Page 8 - The Compass 2017 | Volume 12 | Issue 8

LEARNING FROM THE BEST
by Bob Houchin
by Bob Houchin
it takes a teaM

Maureen Venitelli of One Call Electrical Services in South Plainfield, New
Jersey, Finished First on the ESI Scoreboard Last Year for CSR Call-Booking
Ratio at 97 Percent. The Superstar’s Understanding & Appreciation for
Everyone’s Roll within the Company Makes Her an Incredible Success.

aureen Venitelli posts staggering Scoreboard numbers Maureen will admit learning
Mevery month. Last year, the Customer Service Represen- and acquiescing to a script
tative for One Call Electrical Services in South Plainfield, New took some time and patience.
Jersey, finished first in the Electricians’ Success Internation- It’s been a great move for her Maureen Venitelli
al Call-Booking Ratio by a CCR Scoreboard category with her and the company. In fact, what
stunning 97 percentage. makes Maureen unique isn’t just the fact she appreciates her
Maureen quickly deflects praise. She understands her suc- role in the One Call team; she fully understands how much
cess hinges upon the work her technicians do in the field and power her position as a CSR has, particularly as a CSR who op-
how the company’s owners, Mark and Toni Hollain, perform erates as a dispatcher, too.
as management. They’re the ones who ensure the company “I definitely know my guys and what they’re good at. If
retains an incredible reputation and the phone continues to someone wants lighting, I know who is best on those. And I
ring. tell people that over the phone. ‘I’m going to send you Bran-
“I recently had someone write on a Google Review, ‘I went don. That’s his expertise. You’re going to love him. He’s great.’
with this company because of how Maureen answered the When our guys walk into the home, they’re excited to meet
phones.’ That was a wow for me,” Maureen said in a flattered our techs. They have confidence in them,” Maureen explained.
tone. “But I want to be clear. We’re a team. It’s not just me. My “That way, our guys can say to the customer, ‘Maureen told me
technicians are very good to me. Mark and Toni are very good all about you. She said you were this or that.’ By giving them
to me.” that type of information, it helps them begin to create that re-
Mark and Toni took a bit of a chance on Maureen three lationship with the customer. Relationships drive sales. I defi-
years ago when they hired her. Maureen had never worked as nitely know that from my time as a salesperson.”
a call-taker or even in an office all day. She was a seasoned Still, Maureen never loses site of her first responsibility.
business-to-business, on-the-road salesperson for 20 years. She clings to it with the utmost sincerity. “Oh yes, nothing
“I’ve always been with customers, but it was always face-to- stands in my way when that phone rings,” she laughs. “It’s the
face. This is my first job I ever dealt with customers entirely most important thing I’m doing at that moment—answering it
over the phone.” and getting that call booked.”

How Has Maureen Managed to book so Many calls?
How does sHe Handle certain objections?
let’s take a look in tHis issue’s “learning froM tHe best.”

did you Have any ConCerns Moving into an over- pletely—at first. Moving forward, now, I’ve made it my
tHe-pHone sales position, Considering you Had own. I adjust it a bit for each client. You really have to be a
alWays done outside sales? Chameleon. Find the common ground, find what their con-
I thought it would be a fun, new challenge especially be- cerns are, then put their mind at ease. Then you move back
cause of my background in sales. I had a job with Yellow into the script.
Pages where I was scripted. So, I wasn’t afraid of the script, HoW long did it take you to feel CoMfortaBle
but I can’t lie—I fought Mark on it a little bit in the begin- WitH tHe sCript?
ning. However, it comes so naturally. The interaction over I’d say it took me a solid six months to feel completely com-
the phone doesn’t faze me. fortable. You have to remember, it was just me. I was run-
did Mark give you a preMade sCript, or did He give ning the office at the same time. And I was reluctant in the
you More of an outline for you to folloW? beginning. But through repetition, it got easier and easier.
It was one he provided, and he wanted me to follow it com- Now, it’s second nature.

8 THE COMPASS | Issue 8 | 2017