provider?

I think it is a job that fits perfectly with companies. It helps them to save time and money and the service demonstrates quality work and professionalism to other companies.

What do you think are the strengths of this service provider?

Their strengths are their organization and speed.​​​​​​​

Where do you think this service provider can improve?

For now, I think the service is perfect.​​​​​​​

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your company use Business Process Outsourcing services? Did you use to handle these needs in-house?

Our company has grown exponentially. We have required the services of this company to be able to more efficiently handle all the customer service calls we receive on a daily basis.

What is the volume of inbound calls your company was handling per day?

The percentage we manage in the department is 65%. We take into consideration the feedback of our clients to develop better services at their disposal.

What were your company’s goals for the partnership with this service provider?

Our main objective is to get a quick and efficient response for our customers. We want all their suggestions and complaints to be taken as seriously as they deserve, so we need a team that is available 24 hours for our customers.

SOLUTION

What does this service provider provide for you on a normal basis?

DialAmerica provides us with a team available 24 hours a day to answer each and every one of our clients' questions.

Could you describe this service provider's pricing structure and how they bill you?

We have a monthly payment structure with them and they offer discounts for longevity.

How did you find and select this service provider?

Dial America was selected from several companies for its years of service and experience in the area. We had a meeting with the business manager and he offered us a pretty attractive package that we decided to try. The results have been very satisfactory.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Please assess this service provider's quality of work.

Their responsiveness to the work we have requested has been excellent. It has significantly increased efficiency in the area of customer service and we have received excellent feedback from our users.

How much time and money do you estimate that this service provider saves you each month?

We save about $25,000 a month.

Based on your experience, what takeaways can you share about working with this service provider?

For us, working with this company has been very enjoyable. We have only had a few complaints from our users and the responsiveness has increased significantly. We believe it is a highly qualified company.

What do you think are the strengths of this service provider?

Their main strengths are a highly trained staff for the tasks assigned to them and a seriousness in offering their services. They also offer excellent discounts for length of service.​​​​​​​

Where do you think this service provider can improve?

DialAmerica could improve its technological platform a little. Sometimes dropped calls and problems in the lines have been reported. These are very rare cases but we believe that they can improve the user experience.​​​​​​​

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your company require outbound services? Did you use to handle these needs in-house?

The company has been growing and the staff that was assigned to those tasks is required in other areas. We decided to contract these services in order to streamline the processes and offer a better result for the consumer.

What is the volume of outbound calls your company was handling per day?

Before the new expansions we handled a number of between 100 and 200 calls per day. With recent expansions the number has increased exponentially to between 300 and 500 calls per day.

What were your company’s goals for the partnership with this service provider?

Our goal was to obtain better results in customer service, and that is a priority for our company. We also wanted to make internal lines less congested.

SOLUTION

What do they provide for you on a normal basis?

DialAmerica offers domestic call center services adapted to our business needs for customer acquisition and retention. More than 300 calls are received and made daily throughout the state and the country.

Could you describe their pricing structure and how they bill you?

They offer monthly billing and discounts on a certain number of calls.

How did you find and select your them?

An online search was done and an appointment was made with the company's business advisor, where we explained the services and availability required.​​​​​​

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Please assess their quality of work.

The quality is excellent. It undoubtedly has greatly improved the performance and customer service experience.

How much time and money do you estimate that they save you each month?

They save us between $15,000 and $20,000 a month, and more than 20 hours per week.

Based on your experience, what takeaways can you share about working with them?

They have proven to be a very efficient company, with an excellent technology that meets all the needs of their customers and consumers.

What do you think are their strengths?

I believe that DialAmerica's main strength lies in providing the service that is offered, a quality service that stands out among other companies of the same style. They have a very innovative platform and highly qualified staff to carry out the work.

Where do you think they can improve?

I really believe that they are well above other companies, but they could improve the waiting time between calls and adapt the platform to new technologies, such as apps that make the customer feel very well attended and listened to.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your firm need outbound services? Did you previously handle these needs in-house?

We need this service because we handle a large volume of orders.

What was the volume of outbound calls your company was handling per day?

80% of calls.

What challenge were you trying to address with the service provider?

Our goals were for them to use experts to receive our orders.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the service provider's involvement?

They receive our large volume of orders and organize them by dates.

Could you describe the service provider's pricing structure and how they billed you?

The contract is short term. They bill us every 3 months.

How did you come to work with this service provider?

We found them through an online search.

How would you assess the service provider's ability to conduct outbound sales calls, generate new business, and handle customer issues?

They meet deadlines efficiently.

How much time, in hours, does this service provider save you each month?

Many hours.

How much money does this service provider save you each month?

Their service saves us thousands of dollars. We are satisfied.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What takeaways and measures of success can you share about working with this service provider?

I recommended it. We are satisfied with their work.

What are the service provider's strengths?

Efficiency and quality are their strong points.

How can the service provider improve?

There are no areas for improvement.

How long has your company been working with this service provider?

We began in 2016.

How much money do you spend annually with this service provider?

Over $10,000,000.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your firm need inbound services? Did you previously handle these needs in-house?

We recieve a lot of calls day by day and we cannot lose time answering them.

How many inbound calls did your company handle every day? How much time did your employees spend on the phone every day?

We have around one to two thousand calls every day.

What challenge were you trying to address with the service provider?

We needed to reduce the time spent on attending to these phone calls.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the service provider's involvement?

The answer and take care of the calls.

Could you describe the pricing structure and how they billed you?

We pay them on a long-term basis through a package deal.

How did you come to work with this service provider?

We found them via an online search.

How would you assess the service provider for answering calls, customer service, and communication?

Their customer service is great.

How much time, in hours, does this service provider save you each month?

They save us an average of 5 days per month and around $15,000 per month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What takeaways and measures of success can you share about working with this service provider?

They are the best in their industry.

What are the service provider's strengths?

They have the best employees.

How can the service provider improve?

They could have better and less expensive packages.

How long has your company been working with this service provider?

We have been working with them since October 2012.

How much money do you spend annually with this service provider?

We spend around $10,000 to $49,999 every year.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your firm need inbound services? Did you previously handle these needs in-house?

We have hundreds of calls that come through daily, 24 hours a day. It is impossible for one person to handle it all. I have never handled the calls myself.

How many inbound calls did your company handle every day? How much time did your employees spend on the phone every day?

Well over 500 calls were coming through per day.

What challenge were you trying to address with the service provider?

We wanted to have our incoming calls answered efficiently and courteously.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the service provider's involvement?

They provide us several customer care receptionists.

Could you describe the pricing structure and how they billed you?

They bill us monthly by call volume, so the pricing fluctuates.

How did you come to work with this service provider?

I believe our corporate communications team discovered them.

How would you assess the service provider for answering calls, customer service, and communication?

They are courteous, efficient, always professional, and complaints are almost nil.

How much time, in hours, does this service provider save you each month?

They save us many hours, but I’m unsure how much they save us financially.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What takeaways and measures of success can you share about working with this service provider?

They permit us to devote our time to more urgent matters.

What are the service provider's strengths?

They are compassionate, friendly, and well-trained.

How can the service provider improve?

I think they are fine as is.

How long has your company been working with this service provider?

They became our service provider 5 years ago in 2012.

How much money do you spend annually with this service provider?

I would say it is between the ranges of $50,000 to $199,999.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your firm need inbound services? Did you previously handle these needs in-house?

We have a permanent need, it is not seasonal. We need inbound customer support for our clients.

How many inbound calls did your company handle every day? How much time did your employees spend on the phone every day?

It is at least 51 percent of our work. It is needed for our company.

What challenge were you trying to address with the service provider?

Our goal was to use a well known and established firm for our company success.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the service provider's involvement?

We use their software so we can handle our customer satisfaction and new and existing orders.

Could you describe the pricing structure and how they billed you?

It is a package deal and we can cancel at any time because we are not under contract.

How did you come to work with this service provider?

We did research from a Google search along with past references from our staff and industry specialists.

How would you assess the service provider for answering calls, customer service, and communication?

They have performed well for us both now and in the past.

How much time, in hours, does this service provider save you each month?

They provide us with substanial savings on a monthly basis.

How much money does this service provider save you each month?

N/A.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What takeaways and measures of success can you share about working with this service provider?

They have performed well for us and have a reputation for being better then other services.

What are the service provider's strengths?

They have strong brand name recognition and a solid reputation. They offer quality services at a fair price.

How can the service provider improve?

They could update their software on a regular basis.

How long has your company been working with this service provider?

We've worked with them since August 2016 and it ended in August 2017.

How much money do you spend annually with this service provider?

We spend $10,000 to $49,999.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your firm need inbound services? Did you previously handle these needs in-house?

We need them for customer services. It was handled in-house before but it's more cost effective to outsource.

How many inbound calls did your company handle every day? How much time did your employees spend on the phone every day?

1000.

What challenge were you trying to address with the service provider?

Our goals were to have DialAmerica filter the calls and only direct specific calls to the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the service provider's involvement?

They handle customer calls.

Could you describe the pricing structure and how they billed you?

We have a package deal and it's short-term.

How did you come to work with this service provider?

They were recommended by our senior management.

How would you assess the service provider for answering calls, customer service, and communication?

They respond quickly and meet their service level.

How much time, in hours, does this service provider save you each month?

80-100.

How much money does this service provider save you each month?

$5,000-$7,500.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What takeaways and measures of success can you share about working with this service provider?

They're very professional and can resolve issues quickly.

What are the service provider's strengths?

They treat their employees well.

How can the service provider improve?

They could have better pricing.

How long has your company been working with this service provider?

Aug. 2015 - Ongoing.

How much money do you spend annually with this service provider?

$10,000 to $49,999.