Outsourcing Et al..

In an effort to cut costs and increase efficiency many companies have outsourced some functions. In some cases data proves that making that move can save a company millions per year. That is no small sum in any business.

There are only some functions of a company that can be outsourced, call centers maybe choice number one. As the man in charge of HR, I would have to think about the opportunity costs we are paying in good customer service versus the savings we get from the call centers abroad. I would have to look at control, quality and the maintenance of the call centers. One major drawback with offshore call centers is the lack of quality control. Who trains the CSRs? That is usually done by the contracting company.

Another of the major problems with call centers is the linguistic differences and the inherent knowledge of certain terms that customers in America use. The bottom line is, as long as we can maintain the cost effectiveness of such a strategy, I would opt for fixing the other areas that affect good customer service and keep the call centers open here. Outsourcing is a management tool, and like other tools, it has to be used effectively. The savings from outsourcing has to be looked at and compared to the overall strategy and direction we intend to take. 

I think training the customer service representatives in these call centers would be priority number one. Communicating the goals, directives and overall organizational strategy to them is important to maintain our standards. The customer should not be able to determine that their calls are being handled overseas. This perception alone can be damaging to our image. The decision to outsource should be undertaken carefully, weighting the pros and cons against long term goals.

Empowerment, Diversity and Litigation..

The structure and historical path that the typical organization has taken is well documented. An integral part of this history is the early notion that employees were to be considered factors of production much the same as land and capital. Added to this mix are the differing cultures in the workplace today. As attitudes changed and human intellect became the most important factor, workers were given more consideration and their different attitudes became important as employees and as the targets of all marketing effort. Empowerment is a system of giving employees the control over their essential job functions through training, information sharing and encouragement. The entire process is not confined to those facets, but they are corollaries to the innovation that empowerment has become. Culture is a learned behavior, and cultural differences in the workplace is a huge plus. Culture and diversity should be embraced and encouraged through the hiring process. Empowerment and diversity are tools that can boost production, improve morale and project a positive image of the organization. Use them wisely...

Customer Service in the Internet Age

The internet age and its impact on society will be seen in years to come to be one of the most important advances mankind has ever created. Today more than ever, everything is online and instantaneous. Brick and mortar travel agencies have seen a decline, even though they will never totally be removed from our landscape. The changes we speak of affect not only goods, but the intangibles, those we know as services. The hospitality sector has adapted very well to cyberspace. Bookings and research can be done online. The services are wide ranging and efficient. Many restrictions still remain however, such as identification, identity theft and government regulations. In addition to the fact that one can quote and purchase a hotel stay in minutes, all of the services offered online save time, petrol and money versus the long waits and telephone calls to agents. Overhead costs are less, even though every service organization has to hire new tech staff to be on call 24/7.

Customers can book flights, and in the same sitting reserve a car, hotel room, find attractions and get notification of special offers on the same services in the future. Marketing to customers on the internet is easier since tracking their activities online is easier. Customers have identities online, profiles, and this is a direct line to exactly what services they look at, seek, or eventually purchase.Customer service personnel must therefore be able to deal with customers in this forum. Typing in text jargon (lol, omg, brb for example) to online customers in a distinct no-no. Get your agents trained and up to the same standards as your tech tools for maximum success in online customer service.

Hump Day Hail Mary--What Climate Change?

External Forces, Literally!..

 In looking at the forces that affect a firm’s ability to perform, we see there are internal forces and external forces. Labor and capital are internal, and those can be manipulated from within the hierarchy. The firm also operates in direct competition with others, within the laws existing in the physical location and under the political framework in the country. These are all external factors that cannot be controlled by any management action. The physical elements of nature such as topography or climate. In some locations for example, the hurricane season brings new challenges to ALL businesses, those having direct competitors or not. 

Climate is important to business; it is the meteorological state of the atmosphere that includes temperature, wind and existing rainfall conditions. Apart from natural disasters where the impact is obvious, climate conditions can mold decisions and affect the day to day operations in a firm. For regions with hot, tropical climates, companies operating there will need to ensure the comfort of employees and air conditioning will form part of the expenses to be met. In cold regions,  heating and temperature control is no less important. Building design and location will also be impacted by climatic conditions. In making key management decisions, the firm has to consider all the factors. Climate change regulation must be included in planning, what air conditioning choice will bring the best returns on energy costs? Buildings need to be insulated. Employees need training about natural disasters and what to do if one occurs. Who is in charge of emergency planning? Are there hotlines set up for employees to call after an emergency? Be smart- plan ahead, or better yet get a consultant to take care of your planning needs. Cheers!

Helping your Employees to cope, Adapt and Thrive at Work

Small Questions With Huge Implications:


In some instances the Gap of expectations between employer and employee is a canyon. Many reasons can account for that, chief among them a lack of communication about the expectations of both parties. What is known is employees are expected to show up and work, the rest is hazy. Here are some questions to clear the webs from your system. Cheers!




1.   Does the company mission statement challenge employees, managers, etc to strive for excellence?

2.   Does it give enough reason to contribute trust, commitment, and effort to a worthy cause?

3.   Focus first on the duties: What does your employer owe to you and it's stakeholders? Put those in a sequence of importance. Following your priorities, why should the company follow up on your priorities?

Finally:

 

4.  Think about goals: What should the company attempt to achieve along the different dimensions of performance; training, evaluation and service that are possible? Think of "service" as what the company should do to help people in its broader community. Where, in your view, should the focus be put, and why?

The relationship between employer and employee should be symbiotic, ask the questions that will effect that and the road ahead will be much less bumpy.

Performance Appraisals and Salary Reviews...

Many companies utilize a merit pay system based on supervisors rating employees and doing job evaluations that decide pay increases. The use of a rating scale means that managers could choose between different rating categories and this can be confusing. One model the COMPA RATIO, almost always reduces the performance levels of promoted workers who are rated on jobs skills that they are yet to master in their newly promoted roles. Managers themselves must first comprehend the performance appraisal methods used to determine pay. Employees then must be fully trusting of any system that allocates their pay increases across tenure and seniority. 

 One of the most frequent complaints centers on employees feeling that regardless of how hard they worked, everyone would still receive the same increases. This is because the evaluation was done manually and employees with the same tenure were usually given favorable ratings regardless of performance. A computer- aided calculator system used in conjunction with manual assessments can help with job reviews.

Filling the Blanks

1                    Recruitment is a two way form of assessment that takes place between employer and prospective employee. Regardless of the size of the firm, staffing remains a key element of the production process. Smaller firms face some unique challenges in their quest for competent employees. For one thing their recruitment efforts are often concentrated in one location, this can rule out capable applicants in other locations. Workforce planning is essential for forecasting the employee needs of the firm. Since recruitment is a two way relationship, if the public is unaware of the needs of the company, there will be a lack of applicants for new jobs and small firms are hampered in their efforts to effectively advertise. Larger firms can offer more job stability; this along with things like insurance coverage can see smaller firms losing competent workers to larger companies. 

#WHATTODO? 

2                    Employee referral is one good way to find new employees. Many industries have different generations of the same family working there. 

Advertising in the local newspapers as well as maintaining a presence in the community will help their efforts. I think small businesses should make an effort to donate to local entities such as churches and schools. This will ensure a favorable mention of the company and that can be a good form of self promotion.

Smaller companies (should) have a more intimate, family atmosphere among its employees. Managers interact more with workers on a one-to-one basis and so any concerns can be easily communicated without the bureaucratic roadblocks that exist in larger firms. Managers can visit employees at their informal functions such as church and social events and ensure the company has a presence in their after-work lives.

Managing a Diverse Workforce- #diversityworks!

Why do many companies find increasing and managing diversity to be difficult challenges? 


The workforce in the United States has a growing minority population that includes people from all over the globe. Managing diversity effectively includes encouraging a heterogeneous workforce with all races that are employable. Some factors affect an organization’s ability to effectively manage diversity, they include the shifting of the economy to a service oriented one, the new business strategies that calls for more teamwork, mergers and acquisitions that bring different cultures together and the changing labor market that has seen more women and minorities being educated and upwardly mobile. New laws governing the employment of people with disabilities and the need to hire employees who can directly relate to the customer base is also driving companies to adopt diversity and its challenges. 

Under what circumstances might using a consulting firm be most useful in addressing issues with diversity ? 

In the event that there is a problem with employees from different cultural backgrounds, where language is a barrier to communication, a consultant could bring in language experts. Different cultures view things like hand gestures and even personal space in public from different angles. These minor infractions can cause problems between workers and affect productivity. Having someone with the same background moderate this fuss can be effective. The solution of the problem amicably is the job number one. The consultant should encourage employees to discuss openly any issues that affect the conflicting employees and provide feedback to management for future reference. Kudos on a good work week everyone, cheers!

Management Monday: tips for hierarchical higher-ups

Private sector companies are owned privately and are affected by the changes that owners want to see in its operation. Shares in these companies are traded and inherited, while government can and will seek funds from the public in its effort to finance public sector companies. This is a direct competition to the private sector's demands on investor capital. Funds invested in government paper has a guarantee that private companies cannot compete with; thus financing for private companies carries more risk, as private sector interest rates must be made out to be more appealing than the guaranteed government rates. 


Different Strokes for Different Folks:


Managers for private sector companies usually spend more time than at public run companies with political appointees who can be replaced with each change in the political landscape. Unsure that continuity and succession plans are in place regardless of the type of company- even more-so for those susceptible to political changes. Remember, regardless of the type of company, it is the manager's job to manage for change- at all levels.

Scare Tactics for Friday the 13th- leading by example

Need recognition:   
Managers and business owners know the decision making process is more complex in today’s shopping experience. There are more goods available and in more varieties. Helping the consumer arrive at a decision is part of the overall strategy. Reviews, product utility and comparisons should be commonplace tools available to customer service agents. Management must realize that consumers need help in decision making and that online shopping is new to many people. Added to the scams and online fraud, it is important to present a safe way to do business on the internet. Having knowledgeable employees is an immeasurable complement to updated technology tools. 


Post-purchase evaluation- 
After the initial transaction is completed between the customer and the organization, many transactions will still require the consumer to have some form of contact with the manufacturer. Rebates, member support (for loyalty customers for example) and support and information for any items purchased are some ways this relationship is also maintained.

Who We Are- Human Intelligence Resource Experts

Human Intelligence Resource Experts- When you look at our services and solutions, one word is a constant- HIRE. Managers and businesses are continually tasked with finding the right employee fit for their companies. We find practical value for employee training and motivation.

Today's essential question:
How do you measure employee performance?

• FACTs- employee job descriptions affect employee motivation and performance.
• Winning employee loyalty matters greatly- we provide strategies to effect that end.
• Technology upgrades are constant, employee retraining is the equivalent upgrade for the HUMAN ELEMENT.

The top news for today April 9, 2012 is-- does anyone know their role within the larger organization? Is the employee handbook up to date and in use? New products tools developed by HIRE include updates to employee handbooks and mission statements.  

Today's Big Tip. Cross training can provide measurable benefits and reduce inter-departmental conflicts. In assessing the assets of your company, tossing out machinery or office furniture routinely is not a good MO; likewise getting rid of employees for minor mistakes will prove too costly in the long run.

The HIRE problem solver today is this-- Understanding the customer service fault lines. Is the problem internal or external? How equipped are your employees to deal with their personal problems, and those of the different types of customers they must deal with daily? Answers are available, call us at 954-553-3732 for a free consultation.