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In this episode of the Advice from a Call Center Geek podcast, we unveil our highly anticipated 2025 Geek Gauge CCaaS Rankings.

We break down the comprehensive analysis of the top 19 Contact Center as a Service platforms, showing which vendors truly lead the pack in 2025.

Using a groundbreaking approach that combines ChatGPT's analytical capabilities with Deep Research, we've evaluated each platform across 18 critical criteria.

Whether you're considering a CCaaS migration, evaluating your current vendor, or just keeping tabs on the industry, this vendor-neutral assessment provides the clarity you need to make informed decisions.

From AI capabilities to cost transparency, integration ecosystems to operational excellence try to cover it all.

Don't miss this essential guide to the current CCaaS landscape, where technology meets practical real-world application through the eyes of AI.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In 2025, outsourcing isn’t just about price, it’s about AI, partnership, tech, and long-term CX strategy.

In this episode, Tom Laird breaks down exactly what to look for in a modern contact center outsourcing partner and how to build an RFP that separates real CX tech players from the fluff.

From AI expectations and data transparency to platform flexibility and agent experience, this is your blueprint for setting the bar higher and finding a partner who can actually meet it.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:

Are your post-call surveys actually providing meaningful insights, or just creating a dangerous illusion of customer understanding?

In this eye-opening episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we tackle the uncomfortable truth about those NPS and CSAT metrics your executive team loves so much.

The shocking reality? Only 1 in 20 customers actually completes these surveys, yet companies continue making major strategic decisions based on this minuscule, heavily biased sample.

After examining the latest research and industry data, we're ready to challenge everything you thought you knew about customer feedback collection. This episode breaks down:

Why survey response rates have plummeted to a dismal 5% and what this means for data reliability
How extreme response bias creates a distorted picture of your actual customer experience
The fundamental flaws in survey methodologies that no amount of tweaking can fix
Why AI-powered sentiment analysis across 100% of interactions represents the future of customer insights
Practical steps to transition your contact center to more reliable feedback mechanisms

Whether you're a contact center director, CX professional, or operations manager, this episode delivers the wake-up call your customer experience strategy desperately needs.

Stop making decisions based on feedback from just 5% of your customers and discover how to capture the complete voice of your customer base.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Traditional contact center metrics like Average Handle Time and Customer Satisfaction scores have served the industry well for decades. But as AI transforms how we serve customers, through virtual agents, agent assistance tools, auto-quality assurance, and intelligent summarization, yesterday's KPIs are no longer enough.

In this groundbreaking episode, we explore the new measurement framework required for AI-powered contact centers. We'll dissect traditional metrics, introduce essential new KPIs for measuring AI effectiveness, and provide a practical roadmap for evolving your measurement approach.

Whether you're just beginning your AI journey or already operating a sophisticated digital-first contact center, this episode delivers actionable insights on:

Virtual agent performance metrics beyond simple containment
Measuring effective human-AI collaboration
Tracking the complete customer journey across AI and human touchpoints
Calculating the true ROI of your AI investments

Join me as we redefine what success looks like in the age of AI-powered customer experience.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Most QA programs score agents but don’t actually develop them—and that’s the problem. In this episode, we break down how to move beyond compliance-based QA and use real call insights to coach smarter, faster, and better.

You’ll learn:
Why high QA scores don’t always mean high performance
How to shift from traditional QA to coaching-driven QA
The power of Auto QA tools like OttoQa.com for real-time coaching insights
How micro-coaching leads to faster, more effective agent development

Stop grading agents and start developing them. Tune in and discover how to turn QA insights into coaching gold!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this thought-provoking episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we dive deep into one of the most contested questions in customer service technology:

Can artificial intelligence truly demonstrate empathy, and how do we meaningfully measure it?

While tech companies tout their AI's emotional intelligence capabilities, we'll cut through the marketing hype to examine what empathy really means in customer interactions.

We'll explore practical examples from call centers where AI handles emotionally charged situations, comparing them with human responses to similar scenarios.

Through real case studies and expert insights, we'll break down the components of empathy, from emotional recognition to appropriate response selection - and assess how AI systems measure up against these criteria.

Rather than accepting the binary "AI can/cannot be empathetic" debate, we'll examine the nuanced reality of how AI systems process and respond to emotional cues.

We'll discuss concrete metrics used in call centers to evaluate emotional intelligence, whether applied to human agents or AI systems, and question whether these measurements truly capture the essence of empathy.

This episode challenges both AI skeptics and enthusiasts to reconsider their assumptions.

For call center leaders and CX professionals, we'll provide actionable frameworks to evaluate AI solutions beyond the buzzwords, helping you make informed decisions about implementing emotionally intelligent automation in your customer service operations.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tired of the AI hype cycle? In this straight-shooting episode, we're diving into what's actually happening with AI in customer experience operations right now. Not what vendors are promising, not what futurists are predicting, but the real deal from someone in the trenches.

You'll discover what's genuinely working, what's still smoke and mirrors, and most importantly, how to build your roadmap for 2025.

We're unpacking real implementation stories, revealing common pitfalls, and sharing the frameworks you need to evaluate what's right for your organization.

Key takeaways:

The truth about current AI capabilities in CX (no sugar coating)
Which use cases are delivering real value today
Critical steps to prepare your team and infrastructure
A practical framework for your 2025 planning
The mistakes you can't afford to make

Whether you're just starting your AI journey or trying to optimize your current operations, this episode gives you the unfiltered insights and actionable steps you need to move forward with confidence.

Time to cut through the noise and get real about AI in CX.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

As we wrap up another year, it's time for our highly anticipated ACG 2025 Predictions Episode! In this special forecast, we'll dive deep into the future of technology and customer experience, sharing valuable insights from the entire Expivia team.

What groundbreaking technologies will reshape the CX landscape? How will AI continue to evolve in the customer service space? What new challenges and opportunities await contact centers in 2025? Join us as we break down our expert predictions and analyze the trends that will define the industry over the next 12 months.

Drawing from our hands-on experience and industry expertise, we'll explore everything from emerging digital solutions to shifting customer expectations. Whether you're a CX professional, technology enthusiast, or business leader, you won't want to miss these critical insights into what's coming in 2025!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

(I apologize for the poor audio on this episode, we had a mic failure, but the content is awesome so I hope you still find value!)

In this episode of the ACG podcast we explore the future of contact center outsourcing in 2025. We dive into what a modern BPO RFP should include, moving beyond buzzwords like 'white glove service' and 'scalability' to focus on the advanced capabilities and innovations shaping next-gen outsourcing.

If you're planning to outsource your contact center operations, this session will provide actionable insights to help you make informed decisions and unlock the full potential of your partnerships. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead in the evolving world of customer experience.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

The way contact centers approach Quality Assurance is undergoing a major transformation, and AI is at the heart of it.

In this episode, we explore how advanced tools are enabling intent analysis, uncovering customer behavior patterns, and streamlining QA processes to deliver more meaningful insights.

Learn how solutions like OttoQa are helping contact centers move beyond traditional scoring models, driving smarter evaluations, and creating better customer outcomes. If you're looking to future-proof your QA strategy, this conversation is a must-listen.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are almost here, bringing the year's biggest sales rush! For contact centers, this is the Super Bowl of customer service, and preparation is everything.

In this episode of ACG, we dive into updated best practices to help your team stay ahead, deliver exceptional customer experiences, and handle the holiday sales frenzy like pros. Whether you're looking to optimize staffing, fine-tune your processes, or leverage AI tools to manage the madness, we've got you covered. Get ready to crush this year's holiday sales season!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of ACG, we explore how small and medium-sized businesses can harness authentic artificial intelligence to transform their contact centers without overspending.

With a flood of so-called "AI" products in the market, we help you distinguish genuine solutions from the fakes to ensure you're investing wisely. Learn how focusing on Knowledge Management Systems, smart integrations, and agent-level AI tools can deliver immediate ROI.

Whether you're facing challenges with lower interaction volumes or cost barriers, this episode offers practical strategies to help you compete with industry giants and boost customer satisfaction.

Tune in for actionable insights that make real AI accessible and effective for SMBs.

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Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Join me for an exciting episode where I take a deep dive into the heart of my latest book, False Hustle. Many contact centers and CX leaders are unknowingly sabotaging their own success by focusing on misguided efforts to appear productive.

In this episode, I’ll be sharing insights on how to break the cycle of false hustle and transform customer experience from the ground up. We’ll explore how to strike the perfect balance between the efficiency of AI and the irreplaceable human touch.

Tune in for:

Practical strategies to improve your contact center
Real-world examples of CX transformation
Actionable advice to make your customer service a genuine powerhouse of satisfaction and loyalty

Whether you're a contact center pro or just curious about the future of CX, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek," we dive into the challenging world of dealing with angry customers.

Discover five powerful, actionable techniques that can transform heated interactions into opportunities for building customer loyalty. Perfect for contact center managers and agents alike, this episode covers:

The Empathy + Action Combo
The Interruption Buster
The Ownership Approach
The Reframing Technique
The Calm Questioning Method

Learn how to diffuse tension, regain control of the conversation, and turn frustrated customers into satisfied ones. Packed with real-world examples and practical tips, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to elevate their customer service game. Tune in to transform the way you handle difficult customer interactions!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Did you ever ask yourself what the high-end contact centers are doing differently? In this ACGpodcast, we dive deep into the cutting-edge technologies that set elite customer service operations apart from the rest.

This is how we are developing our strategic plan for Expivia.

From AI-powered chatbots to advanced analytics, we explore the tools and strategies that are revolutionizing the way top companies interact with their customers. Whether you're a business owner looking to upgrade your customer service or a tech enthusiast curious about the future of communication, this podcast offers invaluable insights into the world of high-tech contact centers.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

The contact center industry is evolving, and with that evolution, contact centers of all types are starting to learn valuable lessons.

In this episode, we'll dive into how the BPO landscape is changing, what these changes mean for customers, and the latest AI tools you should be asking for in your outsourcing RFPs.

Don’t let the title fool you, this episode is essential for anyone running a contact center.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Join us as we dive into the journey of founding and growing OttoQa, a cutting-edge AI-powered Customer Experience (CX) company. In this episode, we'll share our firsthand experiences, lessons learned, and the challenges we faced in building a fully automated QA platform. Discover the strategies and insights that helped us innovate in the CX industry, the role of AI in transforming quality assurance, and tips for aspiring entrepreneurs. Whether you're a CX professional, tech enthusiast, or entrepreneur, this podcast is packed with valuable takeaways to inspire and inform your journey. Tune in to explore the future of AI in CX with OttoQa!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

What if you could transform your call center’s efficiency and agent performance overnight? This episode guarantees you’ll walk away with actionable insights on crafting the ultimate QA forms for both voice and chat channels.

We’ll guide you on defining the crucial goals for your QA forms, such as enhancing agent performance, ensuring compliance, and extracting valuable customer interaction insights. With the collective wisdom from examining hundreds of QA forms, we’ll provide practical tips to structure your forms for maximum impact.

Whether you’re running a large or small contact center, these insights will significantly enhance your training and performance evaluation processes. Don't miss these transformative strategies to elevate your call center operations and deliver exceptional customer experiences!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this ACG episode, we dive into the transformative impact of AI on customer service QA. Hosted by Tom Laird, the CEO of Expivia Interaction Marketing Group and OttoQa, this session explores how ChatGPT and Claude 3 enhance call analysis and agent performance monitoring.

Discover effective system prompting and its role in refining quality assurance for consistency and high accuracy, with standards reaching 96-97.5%. Learn the nuances of differentiating between sales and retention calls, assessing customer sentiment, and how these insights lead to clear communication.

This guide offers practical steps for integrating AI Auto QA into your business, enabling detailed data analysis and report generation. Ready to elevate your quality assurance strategies with AI? Tune in to find out how.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Are you overwhelmed by the relentless push to overhaul your contact center with AI? Let's clear the air about the real impact of AI in this industry.

My recent talks reveal a surprising fact: many companies are not rushing into AI as believed. In reality, few have a detailed plan or have started implementation.

Join me in a practical journey as we create a roadmap for incorporating technology thoughtfully in your contact center.

Drawing from my latest engagements in Philadelphia and Miami, we'll focus on using what you already have efficiently and investing wisely, not hastily.

We advocate a thoughtful approach to innovation, ensuring you adopt AI at a manageable pace, suited to your business needs. This discussion is about building a strong foundation for growth, stepping into AI with confidence and a well-defined strategy for success.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tune into our latest ACG podcast episode, "Will Auto QA Platforms End the Era of Traditional CX Analytics?" where we dive into the world of customer experience analytics.

We’ll explore and compare the tools and techniques behind both Auto QA platforms and traditional analytics methods. This friendly chat is packed with insights about how each approach handles customer data and what makes them unique.

Join Tom as he unravels the complexities and discuss the future possibilities of integrating or balancing these technologies in the world of customer experience management. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or just curious about the latest trends, this episode is for you!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Join Tom in this insightful podcast episode recorded at the HDI Philly event held at Princeton University.

Delve into groundbreaking strategies and cutting-edge technologies, including AI, to revolutionize your service desk operations. Drawing from his leadership at Expivia, where he expanded the team to over 600 professionals, and his innovative work at OttoQA, Tom shares advanced methods that enhance operational efficiency and elevate customer satisfaction.

Explore the latest trends, tools, and best practices reshaping service desks across industries.

Whether you aim to optimize your current operations or completely transform your service approach, this episode offers expert advice and actionable insights to propel you to the forefront of industry excellence.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Dive into the transformative journey of OttoQa, where we've uncovered the profound impact of prompts in elevating customer experience (CX) quality assurance (QA) processes. This podcast (taken from a Linkedin Live Event) brings the insights and methodologies from our extensive experience directly to you, focusing on the art and science of crafting effective prompts for QA automation.

Explore a rich discussion on both the fundamental and advanced strategies that have revolutionized our approach to prompts. This episode is designed not just to share knowledge but to inspire action. We encourage listeners to experiment with these techniques in their operations, building confidence in the technology and its application before making any significant investments or deployments.

Whether you're aiming to refine your CX prompting strategies or are curious about their potential to transform your service center, this podcast serves as your guide to unlocking the power of effective prompting. Join us in discovering the methods that have not only propelled our journey forward but also have the potential to redefine the landscape of customer service excellence.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This podcast is based on the presentation I delivered in Miami at the "CX Under the Sun Event" to more than 100 CX professionals who are just beginning their journey with CX AI transformation.

During the presentation, I share my views on what is considered "real" regarding AI in the current market, what to be cautious about, and how to initiate AI integration within your organizations.

You won't find any unnecessary content or theoretical discussions here. It's all about the essential tools you should start exploring now and the reasons these tools need further development, regardless of what you might hear from AI technology providers.

DM me on Linkedin if you would like the deck from this talk!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

As we step into 2024, the realms of Customer Experience (CX), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and contact centers are poised at the brink of transformative change.

Let's explore the exciting, realistic predictions that are shaping the future of these industries. These are part prediction and part wish list for what I would like 2024 to become.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Join me, Tom Laird, and John Coulter from Five Star Call Centers, as we journey into a conversation on "Advice from a Call Center Geek."

Key Highlights:

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸:
What does the horizon look like for contact centers in the next two years? We're discussing trends, challenges, and opportunities that await!

𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 & 𝗥𝗢𝗜:
Which technologies are set to revolutionize contact centers? We're exploring the tools that promise the highest utility and return on investment.

𝗢𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲/𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝘃𝗲:
How is the nearshoring trend reshaping our industry? We analyze its impact on quality, costs, and overall strategy.

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝘆 𝗖𝗫 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵:
The big debate! Should companies build their own CX tech or invest in market solutions? We weigh the pros and cons.

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗣𝗢:
Unveiling the emerging 'Champion vs Champion' trend in BPO and its implications for the industry.

Don't miss out on these crucial insights that could redefine your business strategy and customer engagement approach. Listen, learn, and let's discuss! Your thoughts and experiences matter.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This podcast episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek", titled "AI Tools in CX: The Truth about ROI," delves into the practical aspects and return on investment (ROI) of AI technologies in the context of contact centers.

It critically examines various AI tools like large language model chatbots, analytics, agent assist, and auto quality assurance, discussing their suitability, cost implications, and impact on customer experience for different sizes of contact centers.

The episode provides insights into the evolving AI landscape, emphasizing the need for contact centers to carefully assess the real value and applicability of AI solutions in their operations.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Welcome back to "Advice from a Call Center Geek," the podcast dedicated to enhancing your contact center operations! In today's episode, we dive into the often confusing world of technology for small contact centers. With the holiday season approaching and AI becoming a buzzword, we aim to clarify and simplify your tech choices.

Key Points Discussed:

Bridging Contact Center Operations and AI:
We explore how AI is shaping the industry, moving beyond the hype to practical applications, especially for smaller centers.

Technology for Small Contact Centers:
We focus on contact centers with under 100 seats, discussing how to select the right tools without getting overwhelmed by sales pitches for unnecessary tech.

Practical Advice:
We offer actionable insights on platforms suitable for different sizes of contact centers, from micro setups to those nearing 100 seats. This includes a detailed look at CCaaS and UCaaS platforms, and when each is appropriate.

Budget-Friendly Solutions:
We discuss cost-effective alternatives for quality
assurance, knowledge management, and other essential tools, emphasizing the use of AI and tools like ChatGPT to automate processes.

Hardware Recommendations:
Practical tips on choosing computers, headsets, and operating systems that offer the best value for money.

This episode is not just about technology trends; it's about making informed decisions that truly benefit your contact center. Tune in for an insightful journey through the maze of contact center tech!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek," we jump into expert tips for setting up a successful contact center, drawing from our experiences at Expivia.

Learn about optimal team structures, effective management ratios, and strategies that foster efficiency and customer satisfaction.

This episode is a treasure trove for anyone looking to enhance their contact center operations, offering practical advice and insights that can transform your approach to customer service.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek," we dive into a topic that's known for stirring up plenty of debates and strong feelings: CcaaS platforms.

I'm eager to offer my perspective on what's happening in the world of these providers right now. We'll explore the various aspects that make this topic so controversial and why opinions vary widely in the industry.

My aim is to provide you with a detailed understanding of the current landscape, drawing from my experiences and observations in the field.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Imagine navigating the rapid changes in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI). How do BPOs need to adapt and evolve to stay competitive in this AI-driven landscape? That's what we're discussing in this enlightening episode, drawing insights from a seminar at the Google campus and exploring the potential of technology to revolutionize contact centers.

With a focus on enhancing customer experience (CX), we delve into how technology can be a gamechanger. From backfilling headcount to reducing average handle time, we explore how becoming CX partners for clients can transform your business. We also examine how analytics can provide a deeper understanding of customer sentiment and how gamification can add value to the customer journey.

Are you ready for the future of BPO technology? We discuss how BPOs need to become proficient in the latest tools to offer value to customers. From leveraging features like auto summarization and Agent Assist to understanding the impact of chat GPT and its new voice capabilities, we cover it all. We also highlight the significance of automated voice services in increasing customer engagement. Tune in, stay updated, and remain competitive in this ever-evolving industry.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This episode is less theory and more "What you need to do!"
This audio recording is from the LinkedIn Audio Event we hosted on Friday, November 3, 2023. It's an in-depth discussion that covers all the preliminary steps you should consider before embarking on your journey into Artificial Intelligence.

We also explore the various tools that can significantly enhance your experience and effectiveness in the field. Additionally, the conversation includes insights into some of the most exciting and innovative tools that we anticipate will emerge in the AI landscape soon.

This episode is aimed at providing you with a comprehensive understanding of how to get started with AI and the technologies that could play a crucial role in shaping your experience.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙄𝙩 𝙃𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙"
NICE's remarkable team flew Tom to New Jersey at the White Eagle Hall, to step into "The Room Where It Happened," their exclusive video series that casts a spotlight on the pulse and prospects of Customer Experience (CX). There, Tom's own audio narrative brought to life what we regard as one of our most compelling podcast episodes and one of our all time personal favorites!

In "The Room Where It Happened," our podcast dives into the transformative role of AI in contact centers, showcasing its capacity to streamline traditional roles and pave the way for innovative practices. Tom provides insight into the future of quality assurance and the unique opportunities AI presents for BPOs to differentiate themselves. The discussion culminates powerfully, drawing from Tom's tenure at Expivia, demonstrating how integrating AI with a focus on people can greatly enhance staff retention and customer relations, paralleling the influential outcomes crafted in history's most notable CX rooms.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we take you into the keynote speech that Tom gave at the Google Complex in Boulder Colorado to a group of contact center outsourcing company leaders which was sponsored by NICE, Google, and Outsource Consultants.

We've transitioned Expivia from just being a "contact center outsourcer" to embracing our role as a "CX technology partner" and give the full case study about this in this episode.

The shift in perspective?

It's not just about answering calls and chats anymore; it's about leveraging technology to enhance customer experience.

Key takeaways:

• Adapting to Change: Reframing our identity alleviates the fear that comes with evolving business landscapes.
• Tech Investments Then: It used to be about direct ROI and customer value for each tech buy.

• Tech Investments Now: We view technology holistically. Not every tool will promise immediate ROI, but together, they drive value and competitive advantage.

• The Reality of Agent Assist: While I grapple with its direct profitability, it's undeniable that it's becoming an industry norm, crucial for winning new business.

As we continue this journey, our focus remains: Balancing tech investments to ensure both our growth and enhanced customer value.

If you are a BPO, 2024 will be a huge year to think through these changes.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Ready for a peek into the AI-driven future of contact centers? Dive in with our special guest, Robbert Dijkstra of Deepdesk. Discover how AI transforms both the agent and customer experience in digital mediums like chat. Robbert shares how automation not only boosts productivity but also reduces repetitive tasks for agents.

Grasp the crucial role of data in shaping large language models. When integrated with customer interactions and context, the results are a stellar customer experience.

Delve into the upcoming trends in language models for contact centers and the tech advancements businesses can embrace.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Here is a quick min-pod on some initial thoughts on the 350 million dollar purchase of LiveVox by NICE.

This is essentially a union of two firms where one's strengths balance out the other's limitations.

The Cxone Dialer is mediocre, and certainly not a standout in the industry, whereas CXone continues to be the industry front-runner for inbound CcaaS.

On the other hand, LiveVox boasts an outstanding outbound service with a vast portfolio of outbound clients. However, they've struggled to gain momentum in the inbound CX domain.

In my opinion, this merger is a strategic move for both companies. Relying solely on outbound strategies in today's regulatory environment is challenging, and I believe LiveVox was aware of this.

On the Cxone side, they now have arguably the best outbound platform in the market.

#ccaas #cxone #callcenter #contactcenter #callcentergeek #cx

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Ready to transform crisis into opportunity? In this episode, we promise to arm you with practical strategies and cutting-edge tools to navigate the choppy waters of crisis management in contact centers. We use our insights and experiences to illuminate the potential of modern Customer Experience tools to mitigate such crises. With our guidance, you'll learn about setting up minimalistic self-service websites, deploying AI chatbots to deliver vital information, and strategizing to handle customer complaints effectively.

We don't stop there! Harnessing social media during crisis communications can significantly make a difference. Listen as we unfold various social media strategies, right from TikTok Lives, Q&A sessions, to effective email campaigns.

We also delve into the mechanics of adjusting IVR systems, routing calls to BPOs, and utilizing analytics. We shine light on the importance of maintaining consistent messaging for an enhanced customer experience. By the end, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to not just survive a crisis, but to leverage it for growth. So sit back, and let's change the game of crisis management together!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Ready to unlock the secrets of automated QA in your contact center? This episode is brimming with insights about using chatGPT to revolutionize your QA, promising to transform how you approach your work. We walk side by side with you, through the labyrinth of user accounts and databases, right up to crafting prompts for a form from a client.

Ever wondered how to ask the most effective questions and generate impactful call evaluation outputs? Your search ends here. We navigate the crucial waters of quantifiable metrics, systems to rate calls using binary points and CSAT scores, and the power of leveraging a confidence score for each assessment.

As we round up our discussion, we lift the veil on how AI can categorize call transcripts and the potential scalability of a SaaS model for larger companies. We touch upon our exciting, upcoming Discord, and share the success of our MVP. Delving into the importance of alpha and beta testing, we also explain the immense benefits of employing chat gbt to automate QA. Whether you're seeking to enhance your QA system or merely curious, this episode promises a treasure trove of actionable insights. Buckle up and join us on this journey!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Dive into our mini podcast on our new value add OttoQA!

Discover how we're reshaping the landscape of QA for call centers with fewer than 50 agents. Say goodbye to spreadsheet hassles and embrace AI-driven efficiency.

Plus, find out how you can become an integral part of our journey as an Alpha and Beta partner. Don't miss this quick but informative listen.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In "Revolutionizing Call Centers with ChatGPT Prompts," we unveil the power of AI in redefining call center operations. This episode is a goldmine for managers and supervisors, as we share the best prompts to optimize and streamline your operations.

Dive deep with us into the crux of Overall Operations to decipher key performance metrics and understand their implications. Learn how Workforce Management can be demystified with the Erlang C formula and ChatGPT. Uncover the transformative potential of targeted Training simulations based on real-world scenarios.

Enhance agent responsiveness with the Agent Assist system, drawing from the most common queries and challenges. Explore the nuances of Analytics, using ChatGPT to identify trends, bottlenecks, and areas ripe for improvement.

Delve into QA to understand how to ensure consistent, top-tier service quality. And finally, discover the art of Coaching, using AI insights to provide pinpointed feedback for agent growth.

This isn't just about harnessing AI but maximizing its potential for tangible results. We're giving away the best prompts to supercharge your contact center.

Tune in, apply, and witness the transformation!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Episode 200!

Dive into the evolving landscape of AI in the contact center QA space with our next Advice from a Call Center Geek podcast!

Chris Mounce of EvaluAgent® returns to go head-to-head with our host Tom Laird in a riveting debate.

Can AI truly automate scorecards, or are we still testing the waters? How do we ensure quality in AI-powered QA, and how should we interpret and leverage the data it generates? Discover the most practical AI use-cases in QA right now.

We're peeling back the curtain on how organizations are capitalizing on the low-hanging fruit of AI implementation as it relates to QA.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Envision a reality where Artificial Intelligence (AI) commandeers your customer service. Consider AI not merely conducting routine transactions but also enhancing intricate and emotionally nuanced dialogues with your customers.

Is this a far-off dream or a prevailing reality?

We dive into this and much more in our recent "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast episode with customer experience maestro and influencer, James Dodkins.

We embark on a journey through the realm of 'autonomous enterprises', where businesses are leveraging AI and automation to revolutionize customer interactions and maximize operational efficiency.

Looking ahead at the future of call centers, we discuss an interesting contradiction - the level of expertise required to substitute AI and automation could paradoxically increase the status of call center agents. There are some truly thought-provoking discussion points here.

We conclude the hour-long episode by deliberating on the role of trust in the era of AI.

This episode is a must-listen if you're contemplating the implications of AI on customer experience!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Ever wondered how your contact center could save significant costs while keeping up with the QA process? Brace yourself for an enlightening discussion and AMA where we unravel the potential of AI in transforming Quality Assurance in your contact center.

We'll take you through our early journey of automating QA processes, sharing our experiments with chat GPT and how its possible for any contact center to start to think through the process of using AI for QA.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

You are just a click away from transforming your contact center from a drab workspace to a vibrant one; come join me, Tom Laird, as we revolutionize your call center experience. I promise to share the secrets to creating a positive and effort-driven culture, where attitude and effort outweigh resumes. I'm excited to share insights from my own journey of managing a contact center, making it a more desirable place to work, and how we can adopt these practices to revamp any workplace culture.

This episode is a treasure-chest of practical tips. Learn about changing your hiring process that prioritizes culture, and the innovative ways to motivate and promote your agents. I'll share the importance of rewarding the best agents, not just the longest tenured, and creating an environment that values the agents who align with it. We'll also explore the critical role of culture in organizations, with a focus on building a strong team of agents who truly embody that culture.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Imagine having the power to reshape customer experience in your call center with artificial intelligence. What if you could emulate the behaviour of your most effective agents, optimize IVR, manage workforces, and even facilitate self-service with AI? Get ready to explore how AI is transforming the world of customer service, as we delve into these possibilities and much more. From digital twins to generative chatbots, we bring you the inside scoop on how AI models are revolutionizing customer interactions.

Moving on from AI's current impact, we'll also step into the future trends that are shaping the contact center universe. Ever thought about AI translating customer conversations in real time or using augmented and virtual reality applications in your call center? Perhaps you've considered the potential of blockchain technology to bolster your customer data security? We'll dissect these trends, discussing their potential and how they can be harnessed for your business. Whether you're interested in improving agent feedback, optimizing call routing or exploring the advantages of a cloud-based system, this episode is packed with insights. So buckle up and get ready for a deep-dive into the world of AI in call centers.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Ever wondered how the hustle and bustle of your favorite restaurant correlates with the operations of a call center? Picture yourself at a bustling eatery as we break down the ins and outs of call center metrics in relatable terms. We’ll be interpreting essential terms like incoming calls, cue calls, and abandoned calls in an easy-to-digest format, perfect for those just venturing into the industry.

Now, imagine the chefs at a restaurant, working tirelessly to keep up with the flurry of orders. This is akin to the pressures of metric conversion in service industries, and we'll carefully explore strategies to prevent burnout. We'll discuss key metrics and KPIs like occupancy, average handle time, average talk time, and average queue time. We'll also analyze the longest delay, a crucial element in customer satisfaction, akin to the longest time a patron had to wait for their food!

As we bring it all together, we'll elaborate on how requests from clients can impact metrics such as handle time, and guide you on making decisions that uphold the interests of both your customer and client. Refused calls, working time, occupancy, average handle time, and average profit margin - all these elements will be addressed. Regardless of your background in the call center industry, this episode promises to enhance your understanding of call center metrics and KPIs. Tune in to gain pivotal insights that will elevate your call center's operational efficiency and customer service quality.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Are you struggling with coaching your call center agents effectively? Join us as we explore five popular coaching methods and share personal experiences on how to structure agent coaching sessions for maximum results. With insights on the GROW method, the Oscar method, and more, you'll learn how to help your agents take control of their calls and elevate their performance.

This episode is packed with valuable discussions on various coaching models, including the GROW, OSKAR, COACH, CLEAR, and STEPPPA models. We delve into the importance of setting achievable goals, examining the reality of the situation, and creating a plan of action. Alongside this, we emphasize the significance of role playing and having a non-confrontational back and forth with the agent to enhance their training.

GROW Model: The GROW Model stands for Goal, Reality, Options, and Will. It's a simple yet powerful framework for structuring coaching conversations. The coach helps the agent to define a clear Goal, understand the current Reality, explore various Options, and finally commit to a course of action (Will).
OSKAR Model: OSKAR stands for Outcome, Scaling, Know-How, Affirm and Action, and Review. It's a solution-focused model of coaching. The emphasis is on what is working well and how to do more of it, rather than focusing on problems.
COACH Model: This model stands for Connect, Outcome, Awareness, Course, and Highlight. It emphasizes building a connection, setting clear outcomes, creating awareness, choosing a course of action, and highlighting what was learned.
CLEAR Model: The CLEAR Model stands for Contracting, Listening, Exploring, Action, and Review. It starts with contracting or setting the terms of engagement, followed by listening and exploring to understand the current situation, and then moves to action and review.
STEPPPA Model: STEPPPA stands for Subject, Target, Emotion, Perception, Plan, Pace, and Action. This model is particularly useful in helping individuals with goal setting and taking action to achieve their objectives.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This episode of ACG was taken from the Linkedin Live Audio Even that we did with followers on June 13, 2023.

Some of the topics brought up were:

What is the internal lift to implement tools like speech analytics?
Plusses and minuses of moving to the cloud?
What ratios should contact center management be?
What are some of the best practices for routing in the IVR?
What are some of the overall best practices for CX in the IVR?

A lot of value here as these are all done in a conversational AMA format

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Ready for a game-changing episode that will skyrocket your contact center's customer experience? Join us as we unveil 10 tips on maximizing your platform, from leveraging analytics to engaging your employees in creative ways.

Discover the power of using an effort multiplier to incentivize attendance and workforce intelligence to keep your service levels top-notch. We'll share practical examples from our own BPO, Expedia Interaction Marketing Group, and offer insights on enhancing both security and analytics in your call center. Plus, learn how AI customer call sentiment analysis can give you an edge in understanding and improving customer interactions.

In addition to those cutting-edge tactics, we'll discuss employee engagement strategies like digital suggestion boards, leadership groups, and offsite knowledge sharing. Your call center's success is our priority, so don't miss out on this treasure trove of actionable tips and unique insights to elevate your game. Tune in now and start transforming your customer experience today!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Hubie Brown is a renowned basketball coach known for his impactful strategies and insight. When I attended one of his clinics, the title was "Cool Things I Want to Talk About to Help You With Your Teams." It featured 10 random, yet valuable, pieces of advice to improve a team's performance.

As I prepare my live talks for this spring and summer, I've decided to create a podcast inspired by Hubie Brown's approach.

In this episode, I'll share 10 useful tips to enhance your contact center without a specific theme. These tips will help you optimize your contact center operations and provide a better experience for both your agents and customers.

Value everywhere here.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Join us in this episode as we reflect on our learnings from the Call and Contact Center Expo.

We delve into the realities of AI in the contact center industry, discussing key trends, innovations, and insights from my conversations with industry leaders and companies.

We explore what's genuinely feasible with AI, the challenges in adoption, and why we may still have a ways to go before realizing its full potential.

Tune in for a balanced perspective on the state of AI in contact centers and its implications for the future of customer engagement.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we dive deep into the world of contact center quality assurance with QA expert, Chris Mounce from EvaluAgent.

Together, we explore the crucial do's and don'ts of designing effective contact center scorecards, offering valuable insights on the development of comprehensive and meaningful metrics that accurately gauge agent performance.

We delve into the importance of understanding the intricacies of your specific contact center and the necessity of tailoring your scorecards to reflect those unique needs.

Additionally, Chris shares a wealth of invaluable tips on enhancing coaching techniques, focusing on methods that foster empowerment and motivation within your team.

By concentrating on these vital aspects of management, you can ensure that your team is set up for continued success and growth within your contact center operation.

Tune in to this information-packed episode and take away actionable advice that will help elevate your contact center quality assurance efforts to new heights.

Click here for more information on EvaluAgent:
evaluagent.com

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, I share my insights and experiences on harnessing the power of TikTok and other social media platforms to boost B2B sales and personal branding within the call center and contact center industry.

Drawing from my personal journey and learnings, I discuss proven strategies, valuable tips, and real-life examples to help you create engaging content, connect with your target audience, and stand out in the competitive landscape.

Tune in to discover how to unlock the full potential of social media for your career in business and in the call center world.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Unravel the mystery behind the "wow" factor in contact center customer service in our Advice from a Call Center Geek Episode, " Deconstructing the "Wow" Experience: Defining Excellence in Contact Centers."

We'll discuss the pitfalls of "false hustle" and the significance of authentic communication, empathy, and active listening in building strong connections with customers.

Explore strategies to understand customer expectations and tailor your approach for various industries.

Join us on this journey to redefine what it means to "wow" your customers and create a lasting impact in the contact center space.

We also answer AMA questions from the live Tiktok and Linkedin feeds we took in during the recording of this episode.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this thought-provoking podcast episode, we venture beyond the traditional perception of AI and ChatGPT as mere chatbot tools, revealing their true potential to revolutionize the contact center industry in numerous ways.

Discover 10 unique applications of ChatGPT that go far beyond customer interactions, touching on advanced training and onboarding for agents, creative problem-solving, workforce management, augmented reality integration, and more.

Uncover how ChatGPT is enhancing security, predicting customer lifetime value, and providing real-time voice translation for seamless multilingual support.

Join us as we explore the full spectrum of possibilities offered by ChatGPT, and see how it can redefine customer service by harnessing the power of AI for greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Post covid, with many of our staff WFH, we have rethought how we train and prepare our contact center middle management and agent supervisors to excel in their roles.

In this episode, we talk about the new management trainee program that will be will be implementing to our staff later in 2023. We hope this gives you some ideas to help your management staff as well.

1. Building out your contact center hierarchy
2. Weekly meetings
3. Teach Leadership theory
4. Practical Skills
5. Legal side of the contact center
6. Real-world experience
7. Graduation!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek" Podcast, we look at 9-10 ways that you can improve the coaching culture of your contact center to create better agents and improve the customer experience.

We also answer some questions that came in on Linkedin and TikTok Live!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We all want a better CX, and doing that means we need to improve the tone of how we are interacting with customers.

I have seen it many times when a customer calls a contact center and gets the desired outcome they needed, but because the tone was off on the call (indifference, bad word choice, talking over the customer...) the customer left the call with a negative feeling about the call and the company.

On the flip side, great customer service agents can make a customer feel good even if they can't help with the desired outcome (think policy or procedure of the company) leaving the customer to still think highly of the agent and the company.

How? It starts with Tone.

The Tone is the Message.

In this episode we talk about:

1. Hiring for Tone
2. Training for Tone
3. How to Measure Quality/Tome
4. Importance of Incentivizing the Tone of your Agents
5. Calling out Great Tone on your Floor.

For the last 15 minutes, we opened the floor up to questions in Linkedin live and answer lots of questions on this!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This episode is for you if you are a BPO owner/operator.

In this episode of ACG, we talk about benchmarking the financial aspects of your BPO, setting up your books for maximum valuation, multiples in the market, maximizing your BPO for an exit, and so much more.

Every day, contact center BPOs are focused on many operational metrics or KPIs that describe how the center is performing.

But that’s not the entire picture. Eric Crouse, Partner at Kommit & Company, an M&A firm that specializes in the contact center BPO market takes about a benchmarking report created by his team that analyzed a huge data set of public and private contact centers that will peel back the curtain on key financial benchmarks of our industry.

Combining operational performance with financial performance is the key to long-term growth and profitability for our industry, and what you will discover from this report may surprise you.

Here is the link to the youtube video of this episode to view the slides and data in context:
https://youtu.be/Kg9O9rDpBY0

Here is the link the free benchmarking report:
https://gokommit.com/

#callcenter #contactcenter #callcentergeek

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

OK, that was awesome.
We did a Linkedin LIVE and a TikTok LIVE at the same time to record this podcast episode. The episode then turned into a crazy (in a good way) AMA with questions coming from both platforms.

My 25-minute podcast ended up going about an hour. I love the questions, I think they provide much more value than just me yammering on about a topic.

I wanted to give my thoughts in a podcast episode on building out the Ai contact center of today and of the future the right way. Many mistakes are going to play out over the next couple of years as the rush to AI begins. You will find this in the first 25 minutes of the episode.

After that, there are many questions on the topics of VOC, culture, RPA, and some other contact center questions that come in on Tiktok.

I hope you enjoy it!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

On this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we bring together two of my passions, customer experience, and the blockchain.

Shelli Ryan, APR, Fellow PRSA the founder/principle of the CX Block Chain Institute which is the worldwide authority focused on fulfilling blockchain for the CX (customer experience) industry talks about implementing the blockchain into your contact center and CX environment. Not only how to do it, but why you need to do it.

You know I love talking blockchain, web3, and NFTs, especially with how they relate to CX. There is no better person in the world to speak about this.

This is a top 5 all-time ACG episode!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

For a sports team looking to improve, they routinely will bring in other coaches to do an internal self-scout to try to show where the weaknesses are and how to improve on those.

This same concept should happen in your contact center at least once a year.

Here are some of the questions that we would ask and start to work with your team on. You don't need a consultant for this, you just need the framework that we provide in this episode.

I hope this gets you thinking differently about your contact center and allows you to make some of the improvements that you are your staff can agree on!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This episode was taken from our first TikTok Live AMA that we did. Followers sent us questions and we answered live on the spot!

Some of the topics covered in the episode are hiring, games to play in the contact center, culture, sentiment, analytics, culture, and more.

I really like these episodes as we get to cover a ton of different topics at once!

Make sure you follow us on TikTon @callcenter_geek as we do a tin of lives and post multiple call center ops videos a day!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we look at all the tools that you need (and don't need) in setting up a high-end customer service contact center for the lowest amount of money possible while still not forgetting about quality.

We talk about places you can save money by using or not using technology and look at all the things that you need to think about that most don't until it's too late!

We also answer some listener questions on the erlang-c calculator, shrinkage, and the timing of virtual callbacks.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

ChatGPT has opened the eyes to what true AI may be capable of.

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we look beyond the "normal" uses cases of Ai uses in such tools as chatbots and analytics and think about some of the unique and "out there" uses cases for AI in the contact center and CX environment.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we look at some unique ways to route calls in your contact center using data and CRM integrations.

Integrating your data and your telephony is a very cost-effective way to improve your customer experience.

Some of the topics discussed are:
Customer Segmentation
What Data Sets to Use
Workforce Intelligence
Virtual Callbacks

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we take a hard look at what happened specifically with Southwest Airlines and the total customer service meltdown that occurred over Christmas '22.

We also talk about infrastructure and tips and tactics to follow when your organization gets in an emergency heavy queue!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Ultimate Guide to Contact Center Outsourcing Episode
This is one of the best episodes of value/content we have ever created.
If you are looking to outsource your contact center this is a MUST listen.

25 minutes of why you should outsource, why you shouldn't outsource, what are the red flags to watch out for, what you should expect to pay, what you should not pay for, the technology you can ask about and so much more.

Zero selling here, just content to help with your outsourcing journey especially if it's your first time outsourcing.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

One of the best ways we have been able to create stars in our contact center is by doing a weekly 15-minute agent review with our contact center agents.

In this episode, we give you the five detailed steps in creating this in your contact center.

Review
Address
Goal Planning
Progression
Documenting

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In looking into my crystal ball, I wanted to talk to you all about three technology predictions that I see for 2023 as it relates to the contact center.

I want to focus on where I see AI really having the biggest impact in not only assisting agents but in how it will be changing the internal working of our contact center operations as well.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Most of us, as call center managers want to create a culture of fun and enjoyment in our contact center environments.

How do we do that, it is organic games, gamification, motivations...and what do we do when we have the "bah humbugs" that don't want to play or think games are beneath them.

In this episode, we talk about how to use games and motivations as positives and not negatives.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I was asked to talk to a class of pre-startups on the topic of Marketing and Branding at Gannon University where I am vice chair of the Erie Technology Incubator.

In this presentation, I talk about what I do every day to create content at scale to grow my personal and business brand.

Marketing, branding, sales... these are the pillars of new business and community building. I get many questions from BPOS on "How do I get new clients" and I see many of you out there trying to advance your personal brand.

I hope that this episode inspires you to start your branding or take it to the next level.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we take a look at the three pillars of contact center metrics, efficiency, quality, and sales. We discuss our favorite metrics in each category and how you can maximize all three!

Check out our Free ACG NFT drop currently happening on Opensea. The link is here:
https://opensea.io/collection/acg-access-token

These tokens include:

Two 15-minute video calls with Tom Laird about any call center or contact center topic you have issues or questions about per year.

Access to a special email address for only holders where I will answer # any question at any time within 24 hours.

A private Linkedin/Discord group just for holders.

Private AMA and Webinars just for holders.

One 30-minute staff training session / AMA on any contact center topic you would like me and my staff to talk about.

Drawing once a year for access to Veecon (1/25 chance) and dinner with me and the staff at the show.

Free ACG Hoodies/Tshirts

Whatever else we can think of to add value.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Token Address:
https://opensea.io/collection/acg-access-token

We have a FREE NFT project for anyone that is a call center supervisor or manager. These 20 (4 are already gone as of this typing)tokens that give you the utility of:

Two 15-minute video calls with Tom Laird about any call center or contact center topic you have issues or questions about per year.

Access to a special email address for only holders where I will answer # any question at any time within 24 hours.

A private Linkedin/Discord group just for holders.

Private AMA and Webinars are just for holders.

One 30-minute staff training session / AMA on any contact center topic you would like me and my staff to talk about.

Drawing once a year for access to Veecon (1/25 chance) and dinner with me and the staff at the show.

Free ACG Hoodies/Tshirts

Whatever else we can think of to add value.

We will have 5 Tokens as well called Mentor Tokens that cost .75 Eth. These come with all of the above PLUS 30-minute video calls once a month with me to help in any way I can with your contact center.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode, we welcomed Nick Corso AKA Corso, Community Success Lead at Veefriends, one of the most popular and largest NFT projects on our Advice from a Call Center Geek Podcast.

We have an in-depth conversation discussing how to create and moderate a community as it relates to NFT projects through ups and downs. Community moderation will be a new channel that brands will need to service as they venture into Web3.

Veefriends is Gary Vaynerchuck NFT project. It currently has over 360k community members in its discord.

Great discussion on topics such as:

Can you explain what Veefriends is and how you got involved?

Take us through a normal day in what a moderator does.

Do you as a moderator define the culture of the community, or do the members do that?

Do you see a role for more interaction channels than just primarily IM?

Do you track influencers and bad actors in the community?

What is the policy for when you act on someone in the community causing issues?

Talk about training for mods?

Where do you see the concept of community moving to, discord really was not meant for this.

How are you seeing brands moderate community compared to an inde project?

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Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I got this question Dmd to me in Linkedin. This episode is my in-depth answer on setting up new tech in your contact center.

"Tom,
We talk a lot about how much tech can help us in the contact center space, but I find that many tend to think that tech is some kind of magic button (just deploy it and it works, and people are disappointed that it's not that easy).

You mention a good bit of trial and error and testing (especially on your last speech analytics podcast). It may be good to understand things like...how do I determine what to test/build/deploy, how do I prioritize...basically how should I product manage and what type of team/roles/SMEs do I need to do this (product managers, project managers, scrum masters, etc).

Do I need a SME for reporting, one for WFM, one for QM, one for speech, one for CX, one for AX, etc, etc. Hope that makes sense. I work mostly on the tech side...but often I find it difficult to set expectations and convince others that we need help determining what to build :). Hope that makes sense! Thanks! "

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Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Sanas is a startup in Silicon Valley that has developed software to make offshore accents sound more "American" or as some say, "more white".

I have done a ton of research on the company, took the demo at CCW, and have read and watched as much as I can on both sides of the contact center controversy.

In this episode, I give my raw take on what I think is going on.

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

The use cases for using speech analytics are endless when you really put the tool to the test. In this episode, we talk about 10 ways that we are using analytics in our call center to maximize its use!

1. Proactive Customer Service

2. Rewarding Associates for Great Sentiment

3. Generating Marketing Data

4. Finding Out the Why

5. Noting Frustration

6. Learning What the Real SLA Variance Should Be

7. Tracking Silence

8. Fraud Protection

9. Tracking competitors

10. Expanding Channels

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Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This was taken from a talk that I gave to a group of Wisconsin Customer Service Professionals back in 2020 on a range of contact center operational topics.

This is a 13-minute segment from that talk and one of my favorite pieces of content I have ever created.

I have been looking for this for over a year!

I think you will enjoy the topics engagement topics that span from games to play, leadership committees, and some other unique ways that we have fun with our employees in our contact center.

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Buying a new contact center platform is a HUGE decision for any organization. In this episode, I give you all the tips that I can think about that I give to my customers when consulting or as a referral partner for them.

If you are just starting on your path or even if you are already down the road before you sign any deal you need to listen to this episode. It will save you money.

Some of the topics we talk about:

Pricing
Negotiating Everything
Using a Partner
3rd Party Implementors (to use or not)
Scoping out Your Needs vs Wants
Now is the time to Dream!
Platform Pricing
Should you do an RFP

And many more tips.

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Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

When you are working in the contact center environment, there are many people and personalities that you need to engage with in a positive way, sometimes that is easier said than done.

Issues between associates or supervisors unfortunately will happen.

In Episode 159 of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we talk about what to do when there is an issue that happens on a team in your contact center and more importantly some tips on how to avoid them in the first place.

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "CCW" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode, we have a detailed discussion of my 5 1/2 favorite call center and contact center metrics that we look at and benchmark. Some tell the story as key benchmarking metrics, and some can tell you if something is a little off.

When you put all of them together, you have a great idea of what is happening in your contact center.

The metrics discussed are:

Service Level
Average Handle Time
Occupancy
After Call Work
Agent/Customer Sentiment

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "CCW" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

To kick off the second half of 2022 from an ACG perspective, we play a game of Overrated, Properly Rated, or Underrradted with different call center and contact center topics.

For example, are these tools, metrics, topics OR, PR, or UR?
CSAT/NPS
Sentiment
AI in the Contact Center
WFM
Average Talk Time as a Metric
Dress Code in the Office

And a couple more topics to get you thinking and agreeing or disagreeing with me!

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "CCW" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

With the forecast of some rough economic waters ahead, let's take a look at some things you can do to help your contact center get through this unscathed. In this episode, we give seven ways or tips that you need to think about to help your center get through.

Some are obvious like focusing on efficiency tools and retention efforts to customers, and some are not, like how I will convince you to RAISE your contact center rep's salaries during these periods.

Love to know your thoughts on this episode.

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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "CCW" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Here is my honest assessment of CCW 2022 (June)

The Good:
The technology is getting better and better with each show, the industry is strong with many tech leaders showcasing amazing uses for Ai, gamification, augmented reality, WFM, voice authentication, and gamification.

The Bad:
Very few end-users at the show. It was more of a technology showcase than a place to do real business with lots of buyers, especially in the BPO market.

The cost is astronomical, there are some funny stories like how much it costs to even get your booth carpet swept with a vacuum (no that's not a joke)

The Missing:
Thought leadership. When you have to pay to speak for most of the sessions, the emphasis is on ROI and not on adding value.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "CCW" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

On this weekly "Advice from a Call Center Geek" Ask me Anything we talk about a range of topics.

In this episode, I give my first thoughts on running your contact center during an economic downturn, what to focus on and how to make sure you stay as efficient as you can.

I get questions on using Analytics to in cent reps, what I look for when buying contact software, and how I spend my time to get the most use of call center shows and expos.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "rockstar" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I am personally really excited about all of you listening to this episode!

In this episode of Advice from Call Center Geek, I sit down and have a conversation with Ashish Nagar, CEO of Level_AI on the state of AI in the contact center.

We define Ai as it relates to the contact center, and talk about where Ai in the contact center will be in 24-36 months.

We dig deep into speech analytics and discuss how speech analytics works and how it could be done better.

We wrap it up by talking about how agent assists technology is evolving, how Ai will be affecting QA, and where AI really struggles in the contact center.

If you love contact center tech, you will love this episode.

If you would like more information on Level-Ai head over to:
https://thelevel.ai/

To connect with Ashish Nagar:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishnagar/

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "rockstar" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of our weekly Linkedin live AMA that we do every Friday from 1-2pm EST I talk about:

Contact Center Conferences and where I see them going.
The state of the economy and how that will be affecting contact centers and technology purchases.
How to ensure consistency of service overall agents in your contact center
Engaging reps over IM tools
Measuring Agent Sentiment as a key KPI
The place for Gig workers in the Contact center space

And so much more!!!

Really good and informative AMA.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "rockstar" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

For this of you that don't know him, James Dodkins used to be an actual, real-life, legitimate, award-winning rockstar. He played guitar in a heavy metal band, released albums, and tore up stages all over the world, James is now the CX Evangelist at Pegasystems where he researches the mindsets, principals and philosophies of companies that deliver ‘Rockstar Customer Experiences’.

James was awarded The UK's #1 CX Influencer by Customer Experience Magazine in 2020, The UK’s Most Outstanding CX Keynote Speaker by Corporate Vision Magazine in 2021, The World’s #10 Customer Service Guru by Global Gurus in 2021, as well as countless other notable mentions in industry publications like Business Insider, The Times and Forbes.

James is also a two-time #1 Best Selling Author and the Ex-host of Amazon Prime’s weekly topical CX show, ‘This Week In CX’.

In our 60 minutes together, James and I talk about all things CX and contact center from Ai, building community, the blocking and tackling of service, gaining trust with customers, and even a little NFT and web three discussion.

Really interesting podcast episode that will add a ton of value. This was part of our Friday Happy hour series. From 1-2 pm EST every Friday, we host our Advice from a Call Center Geek AMA where you get to ask any contact center of CX question you want. Sometimes its just me, sometimes I have amazing guests like James.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "rockstar" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of our weekly Advice from a Call Center geek AMA office Hour I answer questions on:

A day in the life of a call center supervisor
Changes in the digital channel landscape
Tip for lowering AHT
KPIS for agents to self govern

and more...

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "blockchain" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

My case for why blockchain technology will be the number one disrupter of the contact center and CX over the next 10 years.

Blockchain will be:
Streamlining payments
Taking away processing fees
Making Warranties seamless
Contracts will be written on the chain with If/then statements
Customer data will be encrypted overhauling how we verify customers
Customer loyalty plans will be forever changed
How we pay for and access SaSS products will never need a monthly credit card.

Think about an NFT, written in the blockchain that a customer pays for to never wait in the queue, like an EZ pass for waiting in line at an amusement park.

All this is coming soon.

In this episode, we dig deep into why I think this and why I believe it will even be more disruptive then Ai technology.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "blockchain" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Every week we do an Advice from a Call Center Geek "Office Hour" which is a one-hour-long AMA on Linkedin Live. Any question you have and want to ask I am there to try to help you and see if I can give you some value.

Topics/questions in this week's episode were on the topics of speech analytics, the power of sentiment, creating content for B2b, and our plans for WFH.

Thank you all and I how to see more of you on our next AMA (Every Friday from 1-2pm EST)

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "education" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Let's take a trip into a time machine and see what the contact center and customer experience look like in the year 2030.

How will the Metaverse, NFTs, VR, and AR have an impact on how business and service are done.

In this episode, I try to give you what I see CX looking like after talking to many experts in the industry over the past couple of months!

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community:www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "education" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek, Tom Laird sat down with Andrew McNeile, Chief Customer Officer at ThinScale.

ThinScale develops and provides endpoint software solutions that enable IT to deliver the most user-friendly, secure, flexible/versatile, and cost-effective VDI environments for Windows devices.

Tom and Andrew discuss, the new norm of the remote contact center agent, the security protocols that every organization should be looking at when dealing with at-home agents, and how to efficiently, effectively, and securely deploy one of the most talked-about topics in the contact center WFH space, BYOD (Bring your own device).

If you have work-from-home contact center agents, this is a must-listen-to episode to make sure all your security measures with your devices are covered.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Let's pretend that I was hired out by a new million-dollar startup that asked me to set up their customer service contact center that they want to run in-house.

How would I go about doing it, what would I prioritize, and what are the most important pieces to look at.

This is a great episode for all call center managers that maybe want to change something or improve an aspect of the center.

We discuss:

1) Choosing customer channels
2) What technology is a must, what is a want.
3) Education
4) KPI/Reporting
5) QA Setup for large and small centers.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "security" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

That one call contact center agent that is consistently late by 1, 3, or 6 minutes every day to shift or coming back from break/lunch. This can be a tricky situation to handle and one that we all deal with in the contact center environment.

You get frustrated, WFM is on you, other agents are irritated because they can go on break until that agent comes back...it can be a mess if left unchecked.

In this episode, we discuss that it's ok to hold agents to certain standards as long as it's part of the core competency that you need from them and that's been explained. We also talk about certain ways to avoid this and when to move it to progressive discipline.

This should be a pretty valuable episode to any call center manager or supervisor.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "security" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Middle management is the absolute lifeline of your contact center. Have you educated and given them the tools they need to be successful.

We are in the process of overhauling our management training program and want to give all of you an inside look at what you should be converting and how to do this.

This includes chapters on
:
TECHNOLOGY/OPERATIONS

Telephony understanding
KPIS (Already created a dictionary for this)
Reports- What to look for
Supervisor Checklist
Starting the Day the Right Way
Motivations
Analytics understanding
Daily Synopsis format

HR

Dealing with agent issues (top 10 issues and how to handle)- Script and Video
Attitude Effort importance
Policies and Procedures
Legal issues
What we can say, can't say to reps and peers
When to Escalate to HR
Chain of Command
Slack

MONITORING/COACHING/CLIENTS

How to Coach
Monitoring/Scoring
Dealing with Clients

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "education" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this totally unscripted episode, I sit down with 5 of our contact middle management to discuss how they manage their teams.

We talk about coaching tips, QA, dealing with motivation issues, and how to handle confrontation that sometimes arises in any work environment from their perspective.

Really unique episode and one that we want to do more of!

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community:www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "education" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Educating associates is a core competency of any solid contact center operation. In episode 141 of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we look at 7 Effective Call Center Training Tips You Can Implement Easily.

Topics in this episode include:
Focusing On the Major Call Center Skills
Equipping Your Agents with Sufficient Product Knowledge
Creating KPIs for Every Training Session
Making Training Sessions Practical and Easy to Implement
Fostering Continuous Improvement
Provide Constructive Feedback
Map Out a Clear Growth Pathway for Your Agents

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "education" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This episode is definitely in my top 3 favorite episodes and a MUST listen for any Call Center Geek out there. I re-recorded this episode 4 times to make sure I got across what I needed!

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Metaverse and How it will fundamentally change CX, service, rewards programs, and customer retention.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "meta" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Turnover...the arch-nemesis of every contact center.

While it's never going to be perfect, there are some tactics that we can take to improve the culture and the turnover of the contact center environment.

In this episode, we look at 5 ways that we battle turnover here in my contact center, Expivia.

These include a dive into:

Culture
Associate Pay
Agent Engagement
Growth and Progression
Having a Say
Difficult Processes and Procedures

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "NFT" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I love this episode. If you are a call center geek, it's for you, if you are not but want to understand the power of the oncoming NFT revolution, this is for you as well!

NFTs are going to be a large part of business and service in the coming years. They are not a fad, they are a tool that all of us will need to understand, and the earlier that happens, the more ahead of the game you and your organization will be!

I have gone down the rabbit hole with NFTs, Crypto, Defi, and blockchain, and what to tell you all I have learned. In this episode, we discuss all the ways NFTs can and will be disrupting business. This is a brainstorming session where I want to plant the seed in all my listener's minds as to how you can utilize these new technologies.

We talk about NFT in terms of:

Tiers of Customer Service
Customer Tiers
Ticketing
Access
Content
SAAS Companies
Community
Contracts
Fundraising
Startups
REIT's
Metaverse
Gaming
API
AI

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "NFT" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This time is YOU that is the star of the show!

I asked this question on Linkedin

"What's the one tip that you would give to a brand new call center supervisor managing his/her first team of 15 customer service agents? GO...."

The many answers I got were amazing and I think really helpful.

So in this episode, we break down some of the top answers that we received. You are going to really like this one, so many smart and talented call center operators out there!

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "january" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Happy 2022!

It's time to look at your center and develop a strategic plan for the new year. In this episode of ACG, we take a look at four-five aspects of your center and talk through what we look at every year to improve. These include:

Technology
New
Existing

Agent/Culture
Engementment
Goal Setting
Hiring
Education

Reporting
Realtime/Dashboard
Skilling
KPIs

Management
Education
Engagement

Policies/Procedures
New
Existing

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "New Book" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

NEW BOOK! Advice from a Call Center Geek 3.0! is done!

Ok I just posted the full 204-page book for FREE on our Linkedin group Call Center Tips and Tactics, you can download it right now!

I will also be offering the Amazon Kindle version for free for 3 days after it goes live on Amazon ( by Jan 10)

Amazon is taking longer than normal to review all the published books as they are dealing with staffing issues I'm sure.

I didn't want to wait for them to be ready as I already pushed this back once!

This new version has over 200 pages and 10 new chapters. We added about 70 pages to the last update.

I hope it adds value to all of you!

I will upload the book here to my LinkedIn as well in the coming days but if you want it now, head over to the Tips and Tactics Group:
https://lnkd.in/dDC-VUx

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "New Book" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

My New Book (Kinda) will be out on Jan 4th! We have taken "MORE Advice from a Call Center Geek" and added 10 chapters to it and over 50 pages.

New chapters on AI, KPIs, Engagement, Outsourcing, WFH, new pricing guide, and more!

We also included a Final Exam that you can take with your team that will allow for a deep dive into your contact center to improve every facet of it.

If you are a listener to the podcast and want the new book FREE, all you have to do is join our Linkedin Call Center Tips and Tactics Group. Not only will you get the book free, but you will also get to join a community of like-minded call center pros that can help with any issues or contact center questions you may have!

I will be offering my new call center ops book free for three days in the group!

Click here to join Call Center Tips and Tactics:
https://lnkd.in/dqPnN3Nm

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "New Book" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I got a Linkedin inMail from a listener that said:
Hey Tom!
Thanks for accepting my connection request so quickly.
I recently stumbled across your "Advice from a Call Center Geek" podcast and have been loving the content.
I'm a supervisor in a 25 head center about to apply for the manager position. I've listened to your New Manager cast from August and was wondering if you have a cast (or simply any advice) around what advice you would tell your 25-year-old self?
Thanks!
John- Avid Learner

This really got me thinking about what I would tell myself if I could go back in time and teach my 25-year-old call center self. Being this episode is being recorded 2-3 days before the new year, I thought a self-reflection episode would make sense. So I did it.

I hope this helps all the younger (and older) call center team leads, supervisors, and managers out there!

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "New Year" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Let's look at your contact centers efficiency as we head into the new year. In this episode, we look at:

Call Routing and Skilling Mistakes
Utilizing Self Service the Right Way
Making sure we are Measuring the Proper Efficiency KPIs
*Adherence
*Occupancy
*AHT

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "New Year" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! As we record this episode, it is December 23rd, 2021, two days before Christmas.

We wanted to take some time at the time of year when you are off with family and away from work with an episode to get you to think a little about what will be happening in the contact center in 2022. Here are our Top Ten trends that we are looking at and talking about in our contact center, what we have seen at all the contact center conferences, what what is being talked about in the industry.

*AI Revolution?
*Agent Assist Becomes Real
*New KPI's Emerge
*Emergence of Non Contact Center CX
*Security for 2022
*At Home Training
*Realtime Reporting Upgrades
*NFT's, Smart Contacts, Metaverse
*Cloud Apotion in All Parts of Business
*Crypto from Payments

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Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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I am doing a down and dirty episode here with my knee-jerk reactions to the Customer Contact Week (aka call center week) conference.

This episode has not been edited and has been recorded on my iPhone as I left my mic back at home but I didn’t want to wait to record as I didn’t want to forget anything.

The is my CCW recap episode.

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Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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Friends, we have done deep into the law here with our attorneys to create a full policy for the upcoming January 4th mandated date for all companies, (we are focusing on contact centers) that have over 100 employees to comply with the government vaccine mandate.

After you listen to this episode, you will be fully versed in the law, the dates that are of importance, what constitutes vaccinated, and what you can and cannot legally ask your employees about their vaccination status.

On top of all that, if you do not have a Vaccine Mandate Policy, I am more than happy to not only give you ours, but also our one-pager for the employees, and the documents you need to keep track of is employees are vaccinated, unvaccinated, getting weekly testing, or have exemptions.

To download our policy, we have posted it here on Linkedin:
Vaccine Mandate Policy

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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The week before Thanksgiving is a great time of the year. It's time where you can reset some of the negativity that you may have in your contact center, and accent the positivity using some motivational tactics that really get a boost when paired with the holiday season.

In this episode (129) we talk about ways to engage and motivate employees during the holidays, ways you can utilize social media with your teams better to motivate and enhance culture, and we also discuss bonuses and some bonus structures that I have used in the past in the contact center environment.

This episode is all about your agents and helping develop the culture you want.

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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I am always thinking about how can my contact center be different? How can we have better quality, how can we as management engage our employees better?

One of the thoughts that I had when I was out sick with Covid, was doing a Reddit style Ask Me Anything (AMA) and having all the employees do just that, and me anything they want.

It was AWESOME!

So many times we just assume that people understand why we do what we do, why this policy is in effect, why we don't allow that. If we dont explain then may times there is the assumpltion of "thats just how it's always been done" or " they just want to be mean", or even "that makes no sense!"

This allowed me to explain questions, policies, procedures, and topics that I did t realize needed to be discussed in more depth. It was a great experience and really enhanced our corporate communication culture.

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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This episode is a little different than what we normally do, much more personal. 10 days before recording this, I tested positive for covid, this at a time when Covid has hit our Expivia contact center family petty hard, much harder than in 2020.

I want to give you my perspective on how I dealt with this and how it changed my perception of my WFH agents and my thought process on dealing with agents, even WFH agents that test positive. This was a big wake-up call for me.

I also want to talk through the vaccine mandate that will be coming into play for many of us the first week of January, how we are dealing with team members that don't want to get vaccinated, policies that we are having to put in place, and just overall how we are dealing with the mandate.

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

One of my roles as the CEO here at Expivia, is to make calls on where I see technology and CX intersect to try to position us to be ahead of the curve.

Facebook (at the time of this recording) just announced they are changing their name. The name is a small piece of what they are doing. One of the largest companies in the world is changing its entire business model to focus on the Metaverse. This should open all of our eyes as tho what is coming, it definitely opened mine.

In this episode, we look at customer experience how the metaverse, VR, AR, and some other newer platforms coming to play in Customer Experience 3.0

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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Covid had changed the way many of us operate our contact centers. In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" we take a look back at where we were and all the policies, procedures we changed, the technology we now utilize, and the engagement that we have evolved.

This is a great episode for you to take a look at your internal operation and see what areas you can improve with all the changes in the workforce and technology we have all seen.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

If you would like to appear on "Advice from a Call Center Geek! make sure you shoot tom an email at tlaird@expivia.net!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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The Ultimate Guide To Contact Center Outsourcing Episode...we created it!
This episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" is designed to give you everything you need before you outsource.

What to look out for, what to negotiate, pricing... it's all here.

This episode will give you everything you need to make the right decision about outsourcing (or not to outsource) your contact center.

We also have a full downloadable guide that goes into even more depth that you can find here:
Ultimate Guide to Contact Center Outsourcing!

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

If you would like to appear on "Advice from a Call Center Geek! make sure you shoot tom an email at tlaird@expivia.net!

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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What should your service level KPI's be in your contact center?

In this episode, the voice of the Geek, Tom Laird, gives the "official" "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" SLA benchmarks for Voice, Chat, Email, QA, and Sentiment.

Let the arguing begin!

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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In this week's episode, we take a look at a really cool team-building exercise that I have done here at Expivia. We sat down with some of our management and HR team and tried to discuss the top 10 customer service skills that an associate would need to be a world-class agent.

The discussion was lively and fun! Every organization will have a different set of ten, but going through this exercise you really were able to see what some of your management most value and what are they missing as well.

Well worth the time and effort to go through this exercise.

Once you do, make sure you post your top 10 on LinkedIn with the #callcentergeektop10

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Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek! we dig deep into 13 questions that all contact center leadership teams should be able to answer and have a plan for.

We dig deep into these questions to start anyone in management or working on the first lines of a contact center thinking on how they can improve as individuals and as a call center management team.

Some of these questions we discuss include:
Do your supervisors all manage differently?
What is tolerated or not tolerated on the call center floor?
How does management treat peers?
Do your supervisors all manage differently?

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

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We had the privilege of talking to NICE CXone (inContact) CEO Paul Jarman on this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!"

In what will be one of our cornerstone episodes, we had the opportunity to get into the mind of a true CX leader and visionary.

We talk about the state of AI, speech analytics, changing customer preference, the oncoming digital transformation, and where he sees the contact center and CX going in the next 5 to 10 years.

The discussion also covered the story on how inContact was started as a seller of unified long distance in the late '90s, through the transition of becoming one of the first CCAAS companies, all the way through the merger with NICE and where the company is today.

Very interesting discussion for any call center geek, great insights into where we are now, and where are going in the near future!

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

You just got the job as the new call center manager, you are super excited!!! But then you realize, " I AM THE NEW CALL CENTER MANAGER!!!!", what do I do!

In this episode, we take a look at what the first three weeks should look like for a new call center manager. how to earn trust and respect, creating a culture to be proud of, and getting your team to row in the same direction!

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel
Text Me: Text "Call Center Manager" to 814-247-0633

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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Speech analytics is an extremely powerful tool in creating a positive agent and customer experience. sentiment, trending keywords, even frustration level and be monitored and tracked.

What we all have been waiting for though is real time analytics. Technology that will help and empower agents in call.

Well we have found a call center leader and a forward-thinking company that is doing just that.

Balto CEO Marc Bernstein joins Tom in discussion in the state of analytics, the technology behind it, how they are doing agent assist, and the technology behind their August 9th launch of real time coaching and real time QA.

The ability for technology to be one actually scoring calls may not be science fiction after all.

Fascinating episode on a company that is leading the way in the speech analytics space. We are very excited to present this episode.

Its a can't miss for all call center geeks!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/baltoceo/
https://www.balto.ai/
woof.balto.ai/boom

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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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What Is Customer Service Experience?
"Customer service experience is the opinion your customer forms about the quality of the service you provide."

Blocking and tackling. Fundamentals. This is what makes us excel at things that are important to us. In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" we take a look at 8 topics that can instantly and easily improve your organization's CX.

1. The Tone is the Message
2. Branding
3. Motivate
4. Technology and your associates
5. Customer Immersion
6. Fun!
7. Customer Journey Inspection
8. Appropriate Staffing ( I know, I know...easier said than done sometimes :)

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Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
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Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Back to the basics of what you all love about the podcast! Let's talk about contact center coaching, how to improve it, have a plan for it, and improve our culture with it.

Proper coaching is the most underrated way to improve (or ruin) the culture of your contact center.

In this episode we talk about 10 Tips on Improving your Contact Center Coaching:

1. Praise Publicly But Coach Privately
2. Sandwich Negative Feedback with Positive Feedback
3. Be Specific
4. Tie Performance to Data
5. Have Your Agent Assess Themselves
6. Role Play
7. Discuss Roadblocks
8. Redefine KPI Goals
9. Understand Expectations
10. Remonitor

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
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Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
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Conversational AI...a topic that confuses some and fascinates others.

In today's episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!", we have the opportunity to sit down with two industry leaders that are shaping how AI impacts customers and contact centers, especially contact centers that are sales and lead gen focused.

Aktify CEO Kreg Peeler and CRO Craig Daly, join us in a conversation tailored for those looking to learn where conversational AI is today, where it's going in the future, and some of the amazing use issues that Aktify is solving day in and day out through its use.

Very interesting discussion from two leaders that are shaping the power of what Conversational AI is and where it is going. JOIN US!

Check out Aktify here at Aktify.com
Follow CEO Kreg Peeler
Follow CRO Craig Daly

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Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
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Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode, "A Day in the life of a Contact Center Supervisor", we talk about what a full day looks like for our middle management.

From greeting reps, planning goals, monitoring/coaching, to the end of the day synopsis, we talk about what we have found to be the best way for our supervisors to handle their day to add the most value to our associates and to our organization.

1. Check Closeouts
2. Greet Reps
3. KPI Team
4. Individual meetings
5. Staying Relevant
6. Monitoring/Coaching
7. Dealing with issues that may arise
8. Checklist
9. Daily Synopsis
10. Weekly Agent Analysis

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

It seems there is a big struggle to get people back to work post-pandemic. For various reasons, many service sector jobs, including the contact center are finding it harder and harder to find the quality help need to staff appropriately

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek" we dig into proven hiring techniques to try to help all our listeners through this workforce shortage.

We talk about what social platforms work the best, how to best use them, and what type of budget do you need.

Many other options as well are talked through such as how to set up an employee referral program, using your present workforce to mass post, and looking at many other options that will hopefully give you some ideas to increase your call center hiring capacity not just for now but for the future as well

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Announcement- Expivia Virtual Reality Contact Center Concept
Expivia is going to be attempting to build out a 100% fully Virtual Reality Customer Service Contact Center, and we want to show you how we are doing it, in fact, we want you to be a part of it!

The goal is to have a 100% functioning POC that allows live customers to interact with LIVE virtual customer service Expivia team members in a fully virtual and brandable world.

We will be posting videos/blogs/pics multiple times a week to show you how we are doing this, our mistakes, and our triumphs a look behind the scenes at everything we are doing. We will not hide anything...

Please take the time to like our Facebook channel and follow us on our other social outlets!

Youtube: https://lnkd.in/dW3hPBZ

Linkedin: https://lnkd.in/dJZF6P7

Facebook: @expiviaVR

Twitter: @expiviaV

#contactcenter #virtualreality #future

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We have the honor of having in the "Michael Jordan" of Contact Center Solutions, an encyclopedia of call center platforms, the players in the space, and the technology that is out there, Brandon Knight VP Advanced Solutions- Contact Center at Telarus.

This is a can't miss episode for anyone looking to possibly change their call center technology or platform, or are interested in the main players in the space and how they operate differently.

We discuss the established players (Nice CXone, 5/9, TalkDesk...), well known premise-based brands and their journey to the cloud (Mitel, Avaya...), and up and comers ( Edify, Ujet, Amazon Connect...).

We talk about the difference between platforms that operate on micro-services compared to a cluster model.

How AI will really impact the contact center.

What new technologies are coming to a contact center near you that you need to understand?

Lastly, we discuss tips and ideas to make your call center investment worth every penny.

A ton of value here for all Call Center Geeks!

If you are interested or need help discussing any call center software needs please feel free to email Tom Laird at:
tlaird@expivia.net

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Customer experience is a multi-tiered onion that has so many different layers. In this episode we take another look at call quality, we define that are the pieces that make up quality calls, and then we give an in depth look at 10 Ways to Improve Your Call Center Quality and Monitoring.

These entail:

1. Investing in a Speech Analytics Software

2. Set Up a QA Team

3. Set Call Quality Standards

4. Creating a Scorecard

5. Monitor the Quality of Live Calls /Evaluate the Quality of Recorded Calls

6. Making the Agent Part of the Evaluation

7. Identifying the Pain Points

8. Document the Results of Call Quality Monitoring

9. Use QA as a Management Teaching Tool

10. Commit to Regular Call Quality Monitoring

Join our SMS Text Group, Text "Call Center" to 814.247.0366

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

When we go in to consult for a call center that is not operating at its peak, there are about 35 different aspects of the center that we look at.

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!", we give you the top 11 call center topics that you need to look at and how to break them down to do your own process improvement plan.

Many call center managers get overwhelmed if their center is underperforming. In this episode, we show you have to look at small pieces of your center to make constant improvements over the long haul to remake your center.

You can hire a call center consultant to help you, or just listen to this episode and put a plan in yourself!

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

What is the proper way to pay your hard-working call center associates?

In this episode, we talk about making sure we have agent and management salary paths for our call center workers to go down to make sure we are showing the proper progression and appreciation for all the work that they do on the front lines.

There are a million different ways to do this but hopefully, this will give you the framework of building out a pay structure in your call center that matched your culture.

Join our SMS Text Group, Text "Call Center" to 814.247.0366

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Schedule time with me to talk about anything call center related:
https://calendly.com/call_center_advice/15min
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Blockchain, Crypto, NFTs, Bitcoin.

These are not just technologies to be ignored as passing fads. There is a wave that is coming to the call center and to CX that you need to know about, you cannot put your head in the sand and hope it goes away.

In this episode, we talk specifically about the role of blockchain in how call centers and service centers will operate in the near future. We discuss the changes that are coming to sending/receiving payments, sending/receiving products, smart contracts, customer record keeping, PCI, and data security all because of blockchain technology.

It's coming, if you are a call center leader, you need to start to get yourself informed, hopefully, this is your start.

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Call Center Geek NFT Art: https://opensea.io/collection/call-center-geek-art

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Our new Linkedin group on call center operations tips and tactics is now live! You asked for it, you got it!
MISSION:
The purpose of this group is to engage with call center executives, managers, supervisors, and associates and provide ways to run their call center more effectively. We want to use the themes of the "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast to try to improve the agent and customer experience in call centers throughout the world.

RULES:
This is a group whose sole purpose is to prove tips and tactics on helping others improve their contact center operation. Any solicitation for products or services will be deleted from the group and the member will no longer be allowed to post. Please keep all topics related to best practices and questions on call center ops.

We are very excited to have a place where we all can talk openly about any help or ideas to make our call centers better without any sales pressure.

Click here to join:
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/

We hope that you will join and add to the conversation.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

How many supervisors, trainers, team leads, and HR staff should you have to manage your call center?

In this episode, we take a look at all aspects of management to associates ratio and make sure you are neither under nor over-staffing your management roles.

Also, we are introducing our new "Advice from a Call Center Geek, Call Center Ops Tips and Tactics" Linkedin Group. If you are reading this, you are a call center geek! The purpose of this group is to engage with call center executives, managers, supervisors, and associates and provide ways to run their call center more effectively. We want to use the themes of the "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast to try to improve the agent and customer experience in call centers throughout the world.

Click here to Join!

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Call Center Geek NFT Art: https://opensea.io/collection/call-center-geek-art

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In episode 103 we talk about the touchy subject of discipline policies in your call center and what should happen when you have to put an associate on an improvement plan.

We talk about the touchpoints that should happen in the first 30, 60, and 90 days of a new hire, how to be proactive with your associates when it comes to discipline, and what should happen if your culture thresholds are not being met and an associate needs to go on an improvement plan what that should look like.

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Call Center Geek NFT Art: https://opensea.io/collection/call-center-geek-art

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this week's episode, we dive deep into a really awesome call center motivation that we are doing here at Expivia. This will hopefully give you some thoughts on setting up something like this in your call center.

We also added in a bonus motivation/game that we did today as well that has blown away our expectations when it comes to call center rep engagement.

Love to know your thoughts on this!

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Here is a little something different. in this episode we infuse. call center operations, entrepreneurship, and covid all rolled into one! The host of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!", Tom Laird, had the opportunity to be on the radio with host Joel Natalie of TalkErie.

We discuss how our call center started, what technologies and employee strategies we are using, and how we have grown to a national presence.

We would really like your feedback on this episode as it's truly from the heart and will allow you behind the scenes into what running a call center is really like!

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode, we take a look behind the curtain of our call center here at Expivia to talk about what tools and technology we are using day in and day out and what tools are important in your call center based on the size and goals of the center.

This is an interesting episode for anyone who wants to understand how all the call center technologies of omnichannel, analytics, WFM, HR, QA all work together in unison to enhance the customer experience.

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Happy 100th Episode!!!!!!

We want to set the table for 2021 and our next 100 episodes by asking you how we can do more to add value, and we have some thoughts. We want and need your opinion in this episode.

Here is the link to the Advice from a Call Center FB Community Page:
https://www.facebook.com/callcentergeekcommunity

Also, we take some time to talk about the interesting work we have been doing with the national push to schedule covid vaccinations. It's an amazing story of how the call center has been helping!

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Do you and you care about your associates on a personal level? I'm not saying you are best friends and go out on the town, but do the reps know that you as a manager care about them?

Respect is something that today's generation really takes to heart, and we need to be able to provide respect to make sure our culture is working at its peak.

In this episode, we talk about "Psychic Income, that that is, and seven ways to show respect for your call center associates.

These include:

Showing interest in your call center associates as people
Coaching and reprimanding in private
Celebrating in public
Talking about advancement
Why/how to need to keep team meetings positive
Having reps talk positively about other reps
Keeping management office hours

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

What happens when you are told to come up with the policy plan to safely get your call center back onsite in your brick and mortar facility? This episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" will hopefully be able to help you.

In episode 98, entitled, "Procedures to Move Your Call Center Back Into the Office", we take a look at our personal case study of how we are planning on bringing back 250 associates safety in-house for a financial services' client that need a secure brick and mortar facility to operate.

We talk about procedures for coming to work, traffic flow, distancing, getting nuanced with break times, and having a safety coordinator for each shift.

If you are planning to have your call center back onsite, this episode will hopefully add a lot of value to your planning.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/procedures-tips-to-move-your-call-center-back-into-the-office/

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

You guys may think I am crazy, but I think I found the technology that will be changing the customer service and customer experience industry to levels we have never thought of.

Currently, we are using call center technology to either gauge the CX (CSAT, NPS, Sentiment..) or we are trying to make interactions shorter, more cost-effective, or easier for the customer.

These are all good things...yet we have no technology out there that will totally change of we operate as customer experience professionals.

I think I have found that technology, one that will change how brands service in the next five years. It's not a call center and it's not an AI chatbot (well not really...).

Listen to this episode, tell me if we are crazy or not!

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/the-one-technology-that-will-be-revolutionizing-the-customer-experience/

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!", we sit down with Jimmy Budnik, the VP of Customer Care and CRM at Overstock.com.

An engineer by trade, Jimmy takes to the role of VP of customer care at Overstock.com with one eye on the culture of his team and another on improving the customer experience through education and technology.

In this 30 minute interview, we tackle topics such as:

Take a look behind the scenes at how Overstock handles the retail holiday season
Understand how COVID-19 has affected the Overstock customer care model
How Overstock is handling changing demographics and self-service
What technologies are Overstock utilizing to improve the customer experience
Jimmy's view on how analytics can better understand customer expectations
How does Overstock view NPS in relation to customer/agent sentiment

Very insightful perspectives from an industry CX leader. This episode is very technology-driven and will hopefully give you some insights into where customer care is moving to from the views of someone running one of the leading customer care models in the industry.

Follow Jimmy Budnik on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmybudnik/

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/a-conversation-with-the-vp-of-customer-care-and-crm-at-overstock-com-jimmy-budnik/

For more info on Advice from a Call Center Geek:
Text us: 814.247.0366
Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Outsourcing is not for everyone, and we have been very open about that, in fact, we did an entire episode on 10 reasons why you should NOT outsource.

These 7 falsehoods though are topics that organizations that are new to call center outsourcing think are reasons why they would NEVER outsource.

This is a false narrative. In this episode, we talk specifically about these seven excuses for reasons not to outsource.

These are:

Thinking you will love total control
Quality will take a hit
Not being able to integrate your data systems
Your program is much to complex for an outsourcer
Turnover will be high
Security Concerns
Issues with the cloud

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/7-falsehoods-about-outsourcing-your-call-center/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Call Center Superbowl....

For many of us, that is what Black Friday and Cyber Monday are. Over the years, we have come up with some tips that help make these high-traffic days go as smoothly as possible.

In this podcast we go over 7 call center tips for Black Friday:

No IT Updates This week
Look at Your Shrinkage %
Have a Motivation for Your Associates
Taking Care of Large Queues
Virtual Call Backs
Using Mon-Wed to Educate Your Associates
Document, Document, Document

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/7-tips-to-make-black-friday-run-smoothly-in-your-contact-center/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Speech analytics is an evolving tool that has use cases not yet thought of.

As we are evolving how we use the tool, we want to tell the Geek! community as a whole to possibly spur some thoughts on the best way to use analytics in your organization and to also increase the ROI for an analytics investment.

In this episode we talk about 10 unique ways that we see analytics being used:

Proactive Customer Service
Incenting Associates to be Nice
Generating Marketing Data
Finding out WHY?
Notating Frustration
Learning What the Real SLA Variance Should Be
Tracking Silence
Fraud Protection
Tracking Key Words and Competitors
Expanding Service to Other Channels

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/10-unique-use-cases-for-speech-analytics/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Its almost 2021 (YES!!) and we here at Expiva are having budgeting talks and discussions on where we see the industry moving in 2021 and what technologies and strategies do we want to invest in for next year.

In this episode we talk about the top five trends that we see in the industry and how we plan on using them to our advantage.

Topics include:

Google Real-Time Transcription / Dialogflows
Customers Want No Excuses After COVID-19
The Effects of COVID-19 on Legacy (older) Technology
Exploiting Digital Service (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp...)
Proactive Servicing using Analytics

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/five-call-center-customer-service-trends-in-2021/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

One of the age-old call center ops questions is "Should we use live or recorded calls" for our QA? Understanding that many call centers are moving to an analytic based QA platform, there is still a majority of centers using managers to "listen" to calls.

In this episode, we talk about the benefits of using both methods and when to do so.

We discuss what type of individual you should hire for a QA role and making sure you don't have your QA staff think that the job is to just find the mistake that reps are making. There is so much more to QA!

Calibration sessions are a very important tool in creating the right quality culture in your center. We discuss how to set them up, what types of calls to use, and tips to get the most out of them.

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I am going to start to answer the awesome questions I am getting in the Advice from a Call Center Geek! SMS Texting community as Community Q/A mini-podcasts.

I want this to be a huge benefit of joining our texting community (to join text "podcast" 814.247.0366 to get signed up).

In this Mini-Pod, I give my thoughts on some best practices when you have voice and chat agents and channels to staff. Should you keep them separate or should you cross train and integrate all the reps with all the channels?

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Here is a quick overview of what skills-based routing is, how to use it, and why it's such a great tool.

This is the biggest difference between a UCAAS (Office Phone System) and a CCAAS (Call Center) platform.

I have been getting a bunch of questions on skills-based routing so I hope this answers a lot of them!

We did a white boarding video that goes along with this as well if you are more of a visual learner that can be found here:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tlairdexpivia_callcenter-contactcenter-callcentergeek-activity-6725462092012371968-Qci4

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Lowering handle and talk time the right way can add to a center's ROI and make the customer and agent experience better

In this episode of the Geek!, we talk about tips on how to break calls down into segments to streamline processes. how to lessen hold time, and how to minimize one of the biggest killers to handle time and call center efficiency...after call work/wrap time.

I try to give simple and effective ways that we have used to best utilize technology, processes, and training to get your handle time lower while not impacting the customer experience.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/tips-to-lower-your-call-center-handle-time/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Outsourcing your call center operations can be a scary deal. If you can manage the relationship in a proper way, there can be a win-win mentality that happens not just for you and the BPO partner but most importantly for your customers as well.

In this episode, we give you actionable items to put into place to make sure the client/call center relationship runs as smoothly as possible.

Some of the items we discuss will center on:

Partnership over Vendorship
Single Points of Contact
Weekly Calibration Cessions
Quarterly Reviews
IM Tools
Issues/Escalation Processes

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/how-to-manage-a-call-center-outsourcer/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This is an Episode for true Call Center Geeks! I want to give you my five favorite call center reports and tell you why they help me and can help your call center.

In this episode we will talk about:
Daily Summary Reports
Monthly Volume Trends
Interval Volume Trends
Agent Occupancy Reports
Customer/Agent Sentiment Reports

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/my-five-favorite-call-center-reports/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

SOOOOO,

I was scolded by my staff about the title (not the content) of yesterday's episode on "10 Reasons why you Should NEVER Outsource Your Call Center". They said it sounded finite like you should outsource no matter what, if you listened to the episode you know that was not my intention...

So to make peace with everyone, I have done an episode on "10 Reasons Why You SHOULD Outsource Your Call Center".

I think (or hope), listening to these two episodes will give you a great baseline to do what is best for our organization.

In this episode we talk about the benefits of outsourcing as it deals with:
Having Proper Infrastructure
How Outsourcing Helps with Scaling
Relieving the Pain of Hiring, Training, and Turnover
Having access to the Latest and Greatest Technology

And much more...

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/ten-reasons-you-should-outsource-your-call-center/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I can talk all day on why you SHOULD outsource your call center and the benefits of doing so, but that doesn't seem very much fun.

Let's talk about the 10 reasons why you should NEVER outsource.

If you or your organization can relate to 2 or more of these topics on the top 10 list, then you should seriously consider keeping your call center internal.

Some of the reason we talk about in this episode are:

Cost Savings is the ONLY Driver
Not Having Buy-in from Key Stake Holders
Not having a Strong VM
Your Training is not in Order

This episode will make sure you are making the best decisions for your organization in terms of whether to outsource or not.

Blog Post:
https://expiviausa.com/ten-reasons-you-should-never-outsource-your-call-center/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

To maximize revenue, some call center outsourcers will do some things that are not up to industry standards. This is no different from what a SAAS or website creator may add in the "small details".

I don’t want any member of the "Geek Nation" to fall for any of these when you are looking for a great outsourcer.

Some of the ways that outsourcers may pay games are
Charging Crazy Setup Feel (We talk about what you should pay)
Charging for Client Support and Reporting
Not Defining What is included in Hourly and Per Minute Billing
Who Pays for Attrition Training

And more...

If you are looking to outsource, or are interested in behind the scenes of how outsourcers think, this is a can’t miss episode.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/behind-the-curtain-tricks-some-call-center-outsourcers-play/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

If you have not joined the Call Center Geek Texting Community here is another reason why. (text "Call Center" to 814.247.0366 to Join)

The Texting Community gets to ask anonymous questions to me that I then will answer on Linkedin. Every couple of weeks, we will do a podcast episode with these questions so the geek nation can hear them and hopefully gain some value from them.

The topics we takle in this episode are:

What are some ways you are hiring and recruiting during Covid? What social platforms are the best?

How do you monitor and care for the emotional well-being of WFH agents?

Budgetary case for Speech Analytics .

Thoughts on Voicemail Being Used in the Call Center.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/ten-reasons-you-should-outsource-your-call-center/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Just a quick message for any organization out there that is looking to purchase a new telephony platform or software but may need a little help making the best decision for your organization.

I started Call Center Geek Consulting a couple of months ago and in that time frame, we have been able to help some of our podcast listeners that have reached out to me with making the best call center platform decision for their company.

If you have any questions about what you should get, what should you pay, should I negotiate, how many providers should I get demos from...let me know.

We set up a landing page at callcentergeekconsulting.com. That form comes directly to me, fill it out and we can have a quick call to answer your questions. There is no cost at all to you or your company. For full transparency, I am paid on the back end by all the providers so I am totally platform agnostic. Just want to set you up with what will work for your company.

Click here callcentergeekconsulting.com and lets talk.

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

How many times has your boss or manager said the call center was not servicing properly and that the NPS and CSAT scores were too low! It has to be poor service in the call center right?

WRONG!

With so many ways that customers can interact with an organization, most times the call center can only triage a poor experience that a customer had had with a product, delivers, website, service model...They are not the root cause.

In this episode, we talk about customer journey mapping and finding the actual causes to customer issues.

This episode will begin getting down the path of being proactive and explaining not just that issues are happening but WHY!

(This is why speech analytics is soo important as well!)

Join our call center geek texting community! Totally free. Get exclusive call center ops content and a way to ask questions directly to Tom! Text "Journey" to 814.247.0366

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I had the great pleasure of being asked to give a talk to the University of Wisconson E-Business Consortium on "Making Call Center Culture Tangible, Using Culture as a Weapon, and Engagement Practices for Call Center Reps". This is the full talk that I gave. It's well worth the listen.

If you would like to have the deck that I used, please message me on Linkedin and I will be more than happy to send it to you!

Hopefully, it will add some value to your organization as well. There is the response we got from the moderator after the talk:

" You ROCKED it this morning, Tom! Thank you so much for sharing your time – and a fabulous talk with our Customer Care Community members! We received several spontaneous “Wow! That was great!” messages in the chat stream after you spoke – and several participants have already emailed me to ask for a copy of your slide deck (they just couldn’t wait for us to upload it to our members site in a couple of days). We’ll have the results of our “official” post-event participant survey in a day or so, but I can feel in my bones that the session was a great success. Kudos to you for hitting the ball out of the park!

And on behalf of me, the team – and all today’s participants, THANK YOU for your willingness to share your insights and experience around this very important topic with the community.

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/university-of-wisconsin-talk-making-call-center-culture-tangible-tips-for-call-center-rep-engagement/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

If you are in the market or will be in the market for a new call center platform, this is a can't miss episode.

In Episode 78 of the Geek!, we talk about everything you need to know when purchasing a new call center platform.

Host Tom Laird goes in-depth to the different types of providers, what are must/should-haves for any platform you purchase, tips on saving money, tricks the platforms sometime play, how to negotiate the price and what you should be looking to pay per seat.

Once you listen to this episode, you will understand the technology and terminology to make you feel confident in making a good decision for your business.

If you would still like to talk about your upcoming purchase or have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me at tlaird@expivia.net or head over to callcentergeekconsulting.com

We do not charge for any consulting we do.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/purchasing-a-new-contact-center-platform-everything-you-need-to-know/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this quick episode, we talk about some best practices on how we set up our supervisors and admin call center dashboards. From real-time metrics to interval data, we give you a good way to stay efficient and on top of your call center.

Join our texting community! It's free, we never sell. It's just a great way for all of us to communicate call center content. Text "dashboard" to 814.247.0366 to get set up!

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I received a question from a member of the Advice from a Call Center Geek Texting Community that sparked this quick podcast.

This is our unique take of setting up a call center employee suggestion program. From using culture to narrow the suggestions to engaging employees, I think this is a helpful episode for all call center operations looking to engage.

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Blog post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/setting-up-a-call-center-employee-suggestion-program/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text "Hello" to 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader is USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

If we had an unlimited budget for our call center, what tools would we purchase?
Lets take a look at the advanced tools that world-class call center utilize in their contact centers.
Omni-channel Session Handling
WFM
Analytics
Self-Service
CRM integrations
QM
WFI
RPA
Voice Authentication
Gamification
Advanced Routing

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations at ZERO cost to you!

Again text us at 814-247-0366 to sign up!

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/technology-tools-world-class-centers-utilize/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

The question that is now being asked in the call center industry is Whats Next? Should we stay with our work at home model, move all our agents back home, or should be do both and be a hybrid center moving forward.

In Episode 73 of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" we look at these options and our host Tom Laird discusses what he will be doing in his 500 seat call center outsourcing company Expivia.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/to-stay-wfh-or-move-the-call-center-back-brick-and-mortar/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

HR and dealing with corrective actions in the call center can be a very challenging issue. In episode 72 we talk about how to deal with issues that arise with your call center workforce in both the brick and mortar and at-home model.

We help you with coming up with policies that match your culture, how to create a progressive discipline policy, and give you some real examples on how we work with agents to try to negate any on floor issues.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/hr-and-corrective-actions-in-the-call-center-environment/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

How should you spend budget dollars on your call center? What should you prioritize and "fix"?

In this episode, we take you through the thinking of how we set our call center outsourcing business up. When we had limited dollars, what did we prioritize and what should you now prioritize with your limited budgets.

For us we only invest in three main tenants of our call center:
Infrastructure
Customer Journey Solutions
Employee Engagement

See why we do that and how it can help you think through what's important in your call center.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/planning-for-the-needs-of-your-call-center-infrastructure-customer-journey-and-employee-engagement/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Most companies are lying to you about what AI can do in your call center.

In this episode, we look at what AI can and cannot do in 2020. With many companies looking to have or visualize your customer experience, AI and the dream of a robot talking to your customers will start to permeate in the minds of many corporate executives that may be detached from the actual call center.

In this episode, we give a truthful opinion on what Ai can do today, how you can utilize it, and what to avoid.

There are a lot of untruths going on with alto of "AI" Providers there really are just giving you cooler chatbots and IVR's.

After this episode, you will have the knowledge to understand where AI stands in the call center of 2020 to make good decisions and the future technology of your call center.

Blog Post Link
https://expiviausa.com/the-truth-about-ai-in-the-call-center-in-2020/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In episode 69 of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" we take a look at Security With At Home Call Center Operations.

From policies and procedures for equipment, tips for taking credit card information, and how to maintain PCI compliance in a virtual setting we got you covered!

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of the Geek!, we give the full rundown of what we are doing and have found to be best practices to operating a virtual contact center. Topics discussed are:

Equipment Policies
Associates Management and QA
Supervisor Checklists
Security
Rep Engagement
MaximizingTechology

Blog Post Link
https://expiviausa.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-running-an-at-home-call-center/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 64 of "Advice form a Call Center Geek" we look at that you need to prepare for post Covid-19. What do you need to start to think through so that you are prepared for the new long term norm?

Customers are going to give the industry a free pass this time, but its not going to happen again. You need to be prepared for moving forward. We will talk about new ways to operate, what technology takes on a new importance, and what are the key procedures you need t put in place in your contact center.

If you want to talk about your call center, issues you are having, what tech should you be on, just want to vent. Head over to callcentegeekconsulting.com. Totally free, you will never pay a dime to talk. Just want to help.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/where-does-my-call-center-go-from-here-preparing-for-post-covid-19/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of Advice from a Call Center Geek!, we tell the true story of the rollercoaster of operating a call center in the days of coronavirus.

We give an interesting retrospective of each day from March 11 through March 25. How we went through the phases of ignoring and denying to action.

We have a 5-minute segment on some of the best practices that we are using on how to manage call center associates from home. When you video chat, when to IM, how many times a day should you touch base. We have you covered.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/a-day-in-the-life-embracing-a-new-norm/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this very special episode, during these very unique times, we have the privilege to be able to spend some time with Paul Herdman, Head of Global Customer Experience for NICE inContact.

In this conversion, we talk not just about COVID-19 in the call center space, but a behind the scenes look at what NICE inContact has done not just to provide customers with continuity, but the actions they have taken internally with their global support centers.

We discuss topics such as if he believes there will be in industry shift in the types of products and services we will see in the market, how things will change because of COVID-19, and what you need to be aware of for the upcoming contact center AI revolution.

Very cool conversation with a very smart contact center operations and service professional. And yes I actually mean that!

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/unique-times-a-conversation-with-paul-herdman-head-of-global-customer-experience/

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We at the Geek! want to try to do anything we can to help you through these crazy and stressful times. Operating and running a call center in the time and the uncertainty of the Coronavirus is a very difficult situation.

In this very important episode, we try to give you some of the things we are doing in our call center from the new policies we have on cleanliness and hand washing to how we are preparing our brick and mortar facility for an emergency at home agent environment.

We certainly do not have all the answers but hopefully, we can help you a little steer through these times.

We will get through!

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/covid19-and-your-call-center/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" we have our first guest interview! We took some time with call center adviser, consultant (broker..shhh not too loud) Fred Shadding. Fred has over 30 years of experience in the call center operations and consulting business.

Topics of discussion include:

What is the difference between a call center consultant and broker.
Pricing and quality of centers around the globe.
When should you outsource, when should you stay in house.
What functions are being outsourced more rapidly.
How do you determine what centers are best for specific clients.

Interesting discussion on the call center industry as a whole.

Contact information for Fred Shadding:
Founder & Chief Adviser
TSG Solutions, LLC / The Call Center Source
Office: 240-696-4111 Mobile: 301-537-1528
fred@thecallcentersource.com
www.thecallcentersource.com

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Policies and procedures may not be a really fun topic, but they are very necessary for assuring your call center is running smoothly. Policies are basically the call center's "constitution" or the rules that match the culture of the organization you are managing.

In this episode of the Geek! we discuss 10 key call center policies that all call centers should have. Some of these you can do yourself and some you will need some attorney help. If you head over to https://www.facebook.com/callcentergeekcommunity/ or on my LinkedIn account tlaird_expivia, I will post most of our current policies at Expivia for you to look at and use if you think they will help you.

4:38 NDA Agreement
5:30 Social Media Policy
6:50 Background Check Policy
7:22 Recording Policy
9:00 Attendance Policy
10:14 Dress Code Policy
11:36 Drug and Alcohol Policy
14:00 ID Badge Policy
15:26 Cell Phone and Wearable Technology Policy

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/10-policies-every-call-center-operation-must-have/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

A little bit of a unique and cool episode. The Geek is a huge fan of the "Call Center Helper" website and podcast. When we were asked to be a guest on their podcast we jumped at the invitation. While I am not going to spoil the entire episode, I do want to give you some highlights from a couple of the questions that were asked. Really good questions and I hope you find my answers as insightful. Lots here to take back to your center.

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

I LOVE social media (As you all know ..lol) but I love security in my call center even more. Go on TIKTOK and search for #callcenter and tell me if you still think it's ok for your call center associates to have cell phones on the call center floor.

There is ZERO chance you are PCI compliant if you are allowing cell phones or wearable technology on the call center floor. I think there should be a law against it, that's how strongly I feel about this subject.

The amount of bad things that can happen now is through the roof.

If you are looking for a cellphone/wearable technology policy to use in your call center here you go:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/expivia-cell-phone-wearable-technology-agreement-thomas-laird/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

One of the key tasks that we talk to call centers when consulting is to whiteboard the "Call Center 22's" which are 22 questions that we ask the call center to define.

This is an exercise that we undertake internally every year as well to redefine where we stand on a bunch of call center culture questions. If you sit down with your team and define and shape these questions and how they affect you, this will take you a long way in defining call center culture and save you money by not needing a consult to help you!

Questions we ask:
What is tolerated or not tolerated?
Do your supervisors care more
about their reps then themselves?
Have you talked to HR about the type of rep you want in your center?
How do people speak to each other?
How does management treat peers?
Do you engage floor leaders?
Do you let things slide?
How strict is your center?
Do you tolerate poor attitudes?
Do you tolerate lack of effort
What do you do when a reps rocks a QA score?
What really happens when a rep is late?
Do your supervisors all manage differently?
Do you play games on your floor daily?
Is there music on your floor at any time?
Do you take pride in the equipment(chairs, headsets...)
Do you correct reps on the floor or off?
Are you investing in new tech?
Are you investing in rep education or is your center “too busy”?

Do you love your job?

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/deep-dive-into-your-call-center-21-questions-we-ask-when-consulting/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing and consulting. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We take a deeper dive into the call center metrics that you need to be looking at daily and intraday to have the most efficient call center possible!

We break down:
Service Level
Average Handle Time
Average Speed of Answer
Occupancy
Abandonment Rate
ACW/Wrap Time
Average Time in Queue

We show why these metrics are so important in benchmarking efficiency in your call center

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/call-center-metrics-101/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp.....

Do you have a digital plan for these "newer" channels?

In this episode of the "Geek" we talk about the importance of servicing customers on these channels, how to be proactive instead of reactive then it comes to social listening and best practices for digital customer service programs!

Your customers are using these channels and they are talking about you. Its time for a plan to engage and delight in the digital world!

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Do you have processes and procedures in your call center to protect you, your customers, and your organization from fraud, phishing, viruses, employee/internal fraud or are you hoping and praying it never happens to you!

We take a look at what you need in 2020 to have a secure contact center environment when it comes to Data, Physical and Digital Security. We discuss tactics you need to be doing now along with what new technology can help you as well when it comes to data and call center security.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/call-center-security-101-security-needs-in-your-call-center/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This bonus podcast episode was taken from a very popular 9 minute video that was posted on how our we started our call center outsourcing company, Expivia Interaction Marketing Group.

From where I came from, to being laid off, bootstrapping, making payroll, hiring our first employees to growing into a 500 seat USA call center.

Please take some inspiration from a regular guy that focused on a goal and won’t give up.

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In episode 53 of the Geek! we tackle the Top 10 Questions You Always Wanted to Ask a Call Center Outsourcer, but never have.

Outsourcers get a lot of the same types of questions from those that have not outsourced before or are wondering what it all entails. Is this episode we try to educate and demystify the call center outsourcing process.

1) Can you use our CRM / Do we have to use yours?
2) How do you connect to our systems?
3) What does the outsourcer pay for, what do we pay for?
4) Can we blind monitor anytime we want?
5) How Does training work?
6) Will we pay setup fees?
7) Can we visit you?
8) Should we make an outsourcer prove certifications (PCI, HIPPA...)?
9) Can we/should we negotiate with the outsourcer?

AND THE BIG ONE:
10) How much does an outsourcer charge?

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/top-10-questions-youve-always-wanted-to-ask-a-call-center-outsourcer/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 51 of Advice from a Call Center Geek, we look at 5 ways you can engage your call center staff.

We discuss strategies such as how and why to form leadership committees to utilizing Social Media to get the best out of all your call center associates and staff.

We all want a highly engaged workforce, in this episode, we show you how!

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/five-ways-to-improve-your-call-center/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

A quick extra podcast episode to all the Geek! listeners out here. We wanted to give a quick year in review and tell you where we are going in 2020.

Thank you all and Merry Christmas, without you guys we would have stopped last January!

-Tom

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

With 2019 winding down, we wanted to take a look a the technology trends that will be affecting the call center space in 2020.

From AI, Analytics to the digital explosion, Advice from a Call Center Geek! gets you ready for the changes that are coming in 2020 to stay ahead of your competition.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of the Geek!, we talk about why you need to be monitoring your digital channels at all times.

We give you a real-life example of what happens when one of your social media assets gets attacked by a group of people (trolls) and how to respond.

This example is something that actually happened to the Expivia Facebook page over the Black Friday to Cyber Monday 2019 weekend.

Really cool episode that hopefully will scare you all enough into action to protect your digital assets with the same vigor as you do voice, chat, and email.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/our-true-social-media-horror-story/

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 46 of "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" We talk about what the Google Contact Center AI going generally available (GA) last week on Nov 14, 2019.

We will look at what that means to the average call center and what AI technologies we at Expivia are working on now that correlates to Google AI going GA.

If you are into call center technology, this episode is for you!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of the Geek!, take a look at all the Call Center KPI's that go into making your call center as efficient as possible. We break down inbound and outbound metrics and show how many of them correlate with each other.

This is a great podcast for anyone that is newer in the industry or is a first time supervisor or team lead.

From Average Speed of Answer to Occupancy, we got you covered.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 44 of Advice from a Call Center Geek!, we take a look at how you improve your WFM and how to staff appropriately in your call center.

If you have any interest in how a WFM manager does their job or how you can do a staffing model in your contact center, this episode is for you!

Take a look at the Expivia Staffing Calculator here:
expiviausa.com/staffing-calculator

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Go in-depth into our new hire packet where we talk about how you can start to instill culture by the policies and procedures you present in the first few days of employment.

In this episode, we talk about the new hire pack all cal center agents receive along with an outline of the first 30 hours of call center and company training that you can use to improve your onboarding procedures.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

No matter what type of Contact Center you are operating, there is always some aspect of sales. Customer service centers are looking to upsell and cross-sell, outbound centers are looking to sell. How do you get your associates to do this the right way without having your quality drop?

In Episode 43 of the Geek!, we introduce the concept of the "ERQ" which stands for "End Result of Quality" and is how we make sure that all sales are done the right way in our call center.

We also look at all the key KPIs you need for your sales programs bit it inbound or outbound.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Fun Episode!

10 ways to make you think about making your customer service experience unique for both the customer and your agents.

1) Create a unique tagline AKA Chik-fil-a effect
2) Post your stats for your customers to see
3) How to Immerse your customers into your world
4) Incenting the right KPI's
5) Routing the right way
6) Screen pop CTI importance
7) Training Tone
8) Is your center boring?
9)Are you using al the technology you have?
10) Management training

Blog Post Link:
https://expiviausa.com/nine-ways-to-make-your-customer-service-experience-unique/

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In episode 42 of our call center operations podcast "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" we talk about the 5 biggest and easiest ways to improve your call center today.

Out of all the topics we have discussed we talk about the five biggest ways to make the biggest impact in your call center.

1) Hiring for Culture
2) The TONE is the Message; Educating New hires
3) Agents Analysis
4) Measuring the right KPI's
5) Having Fun in your Call Center

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 41, we dig into the security and culture aspects of our NO CELL phone policy at Expivia and why we think its a cornerstone of our overall security compliance.

Because so many of you asked for it, I am just posting the cell phone/wearable policy here on expiviausa.com:
https://expiviausa.com/ï»¿cell-phone-wearable-technology-agreement/

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

With fall upon us and many listeners starting to think about 2020 budget and outsourcing possibilities, we thought it would be a good time for an episode to discuss the pros and cons of call center outsourcing.

What is right for you? Are you looking to cost savings, technology upgrades or an overhaul of your CX, we talk through if staying internal or outsourcing is right for your organization!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We take a look at what we believe the call center will look like in the next five years. We talk about 10 major changes that will be happening that all call center geeks will have to start to prepare for.

Predictive Behavioral Routing
Voice Authentication Enhancements
Advanced Chat/Omnichannel/Augmented Reality
Iot Service
Cloud Conversion
AI Chatbots
AI WFM
Better Agent Education
Outsourcing

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Being the birthday of Expivia, the one-year anniversary of our first book that sparked the podcast and the day we are publishing our second book "MORE Advice from a Call Center Geek!" we wanted to take a look back at our call center and how we started. We are feeling a little nostalgic!

Many of you have gone through adversity. The start of Expivia was not easy especially when we look back at there we came from. We hope this episode inspires many of our fellow geeks that may be going through a rough time. You can succeed if you don't quit!

And by the way....the best revenge is success!

If you would like a copy of the new book, the kind version is FREE for the next 5 days and the paperback is at the lowest price that Amazon will allow for the next 5 days as well ($6.03)

Click here if you are interested:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WT6KHBH

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

At Expivia our "You own Your Paycheck" attendance program has raised our call center attendance 27% from day 1 of implentation.

If your center is struggling with attendance then this is an episode that you need to listen to and a program and you need to look hard into implementing in your center. Its one of the best things we have done in our center to improve attendance and grow our culture.

Here is a link to the actual "You own Your Paycheck" policy:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cracking-code-call-center-attendance-thomas-laird/

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

This is our favorite podcast! In this episode, we talk about a true "coming of age" management story that many of you call center supervisors and management can relate to.

We think this will help all supervisors and managmers become better at thir job buy being able to incorporate the TRUST equation.

Trust= Character+Competence+Motivation

Character:
There is so much that this entails that it really is a lifelong progression with no true ending point. It starts when you are very young in a management position with the basics of making sure you are on time, dressed appropriately and care about doing a good job. As you get more experienced it gets more complex. You turn from looking out for yourself to developing and looking out for those that work for you. It’s much more than not backstabbing, not using bad language or not lying, all things we associate with character. It boils down to doing the right thing for those around you no matter how tough it may be.

Competence:
Being competent in your job is vital. So many managers equate competence in knowing more than everyone. They think it is about being the smartest person in the room; in fact, it’s probably more the opposite of that.

In its truest form Competence is the ability to make more good decisions than bad ones.

It’s putting in the time and effort, listening to your team, taking suggestions and putting together the best answer to a solution. When I first started my Type A personality felt threatened when someone else had an idea no matter how good it was! I had a lot to learn.

Motivation:
This is VITAL. Now I understand it is not everyone’s personality to rah rah and high five people. That’s ok. All this really means is that you need to be POSITIVE in dealing with people. You need to be more of a positive influence than a negative one.

This does not mean that if you are taking some kind of corrective action (I hate that term by the way) that you need to have two nice things for every “negative” thing you say to them. That ridiculous in my mind, every situation is different and I’m not going to make up nice things to say if they are not warranted at that time. I believe that weakens your message

What I am saying is that if you asked yourself :

Would my employees truly think I am a positive person, one that motivates more than demeans, one that lifts a room more then makes people uncomfortable?

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Wanted to make a special announcement to make the one-year birthday of our call center ops book "Advice from a Call Center Geek" that started this whole thing off!

We have just completed our new version on the book "MORE Advice from a Call Center Geek" and will be publishing it on Amazon on Tuesday, Aug 13, 2019.

Head over to moregeek.callcentergeek.com to sign up to receive the link to the FREE digital version of the book. We will also be selling the paperback at the lowest rate Amazon will let us. Should be 3-4 dollars tops.

Again head over to moregeek.callcentergeek.com so you don't miss out on the free version!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Its time to really look at implementing video and co-browsing into your customer support and sales. In this episode, we take a look at the reasons why you should be thinking about video in your 2020 planning.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
INCREASING THE URGE TO BUY
TECHNOLOGY IS HERE
COST FOR VIDEO CUSTOMER SERVICE
GROUP SERVICE/FUN!
ENGAGEMENT WITH VIDEO
SALES
AUGMENTED REALITY

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We all strive to improve the attendance in our call centers. In this episode of the geek!, we talk about how and why you need to incorporate attendance into everything you do in your call center. From the hiring, incenting, paying and policy.

We discuss 4 topics that you can take back to your call center to improve your attendance today!
#morecarrot #lessstick

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

From call center cubicles to computers, to supervisor ratio if you are looking for some tips on how to set up your call center or expand it we got you covered!

Take a look at how our 500 seat USA call center Expivia is set up. We dig deep into the thought process of why we set up our center the way we did and give some to time and expense saving tips when setting your contact center up.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of the Geek! we go deep into how you can utilize SLACK to enhance your call centers communications culture. From setting up channels, evolving QA processes and having fun with SLACK, we take a look at how you can improve how information flows in your call center.

We also have a cool game that we found on Linkedin from Melissa Love that we talk about at the beginning of the episode. It will get your associate's energy going when you see a lull in your center!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

The number one tip that we give when consulting with other call centers is to set up a weekly agents analytics program or agent review every single week.

So how you can improve your call center quality, agent engagement, and culture by spending 15 minutes a week with each agent off the phone.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

You asked for it and you got it! More games to play in your call center! From individual to team games we have you covered to add to your culture and employee engagement.

Please head over to signup.callcentergeek.com to sign up for the Geek! community. Access to the FB group, private webinars, and posts. No Sales, just call center communication.

Punch Out
Find the Joker
Target Practice
Horse Racing
Human Board Game
Water Pong
Bubble Race
Guess the Temp
Jeopardy
Box it Up
State Bingo
Pyramid
Create the Mascot

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 28 of the Geek, we discuss 10 unique benefits of moving your call center operations to the cloud while discussing the limited downside as well.

Pros:

Scaling
Fewer Points of Failure for your Front Facing Operation
New Technology deployment Ease
API Culture
Global Reach
Reduced IT and Telephony Costs
Technology Upgrade Costs
World Wide Supervision/Transparency
Limited to No Equipment needed

Cons:

Internet Needs
Service Packages
Proper Technology from Partner
What Happens when you are down

We also talk about security and how the cloud approach to PCI, Encryption and Data security.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

One of our favorite episodes!

All employees and especially call center employees love to use Social Media to communicate. How can we use social tools to create a fun two-way street with our employees and call center associates?

In Episode 27 of the Geek!, we discuss unique ways to use Facebook, Instagram, and online review sites to engage and develop your associates in a medium they want to interact with.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We at the Geek want to announce the creation of the Geek Call Center Community. The goal and mission of the Geek has always been to create a community of call center colleagues that can use their knowledge to help others and themselves with issues and questions that may arise in the running of your call center.

We have created the Call Center Geek community and we ask all podcast listeners to Join. It's TOTALLY FREE.

Access to private monthly webinars with the Call Center Geek Host, Tom Laird
Exclusive Monthly "Call Center Geek" newsletter and blog posts
Exclusive FB community page to exchange ideas and answer questions.
Private Email to ask Tom any call center related questions you have

To join head over to signup.callcentergeek.com. All we ask is your name and email.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 25 of "Advice from a Call Center Geek" we discuss the topic of recruiting call center associates the right way for prolonged employment

We tackle how culture and branding have an effect on recruiting along with how to use social media, job boards, unique alliances, and Referal programs to make sure you are getting the right fit for your contact center environment.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 24 of the Geek!, we take a look at the NICE inContact Customer Benchmarking Survey and how it correlates to what we are seeing in the marketplace in regards to customer channel preferences.

We also talk about the difference between multi and omnichannel and the importance of being channel agnostic for your customers.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Ever wonder how much it costs to outsource in the USA, Latin America, Europe, India or the Philippines?

In Episode 23 of the Geek! We take a trip around the world to educate all our fellow geeks on costs associated with outsourcing anywhere in the world.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode, we look at call center routing technology from the first call center, through the invention of the first ACD and skills-based routing to the routing of the future...

Predictive Behavioral Routing where we can route not just by skill, but by customer and agent personality...super cool.

We also have a special announcement in this episode about the next call center book we are working on!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

The Geek takes a deep dive into a personal experience with the United Airlines baggage Customer Service department and what we can all learn from the experience.

We also look at the newest technology that will be coming to the call center space in a recap of NICE inContact Interactions 19 from Las Vegas.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Let's take a walk down memory lane to the call center of 1985 when there were no computers, outbound was king, stats were few and far between and smoking in the call center was the norm! Wow, have things changed!

I would love to hear some of the stories of your call center back in the day. Head over to https://www.facebook.com/callcentergeek/ to post!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

No matter what type of Contact Center you are operating, there is always some aspect of sales. Customer service centers are looking to upsell and cross sell, outbound center are looking to sell. How do you get your associates to do this the right way without having your quality drop?

Almost all internal call centers fight with the concept of interdepartmental mingling. The finance guys need the sales numbers to be X while the customer service executives need quality to be Y. This is a constant struggle in a lot of centers. How do we meet the demand of a sales quota with keeping our service and quality metrics above bard as well?

Most call centers that has a sales aspect does some sort of commission, proficiency or incentive to reward sales in the center. Sometimes associates do anything they can for that sale to make a quota or sales goal leading to low quality sales and sales that have a high cancel and low stick rate.

We at Expivia have gone way with using the word “Sale” in our call center for both our inbound and outbound programs. When it is used it actually has a negative connotation.

We use a different term. ERQ.

ERQ stand for End Result of Quality. On sales programs ERQ is the end goal. It means our associate did what the real prose of the call was in any high quality contact center, they secured a sale the right way. What is the “right way”?

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 18 of the Geek we look at a new way to incent your call center associates based on your culture. No longer is it good enough to just look at a couple KPIS. Learn how to build a well rounded associates with incentive!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Let's take a look a the types of chatbots that are available for your call center today, what ones you should be using and where the technology is moving to. We discuss not only the technology behind them but the use cases and costs.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

When you think call center costs most people think agents and minute charges. In this episode of the Geek! we we look at the full scope of costs that are involved in your center and the reasons you many not be as efficient at possible.

We use our fun Call Center Calculator at www.expiviausa.com/savings-calculator as well so listen to the episode and follow along with our interactive calculator!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of the Geek! we dive deep into the awesomeness of speech analytics.

There are many powerful use cases for this amazing call center tool but understanding what it can do and its limitations are vital to having a great experience. We will tackle some topics such as:

1) What Speech Analytics IS and IS NOT
2) Why Its such a powerful tool
3) Real life use cases to improve your QA, VOC and Marketing.

We also give a real life example of how the power of analytics can really revolutionize your business.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In the episode of the Geek!, the we discuss the benefits of moving your call center to the cloud and why we believe its so beneficial. We also talk about our history with premise based solutions.
We are not shy for our love for what we believe is the best in class Cloud Telephony provider Nice inContact.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this Episode of the Geek we talk about 9 ways to improve your call center coaching techniques:

Coach off the Floor
Be Specific
The Tone is the Message
Tie Goals
Let your Reps Give Feedback
Role play
Redefine Goals
Understand Expectations
Re-Monitor

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

So many people judge what a world class experience is by metrics that our industry has been using for over 30 years.

Has using these metrics really improved the CX?

Take a look at a new approach to KPI's. One that measures not just how quickly the agent answers the phone but measures both sides of the conversation.

Isn't the who point of world class customer service to improve the customer experience and not just hit a SLA number?

We hope this episode opens some eyes into what we believe is the new standard of world class service.

Check out https://youtu.be/f3VFttZ_Nlw for more on this episode

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We have re-done the original episode 4 to now include more games, more engagement and more fun to have in your call center. There are over 20 games and ideas to have fun in your call center in this episode.
We break the games into basic, intermediate, and advanced games for your center.

If you want any of the rules for these games email the Host of the Geek, Tom Laird at tlaird@expivia.net

BASIC FUN

Pass the ...
Hangman
Color Me Up
Poker
Cornhole
KPI Tic-Tac- Toe
Bet Who?

INTERMEDIATE FUN

Hoop It Up
Hall Ball
Roller Ball
Pyramid
Scavenger Hunt

ADVANCED AWESOMENESS

Human Board Game
Battle Ship (2 ways)
Kentucky Derby
Water Pong
Facebook and Instagram engagement

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode we look at 10 concepts to consider before you outsource your call center. Many great things can happen when you outsources to the right partner. Nightmares happen when you don't.
This is a must listen is you are considering an RFP or looking to outsource your call center.

1. Proper Size

2. Track Record of Management

3. Client Support Method

4. Associate Match:

5. Proper Technology

6. Onshore/Offshore/Hybrid

7. Company Culture

8. Training

9. Scalability/Flexibility

10. Security

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 9 of the Geek! we take a deeper dive into the quality aspects of your center. From starting or improving your QA scoring, educating on delight and tone and taking a look at the benefits of Speech Analytics, we strive in episode 10 to improve your Quality processes!

The Tone is the Message
Scoring Calls
Setting up a QA system
Speech Analytics
Educating the Right Things

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In Episode 8 of Advice from a Call Center Geek we look at some ways that we have made our call center different and unique and show you how to do the same in your environment!

Call Center Communication
Speech Analytics for Agent Tone
TVs/Monitors KPI suggestions
Supervisor Tools
Social Media in Your Call Center

Head over to https://www.facebook.com/callcentergeek to join in a discussion on what makes your center different and unique!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

How do you facilitate call center management training in your call center? Do you have a training plan at all or are you just pulling long tenured/high producing associates to be your supervisors?

Stop that! Start a management training program in your call center. In this episode of the Geek! we tell you how!

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

While we all want a world class center with happy associates, well trained supervision and a great culture, we know that good times sometimes go bad. In this episode of the Geek! we discuss five strategies for avoiding and resolving issues that arise on the call center floor.

1) Supervisor Respect
2) Progressive Discipline
3) Don't let it Linger!
4) Get to Know Your Associates
5) Managing your Peers

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We have updated the really well received talk that we gave at the Nice incontact Interactions Conference on 10 Ways to Disrupt Your Call Center.

We want to to think about:
1) Your Technology and Current Customer Trends
2) Your Operations
3) Your Culture

(This is by far our favorite podcast and provides an awesome overview to the state of where your center needs to be in 2019)

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

We discuss the importance of controlling the first 30 minutes of an associate's day to have an awesome and productive shift with our "Call Center Coffee Procedures".
We discuss:
1) Your call center environment and energy.
2) Greeting each associate with enthusiasm!
3) Recapping team and individual goals.
4) How are you going to have fun today?
5) Work transition.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of "The Geek" we discuss tips to limit turnover during the first 90 days of hire and how to educate associates the right way.

Want to improve ongoing education? You need to implement your very own agent analysis program, we show you how.

Join the Advice from a Call Center Geek texting community! Text us at 814-247-0366 and you will be able to have direct access to us for any call center ops question. We will also be sending out exclusive call center ops content to all community members.

We will NEVER attempt to sell you anything nor will we sell your data. All this is, is another way for us to be able to help you with your call center operations questions.

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In this episode of "The Geek" we look at your call center culture and how we can evolve it so be a tool to hire, incentivize and engage our call center associates.
We look closely at:
1) Defining your call center culture
2) Hiring the right call center associate, not the "best" candidate
3) How to incent off culture
4) The importance of getting employee buy-in to our culture and how to do it.

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

In our inaugural episode we give some background on why we created "The Geek" we discuss three distinct topics to start off our podcast:
1) Who we are are
2) Why we created "the geek" and whom it will benefit
3) We dig into our first topic of "The Seven Reasons why your Call Center Stinks!

The "Advice from a Call Center Geek!" podcast is sponsored by Expivia Interaction Marketing, a leader in USA call center/customer service outsourcing. Check Expivia out at www.expiviausa.com

Text me: 814.247.0366
Follow me: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel

Tom Laird’s 100% USA-based, AI-powered contact center. As the only outsourcing partner on the NICE CXone Customer Executive Council, Expivia is redefining what it means to be a CX tech partner. Learn more at expiviausa.com.

Follow Tom: @tlaird_expivia
Join our Facebook Call Center Community: www.facebook.com/callcentergeek
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlairdexpivia/
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@callcenter_geek
Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9041993/
Watch us: Advice from a Call Center Geek Youtube Channel