Dr. Laura Sicola presents Speaking to Influence Podcast. Soft speaking skills with Richard Blank.
In this episode, Dr. Laura Sicola interviews Richard Blank, the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, about the importance of communication skills and influence in the business world. They discuss the value of soft skills, such as foreign language proficiency, and the need to recognize and leverage one's unique talents. Richard challenges listeners to improve their voicemail messages and congruence between their audio and visual presence. They also talk about the importance of giving people a personalized outbound voicemail message and the impact it has on the impression they leave. He emphasizes the importance of trust, faith, and having a sense of humor in building relationships and achieving success.
Episode 215: Richard Blank - CEO Costa Rica Call Center
In this episode you will learn:
● Character during chaos is an important leadership trait.
● Promote individuals based on their strengths and redirect them to roles where they can excel.
● Express appreciation and acknowledge the contributions of team members.
● Take calculated risks and communicate with stakeholders about challenges and unique aspects of the business. Soft skills, including foreign language proficiency, are valuable and marketable skills in the business world.
● Recognize and leverage your unique talents and skills, and don't downplay their importance.
● Improve your voicemail message and ensure congruence between your audio and visual presence.
● Give a personalized outbound voicemail message to make a positive impression.
● Be the lone voice of dissent when necessary and advocate for others.
About Richard Blank: At 27 years old, Richard relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He has trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers over two decades. Richard has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture. Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Do you want to be an effective communicator? This is where you'll find all sorts of resources with ideas, tips and strategies on how to master the art and science of leadership communication and influence, i.e. the ability to harness the power of the voice to master the 3s: Command the room, Connect with the audience and Close the deal in any context.
24-Hour Influence Challenge: Voicemail Edition
Now, you just took a challenge in moving down to Costa Rica 24 years ago. Let's levy a challenge to everybody else. This is an opportunity, Richard, to give a challenge for our 24-hour influence challenge of the day to challenge our audience to take one step that they can complete within 24 hours to have more influence. How would you like to challenge our listeners today? Yeah, Laura, I loved when we spoke about this before. I gave you like 20 ideas, and this is the one we chose the best. Nobody likes how they sound on their voicemail, now do they? When was the last time you changed your voicemail recording? What, 1989? And so I need for you to listen to yourself, and I want you to analyze your tone, your rate, your pitch, your duration, Maybe use a thesaurus and find some similes to power up certain vocabulary so it might become more diplomatic and strategic. And practice that over and over. Why? Because that's how you sound to people.
https://youtu.be/Xs4XRi6Ca3s
https://youtube.com/shorts/wSiTO-n9WBY
https://youtube.com/shorts/a34o4FLSPhU
https://youtu.be/h4eu6eiIoTw
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Dr. Laura Sicola, Speaking to Influence Podcast, Richard Blank, Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center,trend, trending
Some of these videos are connected to blogs or other pages on my website, https://laurasicola.com, so take a look to learn more. If you want to stay on top of the latest news in speech an leadership, sign up there to get my weekly newsletter so you don't miss a beat!
Here's to increasing your confidence, presence and influence, as the leader that you are, and the leader you KNOW you can become!
LEADERSHIP IS AN IMAGE.
The way you communicate
is the foundation.
Executive communication coaching and training with Dr. Laura Sicola helps you build the confidence, presence, and influence you need to succeed.
It’s Time to Enhance Your Executive Presence
1Step into a world where your words command respect, your confidence inspires trust, and your leadership opens doors to new opportunities.
Dr. Laura Sicola
Are you equally confident and influential whether communicating with people in business development, finance, engineering, HR, clients, or the board of directors?
Are you as persuasive and compelling whether speaking on camera, presenting to 500 people at a conference, pitching to investors, or advising your employees in a 1:1?
I am a speaker, coach and leadership communication expert who helps people hone their Vocal Executive Presence (VEP) and communication skills to project a strong, positive leadership image, develop loyal, effective teams, and create their ideal workplace culture to reach their ultimate goals.
Your technical expertise only gets you so far; after that, your success is a direct result of how effectively you can COMMUNICATE that expertise to others who do NOT have your skills and knowledge.
I have worked with everyone from executives and aspiring execs at companies like IBM, Comcast and the US Department of Commerce, to executive directors at non-profits, groups of entrepreneurs and women's/diversity initiatives.
Do you or will you lead a large team or organization? Are you getting ready for a conference presentation? A TED talk? A press conference? Or do you need to facilitate team meetings and mediate staff conflict? You tell me who your audience is, and I show you how to get your message across to them efficiently and effectively, while bringing everyone to a collective "YES."
And if you're looking for a speaker for your next event - live or virtual - and need a topic that will resonate with EVERYONE delivered by an inspiring, engaging speaker, give me a call!
Dr. Laura Sicola has over 20 years of experience teaching leaders how to command the room, connect with the audience, and close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and communication expert, Laura empowers leaders through communication coaching, group training sessions, worldwide speaking engagements, and her book “Speaking to Influence.”
Executive Coaching
Work with Laura one-on-one or in mastery cohort groups to refine your communication skills. These executive coaching sessions help you develop a communication strategy that elevates your executive presence, aligns with your personal brand and gets results.
Group Training
Transform your team's communication capabilities with Laura's outcome-oriented, customizable group training. Topics include Speaking to Influence, Breaking the Expert's Curse, Virtual Influence, Becoming a Go-To Thought Leader, and more.
Keynote Speaking
Elevate your conference or event with a speaker who has mastered the art and science of “infotainment.” Laura balances value-packed content with humor and an interactive style that keeps the audience engaged and gives them practical skills to immediately implement.
Speaking to Influence Book
Discover the secrets to powerful and persuasive communication. With real-life examples, worksheets, and exercises, this book gives you everything needed to transform your communication style, get out of your own way, and hear “yes” more often.
Speaking to Influence Podcast
Join Laura as she interviews world-class business and industry leaders who reveal the importance of communication as an essential leadership skill on their own career journey and the (sometimes hard) lessons they learned along the way.
Online Programs and Training
Laura hosts a constantly evolving set of online courses and live group trainings on topics to help you discover your leadership voice, become a go-to thought leader, and optimize your in-person or virtual presence and engagement skills.
Want to establish your brand as a go-to thought leader?
Get Laura’s insights in this free resource that shares eight key strategies to boost your brand and elevate your thought leadership. Click the link below and begin your journey to becoming a respected and influential leader who everyone actually WANTS to hear speak!
Ultimately, Laura's mission is to guide leaders in mastering the 3 Cs of executive presence: Command the room, Connect with the audience, and Close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and executive communication coach, Laura understands how professional interactions impact respect, trust, and buy-in, whether it’s a company meeting, a virtual conference call, a presentation to the board, or a high-stakes pitch to investors.
Using a personalized and practical approach, Laura teaches leaders how to project confidence, authority, and authenticity so they can be themselves, while still getting through to anyone.
Linguist
Laura’s background in cognitive linguistics is the cornerstone of her unique coaching approach to solving this universal challenge. She earned her Ph.D. in educational linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and taught there from 2001-2013. Laura has a deep understanding of the science of how people learn, how speech is processed in the brain, and what creates the gap between “what you think you said,” “what they think they heard,” and most importantly, how to close that gap to get results.
Coach
As an executive communication coach, Laura works with C-suite executives, VPs, directors, business owners, and aspiring executives who want to expand their powers of influence, inspire trust, and hear “yes” more often. In one-on-one or group sessions and master classes, she teaches leaders how to identify and express their personal brands so they can communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity, in front of any audience.
Author
Laura is the author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. This insightful book draws on her extensive expertise in cognitive linguistics, education and executive coaching to provide everyone with practical tools for effective communication in personal and professional interactions alike. In the words of one Amazon reviewer, “Dr. Laura Sicola gives down-to-earth, usable advice for anyone who wants to speak with authority.” She has also published many other peer-reviewed articles and books based on her research, intended for academic audiences.
Speaker
Laura is a renowned speaker, delivering keynotes and presentations at conferences and corporate events worldwide. Her TEDxPENN talk ‘Want to Sound like a Leader? Start by Saying Your Name Right‘ has been viewed over 6.8 million times. She has spoken at hundreds of events sharing insights and practical strategies for effective leadership communication. She also loves to moderate panels and emcee events for corporate and non-profit organizations.
Connect With Laura
Ready to sharpen your communication skills and expand your influence? Reach out to Dr. Laura Sicola to learn more about personalized coaching, group training, speaking engagements, and more.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#DrLauraSicola #SpeakingtoInfluencePodcast #SpeakersAreLeadersMotivationPodcast #HarrySardinas #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Pushed My Car in a Suit: A Hilarious Client Story
yes yes all right finally tell me about a time when you had to laugh at yourself ah i love this story so i had a client in town right phil and i'm driving him to dinner and it's the rainy season and unfortunately my car ran out of gas right by the um la sabana park and I couldn't believe it. So the guy looks at me, he goes, listen, the gas station is just a block away. And he goes, I'll push it if you will. I go, are you serious? He goes, yeah, why not? And so I took my jacket off. I'm still in my suit. Got the, you know, the best on. It's a good bonding moment there. Pushed it down the street. People are honking, laughing at me. A guy on purpose would curve a little, so it splashed me.
Handling Leadership Challenges During COVID
Yes, of course, Laura. It was during COVID when all of a sudden the government said, you got to send everybody home. And so what do you do? IT needed to prepare the lifeboats. The agents mentally needed to prepare for the isolation. And my supervisors and I needed to create certain mediums to keep that communication going and that lifeline going. And so I saw some people run for the hills. I saw freshmen step up to the plate.
The Gary Technique: Trust and Perseverance
Tell me about a time when you went to bat for someone else. Who did you speak to on their behalf? Why and how? I totally remember this story when we spoke about it, Laura. I had an agent called Gary and we called the Gary technique. This guy was usually the ramper upper where I'd put him on a brand new campaign to lead the charge, show some metrics and things will look good. Once again, the lone voice with the client convincing them that this is the guy. So after a certain day or two, when the client was losing its patience or Gary wasn't, you know, hitting the home runs yet, he said, Hey, I want you to remove him and try somebody else. And I said, you haven't really given him enough time. He goes, no, I just don't have a good vibe. I go, okay. Let's give it until the end of the day. And then I'll put him on another campaign. Next thing you know, Gary ripped three appointments. And so the client calls about it goes, why? I didn't know that. Let's keep, I go, well, listen, Billy, I did speak to the other client. He's being moved, but I just got to let you know in the future, have faith in me, trust my opinion. This is my wheelhouse. I know what I'm doing. And you know, just once the people get loosey goosey and they feel comfy on the phone, then you start hitting them. And so, um, I've fallen on swords for people because I've known what they've done. And I've also made mistakes as well. Sometimes Gary was not the good fit on a certain campaign and it just wasn't the right guy. Guy can't bat a thousand. Sure. Sure. And so I'm willing to take that hit too. But the beauty of it is at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, the fact that you might have faith in somebody else besides yourself.
Dr. Laura Sicola presents Speaking to Influence Podcast. Soft speaking skills with Richard Blank.
In this episode, Dr. Laura Sicola interviews Richard Blank, the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, about the importance of communication skills and influence in the business world. They discuss the value of soft skills, such as foreign language proficiency, and the need to recognize and leverage one's unique talents. Richard challenges listeners to improve their voicemail messages and congruence between their audio and visual presence. They also talk about the importance of giving people a personalized outbound voicemail message and the impact it has on the impression they leave. He emphasizes the importance of trust, faith, and having a sense of humor in building relationships and achieving success.
Episode 215: Richard Blank - CEO Costa Rica Call Center
In this episode you will learn:
● Character during chaos is an important leadership trait.
● Promote individuals based on their strengths and redirect them to roles where they can excel.
● Express appreciation and acknowledge the contributions of team members.
● Take calculated risks and communicate with stakeholders about challenges and unique aspects of the business. Soft skills, including foreign language proficiency, are valuable and marketable skills in the business world.
● Recognize and leverage your unique talents and skills, and don't downplay their importance.
● Improve your voicemail message and ensure congruence between your audio and visual presence.
● Give a personalized outbound voicemail message to make a positive impression.
● Be the lone voice of dissent when necessary and advocate for others.
About Richard Blank: At 27 years old, Richard relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He has trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers over two decades. Richard has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture. Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Do you want to be an effective communicator? This is where you'll find all sorts of resources with ideas, tips and strategies on how to master the art and science of leadership communication and influence, i.e. the ability to harness the power of the voice to master the 3s: Command the room, Connect with the audience and Close the deal in any context.
24-Hour Influence Challenge: Voicemail Edition
Now, you just took a challenge in moving down to Costa Rica 24 years ago. Let's levy a challenge to everybody else. This is an opportunity, Richard, to give a challenge for our 24-hour influence challenge of the day to challenge our audience to take one step that they can complete within 24 hours to have more influence. How would you like to challenge our listeners today? Yeah, Laura, I loved when we spoke about this before. I gave you like 20 ideas, and this is the one we chose the best. Nobody likes how they sound on their voicemail, now do they? When was the last time you changed your voicemail recording? What, 1989? And so I need for you to listen to yourself, and I want you to analyze your tone, your rate, your pitch, your duration, Maybe use a thesaurus and find some similes to power up certain vocabulary so it might become more diplomatic and strategic. And practice that over and over. Why? Because that's how you sound to people.
https://youtu.be/Xs4XRi6Ca3s
https://youtube.com/shorts/wSiTO-n9WBY
https://youtube.com/shorts/a34o4FLSPhU
https://youtu.be/h4eu6eiIoTw
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Dr. Laura Sicola, Speaking to Influence Podcast, Richard Blank, Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center,trend, trending
Some of these videos are connected to blogs or other pages on my website, https://laurasicola.com, so take a look to learn more. If you want to stay on top of the latest news in speech an leadership, sign up there to get my weekly newsletter so you don't miss a beat!
Here's to increasing your confidence, presence and influence, as the leader that you are, and the leader you KNOW you can become!
LEADERSHIP IS AN IMAGE.
The way you communicate
is the foundation.
Executive communication coaching and training with Dr. Laura Sicola helps you build the confidence, presence, and influence you need to succeed.
It’s Time to Enhance Your Executive Presence
1Step into a world where your words command respect, your confidence inspires trust, and your leadership opens doors to new opportunities.
Dr. Laura Sicola
Are you equally confident and influential whether communicating with people in business development, finance, engineering, HR, clients, or the board of directors?
Are you as persuasive and compelling whether speaking on camera, presenting to 500 people at a conference, pitching to investors, or advising your employees in a 1:1?
I am a speaker, coach and leadership communication expert who helps people hone their Vocal Executive Presence (VEP) and communication skills to project a strong, positive leadership image, develop loyal, effective teams, and create their ideal workplace culture to reach their ultimate goals.
Your technical expertise only gets you so far; after that, your success is a direct result of how effectively you can COMMUNICATE that expertise to others who do NOT have your skills and knowledge.
I have worked with everyone from executives and aspiring execs at companies like IBM, Comcast and the US Department of Commerce, to executive directors at non-profits, groups of entrepreneurs and women's/diversity initiatives.
Do you or will you lead a large team or organization? Are you getting ready for a conference presentation? A TED talk? A press conference? Or do you need to facilitate team meetings and mediate staff conflict? You tell me who your audience is, and I show you how to get your message across to them efficiently and effectively, while bringing everyone to a collective "YES."
And if you're looking for a speaker for your next event - live or virtual - and need a topic that will resonate with EVERYONE delivered by an inspiring, engaging speaker, give me a call!
Dr. Laura Sicola has over 20 years of experience teaching leaders how to command the room, connect with the audience, and close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and communication expert, Laura empowers leaders through communication coaching, group training sessions, worldwide speaking engagements, and her book “Speaking to Influence.”
Executive Coaching
Work with Laura one-on-one or in mastery cohort groups to refine your communication skills. These executive coaching sessions help you develop a communication strategy that elevates your executive presence, aligns with your personal brand and gets results.
Group Training
Transform your team's communication capabilities with Laura's outcome-oriented, customizable group training. Topics include Speaking to Influence, Breaking the Expert's Curse, Virtual Influence, Becoming a Go-To Thought Leader, and more.
Keynote Speaking
Elevate your conference or event with a speaker who has mastered the art and science of “infotainment.” Laura balances value-packed content with humor and an interactive style that keeps the audience engaged and gives them practical skills to immediately implement.
Speaking to Influence Book
Discover the secrets to powerful and persuasive communication. With real-life examples, worksheets, and exercises, this book gives you everything needed to transform your communication style, get out of your own way, and hear “yes” more often.
Speaking to Influence Podcast
Join Laura as she interviews world-class business and industry leaders who reveal the importance of communication as an essential leadership skill on their own career journey and the (sometimes hard) lessons they learned along the way.
Online Programs and Training
Laura hosts a constantly evolving set of online courses and live group trainings on topics to help you discover your leadership voice, become a go-to thought leader, and optimize your in-person or virtual presence and engagement skills.
Want to establish your brand as a go-to thought leader?
Get Laura’s insights in this free resource that shares eight key strategies to boost your brand and elevate your thought leadership. Click the link below and begin your journey to becoming a respected and influential leader who everyone actually WANTS to hear speak!
Ultimately, Laura's mission is to guide leaders in mastering the 3 Cs of executive presence: Command the room, Connect with the audience, and Close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and executive communication coach, Laura understands how professional interactions impact respect, trust, and buy-in, whether it’s a company meeting, a virtual conference call, a presentation to the board, or a high-stakes pitch to investors.
Using a personalized and practical approach, Laura teaches leaders how to project confidence, authority, and authenticity so they can be themselves, while still getting through to anyone.
Linguist
Laura’s background in cognitive linguistics is the cornerstone of her unique coaching approach to solving this universal challenge. She earned her Ph.D. in educational linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and taught there from 2001-2013. Laura has a deep understanding of the science of how people learn, how speech is processed in the brain, and what creates the gap between “what you think you said,” “what they think they heard,” and most importantly, how to close that gap to get results.
Coach
As an executive communication coach, Laura works with C-suite executives, VPs, directors, business owners, and aspiring executives who want to expand their powers of influence, inspire trust, and hear “yes” more often. In one-on-one or group sessions and master classes, she teaches leaders how to identify and express their personal brands so they can communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity, in front of any audience.
Author
Laura is the author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. This insightful book draws on her extensive expertise in cognitive linguistics, education and executive coaching to provide everyone with practical tools for effective communication in personal and professional interactions alike. In the words of one Amazon reviewer, “Dr. Laura Sicola gives down-to-earth, usable advice for anyone who wants to speak with authority.” She has also published many other peer-reviewed articles and books based on her research, intended for academic audiences.
Speaker
Laura is a renowned speaker, delivering keynotes and presentations at conferences and corporate events worldwide. Her TEDxPENN talk ‘Want to Sound like a Leader? Start by Saying Your Name Right‘ has been viewed over 6.8 million times. She has spoken at hundreds of events sharing insights and practical strategies for effective leadership communication. She also loves to moderate panels and emcee events for corporate and non-profit organizations.
Connect With Laura
Ready to sharpen your communication skills and expand your influence? Reach out to Dr. Laura Sicola to learn more about personalized coaching, group training, speaking engagements, and more.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#DrLauraSicola #SpeakingtoInfluencePodcast #SpeakersAreLeadersMotivationPodcast #HarrySardinas #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Pushed My Car in a Suit: A Hilarious Client Story
yes yes all right finally tell me about a time when you had to laugh at yourself ah i love this story so i had a client in town right phil and i'm driving him to dinner and it's the rainy season and unfortunately my car ran out of gas right by the um la sabana park and I couldn't believe it. So the guy looks at me, he goes, listen, the gas station is just a block away. And he goes, I'll push it if you will. I go, are you serious? He goes, yeah, why not? And so I took my jacket off. I'm still in my suit. Got the, you know, the best on. It's a good bonding moment there. Pushed it down the street. People are honking, laughing at me. A guy on purpose would curve a little, so it splashed me.
Handling Leadership Challenges During COVID
Yes, of course, Laura. It was during COVID when all of a sudden the government said, you got to send everybody home. And so what do you do? IT needed to prepare the lifeboats. The agents mentally needed to prepare for the isolation. And my supervisors and I needed to create certain mediums to keep that communication going and that lifeline going. And so I saw some people run for the hills. I saw freshmen step up to the plate.
The Gary Technique: Trust and Perseverance
Tell me about a time when you went to bat for someone else. Who did you speak to on their behalf? Why and how? I totally remember this story when we spoke about it, Laura. I had an agent called Gary and we called the Gary technique. This guy was usually the ramper upper where I'd put him on a brand new campaign to lead the charge, show some metrics and things will look good. Once again, the lone voice with the client convincing them that this is the guy. So after a certain day or two, when the client was losing its patience or Gary wasn't, you know, hitting the home runs yet, he said, Hey, I want you to remove him and try somebody else. And I said, you haven't really given him enough time. He goes, no, I just don't have a good vibe. I go, okay. Let's give it until the end of the day. And then I'll put him on another campaign. Next thing you know, Gary ripped three appointments. And so the client calls about it goes, why? I didn't know that. Let's keep, I go, well, listen, Billy, I did speak to the other client. He's being moved, but I just got to let you know in the future, have faith in me, trust my opinion. This is my wheelhouse. I know what I'm doing. And you know, just once the people get loosey goosey and they feel comfy on the phone, then you start hitting them. And so, um, I've fallen on swords for people because I've known what they've done. And I've also made mistakes as well. Sometimes Gary was not the good fit on a certain campaign and it just wasn't the right guy. Guy can't bat a thousand. Sure. Sure. And so I'm willing to take that hit too. But the beauty of it is at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, the fact that you might have faith in somebody else besides yourself.
Dr. Laura Sicola presents Speaking to Influence Podcast. Soft speaking skills with Richard Blank.
In this episode, Dr. Laura Sicola interviews Richard Blank, the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, about the importance of communication skills and influence in the business world. They discuss the value of soft skills, such as foreign language proficiency, and the need to recognize and leverage one's unique talents. Richard challenges listeners to improve their voicemail messages and congruence between their audio and visual presence. They also talk about the importance of giving people a personalized outbound voicemail message and the impact it has on the impression they leave. He emphasizes the importance of trust, faith, and having a sense of humor in building relationships and achieving success.
Episode 215: Richard Blank - CEO Costa Rica Call Center
In this episode you will learn:
● Character during chaos is an important leadership trait.
● Promote individuals based on their strengths and redirect them to roles where they can excel.
● Express appreciation and acknowledge the contributions of team members.
● Take calculated risks and communicate with stakeholders about challenges and unique aspects of the business. Soft skills, including foreign language proficiency, are valuable and marketable skills in the business world.
● Recognize and leverage your unique talents and skills, and don't downplay their importance.
● Improve your voicemail message and ensure congruence between your audio and visual presence.
● Give a personalized outbound voicemail message to make a positive impression.
● Be the lone voice of dissent when necessary and advocate for others.
About Richard Blank: At 27 years old, Richard relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He has trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers over two decades. Richard has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture. Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Do you want to be an effective communicator? This is where you'll find all sorts of resources with ideas, tips and strategies on how to master the art and science of leadership communication and influence, i.e. the ability to harness the power of the voice to master the 3s: Command the room, Connect with the audience and Close the deal in any context.
24-Hour Influence Challenge: Voicemail Edition
Now, you just took a challenge in moving down to Costa Rica 24 years ago. Let's levy a challenge to everybody else. This is an opportunity, Richard, to give a challenge for our 24-hour influence challenge of the day to challenge our audience to take one step that they can complete within 24 hours to have more influence. How would you like to challenge our listeners today? Yeah, Laura, I loved when we spoke about this before. I gave you like 20 ideas, and this is the one we chose the best. Nobody likes how they sound on their voicemail, now do they? When was the last time you changed your voicemail recording? What, 1989? And so I need for you to listen to yourself, and I want you to analyze your tone, your rate, your pitch, your duration, Maybe use a thesaurus and find some similes to power up certain vocabulary so it might become more diplomatic and strategic. And practice that over and over. Why? Because that's how you sound to people.
https://youtu.be/Xs4XRi6Ca3s
https://youtube.com/shorts/wSiTO-n9WBY
https://youtube.com/shorts/a34o4FLSPhU
https://youtu.be/h4eu6eiIoTw
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Dr. Laura Sicola, Speaking to Influence Podcast, Richard Blank, Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center,trend, trending
Some of these videos are connected to blogs or other pages on my website, https://laurasicola.com, so take a look to learn more. If you want to stay on top of the latest news in speech an leadership, sign up there to get my weekly newsletter so you don't miss a beat!
Here's to increasing your confidence, presence and influence, as the leader that you are, and the leader you KNOW you can become!
LEADERSHIP IS AN IMAGE.
The way you communicate
is the foundation.
Executive communication coaching and training with Dr. Laura Sicola helps you build the confidence, presence, and influence you need to succeed.
It’s Time to Enhance Your Executive Presence
1Step into a world where your words command respect, your confidence inspires trust, and your leadership opens doors to new opportunities.
Dr. Laura Sicola
Are you equally confident and influential whether communicating with people in business development, finance, engineering, HR, clients, or the board of directors?
Are you as persuasive and compelling whether speaking on camera, presenting to 500 people at a conference, pitching to investors, or advising your employees in a 1:1?
I am a speaker, coach and leadership communication expert who helps people hone their Vocal Executive Presence (VEP) and communication skills to project a strong, positive leadership image, develop loyal, effective teams, and create their ideal workplace culture to reach their ultimate goals.
Your technical expertise only gets you so far; after that, your success is a direct result of how effectively you can COMMUNICATE that expertise to others who do NOT have your skills and knowledge.
I have worked with everyone from executives and aspiring execs at companies like IBM, Comcast and the US Department of Commerce, to executive directors at non-profits, groups of entrepreneurs and women's/diversity initiatives.
Do you or will you lead a large team or organization? Are you getting ready for a conference presentation? A TED talk? A press conference? Or do you need to facilitate team meetings and mediate staff conflict? You tell me who your audience is, and I show you how to get your message across to them efficiently and effectively, while bringing everyone to a collective "YES."
And if you're looking for a speaker for your next event - live or virtual - and need a topic that will resonate with EVERYONE delivered by an inspiring, engaging speaker, give me a call!
Dr. Laura Sicola has over 20 years of experience teaching leaders how to command the room, connect with the audience, and close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and communication expert, Laura empowers leaders through communication coaching, group training sessions, worldwide speaking engagements, and her book “Speaking to Influence.”
Executive Coaching
Work with Laura one-on-one or in mastery cohort groups to refine your communication skills. These executive coaching sessions help you develop a communication strategy that elevates your executive presence, aligns with your personal brand and gets results.
Group Training
Transform your team's communication capabilities with Laura's outcome-oriented, customizable group training. Topics include Speaking to Influence, Breaking the Expert's Curse, Virtual Influence, Becoming a Go-To Thought Leader, and more.
Keynote Speaking
Elevate your conference or event with a speaker who has mastered the art and science of “infotainment.” Laura balances value-packed content with humor and an interactive style that keeps the audience engaged and gives them practical skills to immediately implement.
Speaking to Influence Book
Discover the secrets to powerful and persuasive communication. With real-life examples, worksheets, and exercises, this book gives you everything needed to transform your communication style, get out of your own way, and hear “yes” more often.
Speaking to Influence Podcast
Join Laura as she interviews world-class business and industry leaders who reveal the importance of communication as an essential leadership skill on their own career journey and the (sometimes hard) lessons they learned along the way.
Online Programs and Training
Laura hosts a constantly evolving set of online courses and live group trainings on topics to help you discover your leadership voice, become a go-to thought leader, and optimize your in-person or virtual presence and engagement skills.
Want to establish your brand as a go-to thought leader?
Get Laura’s insights in this free resource that shares eight key strategies to boost your brand and elevate your thought leadership. Click the link below and begin your journey to becoming a respected and influential leader who everyone actually WANTS to hear speak!
Ultimately, Laura's mission is to guide leaders in mastering the 3 Cs of executive presence: Command the room, Connect with the audience, and Close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and executive communication coach, Laura understands how professional interactions impact respect, trust, and buy-in, whether it’s a company meeting, a virtual conference call, a presentation to the board, or a high-stakes pitch to investors.
Using a personalized and practical approach, Laura teaches leaders how to project confidence, authority, and authenticity so they can be themselves, while still getting through to anyone.
Linguist
Laura’s background in cognitive linguistics is the cornerstone of her unique coaching approach to solving this universal challenge. She earned her Ph.D. in educational linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and taught there from 2001-2013. Laura has a deep understanding of the science of how people learn, how speech is processed in the brain, and what creates the gap between “what you think you said,” “what they think they heard,” and most importantly, how to close that gap to get results.
Coach
As an executive communication coach, Laura works with C-suite executives, VPs, directors, business owners, and aspiring executives who want to expand their powers of influence, inspire trust, and hear “yes” more often. In one-on-one or group sessions and master classes, she teaches leaders how to identify and express their personal brands so they can communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity, in front of any audience.
Author
Laura is the author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. This insightful book draws on her extensive expertise in cognitive linguistics, education and executive coaching to provide everyone with practical tools for effective communication in personal and professional interactions alike. In the words of one Amazon reviewer, “Dr. Laura Sicola gives down-to-earth, usable advice for anyone who wants to speak with authority.” She has also published many other peer-reviewed articles and books based on her research, intended for academic audiences.
Speaker
Laura is a renowned speaker, delivering keynotes and presentations at conferences and corporate events worldwide. Her TEDxPENN talk ‘Want to Sound like a Leader? Start by Saying Your Name Right‘ has been viewed over 6.8 million times. She has spoken at hundreds of events sharing insights and practical strategies for effective leadership communication. She also loves to moderate panels and emcee events for corporate and non-profit organizations.
Connect With Laura
Ready to sharpen your communication skills and expand your influence? Reach out to Dr. Laura Sicola to learn more about personalized coaching, group training, speaking engagements, and more.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#DrLauraSicola #SpeakingtoInfluencePodcast #SpeakersAreLeadersMotivationPodcast #HarrySardinas #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Pushed My Car in a Suit: A Hilarious Client Story
yes yes all right finally tell me about a time when you had to laugh at yourself ah i love this story so i had a client in town right phil and i'm driving him to dinner and it's the rainy season and unfortunately my car ran out of gas right by the um la sabana park and I couldn't believe it. So the guy looks at me, he goes, listen, the gas station is just a block away. And he goes, I'll push it if you will. I go, are you serious? He goes, yeah, why not? And so I took my jacket off. I'm still in my suit. Got the, you know, the best on. It's a good bonding moment there. Pushed it down the street. People are honking, laughing at me. A guy on purpose would curve a little, so it splashed me.
Handling Leadership Challenges During COVID
Yes, of course, Laura. It was during COVID when all of a sudden the government said, you got to send everybody home. And so what do you do? IT needed to prepare the lifeboats. The agents mentally needed to prepare for the isolation. And my supervisors and I needed to create certain mediums to keep that communication going and that lifeline going. And so I saw some people run for the hills. I saw freshmen step up to the plate.
The Gary Technique: Trust and Perseverance
Tell me about a time when you went to bat for someone else. Who did you speak to on their behalf? Why and how? I totally remember this story when we spoke about it, Laura. I had an agent called Gary and we called the Gary technique. This guy was usually the ramper upper where I'd put him on a brand new campaign to lead the charge, show some metrics and things will look good. Once again, the lone voice with the client convincing them that this is the guy. So after a certain day or two, when the client was losing its patience or Gary wasn't, you know, hitting the home runs yet, he said, Hey, I want you to remove him and try somebody else. And I said, you haven't really given him enough time. He goes, no, I just don't have a good vibe. I go, okay. Let's give it until the end of the day. And then I'll put him on another campaign. Next thing you know, Gary ripped three appointments. And so the client calls about it goes, why? I didn't know that. Let's keep, I go, well, listen, Billy, I did speak to the other client. He's being moved, but I just got to let you know in the future, have faith in me, trust my opinion. This is my wheelhouse. I know what I'm doing. And you know, just once the people get loosey goosey and they feel comfy on the phone, then you start hitting them. And so, um, I've fallen on swords for people because I've known what they've done. And I've also made mistakes as well. Sometimes Gary was not the good fit on a certain campaign and it just wasn't the right guy. Guy can't bat a thousand. Sure. Sure. And so I'm willing to take that hit too. But the beauty of it is at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, the fact that you might have faith in somebody else besides yourself.
Dr. Laura Sicola presents Speaking to Influence Podcast. Soft speaking skills with Richard Blank.
In this episode, Dr. Laura Sicola interviews Richard Blank, the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, about the importance of communication skills and influence in the business world. They discuss the value of soft skills, such as foreign language proficiency, and the need to recognize and leverage one's unique talents. Richard challenges listeners to improve their voicemail messages and congruence between their audio and visual presence. They also talk about the importance of giving people a personalized outbound voicemail message and the impact it has on the impression they leave. He emphasizes the importance of trust, faith, and having a sense of humor in building relationships and achieving success.
Episode 215: Richard Blank - CEO Costa Rica Call Center
In this episode you will learn:
● Character during chaos is an important leadership trait.
● Promote individuals based on their strengths and redirect them to roles where they can excel.
● Express appreciation and acknowledge the contributions of team members.
● Take calculated risks and communicate with stakeholders about challenges and unique aspects of the business. Soft skills, including foreign language proficiency, are valuable and marketable skills in the business world.
● Recognize and leverage your unique talents and skills, and don't downplay their importance.
● Improve your voicemail message and ensure congruence between your audio and visual presence.
● Give a personalized outbound voicemail message to make a positive impression.
● Be the lone voice of dissent when necessary and advocate for others.
About Richard Blank: At 27 years old, Richard relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He has trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers over two decades. Richard has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture. Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Do you want to be an effective communicator? This is where you'll find all sorts of resources with ideas, tips and strategies on how to master the art and science of leadership communication and influence, i.e. the ability to harness the power of the voice to master the 3s: Command the room, Connect with the audience and Close the deal in any context.
24-Hour Influence Challenge: Voicemail Edition
Now, you just took a challenge in moving down to Costa Rica 24 years ago. Let's levy a challenge to everybody else. This is an opportunity, Richard, to give a challenge for our 24-hour influence challenge of the day to challenge our audience to take one step that they can complete within 24 hours to have more influence. How would you like to challenge our listeners today? Yeah, Laura, I loved when we spoke about this before. I gave you like 20 ideas, and this is the one we chose the best. Nobody likes how they sound on their voicemail, now do they? When was the last time you changed your voicemail recording? What, 1989? And so I need for you to listen to yourself, and I want you to analyze your tone, your rate, your pitch, your duration, Maybe use a thesaurus and find some similes to power up certain vocabulary so it might become more diplomatic and strategic. And practice that over and over. Why? Because that's how you sound to people.
https://youtu.be/Xs4XRi6Ca3s
https://youtube.com/shorts/wSiTO-n9WBY
https://youtube.com/shorts/a34o4FLSPhU
https://youtu.be/h4eu6eiIoTw
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Dr. Laura Sicola, Speaking to Influence Podcast, Richard Blank, Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center,trend, trending
Some of these videos are connected to blogs or other pages on my website, https://laurasicola.com, so take a look to learn more. If you want to stay on top of the latest news in speech an leadership, sign up there to get my weekly newsletter so you don't miss a beat!
Here's to increasing your confidence, presence and influence, as the leader that you are, and the leader you KNOW you can become!
LEADERSHIP IS AN IMAGE.
The way you communicate
is the foundation.
Executive communication coaching and training with Dr. Laura Sicola helps you build the confidence, presence, and influence you need to succeed.
It’s Time to Enhance Your Executive Presence
1Step into a world where your words command respect, your confidence inspires trust, and your leadership opens doors to new opportunities.
Dr. Laura Sicola
Are you equally confident and influential whether communicating with people in business development, finance, engineering, HR, clients, or the board of directors?
Are you as persuasive and compelling whether speaking on camera, presenting to 500 people at a conference, pitching to investors, or advising your employees in a 1:1?
I am a speaker, coach and leadership communication expert who helps people hone their Vocal Executive Presence (VEP) and communication skills to project a strong, positive leadership image, develop loyal, effective teams, and create their ideal workplace culture to reach their ultimate goals.
Your technical expertise only gets you so far; after that, your success is a direct result of how effectively you can COMMUNICATE that expertise to others who do NOT have your skills and knowledge.
I have worked with everyone from executives and aspiring execs at companies like IBM, Comcast and the US Department of Commerce, to executive directors at non-profits, groups of entrepreneurs and women's/diversity initiatives.
Do you or will you lead a large team or organization? Are you getting ready for a conference presentation? A TED talk? A press conference? Or do you need to facilitate team meetings and mediate staff conflict? You tell me who your audience is, and I show you how to get your message across to them efficiently and effectively, while bringing everyone to a collective "YES."
And if you're looking for a speaker for your next event - live or virtual - and need a topic that will resonate with EVERYONE delivered by an inspiring, engaging speaker, give me a call!
Dr. Laura Sicola has over 20 years of experience teaching leaders how to command the room, connect with the audience, and close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and communication expert, Laura empowers leaders through communication coaching, group training sessions, worldwide speaking engagements, and her book “Speaking to Influence.”
Executive Coaching
Work with Laura one-on-one or in mastery cohort groups to refine your communication skills. These executive coaching sessions help you develop a communication strategy that elevates your executive presence, aligns with your personal brand and gets results.
Group Training
Transform your team's communication capabilities with Laura's outcome-oriented, customizable group training. Topics include Speaking to Influence, Breaking the Expert's Curse, Virtual Influence, Becoming a Go-To Thought Leader, and more.
Keynote Speaking
Elevate your conference or event with a speaker who has mastered the art and science of “infotainment.” Laura balances value-packed content with humor and an interactive style that keeps the audience engaged and gives them practical skills to immediately implement.
Speaking to Influence Book
Discover the secrets to powerful and persuasive communication. With real-life examples, worksheets, and exercises, this book gives you everything needed to transform your communication style, get out of your own way, and hear “yes” more often.
Speaking to Influence Podcast
Join Laura as she interviews world-class business and industry leaders who reveal the importance of communication as an essential leadership skill on their own career journey and the (sometimes hard) lessons they learned along the way.
Online Programs and Training
Laura hosts a constantly evolving set of online courses and live group trainings on topics to help you discover your leadership voice, become a go-to thought leader, and optimize your in-person or virtual presence and engagement skills.
Want to establish your brand as a go-to thought leader?
Get Laura’s insights in this free resource that shares eight key strategies to boost your brand and elevate your thought leadership. Click the link below and begin your journey to becoming a respected and influential leader who everyone actually WANTS to hear speak!
Ultimately, Laura's mission is to guide leaders in mastering the 3 Cs of executive presence: Command the room, Connect with the audience, and Close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and executive communication coach, Laura understands how professional interactions impact respect, trust, and buy-in, whether it’s a company meeting, a virtual conference call, a presentation to the board, or a high-stakes pitch to investors.
Using a personalized and practical approach, Laura teaches leaders how to project confidence, authority, and authenticity so they can be themselves, while still getting through to anyone.
Linguist
Laura’s background in cognitive linguistics is the cornerstone of her unique coaching approach to solving this universal challenge. She earned her Ph.D. in educational linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and taught there from 2001-2013. Laura has a deep understanding of the science of how people learn, how speech is processed in the brain, and what creates the gap between “what you think you said,” “what they think they heard,” and most importantly, how to close that gap to get results.
Coach
As an executive communication coach, Laura works with C-suite executives, VPs, directors, business owners, and aspiring executives who want to expand their powers of influence, inspire trust, and hear “yes” more often. In one-on-one or group sessions and master classes, she teaches leaders how to identify and express their personal brands so they can communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity, in front of any audience.
Author
Laura is the author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. This insightful book draws on her extensive expertise in cognitive linguistics, education and executive coaching to provide everyone with practical tools for effective communication in personal and professional interactions alike. In the words of one Amazon reviewer, “Dr. Laura Sicola gives down-to-earth, usable advice for anyone who wants to speak with authority.” She has also published many other peer-reviewed articles and books based on her research, intended for academic audiences.
Speaker
Laura is a renowned speaker, delivering keynotes and presentations at conferences and corporate events worldwide. Her TEDxPENN talk ‘Want to Sound like a Leader? Start by Saying Your Name Right‘ has been viewed over 6.8 million times. She has spoken at hundreds of events sharing insights and practical strategies for effective leadership communication. She also loves to moderate panels and emcee events for corporate and non-profit organizations.
Connect With Laura
Ready to sharpen your communication skills and expand your influence? Reach out to Dr. Laura Sicola to learn more about personalized coaching, group training, speaking engagements, and more.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#DrLauraSicola #SpeakingtoInfluencePodcast #SpeakersAreLeadersMotivationPodcast #HarrySardinas #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Pushed My Car in a Suit: A Hilarious Client Story
yes yes all right finally tell me about a time when you had to laugh at yourself ah i love this story so i had a client in town right phil and i'm driving him to dinner and it's the rainy season and unfortunately my car ran out of gas right by the um la sabana park and I couldn't believe it. So the guy looks at me, he goes, listen, the gas station is just a block away. And he goes, I'll push it if you will. I go, are you serious? He goes, yeah, why not? And so I took my jacket off. I'm still in my suit. Got the, you know, the best on. It's a good bonding moment there. Pushed it down the street. People are honking, laughing at me. A guy on purpose would curve a little, so it splashed me.
Handling Leadership Challenges During COVID
Yes, of course, Laura. It was during COVID when all of a sudden the government said, you got to send everybody home. And so what do you do? IT needed to prepare the lifeboats. The agents mentally needed to prepare for the isolation. And my supervisors and I needed to create certain mediums to keep that communication going and that lifeline going. And so I saw some people run for the hills. I saw freshmen step up to the plate.
The Gary Technique: Trust and Perseverance
Tell me about a time when you went to bat for someone else. Who did you speak to on their behalf? Why and how? I totally remember this story when we spoke about it, Laura. I had an agent called Gary and we called the Gary technique. This guy was usually the ramper upper where I'd put him on a brand new campaign to lead the charge, show some metrics and things will look good. Once again, the lone voice with the client convincing them that this is the guy. So after a certain day or two, when the client was losing its patience or Gary wasn't, you know, hitting the home runs yet, he said, Hey, I want you to remove him and try somebody else. And I said, you haven't really given him enough time. He goes, no, I just don't have a good vibe. I go, okay. Let's give it until the end of the day. And then I'll put him on another campaign. Next thing you know, Gary ripped three appointments. And so the client calls about it goes, why? I didn't know that. Let's keep, I go, well, listen, Billy, I did speak to the other client. He's being moved, but I just got to let you know in the future, have faith in me, trust my opinion. This is my wheelhouse. I know what I'm doing. And you know, just once the people get loosey goosey and they feel comfy on the phone, then you start hitting them. And so, um, I've fallen on swords for people because I've known what they've done. And I've also made mistakes as well. Sometimes Gary was not the good fit on a certain campaign and it just wasn't the right guy. Guy can't bat a thousand. Sure. Sure. And so I'm willing to take that hit too. But the beauty of it is at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, the fact that you might have faith in somebody else besides yourself.
Dr. Laura Sicola presents Speaking to Influence Podcast. Soft speaking skills with Richard Blank.
In this episode, Dr. Laura Sicola interviews Richard Blank, the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, about the importance of communication skills and influence in the business world. They discuss the value of soft skills, such as foreign language proficiency, and the need to recognize and leverage one's unique talents. Richard challenges listeners to improve their voicemail messages and congruence between their audio and visual presence. They also talk about the importance of giving people a personalized outbound voicemail message and the impact it has on the impression they leave. He emphasizes the importance of trust, faith, and having a sense of humor in building relationships and achieving success.
Episode 215: Richard Blank - CEO Costa Rica Call Center
In this episode you will learn:
● Character during chaos is an important leadership trait.
● Promote individuals based on their strengths and redirect them to roles where they can excel.
● Express appreciation and acknowledge the contributions of team members.
● Take calculated risks and communicate with stakeholders about challenges and unique aspects of the business. Soft skills, including foreign language proficiency, are valuable and marketable skills in the business world.
● Recognize and leverage your unique talents and skills, and don't downplay their importance.
● Improve your voicemail message and ensure congruence between your audio and visual presence.
● Give a personalized outbound voicemail message to make a positive impression.
● Be the lone voice of dissent when necessary and advocate for others.
About Richard Blank: At 27 years old, Richard relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He has trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers over two decades. Richard has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture. Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Do you want to be an effective communicator? This is where you'll find all sorts of resources with ideas, tips and strategies on how to master the art and science of leadership communication and influence, i.e. the ability to harness the power of the voice to master the 3s: Command the room, Connect with the audience and Close the deal in any context.
24-Hour Influence Challenge: Voicemail Edition
Now, you just took a challenge in moving down to Costa Rica 24 years ago. Let's levy a challenge to everybody else. This is an opportunity, Richard, to give a challenge for our 24-hour influence challenge of the day to challenge our audience to take one step that they can complete within 24 hours to have more influence. How would you like to challenge our listeners today? Yeah, Laura, I loved when we spoke about this before. I gave you like 20 ideas, and this is the one we chose the best. Nobody likes how they sound on their voicemail, now do they? When was the last time you changed your voicemail recording? What, 1989? And so I need for you to listen to yourself, and I want you to analyze your tone, your rate, your pitch, your duration, Maybe use a thesaurus and find some similes to power up certain vocabulary so it might become more diplomatic and strategic. And practice that over and over. Why? Because that's how you sound to people.
https://youtu.be/Xs4XRi6Ca3s
https://youtube.com/shorts/wSiTO-n9WBY
https://youtube.com/shorts/a34o4FLSPhU
https://youtu.be/h4eu6eiIoTw
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Dr. Laura Sicola, Speaking to Influence Podcast, Richard Blank, Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center,trend, trending
Some of these videos are connected to blogs or other pages on my website, https://laurasicola.com, so take a look to learn more. If you want to stay on top of the latest news in speech an leadership, sign up there to get my weekly newsletter so you don't miss a beat!
Here's to increasing your confidence, presence and influence, as the leader that you are, and the leader you KNOW you can become!
LEADERSHIP IS AN IMAGE.
The way you communicate
is the foundation.
Executive communication coaching and training with Dr. Laura Sicola helps you build the confidence, presence, and influence you need to succeed.
It’s Time to Enhance Your Executive Presence
1Step into a world where your words command respect, your confidence inspires trust, and your leadership opens doors to new opportunities.
Dr. Laura Sicola
Are you equally confident and influential whether communicating with people in business development, finance, engineering, HR, clients, or the board of directors?
Are you as persuasive and compelling whether speaking on camera, presenting to 500 people at a conference, pitching to investors, or advising your employees in a 1:1?
I am a speaker, coach and leadership communication expert who helps people hone their Vocal Executive Presence (VEP) and communication skills to project a strong, positive leadership image, develop loyal, effective teams, and create their ideal workplace culture to reach their ultimate goals.
Your technical expertise only gets you so far; after that, your success is a direct result of how effectively you can COMMUNICATE that expertise to others who do NOT have your skills and knowledge.
I have worked with everyone from executives and aspiring execs at companies like IBM, Comcast and the US Department of Commerce, to executive directors at non-profits, groups of entrepreneurs and women's/diversity initiatives.
Do you or will you lead a large team or organization? Are you getting ready for a conference presentation? A TED talk? A press conference? Or do you need to facilitate team meetings and mediate staff conflict? You tell me who your audience is, and I show you how to get your message across to them efficiently and effectively, while bringing everyone to a collective "YES."
And if you're looking for a speaker for your next event - live or virtual - and need a topic that will resonate with EVERYONE delivered by an inspiring, engaging speaker, give me a call!
Dr. Laura Sicola has over 20 years of experience teaching leaders how to command the room, connect with the audience, and close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and communication expert, Laura empowers leaders through communication coaching, group training sessions, worldwide speaking engagements, and her book “Speaking to Influence.”
Executive Coaching
Work with Laura one-on-one or in mastery cohort groups to refine your communication skills. These executive coaching sessions help you develop a communication strategy that elevates your executive presence, aligns with your personal brand and gets results.
Group Training
Transform your team's communication capabilities with Laura's outcome-oriented, customizable group training. Topics include Speaking to Influence, Breaking the Expert's Curse, Virtual Influence, Becoming a Go-To Thought Leader, and more.
Keynote Speaking
Elevate your conference or event with a speaker who has mastered the art and science of “infotainment.” Laura balances value-packed content with humor and an interactive style that keeps the audience engaged and gives them practical skills to immediately implement.
Speaking to Influence Book
Discover the secrets to powerful and persuasive communication. With real-life examples, worksheets, and exercises, this book gives you everything needed to transform your communication style, get out of your own way, and hear “yes” more often.
Speaking to Influence Podcast
Join Laura as she interviews world-class business and industry leaders who reveal the importance of communication as an essential leadership skill on their own career journey and the (sometimes hard) lessons they learned along the way.
Online Programs and Training
Laura hosts a constantly evolving set of online courses and live group trainings on topics to help you discover your leadership voice, become a go-to thought leader, and optimize your in-person or virtual presence and engagement skills.
Want to establish your brand as a go-to thought leader?
Get Laura’s insights in this free resource that shares eight key strategies to boost your brand and elevate your thought leadership. Click the link below and begin your journey to becoming a respected and influential leader who everyone actually WANTS to hear speak!
Ultimately, Laura's mission is to guide leaders in mastering the 3 Cs of executive presence: Command the room, Connect with the audience, and Close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and executive communication coach, Laura understands how professional interactions impact respect, trust, and buy-in, whether it’s a company meeting, a virtual conference call, a presentation to the board, or a high-stakes pitch to investors.
Using a personalized and practical approach, Laura teaches leaders how to project confidence, authority, and authenticity so they can be themselves, while still getting through to anyone.
Linguist
Laura’s background in cognitive linguistics is the cornerstone of her unique coaching approach to solving this universal challenge. She earned her Ph.D. in educational linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and taught there from 2001-2013. Laura has a deep understanding of the science of how people learn, how speech is processed in the brain, and what creates the gap between “what you think you said,” “what they think they heard,” and most importantly, how to close that gap to get results.
Coach
As an executive communication coach, Laura works with C-suite executives, VPs, directors, business owners, and aspiring executives who want to expand their powers of influence, inspire trust, and hear “yes” more often. In one-on-one or group sessions and master classes, she teaches leaders how to identify and express their personal brands so they can communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity, in front of any audience.
Author
Laura is the author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. This insightful book draws on her extensive expertise in cognitive linguistics, education and executive coaching to provide everyone with practical tools for effective communication in personal and professional interactions alike. In the words of one Amazon reviewer, “Dr. Laura Sicola gives down-to-earth, usable advice for anyone who wants to speak with authority.” She has also published many other peer-reviewed articles and books based on her research, intended for academic audiences.
Speaker
Laura is a renowned speaker, delivering keynotes and presentations at conferences and corporate events worldwide. Her TEDxPENN talk ‘Want to Sound like a Leader? Start by Saying Your Name Right‘ has been viewed over 6.8 million times. She has spoken at hundreds of events sharing insights and practical strategies for effective leadership communication. She also loves to moderate panels and emcee events for corporate and non-profit organizations.
Connect With Laura
Ready to sharpen your communication skills and expand your influence? Reach out to Dr. Laura Sicola to learn more about personalized coaching, group training, speaking engagements, and more.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#DrLauraSicola #SpeakingtoInfluencePodcast #SpeakersAreLeadersMotivationPodcast #HarrySardinas #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Pushed My Car in a Suit: A Hilarious Client Story
yes yes all right finally tell me about a time when you had to laugh at yourself ah i love this story so i had a client in town right phil and i'm driving him to dinner and it's the rainy season and unfortunately my car ran out of gas right by the um la sabana park and I couldn't believe it. So the guy looks at me, he goes, listen, the gas station is just a block away. And he goes, I'll push it if you will. I go, are you serious? He goes, yeah, why not? And so I took my jacket off. I'm still in my suit. Got the, you know, the best on. It's a good bonding moment there. Pushed it down the street. People are honking, laughing at me. A guy on purpose would curve a little, so it splashed me.
Handling Leadership Challenges During COVID
Yes, of course, Laura. It was during COVID when all of a sudden the government said, you got to send everybody home. And so what do you do? IT needed to prepare the lifeboats. The agents mentally needed to prepare for the isolation. And my supervisors and I needed to create certain mediums to keep that communication going and that lifeline going. And so I saw some people run for the hills. I saw freshmen step up to the plate.
The Gary Technique: Trust and Perseverance
Tell me about a time when you went to bat for someone else. Who did you speak to on their behalf? Why and how? I totally remember this story when we spoke about it, Laura. I had an agent called Gary and we called the Gary technique. This guy was usually the ramper upper where I'd put him on a brand new campaign to lead the charge, show some metrics and things will look good. Once again, the lone voice with the client convincing them that this is the guy. So after a certain day or two, when the client was losing its patience or Gary wasn't, you know, hitting the home runs yet, he said, Hey, I want you to remove him and try somebody else. And I said, you haven't really given him enough time. He goes, no, I just don't have a good vibe. I go, okay. Let's give it until the end of the day. And then I'll put him on another campaign. Next thing you know, Gary ripped three appointments. And so the client calls about it goes, why? I didn't know that. Let's keep, I go, well, listen, Billy, I did speak to the other client. He's being moved, but I just got to let you know in the future, have faith in me, trust my opinion. This is my wheelhouse. I know what I'm doing. And you know, just once the people get loosey goosey and they feel comfy on the phone, then you start hitting them. And so, um, I've fallen on swords for people because I've known what they've done. And I've also made mistakes as well. Sometimes Gary was not the good fit on a certain campaign and it just wasn't the right guy. Guy can't bat a thousand. Sure. Sure. And so I'm willing to take that hit too. But the beauty of it is at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, the fact that you might have faith in somebody else besides yourself.
Dr. Laura Sicola presents Speaking to Influence Podcast. Soft speaking skills with Richard Blank.
In this episode, Dr. Laura Sicola interviews Richard Blank, the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, about the importance of communication skills and influence in the business world. They discuss the value of soft skills, such as foreign language proficiency, and the need to recognize and leverage one's unique talents. Richard challenges listeners to improve their voicemail messages and congruence between their audio and visual presence. They also talk about the importance of giving people a personalized outbound voicemail message and the impact it has on the impression they leave. He emphasizes the importance of trust, faith, and having a sense of humor in building relationships and achieving success.
Episode 215: Richard Blank - CEO Costa Rica Call Center
In this episode you will learn:
● Character during chaos is an important leadership trait.
● Promote individuals based on their strengths and redirect them to roles where they can excel.
● Express appreciation and acknowledge the contributions of team members.
● Take calculated risks and communicate with stakeholders about challenges and unique aspects of the business. Soft skills, including foreign language proficiency, are valuable and marketable skills in the business world.
● Recognize and leverage your unique talents and skills, and don't downplay their importance.
● Improve your voicemail message and ensure congruence between your audio and visual presence.
● Give a personalized outbound voicemail message to make a positive impression.
● Be the lone voice of dissent when necessary and advocate for others.
About Richard Blank: At 27 years old, Richard relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He has trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers over two decades. Richard has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture. Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Do you want to be an effective communicator? This is where you'll find all sorts of resources with ideas, tips and strategies on how to master the art and science of leadership communication and influence, i.e. the ability to harness the power of the voice to master the 3s: Command the room, Connect with the audience and Close the deal in any context.
24-Hour Influence Challenge: Voicemail Edition
Now, you just took a challenge in moving down to Costa Rica 24 years ago. Let's levy a challenge to everybody else. This is an opportunity, Richard, to give a challenge for our 24-hour influence challenge of the day to challenge our audience to take one step that they can complete within 24 hours to have more influence. How would you like to challenge our listeners today? Yeah, Laura, I loved when we spoke about this before. I gave you like 20 ideas, and this is the one we chose the best. Nobody likes how they sound on their voicemail, now do they? When was the last time you changed your voicemail recording? What, 1989? And so I need for you to listen to yourself, and I want you to analyze your tone, your rate, your pitch, your duration, Maybe use a thesaurus and find some similes to power up certain vocabulary so it might become more diplomatic and strategic. And practice that over and over. Why? Because that's how you sound to people.
https://youtu.be/Xs4XRi6Ca3s
https://youtube.com/shorts/wSiTO-n9WBY
https://youtube.com/shorts/a34o4FLSPhU
https://youtu.be/h4eu6eiIoTw
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Dr. Laura Sicola, Speaking to Influence Podcast, Richard Blank, Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center,trend, trending
Some of these videos are connected to blogs or other pages on my website, https://laurasicola.com, so take a look to learn more. If you want to stay on top of the latest news in speech an leadership, sign up there to get my weekly newsletter so you don't miss a beat!
Here's to increasing your confidence, presence and influence, as the leader that you are, and the leader you KNOW you can become!
LEADERSHIP IS AN IMAGE.
The way you communicate
is the foundation.
Executive communication coaching and training with Dr. Laura Sicola helps you build the confidence, presence, and influence you need to succeed.
It’s Time to Enhance Your Executive Presence
1Step into a world where your words command respect, your confidence inspires trust, and your leadership opens doors to new opportunities.
Dr. Laura Sicola
Are you equally confident and influential whether communicating with people in business development, finance, engineering, HR, clients, or the board of directors?
Are you as persuasive and compelling whether speaking on camera, presenting to 500 people at a conference, pitching to investors, or advising your employees in a 1:1?
I am a speaker, coach and leadership communication expert who helps people hone their Vocal Executive Presence (VEP) and communication skills to project a strong, positive leadership image, develop loyal, effective teams, and create their ideal workplace culture to reach their ultimate goals.
Your technical expertise only gets you so far; after that, your success is a direct result of how effectively you can COMMUNICATE that expertise to others who do NOT have your skills and knowledge.
I have worked with everyone from executives and aspiring execs at companies like IBM, Comcast and the US Department of Commerce, to executive directors at non-profits, groups of entrepreneurs and women's/diversity initiatives.
Do you or will you lead a large team or organization? Are you getting ready for a conference presentation? A TED talk? A press conference? Or do you need to facilitate team meetings and mediate staff conflict? You tell me who your audience is, and I show you how to get your message across to them efficiently and effectively, while bringing everyone to a collective "YES."
And if you're looking for a speaker for your next event - live or virtual - and need a topic that will resonate with EVERYONE delivered by an inspiring, engaging speaker, give me a call!
Dr. Laura Sicola has over 20 years of experience teaching leaders how to command the room, connect with the audience, and close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and communication expert, Laura empowers leaders through communication coaching, group training sessions, worldwide speaking engagements, and her book “Speaking to Influence.”
Executive Coaching
Work with Laura one-on-one or in mastery cohort groups to refine your communication skills. These executive coaching sessions help you develop a communication strategy that elevates your executive presence, aligns with your personal brand and gets results.
Group Training
Transform your team's communication capabilities with Laura's outcome-oriented, customizable group training. Topics include Speaking to Influence, Breaking the Expert's Curse, Virtual Influence, Becoming a Go-To Thought Leader, and more.
Keynote Speaking
Elevate your conference or event with a speaker who has mastered the art and science of “infotainment.” Laura balances value-packed content with humor and an interactive style that keeps the audience engaged and gives them practical skills to immediately implement.
Speaking to Influence Book
Discover the secrets to powerful and persuasive communication. With real-life examples, worksheets, and exercises, this book gives you everything needed to transform your communication style, get out of your own way, and hear “yes” more often.
Speaking to Influence Podcast
Join Laura as she interviews world-class business and industry leaders who reveal the importance of communication as an essential leadership skill on their own career journey and the (sometimes hard) lessons they learned along the way.
Online Programs and Training
Laura hosts a constantly evolving set of online courses and live group trainings on topics to help you discover your leadership voice, become a go-to thought leader, and optimize your in-person or virtual presence and engagement skills.
Want to establish your brand as a go-to thought leader?
Get Laura’s insights in this free resource that shares eight key strategies to boost your brand and elevate your thought leadership. Click the link below and begin your journey to becoming a respected and influential leader who everyone actually WANTS to hear speak!
Ultimately, Laura's mission is to guide leaders in mastering the 3 Cs of executive presence: Command the room, Connect with the audience, and Close the deal.
As a cognitive linguist and executive communication coach, Laura understands how professional interactions impact respect, trust, and buy-in, whether it’s a company meeting, a virtual conference call, a presentation to the board, or a high-stakes pitch to investors.
Using a personalized and practical approach, Laura teaches leaders how to project confidence, authority, and authenticity so they can be themselves, while still getting through to anyone.
Linguist
Laura’s background in cognitive linguistics is the cornerstone of her unique coaching approach to solving this universal challenge. She earned her Ph.D. in educational linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and taught there from 2001-2013. Laura has a deep understanding of the science of how people learn, how speech is processed in the brain, and what creates the gap between “what you think you said,” “what they think they heard,” and most importantly, how to close that gap to get results.
Coach
As an executive communication coach, Laura works with C-suite executives, VPs, directors, business owners, and aspiring executives who want to expand their powers of influence, inspire trust, and hear “yes” more often. In one-on-one or group sessions and master classes, she teaches leaders how to identify and express their personal brands so they can communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity, in front of any audience.
Author
Laura is the author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. This insightful book draws on her extensive expertise in cognitive linguistics, education and executive coaching to provide everyone with practical tools for effective communication in personal and professional interactions alike. In the words of one Amazon reviewer, “Dr. Laura Sicola gives down-to-earth, usable advice for anyone who wants to speak with authority.” She has also published many other peer-reviewed articles and books based on her research, intended for academic audiences.
Speaker
Laura is a renowned speaker, delivering keynotes and presentations at conferences and corporate events worldwide. Her TEDxPENN talk ‘Want to Sound like a Leader? Start by Saying Your Name Right‘ has been viewed over 6.8 million times. She has spoken at hundreds of events sharing insights and practical strategies for effective leadership communication. She also loves to moderate panels and emcee events for corporate and non-profit organizations.
Connect With Laura
Ready to sharpen your communication skills and expand your influence? Reach out to Dr. Laura Sicola to learn more about personalized coaching, group training, speaking engagements, and more.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#DrLauraSicola #SpeakingtoInfluencePodcast #SpeakersAreLeadersMotivationPodcast #HarrySardinas #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Pushed My Car in a Suit: A Hilarious Client Story
yes yes all right finally tell me about a time when you had to laugh at yourself ah i love this story so i had a client in town right phil and i'm driving him to dinner and it's the rainy season and unfortunately my car ran out of gas right by the um la sabana park and I couldn't believe it. So the guy looks at me, he goes, listen, the gas station is just a block away. And he goes, I'll push it if you will. I go, are you serious? He goes, yeah, why not? And so I took my jacket off. I'm still in my suit. Got the, you know, the best on. It's a good bonding moment there. Pushed it down the street. People are honking, laughing at me. A guy on purpose would curve a little, so it splashed me.
Handling Leadership Challenges During COVID
Yes, of course, Laura. It was during COVID when all of a sudden the government said, you got to send everybody home. And so what do you do? IT needed to prepare the lifeboats. The agents mentally needed to prepare for the isolation. And my supervisors and I needed to create certain mediums to keep that communication going and that lifeline going. And so I saw some people run for the hills. I saw freshmen step up to the plate.
The Gary Technique: Trust and Perseverance
Tell me about a time when you went to bat for someone else. Who did you speak to on their behalf? Why and how? I totally remember this story when we spoke about it, Laura. I had an agent called Gary and we called the Gary technique. This guy was usually the ramper upper where I'd put him on a brand new campaign to lead the charge, show some metrics and things will look good. Once again, the lone voice with the client convincing them that this is the guy. So after a certain day or two, when the client was losing its patience or Gary wasn't, you know, hitting the home runs yet, he said, Hey, I want you to remove him and try somebody else. And I said, you haven't really given him enough time. He goes, no, I just don't have a good vibe. I go, okay. Let's give it until the end of the day. And then I'll put him on another campaign. Next thing you know, Gary ripped three appointments. And so the client calls about it goes, why? I didn't know that. Let's keep, I go, well, listen, Billy, I did speak to the other client. He's being moved, but I just got to let you know in the future, have faith in me, trust my opinion. This is my wheelhouse. I know what I'm doing. And you know, just once the people get loosey goosey and they feel comfy on the phone, then you start hitting them. And so, um, I've fallen on swords for people because I've known what they've done. And I've also made mistakes as well. Sometimes Gary was not the good fit on a certain campaign and it just wasn't the right guy. Guy can't bat a thousand. Sure. Sure. And so I'm willing to take that hit too. But the beauty of it is at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, the fact that you might have faith in somebody else besides yourself.
【Summary】
Let’s watch a video called "Kids Try Snacks from Japan" from HiHo Kids Channel! In that video, some kids will try the snacks & candies from Japan, and as a Japanese, I'm gonna react to the video and share my honest opinion, telling you some tips about some Japanese snacks and candies. Now, guys, let’s get started!
【Contents】
00:00 Intro
00:21 ①Umaibo
03:27 ②Kinoko no yama
06:00 ③Karl
07:33 ④Whistle Candy (Fueramune)
09:25 ⑤Ramune & Ramune Soda
12:42 Outro
【Original Video】
Kids Try Snacks from Japan | Kids Try | HiHo Kids" - HiHo Kids
https://youtu.be/p13eKmDz88g
【Hashtags】
#HiHoKids #KidsTry #JapaneseSnacks #snacksfromjapan #JapaneseReaction
Copyright Disclamer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 , allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, commenting , news reporting,teaching, scholarship , and research.Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Nonprofit , educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Penis Extender I Use: http://PenimasterX.com
How's it going boys? This video is going to be a little bit intimate between you and me. In this video, I'm going to tell you exactly how much results I gained from using a penis stretcher. I'm not just going to share with you my results, I'm also going to ask my girlfriend how she feels in terms of results, like what difference did it make for her. So if you're looking to get a bigger penis, just watch this video and you're going to understand how much size you're going to gain if you decide to use a penis stretcher.
Now, quick disclaimer, I am not sponsored by any of the companies that I'm mentioning in this video. No company tells me what to say, no company reviews the video before I publish it. Everything that I said in this video is 100% my experience and 100% honest. So now that we got this one out of the way, I'm pretty sure you're wondering for yourself how much could you gain if you decide to use a penis stretcher. The answer is not in centimeters or in inches, the answer is actually in percentage. So you can't expect to be 10 centimeters now and to expect to gain another 10. That's just unrealistic, okay? So realistically what you can expect to gain is up to 30-35% of your current length and up to 20% more of your current girth, which is by the way a lot.
So to put it in perspective, if you are 15 centimeters right now, it will be realistic for you to see a five-centimeter increase in length within one to two years. Now don't expect to gain 35% in like a month or two, it's just not realistic. In the same way that you can't have like a perfect body by training just a month or two at the gym, it just doesn't happen even if you take steroids, you're just not gonna do it. Building your body and changing your body takes time, so don't expect to start using the penis stretcher and to gain like a 35% increase in length within the first month or two, it's just not realistic.
And in this video, I'm going to tell you what's realistic and I'm going to share with you my personal results. So to be quite honest with you, I don't know what's going to be the limit for me to gain in terms of length. However, what I noticed is the biggest changes actually happen the first month. But for you to keep gaining length and girth, you have to use it more. That is very similar to you training at the gym. The biggest results you're gonna see at the first month because you're literally starting from zero, so anything that you gain is going to be very, very visible. And for me personally, the first month I gained around one and a half to almost two centimeters in length, which is a lot. Just to let you know, I started with 15 centimeters, so that means it is around, I don't know, maybe 20% or 15% increase in length. For me personally, I was more than happy with this result, and for my girlfriend as well, she actually noticed that and she mentioned that a few times when we were having sex.
And speaking of my girlfriend, why don't we ask her what does she think about my results after using the penis stretcher? Here we go. Yeah, I think you definitely became thicker and much more sensitive, and you're reaching the end, it's like you don't need money, you need more than that, definitely like, uh, stop, stop it. So those are the kind of results that you can expect to see. However, it's very important to realize that those results are not the same between one device to another because different penis stretchers and different devices work in very different ways.
From my personal experience, when I used the PeniMaster, I had the biggest results. I'm going to leave a link for it in the description. However, when I used the Phallosan Forte, I did not see the same results, mainly because of the way that Phallosan Forte works. It doesn't stretch all your penis, it stretches only a smaller part of it. So I made a separate video on how the Phallosan Forte works and why the results are not as good as the PeniMaster. On top of that, if you are circumcised, you're going to see much improvement in terms of sensitivity if you use the PeniMaster because of the way it works. It vacuums ahead of your penis and it allows for more blood flow into the head of your penis, which makes you more sensitive, makes you enjoy sex more, and it also makes your penis bigger because when the head of your penis is bigger, that means that your partner is gonna feel it more, you're gonna feel it more, and in general, you're just gonna have a bigger penis.
So if to be honest, if I was gonna recommend just one device out of like the six devices that I bought and tried, I would only recommend the PeniMaster. And if you're going to get the PeniMaster, I recommend you to get the complete set because sometimes you're just more comfortable wearing the belt, other times you're more comfortable wearing the device. Personally now, I'm more comfortable wearing the device. The way I wear it is on top of my boxers, so I'll get my penis outside of the boxers and then I'll wear it on top of it, and this way there's like a barrier between the plastic of the device and my body, and it makes it much more comfortable and easier to wear for a prolonged period of time.
Now I'm going to make a whole video about the tips and tricks of how to use the penis stretcher in the most comfortable way. So if you'd like to see that, all you have to do is just subscribe to the channel and let me know in the comments if you're interested in something like that. Now one very important thing that I would like to mention here is that consistency is key. If you're not gonna wear the penis stretcher every day or at least every second day, you're not going to see much results. So for me personally, I would wear it five or six days in a week, so I'm wearing it every day for at least a couple of hours. In this way, even if I'm making slow progress, I'm making some progress every day.
Now if you're going to take breaks from using the penis stretcher, just realize that this might take you back a little bit, and it's very important to keep that in mind because if you're not going to be consistent using the penis stretcher, it's going to affect your results. So in my opinion, the minimum you should wear it is at least two hours per day. Now on their website, they recommend wearing it for five or six hours per day. I personally prefer slow and steady progress because wearing it six hours per day sometimes it can interfere with your personal life. So I personally prefer to wear just two hours per day and to see some progress instead of putting too much pressure on myself to where it's six hours per day and then to stop wearing it because it's too difficult to do that.
By the way, another benefit to using the penis stretcher for those of you that are a little bit older and that are watching my videos, even if you're young sometimes you just get weak erections. Now when I started using the penis stretcher, my erections got so much better. I have no idea why, probably due to the fact that you're actually doing stretching for your penis and that allows for more blood to flow into it more easily, and this way I was getting much harder. I really realized it with my girlfriend, especially when you're laying down and your girlfriend is on top. You probably know that this is the weakest erection you'll have because the blood has to actually go up to your penis. Now when I started using the device, I'm actually getting way harder erections, which is saving me, you know, taking enhancers like Viagra or any other pills in order for me to get hard erections, especially when I'm drinking when I'm going out. This way I'm more confident that I'm going to have a good erection compared to before I started using the penis stretcher.
So to summarize this video, if you decide to start using a penis stretcher, the results that you are going to see depend on your initial size. But from my personal experience and from the rest of the studies that are online, you can expect to see up to 30 or 35% increase in length and up to 20% increase in girth. However, don't expect to gain those numbers in the first month, so it's gonna take you some time. I would say between a year to two in order for you to gain this 30 to 35%. However, even after the first month of use, you're going to see some results which will motivate you to keep going and using the device for longer periods of time.
So how much did I actually gain in terms of length after using the penis stretcher for around five months? Now I measured my size and made photos before I started using the device, and I measured my size and made photos right now before making the video. My initial size before I started using the penis stretcher was 15 centimeters. Currently, I'm at 18 centimeters, so we're talking about three centimeters increase in length, so that's a little bit over an inch, maybe an inch and a half in the span of five months. However, I want you to remember that some periods I was not using it, so I stopped using it at the beginning for a month if I'm not mistaken. Also, I took a break of a week or two when I got sick, so I wasn't using it for that period. So I wasn't that consistent in using it. On top of this, I did use the Phallosan Forte for around a month, which in my opinion didn't really help my results. So I would say if I were to use the PeniMaster only consistently on a daily basis for five months, I would have seen much better results. However, you know, I'm still happy with the results that I got, and I'm gonna keep using it and update you guys maybe in a month or two to see what kind of results I'm going to get using only the PeniMaster.
So I hope you guys enjoyed this video. If you did, please leave it a thumbs up so you let me know that you actually liked it so I can make more videos like this one. Also, if you're new to this channel, please consider subscribing, hitting the bell icon so you get notified every time I upload a new video, and let me know in the comments are you actually considering to use a penis stretcher and which penis stretcher would you use. Also, if you'd like to see me make a specific video or you have a specific question about the penis stretcher, also write it down in the comments and I'm going to answer all the questions personally in any way. I'm going to see you in the next video. Bye.
【Summary】
Let’s watch a video called "Uncle Roger Review GORDON RAMSAY Ramen" from mrnigelng Channel! As a Japanese, I'm gonna react to the video and share my perspective and honest opinion.
Now, guys, let’s get started!
【Contents】
00:00 Intro
00:14 Things Even Before Cooking…
01:56 ①How to Cook Ramen & The Ingredients
02:52 Cooking 1
05:12 ②The Flavors & Local Ramens
05:59 Cooking 2
08:42 ③The Charm of Uncle Roger
09:11 Cooking 3
12:34 ④Eggs & Other Toppings
13:02 Cooking 4
16:12 Outro
【Original Video】
"Uncle Roger Review GORDON RAMSAY Ramen" - mrnigelng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ9UGzlqxyk
【Hashtags】
#Japanesereact #uncleroger #gordonramsay #UncleRoger #unclerogerreaction
Copyright Disclamer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 , allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, commenting , news reporting,teaching, scholarship , and research.Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Nonprofit , educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
【Summary】
Let’s watch a video called "Uncle Roger Review GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF Japanese Week" from mrnigelng Channel! As a Japanese, I'm gonna react to the video and share my perspective and honest opinion.
Now, guys, let’s get started!
【Contents】
00:00 Intro
00:13 Kick Off & Steamed Bun
02:11 The Duo & Shirt
03:06 Katsu Curry
03:58 Panda & Lamb
05:41 Sauce & Some Countries
07:21 Gherkin & Chemistry
08:53 Sense of Business
09:23 Judgment
12:07 Summary by Uncle Roger
14:00 Outro
【Original Video】
"Uncle Roger Review GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF Japanese Week" - mrnigelng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf_OPDvX7Jk&t=371s
【Hashtags】
#japanesereactionunclerogerreviewgreat britishbakeoffjapaneseweek #unclerogergreatbritishbakeoffreaction #japanesereactstouncleroger
#japanesereactionuncleroger #unclerogerjapanesereaction
※この動画は、フェアユースの概念に基づいて製作されています。
Copyright Disclamer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 , allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, commenting , news reporting,teaching, scholarship , and research.Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Nonprofit , educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
【Summary】
Let’s watch a video called "11 Things NOT to do in Japan" from Cal McKinley Channel! In that video, kind of rules and some etiquettes in Japan are introduced, and as a Japanese, I'm gonna react to the video and share my perspective and honest opinion.
Now, guys, let’s get started!
【Contents】
00:00 Intro
00:12 1.Don't Tip
01:52 2.Cover Your Tattoos
02:59 3.Don't Hand Cash to Cashiers
03:47 4.Japanese Only Restaurants
05:14 5.Don't Talk on Trains
06:18 6.Proper Chopstick Use
07:55 7.Don't Wear Shoes in the House
08:36 8.Drinking Etiquette
10:30 9.How Not to Eat Sushi
11:48 10.Don't Expect to Use Your Card
13:01 11.Receiving Business Cards
14:01 Outro
【Original Video】
“11 Things NOT to do in Japan - MUST SEE BEFORE YOU GO!” - Cal McKinley
https://youtu.be/c4rLtlx7o1Y
【Hashtags】
#ajapanesereaction11thingsnottodoinjapan #11thingsnottodoinjapan #calmckinleyjapan #11thingsnottodoinjapanreaction #11thingsnottodoinjapanjapanesereaction
※この動画は、フェアユースの概念に基づいて製作されています。
Copyright Disclamer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 , allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, commenting , news reporting,teaching, scholarship , and research.Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Nonprofit , educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
【Summary】
Let’s watch a video called "What my trip to Japan was like"!
In that animation video, Japanese culture is described from the viewpoint of another country’s person (Jaiden).
So, as a Japanese, I'm gonna react to the video and share my perspective and honest opinion.
Now, guys, let’s get started!
【Contents】
00:00 Intro
00:14 ①Complicated Airport & Subway
03:07 ②Rude Japanese Words
03:44 ③Communicating with the Japanese in English
04:59 ④Image Translation App, Tokyo Bus Tour & Shibuya
06:46 ⑤Day 3, Day 4 & Bus Tour around Kyoto
08:30 ⑥Bus Tour around Kyoto & Studio Ghibli Museum
10:20 ⑦Studio Ghibli Museum, Sushi Restaurant & SEGA Arcade
11:45 ⑧SEGA Arcade & Robot Restaurant
13:38 The Video's Outro
14:12 Outro
【Original Video】
"What My Trip To Japan Was Like" - Jaiden Animations
https://youtu.be/byldfZxK0AU
【Hashtags】
#japanesereactionwhatmytriptojapanwaslike #japanesereactstowhatmytriptojapanwaslike #whatmytriptojapanwaslikejapanesereaction #jaidenanimationsjapan #japanesereactstojaidenanimations
※この動画は、フェアユースの概念に基づいて製作されています。
Copyright Disclamer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 , allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, commenting , news reporting,teaching, scholarship , and research.Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Nonprofit , educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Business Confidential Now with Hanna Hasl-Kelchner. Easy Ways to Improve Business Conflict Management Skills by Richard Blank
Business Confidential Now always aims to give you smart, practical, and timeless tips focused on helping you see things hidden in plain view that matter to your career and bottom line.
Conflict management skills are one of those talents some people are better at than others but being able to turn down the heat in a conversation and find a solution is a powerful leadership competency that can be used where we work, where we play, and even at home in our personal lives.
And who better to talk about this delicate subject than the founder of a call sales center, a business whose daily bread a butter deals with the conflict surrounding unwanted solicitations and complaints!
Conflict management skills are one of those talents some people are better at than others. Being able to turn down the heat in a conversation and find a solution is a powerful leadership competency that can be used where we work, where we play, and even at home in our personal lives.
Season 10 Episode 5. Discover how can we get better and improve our conflict management skills with these great tips from Richard Blank, Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center.
Appreciation and Further Engagement
I think you're right, Richard. It's about the breakthroughs. So thank you. I appreciate you and the work that you do in helping people improve their conflict management skills. And if you're listening and you'd like to know more about Richard Blank, that information as well as a transcript of this interview can be found in the show notes at businessconfidentialradio.com.
Coaching for Breakthroughs and Growth
We're the best coaches, Hannah. All we do is look for ways to delegate and promote people. And the greatest satisfaction you and I get is walking those rows and standing next to someone who's having breakthroughs, shedding skin, getting so much better and becoming much more marketable. That's paying it forward, in my opinion.
Conflict Resolution through Personal Experience
In your opinion, what's the most important thing we can add to our conflict management skill toolbox? Asking someone if you may make a suggestion prior to saying something. They might not like what you hear, but it reduces it. Almost by half. And if you're going to make a suggestion about somebody and you know they might get offended or they might be embarrassed, before you make the suggestion, refer back to yourself. If you're this mentor with wisdom, let them know what happened when you forgot to put too much gas in your car and you ran out of gas. May I make a suggestion? It might be an extra five bucks to get to the beach because five years ago I was in the convertible. Hannah and I were having fun. Next thing you know, I ran out of gas and ruined the day. And it's just an excellent, excellent, excellent way to diffuse that situation and to give that sort of advice through wisdom. I love that sort of stuff.
Effective Listening and Engagement Strategies
Tons of things. First is taking copious notes and speaking second because what you might think is a priority could be something that they're not even interested in. A lot of the times the potential client or existing client will disclose to you the areas of improvement or the areas that they like. These are also areas to possibly get a referral and upsell and the retention. But in my opinion, it almost should be a two for one in the beginning
Managing Face-to-Face Conflict
Let's just say it's face to face. I believe in energy givers and energy suckers. If someone is giving you energy, look straight in their eyes. But if they're intimidating you, if they're yelling at you, making you uncomfortable and off balance, there is a trick. Look in between their eyes. It really does look like you're looking in their eyes, but they're not going to get you off balance. That's number one. Number two, when you're not speaking, the best thing to do is to practice breathing.
The Importance of Active Listening
As a result, managing conflict and helping your employees improve their conflict management skills is an important part of your work that I'm hoping we can learn from. In your experience, what conflict management skills are most people missing? I believe, Hannah, that most people are missing active listening skills to be much more engaged in conversations, to get that first call resolution, build rapport, keep a client, save a marriage.
https://youtu.be/IRKWszaqfTg
https://youtu.be/d-1Fq6tBHzI
https://youtu.be/3Sih9EbAIPk
https://youtu.be/M0nL0DpluRQ
https://youtu.be/YlyIoqZ8zpI
https://youtu.be/kHFuF_Kxtx8
https://youtu.be/5hl-2F67SZ8
What You’ll Discover About Conflict Management Skills:
The conflict management skills most people are missing
The factors contributing to the lack of conflict management skills development
The role of control in conflict management
The importance of self-awareness in conflict management
The Podcast for Smart Executives, Managers, and Entrepreneurs
Improve Business Performance by
Identifying Issues Hiding in Plain View That Matter to Your Bottom Line
WHY LISTEN? Because what you don’t know about business can really hurt you
WHAT DO YOU GET? Interviews with experts and thought leaders on topics you need to succeed
WHAT ELSE? Curated Playlists to zero in on topics you’re most interested in
WHEN? Every Thursday
WHERE? Available wherever podcasts are streaming
WITH? Your no nonsense host, Hanna Hasl-Kelchner
And MUCH more.
Business comes at you fast and no one can afford to get blind-sided by business issues hiding in plain view that matter to your bottom line.
Business Confidential Now gives you access to the business information you need to succeed in weekly interviews with thought leaders, experts, and authors who share their secrets for more business success. It’s everything from people management, sales, marketing, and finance, to corporate governance and risk management.
These are the trusted advisors, the ones Big Business pay big bucks for, who are quietly igniting change behind closed doors and transforming businesses around world. Check out our past episodes and subscribe to the show.
Hosted by Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, MBA, JD
I’ve been a trusted advisor for more than 35 years, helping influential decision makers ranging from start-ups to the S&P 500 to the White House and I’ve seen first-hand how what you don’t know in business really can hurt you.
Even if you have one of those fancy Ivy League MBAs, it’s impossible to have all the answers – there are simply too many nooks and crannies in business to be good at everything.
I know first-hand because I HAVE one of those fancy MBAs, I’ve even taught at some of those fancy MBA schools and have been a practicing attorney.
BUT it is possible to discover where those nooks and crannies are, to learn what questions should be asked and to have some fun in the process.
That’s where Business Confidential Now comes in. It gives you access to business information you need to succeed.
Unlike most lawyers, I have both entrepreneurial and corporate experience. Growing up I had a front row seat to my parents American Dream, watching them build a successful business from scratch and later ran my own business before age 30.
I’ve sat on both sides of the desk and that’s why today I love to bridge the gap between business and law through public speaking, teaching and mentoring through Business M.O., LLC, and with M.O.’s Business Confidential Now podcast, to help entrepreneurs see business issues hiding in plain view.
Doing the right things in the right way is not only the right thing to do, it’s smart business because you’re creating a workplace where employees can be their best selves, contribute amazing things and skyrocket your business.
It lets you build a business that’s not only profitable; but, one you can be proud to tell your grandkids about some day. It also helps keep you out of court.
‘Common, you knew I had to mention that.
Oh . . . and don’t forget to check out my new book, Seeking Fairness at Work: Cracking the New Code of Greater Employee Engagement, Retention & Satisfaction.
It was recently awarded a Silver Metal Book Award by the Nonfiction Authors Association.
I’m on a mission to help build healthier business cultures because it’s the secret to happier employees, a more robust bottom lines, and business prosperity.
In this channel I bring you video excerpts from my Business Confidential Now podcast to bring you for valuable information and tips about business issues hiding in plain view that matter to your bottom line.
Business Confidential Now gives you access to the business information you need to succeed in weekly interviews with thought leaders, experts, and authors who share their secrets for more business success. It’s everything from people management, sales, marketing, and finance, to corporate governance and risk management.
When he was 27, he relocated to Costa Rica to train over 5000 employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He’s also trained over 10, 000 so he knows a thing or two about conflict management.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#HannaHaslKelchner #BusinessConfidentialNow #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #BusinessConfidentialNow
Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, Business Confidential Now, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
Business Confidential Now with Hanna Hasl-Kelchner. Easy Ways to Improve Business Conflict Management Skills by Richard Blank
Business Confidential Now always aims to give you smart, practical, and timeless tips focused on helping you see things hidden in plain view that matter to your career and bottom line.
Conflict management skills are one of those talents some people are better at than others but being able to turn down the heat in a conversation and find a solution is a powerful leadership competency that can be used where we work, where we play, and even at home in our personal lives.
And who better to talk about this delicate subject than the founder of a call sales center, a business whose daily bread a butter deals with the conflict surrounding unwanted solicitations and complaints!
Conflict management skills are one of those talents some people are better at than others. Being able to turn down the heat in a conversation and find a solution is a powerful leadership competency that can be used where we work, where we play, and even at home in our personal lives.
Season 10 Episode 5. Discover how can we get better and improve our conflict management skills with these great tips from Richard Blank, Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center.
Appreciation and Further Engagement
I think you're right, Richard. It's about the breakthroughs. So thank you. I appreciate you and the work that you do in helping people improve their conflict management skills. And if you're listening and you'd like to know more about Richard Blank, that information as well as a transcript of this interview can be found in the show notes at businessconfidentialradio.com.
Coaching for Breakthroughs and Growth
We're the best coaches, Hannah. All we do is look for ways to delegate and promote people. And the greatest satisfaction you and I get is walking those rows and standing next to someone who's having breakthroughs, shedding skin, getting so much better and becoming much more marketable. That's paying it forward, in my opinion.
Conflict Resolution through Personal Experience
In your opinion, what's the most important thing we can add to our conflict management skill toolbox? Asking someone if you may make a suggestion prior to saying something. They might not like what you hear, but it reduces it. Almost by half. And if you're going to make a suggestion about somebody and you know they might get offended or they might be embarrassed, before you make the suggestion, refer back to yourself. If you're this mentor with wisdom, let them know what happened when you forgot to put too much gas in your car and you ran out of gas. May I make a suggestion? It might be an extra five bucks to get to the beach because five years ago I was in the convertible. Hannah and I were having fun. Next thing you know, I ran out of gas and ruined the day. And it's just an excellent, excellent, excellent way to diffuse that situation and to give that sort of advice through wisdom. I love that sort of stuff.
Effective Listening and Engagement Strategies
Tons of things. First is taking copious notes and speaking second because what you might think is a priority could be something that they're not even interested in. A lot of the times the potential client or existing client will disclose to you the areas of improvement or the areas that they like. These are also areas to possibly get a referral and upsell and the retention. But in my opinion, it almost should be a two for one in the beginning
Managing Face-to-Face Conflict
Let's just say it's face to face. I believe in energy givers and energy suckers. If someone is giving you energy, look straight in their eyes. But if they're intimidating you, if they're yelling at you, making you uncomfortable and off balance, there is a trick. Look in between their eyes. It really does look like you're looking in their eyes, but they're not going to get you off balance. That's number one. Number two, when you're not speaking, the best thing to do is to practice breathing.
The Importance of Active Listening
As a result, managing conflict and helping your employees improve their conflict management skills is an important part of your work that I'm hoping we can learn from. In your experience, what conflict management skills are most people missing? I believe, Hannah, that most people are missing active listening skills to be much more engaged in conversations, to get that first call resolution, build rapport, keep a client, save a marriage.
https://youtu.be/IRKWszaqfTg
https://youtu.be/d-1Fq6tBHzI
https://youtu.be/3Sih9EbAIPk
https://youtu.be/M0nL0DpluRQ
https://youtu.be/YlyIoqZ8zpI
https://youtu.be/kHFuF_Kxtx8
https://youtu.be/5hl-2F67SZ8
What You’ll Discover About Conflict Management Skills:
The conflict management skills most people are missing
The factors contributing to the lack of conflict management skills development
The role of control in conflict management
The importance of self-awareness in conflict management
The Podcast for Smart Executives, Managers, and Entrepreneurs
Improve Business Performance by
Identifying Issues Hiding in Plain View That Matter to Your Bottom Line
WHY LISTEN? Because what you don’t know about business can really hurt you
WHAT DO YOU GET? Interviews with experts and thought leaders on topics you need to succeed
WHAT ELSE? Curated Playlists to zero in on topics you’re most interested in
WHEN? Every Thursday
WHERE? Available wherever podcasts are streaming
WITH? Your no nonsense host, Hanna Hasl-Kelchner
And MUCH more.
Business comes at you fast and no one can afford to get blind-sided by business issues hiding in plain view that matter to your bottom line.
Business Confidential Now gives you access to the business information you need to succeed in weekly interviews with thought leaders, experts, and authors who share their secrets for more business success. It’s everything from people management, sales, marketing, and finance, to corporate governance and risk management.
These are the trusted advisors, the ones Big Business pay big bucks for, who are quietly igniting change behind closed doors and transforming businesses around world. Check out our past episodes and subscribe to the show.
Hosted by Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, MBA, JD
I’ve been a trusted advisor for more than 35 years, helping influential decision makers ranging from start-ups to the S&P 500 to the White House and I’ve seen first-hand how what you don’t know in business really can hurt you.
Even if you have one of those fancy Ivy League MBAs, it’s impossible to have all the answers – there are simply too many nooks and crannies in business to be good at everything.
I know first-hand because I HAVE one of those fancy MBAs, I’ve even taught at some of those fancy MBA schools and have been a practicing attorney.
BUT it is possible to discover where those nooks and crannies are, to learn what questions should be asked and to have some fun in the process.
That’s where Business Confidential Now comes in. It gives you access to business information you need to succeed.
Unlike most lawyers, I have both entrepreneurial and corporate experience. Growing up I had a front row seat to my parents American Dream, watching them build a successful business from scratch and later ran my own business before age 30.
I’ve sat on both sides of the desk and that’s why today I love to bridge the gap between business and law through public speaking, teaching and mentoring through Business M.O., LLC, and with M.O.’s Business Confidential Now podcast, to help entrepreneurs see business issues hiding in plain view.
Doing the right things in the right way is not only the right thing to do, it’s smart business because you’re creating a workplace where employees can be their best selves, contribute amazing things and skyrocket your business.
It lets you build a business that’s not only profitable; but, one you can be proud to tell your grandkids about some day. It also helps keep you out of court.
‘Common, you knew I had to mention that.
Oh . . . and don’t forget to check out my new book, Seeking Fairness at Work: Cracking the New Code of Greater Employee Engagement, Retention & Satisfaction.
It was recently awarded a Silver Metal Book Award by the Nonfiction Authors Association.
I’m on a mission to help build healthier business cultures because it’s the secret to happier employees, a more robust bottom lines, and business prosperity.
In this channel I bring you video excerpts from my Business Confidential Now podcast to bring you for valuable information and tips about business issues hiding in plain view that matter to your bottom line.
Business Confidential Now gives you access to the business information you need to succeed in weekly interviews with thought leaders, experts, and authors who share their secrets for more business success. It’s everything from people management, sales, marketing, and finance, to corporate governance and risk management.
When he was 27, he relocated to Costa Rica to train over 5000 employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He’s also trained over 10, 000 so he knows a thing or two about conflict management.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#HannaHaslKelchner #BusinessConfidentialNow #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #BusinessConfidentialNow
Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, Business Confidential Now, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
Business Confidential Now with Hanna Hasl-Kelchner. Easy Ways to Improve Business Conflict Management Skills by Richard Blank
Business Confidential Now always aims to give you smart, practical, and timeless tips focused on helping you see things hidden in plain view that matter to your career and bottom line.
Conflict management skills are one of those talents some people are better at than others but being able to turn down the heat in a conversation and find a solution is a powerful leadership competency that can be used where we work, where we play, and even at home in our personal lives.
And who better to talk about this delicate subject than the founder of a call sales center, a business whose daily bread a butter deals with the conflict surrounding unwanted solicitations and complaints!
Conflict management skills are one of those talents some people are better at than others. Being able to turn down the heat in a conversation and find a solution is a powerful leadership competency that can be used where we work, where we play, and even at home in our personal lives.
Season 10 Episode 5. Discover how can we get better and improve our conflict management skills with these great tips from Richard Blank, Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center.
Appreciation and Further Engagement
I think you're right, Richard. It's about the breakthroughs. So thank you. I appreciate you and the work that you do in helping people improve their conflict management skills. And if you're listening and you'd like to know more about Richard Blank, that information as well as a transcript of this interview can be found in the show notes at businessconfidentialradio.com.
Coaching for Breakthroughs and Growth
We're the best coaches, Hannah. All we do is look for ways to delegate and promote people. And the greatest satisfaction you and I get is walking those rows and standing next to someone who's having breakthroughs, shedding skin, getting so much better and becoming much more marketable. That's paying it forward, in my opinion.
Conflict Resolution through Personal Experience
In your opinion, what's the most important thing we can add to our conflict management skill toolbox? Asking someone if you may make a suggestion prior to saying something. They might not like what you hear, but it reduces it. Almost by half. And if you're going to make a suggestion about somebody and you know they might get offended or they might be embarrassed, before you make the suggestion, refer back to yourself. If you're this mentor with wisdom, let them know what happened when you forgot to put too much gas in your car and you ran out of gas. May I make a suggestion? It might be an extra five bucks to get to the beach because five years ago I was in the convertible. Hannah and I were having fun. Next thing you know, I ran out of gas and ruined the day. And it's just an excellent, excellent, excellent way to diffuse that situation and to give that sort of advice through wisdom. I love that sort of stuff.
Effective Listening and Engagement Strategies
Tons of things. First is taking copious notes and speaking second because what you might think is a priority could be something that they're not even interested in. A lot of the times the potential client or existing client will disclose to you the areas of improvement or the areas that they like. These are also areas to possibly get a referral and upsell and the retention. But in my opinion, it almost should be a two for one in the beginning
Managing Face-to-Face Conflict
Let's just say it's face to face. I believe in energy givers and energy suckers. If someone is giving you energy, look straight in their eyes. But if they're intimidating you, if they're yelling at you, making you uncomfortable and off balance, there is a trick. Look in between their eyes. It really does look like you're looking in their eyes, but they're not going to get you off balance. That's number one. Number two, when you're not speaking, the best thing to do is to practice breathing.
The Importance of Active Listening
As a result, managing conflict and helping your employees improve their conflict management skills is an important part of your work that I'm hoping we can learn from. In your experience, what conflict management skills are most people missing? I believe, Hannah, that most people are missing active listening skills to be much more engaged in conversations, to get that first call resolution, build rapport, keep a client, save a marriage.
https://youtu.be/IRKWszaqfTg
https://youtu.be/d-1Fq6tBHzI
https://youtu.be/3Sih9EbAIPk
https://youtu.be/M0nL0DpluRQ
https://youtu.be/YlyIoqZ8zpI
https://youtu.be/kHFuF_Kxtx8
https://youtu.be/5hl-2F67SZ8
What You’ll Discover About Conflict Management Skills:
The conflict management skills most people are missing
The factors contributing to the lack of conflict management skills development
The role of control in conflict management
The importance of self-awareness in conflict management
The Podcast for Smart Executives, Managers, and Entrepreneurs
Improve Business Performance by
Identifying Issues Hiding in Plain View That Matter to Your Bottom Line
WHY LISTEN? Because what you don’t know about business can really hurt you
WHAT DO YOU GET? Interviews with experts and thought leaders on topics you need to succeed
WHAT ELSE? Curated Playlists to zero in on topics you’re most interested in
WHEN? Every Thursday
WHERE? Available wherever podcasts are streaming
WITH? Your no nonsense host, Hanna Hasl-Kelchner
And MUCH more.
Business comes at you fast and no one can afford to get blind-sided by business issues hiding in plain view that matter to your bottom line.
Business Confidential Now gives you access to the business information you need to succeed in weekly interviews with thought leaders, experts, and authors who share their secrets for more business success. It’s everything from people management, sales, marketing, and finance, to corporate governance and risk management.
These are the trusted advisors, the ones Big Business pay big bucks for, who are quietly igniting change behind closed doors and transforming businesses around world. Check out our past episodes and subscribe to the show.
Hosted by Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, MBA, JD
I’ve been a trusted advisor for more than 35 years, helping influential decision makers ranging from start-ups to the S&P 500 to the White House and I’ve seen first-hand how what you don’t know in business really can hurt you.
Even if you have one of those fancy Ivy League MBAs, it’s impossible to have all the answers – there are simply too many nooks and crannies in business to be good at everything.
I know first-hand because I HAVE one of those fancy MBAs, I’ve even taught at some of those fancy MBA schools and have been a practicing attorney.
BUT it is possible to discover where those nooks and crannies are, to learn what questions should be asked and to have some fun in the process.
That’s where Business Confidential Now comes in. It gives you access to business information you need to succeed.
Unlike most lawyers, I have both entrepreneurial and corporate experience. Growing up I had a front row seat to my parents American Dream, watching them build a successful business from scratch and later ran my own business before age 30.
I’ve sat on both sides of the desk and that’s why today I love to bridge the gap between business and law through public speaking, teaching and mentoring through Business M.O., LLC, and with M.O.’s Business Confidential Now podcast, to help entrepreneurs see business issues hiding in plain view.
Doing the right things in the right way is not only the right thing to do, it’s smart business because you’re creating a workplace where employees can be their best selves, contribute amazing things and skyrocket your business.
It lets you build a business that’s not only profitable; but, one you can be proud to tell your grandkids about some day. It also helps keep you out of court.
‘Common, you knew I had to mention that.
Oh . . . and don’t forget to check out my new book, Seeking Fairness at Work: Cracking the New Code of Greater Employee Engagement, Retention & Satisfaction.
It was recently awarded a Silver Metal Book Award by the Nonfiction Authors Association.
I’m on a mission to help build healthier business cultures because it’s the secret to happier employees, a more robust bottom lines, and business prosperity.
In this channel I bring you video excerpts from my Business Confidential Now podcast to bring you for valuable information and tips about business issues hiding in plain view that matter to your bottom line.
Business Confidential Now gives you access to the business information you need to succeed in weekly interviews with thought leaders, experts, and authors who share their secrets for more business success. It’s everything from people management, sales, marketing, and finance, to corporate governance and risk management.
When he was 27, he relocated to Costa Rica to train over 5000 employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. He’s also trained over 10, 000 so he knows a thing or two about conflict management.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
#HannaHaslKelchner #BusinessConfidentialNow #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #BusinessConfidentialNow
Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, Business Confidential Now, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast. Vision to Venture: Building a Telemarketing Empire with Richard Blank
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Join us in this episode as we dive into the incredible journey of our guest Richard Blank, who embarked on a vision quest at 27, moving abroad to Costa Rica and founding Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC) from scratch. Our guest, Richard Blank, shares insights on taking chances, advanced telemarketing strategies, conflict management, soft skills, customer support, rhetoric, gamification, pinball machines, employee motivation, and the art of phonetic micro expression reading. Discover the secrets behind CCC's success and the lessons learned along the way.
Entrepreneurship: Slaying Dragons and Personal Growth
A lot of people will decide to live their own life and not fulfill the lives of others. And so did it break some hearts? I guess. But then again, my friend, We all need to leave our own castles to slay dragons and save princesses. And if someone's holding you back, you're never going to go on a roller coaster and experience life. And so my argument was to live. And I could have always clicked my heels and come home and been in the family business. But I wanted to try. I had some grit. I had some vigor. And I know that at the end of the day, I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and know that I went 15 rounds. That's the kind of forced march that people are on as entrepreneurs. Those are the sort of moments of clarity you have when you ask yourself, do I continue or do I stop?
Reinventing Work Relationships: Checkpoints Over Burnout
Of course, you had mentioned the six-month mark where people, you know, they fall out of love. I don't believe in that. I believe in checkpoints. I believe in positive reinforcement. Let me give you specifics for my industry because most people don't like telemarketers and I do not think the majority of your audience are CEOs of call centers. They didn't sell their soul like I did for this golden fiddle. So anyway, in my industry, there are certain things that I can do. It's a luxury trade. Besides making or receiving phone calls, these individuals are bilingual, which bears the mark of higher education.
The Power of Silence in Communication
So you're not going to really know the sound unless you have the silence. And the silence, in my opinion, speaks much more than your tone, your rate, and your pitch, because that is inside of you, right? And so if you're looking for certain tell signs, if people are facetious with you or you need additional clarification, those would be the times, in my opinion, that you should interject and ask for that clarification question because something's just not right.
https://youtu.be/reNbjStx784
https://youtube.com/shorts/LhKt4ppKCiM
https://youtube.com/shorts/igv8n_PTztk
https://youtube.com/shorts/rF3UnvS70bU
https://youtube.com/shorts/7OZxs__yvg0
Adam and Chris
Adam boasts a decade-long tenure in the Insurance Industry, and establishing his own agency in 2020. With a rich background in sales and service, Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Chris Troka:
As a founder and owner of two businesses, I have more than 10 years of experience in creating, improving, and accelerating businesses. I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals and exceed their expectations.
Chris has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. After starting and growing a successful Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris finished his Marketing degree in 2021. Chris now helps other business owners with web design, digital marketing and software solutions to build a better business.
I offer website, marketing and technology services that leverage AI, Automation, CRM, and social media to build relationships and generate leads. I am certified by HubSpot and Google in inbound marketing, social media, and Google My Business, and earned my Marketing Degree in 2021. I also run a successful wedding DJ and photo booth service that has won multiple awards from The Knot. I pride myself on providing above and beyond customer service with timely communication and results.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Having successfully founded and expanded an Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris further honed his expertise by completing his Marketing degree in 2021. Today, he extends his wealth of knowledge to fellow business owners, specializing in web design, digital marketing, and software solutions.
Join us as Adam and Chris delve into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, offering insights and strategies to help you build a better business.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Chris Troka, Brain Work Frame Work Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#ChrisTroka #BrainWorkFrameWorkPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
The Power of Simplicity and Connection
You're not moving. The fact that we connected that way, everything is good. You're not going to fumble. And so my main focus for you, for your, for your telemarketers inbound outbound for entrepreneurs, there's always that like Luke Skywalker, one shot, little hole blew up a whole thing. Achilles heel, a match can do an incendio can bring it down, right? Little things. A little bit of snow can be a snowball, but think of this chain reaction. And so my thing is, instead of analyzing your script or the list or the contract, the prices, your main thing is what you learned in kindergarten. Be nice to somebody and know their name and sit down with them. And if you can reduce all of that, then at least you have a really good chance from an educated point of view, having them make a decision because it's as pure as pure can be. And I always try to get there as quickly as possible. And by doing those positive escalations, by doing the due diligence, I have taken us from a 10 to about a two.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast. Vision to Venture: Building a Telemarketing Empire with Richard Blank
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Join us in this episode as we dive into the incredible journey of our guest Richard Blank, who embarked on a vision quest at 27, moving abroad to Costa Rica and founding Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC) from scratch. Our guest, Richard Blank, shares insights on taking chances, advanced telemarketing strategies, conflict management, soft skills, customer support, rhetoric, gamification, pinball machines, employee motivation, and the art of phonetic micro expression reading. Discover the secrets behind CCC's success and the lessons learned along the way.
Entrepreneurship: Slaying Dragons and Personal Growth
A lot of people will decide to live their own life and not fulfill the lives of others. And so did it break some hearts? I guess. But then again, my friend, We all need to leave our own castles to slay dragons and save princesses. And if someone's holding you back, you're never going to go on a roller coaster and experience life. And so my argument was to live. And I could have always clicked my heels and come home and been in the family business. But I wanted to try. I had some grit. I had some vigor. And I know that at the end of the day, I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and know that I went 15 rounds. That's the kind of forced march that people are on as entrepreneurs. Those are the sort of moments of clarity you have when you ask yourself, do I continue or do I stop?
Reinventing Work Relationships: Checkpoints Over Burnout
Of course, you had mentioned the six-month mark where people, you know, they fall out of love. I don't believe in that. I believe in checkpoints. I believe in positive reinforcement. Let me give you specifics for my industry because most people don't like telemarketers and I do not think the majority of your audience are CEOs of call centers. They didn't sell their soul like I did for this golden fiddle. So anyway, in my industry, there are certain things that I can do. It's a luxury trade. Besides making or receiving phone calls, these individuals are bilingual, which bears the mark of higher education.
The Power of Silence in Communication
So you're not going to really know the sound unless you have the silence. And the silence, in my opinion, speaks much more than your tone, your rate, and your pitch, because that is inside of you, right? And so if you're looking for certain tell signs, if people are facetious with you or you need additional clarification, those would be the times, in my opinion, that you should interject and ask for that clarification question because something's just not right.
https://youtu.be/reNbjStx784
https://youtube.com/shorts/LhKt4ppKCiM
https://youtube.com/shorts/igv8n_PTztk
https://youtube.com/shorts/rF3UnvS70bU
https://youtube.com/shorts/7OZxs__yvg0
Adam and Chris
Adam boasts a decade-long tenure in the Insurance Industry, and establishing his own agency in 2020. With a rich background in sales and service, Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Chris Troka:
As a founder and owner of two businesses, I have more than 10 years of experience in creating, improving, and accelerating businesses. I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals and exceed their expectations.
Chris has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. After starting and growing a successful Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris finished his Marketing degree in 2021. Chris now helps other business owners with web design, digital marketing and software solutions to build a better business.
I offer website, marketing and technology services that leverage AI, Automation, CRM, and social media to build relationships and generate leads. I am certified by HubSpot and Google in inbound marketing, social media, and Google My Business, and earned my Marketing Degree in 2021. I also run a successful wedding DJ and photo booth service that has won multiple awards from The Knot. I pride myself on providing above and beyond customer service with timely communication and results.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Having successfully founded and expanded an Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris further honed his expertise by completing his Marketing degree in 2021. Today, he extends his wealth of knowledge to fellow business owners, specializing in web design, digital marketing, and software solutions.
Join us as Adam and Chris delve into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, offering insights and strategies to help you build a better business.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Chris Troka, Brain Work Frame Work Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#ChrisTroka #BrainWorkFrameWorkPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
The Power of Simplicity and Connection
You're not moving. The fact that we connected that way, everything is good. You're not going to fumble. And so my main focus for you, for your, for your telemarketers inbound outbound for entrepreneurs, there's always that like Luke Skywalker, one shot, little hole blew up a whole thing. Achilles heel, a match can do an incendio can bring it down, right? Little things. A little bit of snow can be a snowball, but think of this chain reaction. And so my thing is, instead of analyzing your script or the list or the contract, the prices, your main thing is what you learned in kindergarten. Be nice to somebody and know their name and sit down with them. And if you can reduce all of that, then at least you have a really good chance from an educated point of view, having them make a decision because it's as pure as pure can be. And I always try to get there as quickly as possible. And by doing those positive escalations, by doing the due diligence, I have taken us from a 10 to about a two.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast. Vision to Venture: Building a Telemarketing Empire with Richard Blank
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Join us in this episode as we dive into the incredible journey of our guest Richard Blank, who embarked on a vision quest at 27, moving abroad to Costa Rica and founding Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC) from scratch. Our guest, Richard Blank, shares insights on taking chances, advanced telemarketing strategies, conflict management, soft skills, customer support, rhetoric, gamification, pinball machines, employee motivation, and the art of phonetic micro expression reading. Discover the secrets behind CCC's success and the lessons learned along the way.
Entrepreneurship: Slaying Dragons and Personal Growth
A lot of people will decide to live their own life and not fulfill the lives of others. And so did it break some hearts? I guess. But then again, my friend, We all need to leave our own castles to slay dragons and save princesses. And if someone's holding you back, you're never going to go on a roller coaster and experience life. And so my argument was to live. And I could have always clicked my heels and come home and been in the family business. But I wanted to try. I had some grit. I had some vigor. And I know that at the end of the day, I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and know that I went 15 rounds. That's the kind of forced march that people are on as entrepreneurs. Those are the sort of moments of clarity you have when you ask yourself, do I continue or do I stop?
Reinventing Work Relationships: Checkpoints Over Burnout
Of course, you had mentioned the six-month mark where people, you know, they fall out of love. I don't believe in that. I believe in checkpoints. I believe in positive reinforcement. Let me give you specifics for my industry because most people don't like telemarketers and I do not think the majority of your audience are CEOs of call centers. They didn't sell their soul like I did for this golden fiddle. So anyway, in my industry, there are certain things that I can do. It's a luxury trade. Besides making or receiving phone calls, these individuals are bilingual, which bears the mark of higher education.
The Power of Silence in Communication
So you're not going to really know the sound unless you have the silence. And the silence, in my opinion, speaks much more than your tone, your rate, and your pitch, because that is inside of you, right? And so if you're looking for certain tell signs, if people are facetious with you or you need additional clarification, those would be the times, in my opinion, that you should interject and ask for that clarification question because something's just not right.
https://youtu.be/reNbjStx784
https://youtube.com/shorts/LhKt4ppKCiM
https://youtube.com/shorts/igv8n_PTztk
https://youtube.com/shorts/rF3UnvS70bU
https://youtube.com/shorts/7OZxs__yvg0
Adam and Chris
Adam boasts a decade-long tenure in the Insurance Industry, and establishing his own agency in 2020. With a rich background in sales and service, Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Chris Troka:
As a founder and owner of two businesses, I have more than 10 years of experience in creating, improving, and accelerating businesses. I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals and exceed their expectations.
Chris has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. After starting and growing a successful Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris finished his Marketing degree in 2021. Chris now helps other business owners with web design, digital marketing and software solutions to build a better business.
I offer website, marketing and technology services that leverage AI, Automation, CRM, and social media to build relationships and generate leads. I am certified by HubSpot and Google in inbound marketing, social media, and Google My Business, and earned my Marketing Degree in 2021. I also run a successful wedding DJ and photo booth service that has won multiple awards from The Knot. I pride myself on providing above and beyond customer service with timely communication and results.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Having successfully founded and expanded an Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris further honed his expertise by completing his Marketing degree in 2021. Today, he extends his wealth of knowledge to fellow business owners, specializing in web design, digital marketing, and software solutions.
Join us as Adam and Chris delve into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, offering insights and strategies to help you build a better business.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Chris Troka, Brain Work Frame Work Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#ChrisTroka #BrainWorkFrameWorkPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
The Power of Simplicity and Connection
You're not moving. The fact that we connected that way, everything is good. You're not going to fumble. And so my main focus for you, for your, for your telemarketers inbound outbound for entrepreneurs, there's always that like Luke Skywalker, one shot, little hole blew up a whole thing. Achilles heel, a match can do an incendio can bring it down, right? Little things. A little bit of snow can be a snowball, but think of this chain reaction. And so my thing is, instead of analyzing your script or the list or the contract, the prices, your main thing is what you learned in kindergarten. Be nice to somebody and know their name and sit down with them. And if you can reduce all of that, then at least you have a really good chance from an educated point of view, having them make a decision because it's as pure as pure can be. And I always try to get there as quickly as possible. And by doing those positive escalations, by doing the due diligence, I have taken us from a 10 to about a two.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast. Vision to Venture: Building a Telemarketing Empire with Richard Blank
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Join us in this episode as we dive into the incredible journey of our guest Richard Blank, who embarked on a vision quest at 27, moving abroad to Costa Rica and founding Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC) from scratch. Our guest, Richard Blank, shares insights on taking chances, advanced telemarketing strategies, conflict management, soft skills, customer support, rhetoric, gamification, pinball machines, employee motivation, and the art of phonetic micro expression reading. Discover the secrets behind CCC's success and the lessons learned along the way.
Entrepreneurship: Slaying Dragons and Personal Growth
A lot of people will decide to live their own life and not fulfill the lives of others. And so did it break some hearts? I guess. But then again, my friend, We all need to leave our own castles to slay dragons and save princesses. And if someone's holding you back, you're never going to go on a roller coaster and experience life. And so my argument was to live. And I could have always clicked my heels and come home and been in the family business. But I wanted to try. I had some grit. I had some vigor. And I know that at the end of the day, I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and know that I went 15 rounds. That's the kind of forced march that people are on as entrepreneurs. Those are the sort of moments of clarity you have when you ask yourself, do I continue or do I stop?
Reinventing Work Relationships: Checkpoints Over Burnout
Of course, you had mentioned the six-month mark where people, you know, they fall out of love. I don't believe in that. I believe in checkpoints. I believe in positive reinforcement. Let me give you specifics for my industry because most people don't like telemarketers and I do not think the majority of your audience are CEOs of call centers. They didn't sell their soul like I did for this golden fiddle. So anyway, in my industry, there are certain things that I can do. It's a luxury trade. Besides making or receiving phone calls, these individuals are bilingual, which bears the mark of higher education.
The Power of Silence in Communication
So you're not going to really know the sound unless you have the silence. And the silence, in my opinion, speaks much more than your tone, your rate, and your pitch, because that is inside of you, right? And so if you're looking for certain tell signs, if people are facetious with you or you need additional clarification, those would be the times, in my opinion, that you should interject and ask for that clarification question because something's just not right.
https://youtu.be/reNbjStx784
https://youtube.com/shorts/LhKt4ppKCiM
https://youtube.com/shorts/igv8n_PTztk
https://youtube.com/shorts/rF3UnvS70bU
https://youtube.com/shorts/7OZxs__yvg0
Adam and Chris
Adam boasts a decade-long tenure in the Insurance Industry, and establishing his own agency in 2020. With a rich background in sales and service, Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Chris Troka:
As a founder and owner of two businesses, I have more than 10 years of experience in creating, improving, and accelerating businesses. I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals and exceed their expectations.
Chris has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. After starting and growing a successful Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris finished his Marketing degree in 2021. Chris now helps other business owners with web design, digital marketing and software solutions to build a better business.
I offer website, marketing and technology services that leverage AI, Automation, CRM, and social media to build relationships and generate leads. I am certified by HubSpot and Google in inbound marketing, social media, and Google My Business, and earned my Marketing Degree in 2021. I also run a successful wedding DJ and photo booth service that has won multiple awards from The Knot. I pride myself on providing above and beyond customer service with timely communication and results.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Having successfully founded and expanded an Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris further honed his expertise by completing his Marketing degree in 2021. Today, he extends his wealth of knowledge to fellow business owners, specializing in web design, digital marketing, and software solutions.
Join us as Adam and Chris delve into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, offering insights and strategies to help you build a better business.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Chris Troka, Brain Work Frame Work Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#ChrisTroka #BrainWorkFrameWorkPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
The Power of Simplicity and Connection
You're not moving. The fact that we connected that way, everything is good. You're not going to fumble. And so my main focus for you, for your, for your telemarketers inbound outbound for entrepreneurs, there's always that like Luke Skywalker, one shot, little hole blew up a whole thing. Achilles heel, a match can do an incendio can bring it down, right? Little things. A little bit of snow can be a snowball, but think of this chain reaction. And so my thing is, instead of analyzing your script or the list or the contract, the prices, your main thing is what you learned in kindergarten. Be nice to somebody and know their name and sit down with them. And if you can reduce all of that, then at least you have a really good chance from an educated point of view, having them make a decision because it's as pure as pure can be. And I always try to get there as quickly as possible. And by doing those positive escalations, by doing the due diligence, I have taken us from a 10 to about a two.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast. Vision to Venture: Building a Telemarketing Empire with Richard Blank
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Join us in this episode as we dive into the incredible journey of our guest Richard Blank, who embarked on a vision quest at 27, moving abroad to Costa Rica and founding Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC) from scratch. Our guest, Richard Blank, shares insights on taking chances, advanced telemarketing strategies, conflict management, soft skills, customer support, rhetoric, gamification, pinball machines, employee motivation, and the art of phonetic micro expression reading. Discover the secrets behind CCC's success and the lessons learned along the way.
Entrepreneurship: Slaying Dragons and Personal Growth
A lot of people will decide to live their own life and not fulfill the lives of others. And so did it break some hearts? I guess. But then again, my friend, We all need to leave our own castles to slay dragons and save princesses. And if someone's holding you back, you're never going to go on a roller coaster and experience life. And so my argument was to live. And I could have always clicked my heels and come home and been in the family business. But I wanted to try. I had some grit. I had some vigor. And I know that at the end of the day, I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and know that I went 15 rounds. That's the kind of forced march that people are on as entrepreneurs. Those are the sort of moments of clarity you have when you ask yourself, do I continue or do I stop?
Reinventing Work Relationships: Checkpoints Over Burnout
Of course, you had mentioned the six-month mark where people, you know, they fall out of love. I don't believe in that. I believe in checkpoints. I believe in positive reinforcement. Let me give you specifics for my industry because most people don't like telemarketers and I do not think the majority of your audience are CEOs of call centers. They didn't sell their soul like I did for this golden fiddle. So anyway, in my industry, there are certain things that I can do. It's a luxury trade. Besides making or receiving phone calls, these individuals are bilingual, which bears the mark of higher education.
The Power of Silence in Communication
So you're not going to really know the sound unless you have the silence. And the silence, in my opinion, speaks much more than your tone, your rate, and your pitch, because that is inside of you, right? And so if you're looking for certain tell signs, if people are facetious with you or you need additional clarification, those would be the times, in my opinion, that you should interject and ask for that clarification question because something's just not right.
https://youtu.be/reNbjStx784
https://youtube.com/shorts/LhKt4ppKCiM
https://youtube.com/shorts/igv8n_PTztk
https://youtube.com/shorts/rF3UnvS70bU
https://youtube.com/shorts/7OZxs__yvg0
Adam and Chris
Adam boasts a decade-long tenure in the Insurance Industry, and establishing his own agency in 2020. With a rich background in sales and service, Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Chris Troka:
As a founder and owner of two businesses, I have more than 10 years of experience in creating, improving, and accelerating businesses. I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals and exceed their expectations.
Chris has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. After starting and growing a successful Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris finished his Marketing degree in 2021. Chris now helps other business owners with web design, digital marketing and software solutions to build a better business.
I offer website, marketing and technology services that leverage AI, Automation, CRM, and social media to build relationships and generate leads. I am certified by HubSpot and Google in inbound marketing, social media, and Google My Business, and earned my Marketing Degree in 2021. I also run a successful wedding DJ and photo booth service that has won multiple awards from The Knot. I pride myself on providing above and beyond customer service with timely communication and results.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Having successfully founded and expanded an Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris further honed his expertise by completing his Marketing degree in 2021. Today, he extends his wealth of knowledge to fellow business owners, specializing in web design, digital marketing, and software solutions.
Join us as Adam and Chris delve into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, offering insights and strategies to help you build a better business.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Chris Troka, Brain Work Frame Work Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#ChrisTroka #BrainWorkFrameWorkPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
The Power of Simplicity and Connection
You're not moving. The fact that we connected that way, everything is good. You're not going to fumble. And so my main focus for you, for your, for your telemarketers inbound outbound for entrepreneurs, there's always that like Luke Skywalker, one shot, little hole blew up a whole thing. Achilles heel, a match can do an incendio can bring it down, right? Little things. A little bit of snow can be a snowball, but think of this chain reaction. And so my thing is, instead of analyzing your script or the list or the contract, the prices, your main thing is what you learned in kindergarten. Be nice to somebody and know their name and sit down with them. And if you can reduce all of that, then at least you have a really good chance from an educated point of view, having them make a decision because it's as pure as pure can be. And I always try to get there as quickly as possible. And by doing those positive escalations, by doing the due diligence, I have taken us from a 10 to about a two.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast. Vision to Venture: Building a Telemarketing Empire with Richard Blank
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Join us in this episode as we dive into the incredible journey of our guest Richard Blank, who embarked on a vision quest at 27, moving abroad to Costa Rica and founding Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC) from scratch. Our guest, Richard Blank, shares insights on taking chances, advanced telemarketing strategies, conflict management, soft skills, customer support, rhetoric, gamification, pinball machines, employee motivation, and the art of phonetic micro expression reading. Discover the secrets behind CCC's success and the lessons learned along the way.
Entrepreneurship: Slaying Dragons and Personal Growth
A lot of people will decide to live their own life and not fulfill the lives of others. And so did it break some hearts? I guess. But then again, my friend, We all need to leave our own castles to slay dragons and save princesses. And if someone's holding you back, you're never going to go on a roller coaster and experience life. And so my argument was to live. And I could have always clicked my heels and come home and been in the family business. But I wanted to try. I had some grit. I had some vigor. And I know that at the end of the day, I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and know that I went 15 rounds. That's the kind of forced march that people are on as entrepreneurs. Those are the sort of moments of clarity you have when you ask yourself, do I continue or do I stop?
Reinventing Work Relationships: Checkpoints Over Burnout
Of course, you had mentioned the six-month mark where people, you know, they fall out of love. I don't believe in that. I believe in checkpoints. I believe in positive reinforcement. Let me give you specifics for my industry because most people don't like telemarketers and I do not think the majority of your audience are CEOs of call centers. They didn't sell their soul like I did for this golden fiddle. So anyway, in my industry, there are certain things that I can do. It's a luxury trade. Besides making or receiving phone calls, these individuals are bilingual, which bears the mark of higher education.
The Power of Silence in Communication
So you're not going to really know the sound unless you have the silence. And the silence, in my opinion, speaks much more than your tone, your rate, and your pitch, because that is inside of you, right? And so if you're looking for certain tell signs, if people are facetious with you or you need additional clarification, those would be the times, in my opinion, that you should interject and ask for that clarification question because something's just not right.
https://youtu.be/reNbjStx784
https://youtube.com/shorts/LhKt4ppKCiM
https://youtube.com/shorts/igv8n_PTztk
https://youtube.com/shorts/rF3UnvS70bU
https://youtube.com/shorts/7OZxs__yvg0
Adam and Chris
Adam boasts a decade-long tenure in the Insurance Industry, and establishing his own agency in 2020. With a rich background in sales and service, Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Chris Troka:
As a founder and owner of two businesses, I have more than 10 years of experience in creating, improving, and accelerating businesses. I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals and exceed their expectations.
Chris has been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. After starting and growing a successful Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris finished his Marketing degree in 2021. Chris now helps other business owners with web design, digital marketing and software solutions to build a better business.
I offer website, marketing and technology services that leverage AI, Automation, CRM, and social media to build relationships and generate leads. I am certified by HubSpot and Google in inbound marketing, social media, and Google My Business, and earned my Marketing Degree in 2021. I also run a successful wedding DJ and photo booth service that has won multiple awards from The Knot. I pride myself on providing above and beyond customer service with timely communication and results.
Brain Work Frame Work Podcast
Welcome to Brain Work Frame Work, where seasoned professionals Adam and Chris share their wealth of experience and insights in the realms of Business, Sales, and Entrepreneurship with other like-minded business owners. Share your wins and loses, tips and tricks, and your journey through entrepreneurship.
Adam brings invaluable perspectives to the table, prioritizing exceptional customer experience—both pre and post-sale. His commitment to excellence is unwavering, and optimism is not just a word but a guiding principle in his approach.
Having successfully founded and expanded an Award-Winning Wedding DJ business, Chris further honed his expertise by completing his Marketing degree in 2021. Today, he extends his wealth of knowledge to fellow business owners, specializing in web design, digital marketing, and software solutions.
Join us as Adam and Chris delve into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, offering insights and strategies to help you build a better business.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Chris Troka, Brain Work Frame Work Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#ChrisTroka #BrainWorkFrameWorkPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
The Power of Simplicity and Connection
You're not moving. The fact that we connected that way, everything is good. You're not going to fumble. And so my main focus for you, for your, for your telemarketers inbound outbound for entrepreneurs, there's always that like Luke Skywalker, one shot, little hole blew up a whole thing. Achilles heel, a match can do an incendio can bring it down, right? Little things. A little bit of snow can be a snowball, but think of this chain reaction. And so my thing is, instead of analyzing your script or the list or the contract, the prices, your main thing is what you learned in kindergarten. Be nice to somebody and know their name and sit down with them. And if you can reduce all of that, then at least you have a really good chance from an educated point of view, having them make a decision because it's as pure as pure can be. And I always try to get there as quickly as possible. And by doing those positive escalations, by doing the due diligence, I have taken us from a 10 to about a two.
Big Performance Podcast hosted by Alex Elish. Gamifying the Workplace with CEO Richard Blank.
Big conversations with bold thinkers—where curiosity meets connection. On the Big Performance Podcast, Alex hosts unscripted, thought-provoking conversations with fascinating guests, exploring ideas that challenge, inspire, and entertain.
For Curious Wanderers, Critical Thinkers, and Seekers of Meaning drawn to spirituality, philosophy, and knowledge.
Featuring Authentic Storytellers, Big Thinkers, and Bold Explorers unafraid to tackle life’s biggest questions.
Subscribe and join a community that values exploration, growth, and meaningful dialogue.
Today, we speak with Richard Blank, a remarkable entrepreneur who transformed his dream into a thriving reality. Richard's journey from renting desks to running a 300-seat call center in Costa Rica is nothing short of inspirational.
Guest Introduction:
Richard Blank is the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, a powerhouse in the telemarketing industry. His unique approach, combining old-school values with innovative strategies, has not only helped him grow his business but also fostered a strong, resilient company culture. Richard's story is a testament to the power of relationships and perseverance.
Key Takeaways:
1. Journey of an Entrepreneur: Richard's transition from a communications background to a call center mogul.
2. Building a Company Culture: How Richard's focus on relationships and trust helped him navigate challenges, including the pandemic.
3. Surviving crisis: Strategies Richard employed to maintain business continuity and employee morale during the pandemic.
4. Gamification in the Workplace: The importance of creating a fun, engaging environment for employees.
5. Communication Strategies: Tips and techniques for effective telemarketing and client interaction.
6. The Role of Empathy in Business: Why human interaction will always have an edge over AI in customer service.
7. Richard's Passion for Pinball: How vintage arcade games play a role in his business and personal life.
Creative Marketing Like Music Hits
I tell you what, that's why certain restaurants have large menus and 32 flavors of ice cream. It's my one taste of the color red might turn off somebody, but they prefer mint or yellow. And so fortunately for me, I've opened it enough where let's just say I do a podcast with somebody and I'm going to market that individual. My marketing team will take, I don't know, maybe 10 to 15 images. Combine the two. And just, you know, it's almost like an album from back in the day. I'll do four or five really guaranteed commercial hits that, as you say, are colorful. People are going to like, yeah, of course, throw a puppy in there or something. Then I go, guys, come on. Show me really something crazy. Let me just see if you can... produce something wicked or completely unexpected.
Following a Passionate Journey
You started from a communications background. You are bilingual and you decided to move to Costa Rica and start from the ground up. How did you decide to go for this journey? How did you start looking for that gold with the pen? How do you not when the road is there and open in front of you? When I was a young lad, I decided that Spanish was my favorite thing in the world. Fortunately, my parents would take me on vacations, sometimes to Mexico. I would come back with some vocabulary, and I had an interest, a base of it. Whenever I'd meet someone from the Latin community, they would give such reinforcement. It just wasn't a parlor trick or something cute. They realized that I really was into it. Then I understood something, my friend. When someone does above and beyond, there's dedicated practice. So besides what I had to do in school to get my grades, I loved watching movies and reading books. And my favorite was just having coffee and hanging out and speaking Spanish. And so anybody that has that sort of commitment and passion, you can't put that spark, you know?
Improving communication through strategic vocabulary
Any professional would know how much money is invested in somebody. To get them to that stage in business, unless they're throwing F-bombs and just giving the company away. I don't know if I, I don't think I would buy that blush. You're not firing somebody because a random customer's calling up because they got 13 extra dollars charged on the bill for a month. But that's not here nor there. I have some techniques for you, my friend, when you're thinking of this stuff. I like to adjust my vocabulary to make it more strategic and diplomatic. So I wouldn't say, excuse me on the phone. I would replace that for my clarification. Is it A, B, C, or 1, 2, 3? For my clarification. And then there's also tie-downs you could say. Sounds good, right? Makes sense, right? Because if you just keep talking, I don't know if it does sound good or makes sense. You need underwater scuba diving checkpoints. And then finally, my biggest question, My biggest gripe, it's like a gnat or a fly that bothers you. Whenever somebody uses the word help, I understand the intention behind it, but it can provoke a sort of emotion. And so I suggest using assist, guide, and lend a hand. I just know that it's like a longbow. You'll get better distance out of that compared to using help. We're accustomed to it, but it's a very uncomfortable metal chair in a waiting room with bad magazines. It just doesn't work. And so I like to, as I mentioned before, use these soft skills with people. I like to guide. I like to assist and especially, and I give it double points because you're utilizing image streaming by saying lend a hand.
https://youtu.be/NjYHz2TbKv4
https://youtu.be/ZQq683zhx_U
https://youtu.be/JyNWO9jrLcA
https://youtu.be/LB6A-IeXN28
Chapters:
0:00 - Guest Introduction: Richard Blank
1:47 - Richard's Entrepreneurial Journey
3:10 - From Renting Desks to a 300-Seat Call Center
9:00 - Surviving and Thriving During COVID-19
12:36 - Working in Telemarketing
16:25 - Gamification and Employee Engagement
25:27 - Communication Techniques and Empathy
36:17 - Addressing Customer Complaints
45:42 - The Influence of Vintage Arcade Games
50:55 - Richard's Unique Marketing Style
58:19 - Richard's Collaboration with INXS Bassist
1:00:00 - Closing Remarks
Podcast
Alex Elish
With a decade of experience in startups, I’ve mastered digital chaos.
I live for the challenge in your mess of a digital strategy!
My expertise - people called me SEO, PPC, CRMs, PMS, and automation guy. Marketing funnel or building a website, I’m your go-to guy for creating impactful solutions.
If we vibe the right way - I'm your trusty friend and partner.
We don't vibe - no money will get you my team efforts, blood and tears.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Alex Elish, Big Performance Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#AlexElish #BigPerformancePodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
Utilizing the military alphabet for enhanced communication
And another thing, Alex, use the military alphabet so emails don't bounce back. A lot of people have served. And it gives you consistency. So you're not just thinking on the fly. And these are the sort of things where you might close one additional deal a month because an email didn't bounce back just because of that. And so I think that the military likes it. People will relate to it. And in my professional opinion, it's been able to end calls in a great way where you almost get an encore song or two where it should have been ending. But now you're talking the military and Memorial Day weekend and Veterans Day. And you show your pride and respect.
Introduction to a Successful Entrepreneur
All righty thank you for for joining me it's a pleasure to talk to you i feel like i know you for the viewers that just joined i want to introduce to you richard blank behind this magical smile there is one phenomenally strong entrepreneur. You have grown your business from renting desks to a 300-seat call center in Costa Rica. That's right. Your business is taking care of hundreds of employees and you build a strong company culture that lets you carry on through COVID and you're going strong in the face of AI apocalypse with your... on the ground business with the people that you hold dear, the people who work for you.
The Art of Leadership and Communication
It's not so stiff. There is a balance. And if you're going to come here and spend more time with me than you do with your own family, why don't we have a little bit of dessert as well and make it fun? And it's not enjoyable to be a boss where people are afraid of you and you scream and yell and make people stress. There is that responsibility. They have a job to do. Yeah. But we can almost do it by doing the apex, by being the leader and the one that can fly the highest and the furthest and the fastest. Thankfully, this is my wheelhouse. So at any time I can jump on this call and I can not only resolve the issue, would share a lesson to the agent that was looking for that guidance. So in essence, I just don't write checks. This is something that, as you say, you quit after a little bit but got the skills. I sold my soul. I decided to be in this industry for 24 years because I saw the art of the speech. I didn't want it to be ruined and muddied by the bad reputations that stocks and sweet steaks and other call centers do that take advantage of people there. You know, Alex, there's a ton of people out there that earn a wonderful living by retaining a client for a company, setting appointments, making business, getting a referral, possibly if a client is upset and giving you an exit interview or feedback that you're responsible, take the suggestions and implement. And so as long as you're engaged and proactive, that individual's priceless for a corporation.
Mastering the art of communication with strategic name-dropping
You're not lying. You're not angling or forcing a sale. All I'm doing is repeating a name drop. I'm introducing myself. I'm expecting you to ask me two or three clarification questions where I just use a buffer boomerang. I'll name drop you to adjust the tone, let you know it's a great question. Repeat the question, Alex, so you don't have to repeat it, right? And then I'll send it back to you in a positive way to just keep readjusting that negative, positive tone and shutting doors and checkpoints so we don't have to repeat rabbit holes and get you upset.
Big Performance Podcast hosted by Alex Elish. Gamifying the Workplace with CEO Richard Blank.
Big conversations with bold thinkers—where curiosity meets connection. On the Big Performance Podcast, Alex hosts unscripted, thought-provoking conversations with fascinating guests, exploring ideas that challenge, inspire, and entertain.
For Curious Wanderers, Critical Thinkers, and Seekers of Meaning drawn to spirituality, philosophy, and knowledge.
Featuring Authentic Storytellers, Big Thinkers, and Bold Explorers unafraid to tackle life’s biggest questions.
Subscribe and join a community that values exploration, growth, and meaningful dialogue.
Today, we speak with Richard Blank, a remarkable entrepreneur who transformed his dream into a thriving reality. Richard's journey from renting desks to running a 300-seat call center in Costa Rica is nothing short of inspirational.
Guest Introduction:
Richard Blank is the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, a powerhouse in the telemarketing industry. His unique approach, combining old-school values with innovative strategies, has not only helped him grow his business but also fostered a strong, resilient company culture. Richard's story is a testament to the power of relationships and perseverance.
Key Takeaways:
1. Journey of an Entrepreneur: Richard's transition from a communications background to a call center mogul.
2. Building a Company Culture: How Richard's focus on relationships and trust helped him navigate challenges, including the pandemic.
3. Surviving crisis: Strategies Richard employed to maintain business continuity and employee morale during the pandemic.
4. Gamification in the Workplace: The importance of creating a fun, engaging environment for employees.
5. Communication Strategies: Tips and techniques for effective telemarketing and client interaction.
6. The Role of Empathy in Business: Why human interaction will always have an edge over AI in customer service.
7. Richard's Passion for Pinball: How vintage arcade games play a role in his business and personal life.
Creative Marketing Like Music Hits
I tell you what, that's why certain restaurants have large menus and 32 flavors of ice cream. It's my one taste of the color red might turn off somebody, but they prefer mint or yellow. And so fortunately for me, I've opened it enough where let's just say I do a podcast with somebody and I'm going to market that individual. My marketing team will take, I don't know, maybe 10 to 15 images. Combine the two. And just, you know, it's almost like an album from back in the day. I'll do four or five really guaranteed commercial hits that, as you say, are colorful. People are going to like, yeah, of course, throw a puppy in there or something. Then I go, guys, come on. Show me really something crazy. Let me just see if you can... produce something wicked or completely unexpected.
Following a Passionate Journey
You started from a communications background. You are bilingual and you decided to move to Costa Rica and start from the ground up. How did you decide to go for this journey? How did you start looking for that gold with the pen? How do you not when the road is there and open in front of you? When I was a young lad, I decided that Spanish was my favorite thing in the world. Fortunately, my parents would take me on vacations, sometimes to Mexico. I would come back with some vocabulary, and I had an interest, a base of it. Whenever I'd meet someone from the Latin community, they would give such reinforcement. It just wasn't a parlor trick or something cute. They realized that I really was into it. Then I understood something, my friend. When someone does above and beyond, there's dedicated practice. So besides what I had to do in school to get my grades, I loved watching movies and reading books. And my favorite was just having coffee and hanging out and speaking Spanish. And so anybody that has that sort of commitment and passion, you can't put that spark, you know?
Improving communication through strategic vocabulary
Any professional would know how much money is invested in somebody. To get them to that stage in business, unless they're throwing F-bombs and just giving the company away. I don't know if I, I don't think I would buy that blush. You're not firing somebody because a random customer's calling up because they got 13 extra dollars charged on the bill for a month. But that's not here nor there. I have some techniques for you, my friend, when you're thinking of this stuff. I like to adjust my vocabulary to make it more strategic and diplomatic. So I wouldn't say, excuse me on the phone. I would replace that for my clarification. Is it A, B, C, or 1, 2, 3? For my clarification. And then there's also tie-downs you could say. Sounds good, right? Makes sense, right? Because if you just keep talking, I don't know if it does sound good or makes sense. You need underwater scuba diving checkpoints. And then finally, my biggest question, My biggest gripe, it's like a gnat or a fly that bothers you. Whenever somebody uses the word help, I understand the intention behind it, but it can provoke a sort of emotion. And so I suggest using assist, guide, and lend a hand. I just know that it's like a longbow. You'll get better distance out of that compared to using help. We're accustomed to it, but it's a very uncomfortable metal chair in a waiting room with bad magazines. It just doesn't work. And so I like to, as I mentioned before, use these soft skills with people. I like to guide. I like to assist and especially, and I give it double points because you're utilizing image streaming by saying lend a hand.
https://youtu.be/NjYHz2TbKv4
https://youtu.be/ZQq683zhx_U
https://youtu.be/JyNWO9jrLcA
https://youtu.be/LB6A-IeXN28
Chapters:
0:00 - Guest Introduction: Richard Blank
1:47 - Richard's Entrepreneurial Journey
3:10 - From Renting Desks to a 300-Seat Call Center
9:00 - Surviving and Thriving During COVID-19
12:36 - Working in Telemarketing
16:25 - Gamification and Employee Engagement
25:27 - Communication Techniques and Empathy
36:17 - Addressing Customer Complaints
45:42 - The Influence of Vintage Arcade Games
50:55 - Richard's Unique Marketing Style
58:19 - Richard's Collaboration with INXS Bassist
1:00:00 - Closing Remarks
Podcast
Alex Elish
With a decade of experience in startups, I’ve mastered digital chaos.
I live for the challenge in your mess of a digital strategy!
My expertise - people called me SEO, PPC, CRMs, PMS, and automation guy. Marketing funnel or building a website, I’m your go-to guy for creating impactful solutions.
If we vibe the right way - I'm your trusty friend and partner.
We don't vibe - no money will get you my team efforts, blood and tears.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Alex Elish, Big Performance Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#AlexElish #BigPerformancePodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
Utilizing the military alphabet for enhanced communication
And another thing, Alex, use the military alphabet so emails don't bounce back. A lot of people have served. And it gives you consistency. So you're not just thinking on the fly. And these are the sort of things where you might close one additional deal a month because an email didn't bounce back just because of that. And so I think that the military likes it. People will relate to it. And in my professional opinion, it's been able to end calls in a great way where you almost get an encore song or two where it should have been ending. But now you're talking the military and Memorial Day weekend and Veterans Day. And you show your pride and respect.
Introduction to a Successful Entrepreneur
All righty thank you for for joining me it's a pleasure to talk to you i feel like i know you for the viewers that just joined i want to introduce to you richard blank behind this magical smile there is one phenomenally strong entrepreneur. You have grown your business from renting desks to a 300-seat call center in Costa Rica. That's right. Your business is taking care of hundreds of employees and you build a strong company culture that lets you carry on through COVID and you're going strong in the face of AI apocalypse with your... on the ground business with the people that you hold dear, the people who work for you.
The Art of Leadership and Communication
It's not so stiff. There is a balance. And if you're going to come here and spend more time with me than you do with your own family, why don't we have a little bit of dessert as well and make it fun? And it's not enjoyable to be a boss where people are afraid of you and you scream and yell and make people stress. There is that responsibility. They have a job to do. Yeah. But we can almost do it by doing the apex, by being the leader and the one that can fly the highest and the furthest and the fastest. Thankfully, this is my wheelhouse. So at any time I can jump on this call and I can not only resolve the issue, would share a lesson to the agent that was looking for that guidance. So in essence, I just don't write checks. This is something that, as you say, you quit after a little bit but got the skills. I sold my soul. I decided to be in this industry for 24 years because I saw the art of the speech. I didn't want it to be ruined and muddied by the bad reputations that stocks and sweet steaks and other call centers do that take advantage of people there. You know, Alex, there's a ton of people out there that earn a wonderful living by retaining a client for a company, setting appointments, making business, getting a referral, possibly if a client is upset and giving you an exit interview or feedback that you're responsible, take the suggestions and implement. And so as long as you're engaged and proactive, that individual's priceless for a corporation.
Mastering the art of communication with strategic name-dropping
You're not lying. You're not angling or forcing a sale. All I'm doing is repeating a name drop. I'm introducing myself. I'm expecting you to ask me two or three clarification questions where I just use a buffer boomerang. I'll name drop you to adjust the tone, let you know it's a great question. Repeat the question, Alex, so you don't have to repeat it, right? And then I'll send it back to you in a positive way to just keep readjusting that negative, positive tone and shutting doors and checkpoints so we don't have to repeat rabbit holes and get you upset.
Big Performance Podcast hosted by Alex Elish. Gamifying the Workplace with CEO Richard Blank.
Big conversations with bold thinkers—where curiosity meets connection. On the Big Performance Podcast, Alex hosts unscripted, thought-provoking conversations with fascinating guests, exploring ideas that challenge, inspire, and entertain.
For Curious Wanderers, Critical Thinkers, and Seekers of Meaning drawn to spirituality, philosophy, and knowledge.
Featuring Authentic Storytellers, Big Thinkers, and Bold Explorers unafraid to tackle life’s biggest questions.
Subscribe and join a community that values exploration, growth, and meaningful dialogue.
Today, we speak with Richard Blank, a remarkable entrepreneur who transformed his dream into a thriving reality. Richard's journey from renting desks to running a 300-seat call center in Costa Rica is nothing short of inspirational.
Guest Introduction:
Richard Blank is the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, a powerhouse in the telemarketing industry. His unique approach, combining old-school values with innovative strategies, has not only helped him grow his business but also fostered a strong, resilient company culture. Richard's story is a testament to the power of relationships and perseverance.
Key Takeaways:
1. Journey of an Entrepreneur: Richard's transition from a communications background to a call center mogul.
2. Building a Company Culture: How Richard's focus on relationships and trust helped him navigate challenges, including the pandemic.
3. Surviving crisis: Strategies Richard employed to maintain business continuity and employee morale during the pandemic.
4. Gamification in the Workplace: The importance of creating a fun, engaging environment for employees.
5. Communication Strategies: Tips and techniques for effective telemarketing and client interaction.
6. The Role of Empathy in Business: Why human interaction will always have an edge over AI in customer service.
7. Richard's Passion for Pinball: How vintage arcade games play a role in his business and personal life.
Creative Marketing Like Music Hits
I tell you what, that's why certain restaurants have large menus and 32 flavors of ice cream. It's my one taste of the color red might turn off somebody, but they prefer mint or yellow. And so fortunately for me, I've opened it enough where let's just say I do a podcast with somebody and I'm going to market that individual. My marketing team will take, I don't know, maybe 10 to 15 images. Combine the two. And just, you know, it's almost like an album from back in the day. I'll do four or five really guaranteed commercial hits that, as you say, are colorful. People are going to like, yeah, of course, throw a puppy in there or something. Then I go, guys, come on. Show me really something crazy. Let me just see if you can... produce something wicked or completely unexpected.
Following a Passionate Journey
You started from a communications background. You are bilingual and you decided to move to Costa Rica and start from the ground up. How did you decide to go for this journey? How did you start looking for that gold with the pen? How do you not when the road is there and open in front of you? When I was a young lad, I decided that Spanish was my favorite thing in the world. Fortunately, my parents would take me on vacations, sometimes to Mexico. I would come back with some vocabulary, and I had an interest, a base of it. Whenever I'd meet someone from the Latin community, they would give such reinforcement. It just wasn't a parlor trick or something cute. They realized that I really was into it. Then I understood something, my friend. When someone does above and beyond, there's dedicated practice. So besides what I had to do in school to get my grades, I loved watching movies and reading books. And my favorite was just having coffee and hanging out and speaking Spanish. And so anybody that has that sort of commitment and passion, you can't put that spark, you know?
Improving communication through strategic vocabulary
Any professional would know how much money is invested in somebody. To get them to that stage in business, unless they're throwing F-bombs and just giving the company away. I don't know if I, I don't think I would buy that blush. You're not firing somebody because a random customer's calling up because they got 13 extra dollars charged on the bill for a month. But that's not here nor there. I have some techniques for you, my friend, when you're thinking of this stuff. I like to adjust my vocabulary to make it more strategic and diplomatic. So I wouldn't say, excuse me on the phone. I would replace that for my clarification. Is it A, B, C, or 1, 2, 3? For my clarification. And then there's also tie-downs you could say. Sounds good, right? Makes sense, right? Because if you just keep talking, I don't know if it does sound good or makes sense. You need underwater scuba diving checkpoints. And then finally, my biggest question, My biggest gripe, it's like a gnat or a fly that bothers you. Whenever somebody uses the word help, I understand the intention behind it, but it can provoke a sort of emotion. And so I suggest using assist, guide, and lend a hand. I just know that it's like a longbow. You'll get better distance out of that compared to using help. We're accustomed to it, but it's a very uncomfortable metal chair in a waiting room with bad magazines. It just doesn't work. And so I like to, as I mentioned before, use these soft skills with people. I like to guide. I like to assist and especially, and I give it double points because you're utilizing image streaming by saying lend a hand.
https://youtu.be/NjYHz2TbKv4
https://youtu.be/ZQq683zhx_U
https://youtu.be/JyNWO9jrLcA
https://youtu.be/LB6A-IeXN28
Chapters:
0:00 - Guest Introduction: Richard Blank
1:47 - Richard's Entrepreneurial Journey
3:10 - From Renting Desks to a 300-Seat Call Center
9:00 - Surviving and Thriving During COVID-19
12:36 - Working in Telemarketing
16:25 - Gamification and Employee Engagement
25:27 - Communication Techniques and Empathy
36:17 - Addressing Customer Complaints
45:42 - The Influence of Vintage Arcade Games
50:55 - Richard's Unique Marketing Style
58:19 - Richard's Collaboration with INXS Bassist
1:00:00 - Closing Remarks
Podcast
Alex Elish
With a decade of experience in startups, I’ve mastered digital chaos.
I live for the challenge in your mess of a digital strategy!
My expertise - people called me SEO, PPC, CRMs, PMS, and automation guy. Marketing funnel or building a website, I’m your go-to guy for creating impactful solutions.
If we vibe the right way - I'm your trusty friend and partner.
We don't vibe - no money will get you my team efforts, blood and tears.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Alex Elish, Big Performance Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#AlexElish #BigPerformancePodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
Utilizing the military alphabet for enhanced communication
And another thing, Alex, use the military alphabet so emails don't bounce back. A lot of people have served. And it gives you consistency. So you're not just thinking on the fly. And these are the sort of things where you might close one additional deal a month because an email didn't bounce back just because of that. And so I think that the military likes it. People will relate to it. And in my professional opinion, it's been able to end calls in a great way where you almost get an encore song or two where it should have been ending. But now you're talking the military and Memorial Day weekend and Veterans Day. And you show your pride and respect.
Introduction to a Successful Entrepreneur
All righty thank you for for joining me it's a pleasure to talk to you i feel like i know you for the viewers that just joined i want to introduce to you richard blank behind this magical smile there is one phenomenally strong entrepreneur. You have grown your business from renting desks to a 300-seat call center in Costa Rica. That's right. Your business is taking care of hundreds of employees and you build a strong company culture that lets you carry on through COVID and you're going strong in the face of AI apocalypse with your... on the ground business with the people that you hold dear, the people who work for you.
The Art of Leadership and Communication
It's not so stiff. There is a balance. And if you're going to come here and spend more time with me than you do with your own family, why don't we have a little bit of dessert as well and make it fun? And it's not enjoyable to be a boss where people are afraid of you and you scream and yell and make people stress. There is that responsibility. They have a job to do. Yeah. But we can almost do it by doing the apex, by being the leader and the one that can fly the highest and the furthest and the fastest. Thankfully, this is my wheelhouse. So at any time I can jump on this call and I can not only resolve the issue, would share a lesson to the agent that was looking for that guidance. So in essence, I just don't write checks. This is something that, as you say, you quit after a little bit but got the skills. I sold my soul. I decided to be in this industry for 24 years because I saw the art of the speech. I didn't want it to be ruined and muddied by the bad reputations that stocks and sweet steaks and other call centers do that take advantage of people there. You know, Alex, there's a ton of people out there that earn a wonderful living by retaining a client for a company, setting appointments, making business, getting a referral, possibly if a client is upset and giving you an exit interview or feedback that you're responsible, take the suggestions and implement. And so as long as you're engaged and proactive, that individual's priceless for a corporation.
Mastering the art of communication with strategic name-dropping
You're not lying. You're not angling or forcing a sale. All I'm doing is repeating a name drop. I'm introducing myself. I'm expecting you to ask me two or three clarification questions where I just use a buffer boomerang. I'll name drop you to adjust the tone, let you know it's a great question. Repeat the question, Alex, so you don't have to repeat it, right? And then I'll send it back to you in a positive way to just keep readjusting that negative, positive tone and shutting doors and checkpoints so we don't have to repeat rabbit holes and get you upset.
Big Performance Podcast hosted by Alex Elish. Gamifying the Workplace with CEO Richard Blank.
Big conversations with bold thinkers—where curiosity meets connection. On the Big Performance Podcast, Alex hosts unscripted, thought-provoking conversations with fascinating guests, exploring ideas that challenge, inspire, and entertain.
For Curious Wanderers, Critical Thinkers, and Seekers of Meaning drawn to spirituality, philosophy, and knowledge.
Featuring Authentic Storytellers, Big Thinkers, and Bold Explorers unafraid to tackle life’s biggest questions.
Subscribe and join a community that values exploration, growth, and meaningful dialogue.
Today, we speak with Richard Blank, a remarkable entrepreneur who transformed his dream into a thriving reality. Richard's journey from renting desks to running a 300-seat call center in Costa Rica is nothing short of inspirational.
Guest Introduction:
Richard Blank is the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, a powerhouse in the telemarketing industry. His unique approach, combining old-school values with innovative strategies, has not only helped him grow his business but also fostered a strong, resilient company culture. Richard's story is a testament to the power of relationships and perseverance.
Key Takeaways:
1. Journey of an Entrepreneur: Richard's transition from a communications background to a call center mogul.
2. Building a Company Culture: How Richard's focus on relationships and trust helped him navigate challenges, including the pandemic.
3. Surviving crisis: Strategies Richard employed to maintain business continuity and employee morale during the pandemic.
4. Gamification in the Workplace: The importance of creating a fun, engaging environment for employees.
5. Communication Strategies: Tips and techniques for effective telemarketing and client interaction.
6. The Role of Empathy in Business: Why human interaction will always have an edge over AI in customer service.
7. Richard's Passion for Pinball: How vintage arcade games play a role in his business and personal life.
Creative Marketing Like Music Hits
I tell you what, that's why certain restaurants have large menus and 32 flavors of ice cream. It's my one taste of the color red might turn off somebody, but they prefer mint or yellow. And so fortunately for me, I've opened it enough where let's just say I do a podcast with somebody and I'm going to market that individual. My marketing team will take, I don't know, maybe 10 to 15 images. Combine the two. And just, you know, it's almost like an album from back in the day. I'll do four or five really guaranteed commercial hits that, as you say, are colorful. People are going to like, yeah, of course, throw a puppy in there or something. Then I go, guys, come on. Show me really something crazy. Let me just see if you can... produce something wicked or completely unexpected.
Following a Passionate Journey
You started from a communications background. You are bilingual and you decided to move to Costa Rica and start from the ground up. How did you decide to go for this journey? How did you start looking for that gold with the pen? How do you not when the road is there and open in front of you? When I was a young lad, I decided that Spanish was my favorite thing in the world. Fortunately, my parents would take me on vacations, sometimes to Mexico. I would come back with some vocabulary, and I had an interest, a base of it. Whenever I'd meet someone from the Latin community, they would give such reinforcement. It just wasn't a parlor trick or something cute. They realized that I really was into it. Then I understood something, my friend. When someone does above and beyond, there's dedicated practice. So besides what I had to do in school to get my grades, I loved watching movies and reading books. And my favorite was just having coffee and hanging out and speaking Spanish. And so anybody that has that sort of commitment and passion, you can't put that spark, you know?
Improving communication through strategic vocabulary
Any professional would know how much money is invested in somebody. To get them to that stage in business, unless they're throwing F-bombs and just giving the company away. I don't know if I, I don't think I would buy that blush. You're not firing somebody because a random customer's calling up because they got 13 extra dollars charged on the bill for a month. But that's not here nor there. I have some techniques for you, my friend, when you're thinking of this stuff. I like to adjust my vocabulary to make it more strategic and diplomatic. So I wouldn't say, excuse me on the phone. I would replace that for my clarification. Is it A, B, C, or 1, 2, 3? For my clarification. And then there's also tie-downs you could say. Sounds good, right? Makes sense, right? Because if you just keep talking, I don't know if it does sound good or makes sense. You need underwater scuba diving checkpoints. And then finally, my biggest question, My biggest gripe, it's like a gnat or a fly that bothers you. Whenever somebody uses the word help, I understand the intention behind it, but it can provoke a sort of emotion. And so I suggest using assist, guide, and lend a hand. I just know that it's like a longbow. You'll get better distance out of that compared to using help. We're accustomed to it, but it's a very uncomfortable metal chair in a waiting room with bad magazines. It just doesn't work. And so I like to, as I mentioned before, use these soft skills with people. I like to guide. I like to assist and especially, and I give it double points because you're utilizing image streaming by saying lend a hand.
https://youtu.be/NjYHz2TbKv4
https://youtu.be/ZQq683zhx_U
https://youtu.be/JyNWO9jrLcA
https://youtu.be/LB6A-IeXN28
Chapters:
0:00 - Guest Introduction: Richard Blank
1:47 - Richard's Entrepreneurial Journey
3:10 - From Renting Desks to a 300-Seat Call Center
9:00 - Surviving and Thriving During COVID-19
12:36 - Working in Telemarketing
16:25 - Gamification and Employee Engagement
25:27 - Communication Techniques and Empathy
36:17 - Addressing Customer Complaints
45:42 - The Influence of Vintage Arcade Games
50:55 - Richard's Unique Marketing Style
58:19 - Richard's Collaboration with INXS Bassist
1:00:00 - Closing Remarks
Podcast
Alex Elish
With a decade of experience in startups, I’ve mastered digital chaos.
I live for the challenge in your mess of a digital strategy!
My expertise - people called me SEO, PPC, CRMs, PMS, and automation guy. Marketing funnel or building a website, I’m your go-to guy for creating impactful solutions.
If we vibe the right way - I'm your trusty friend and partner.
We don't vibe - no money will get you my team efforts, blood and tears.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Alex Elish, Big Performance Podcast, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
#AlexElish #BigPerformancePodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO
Utilizing the military alphabet for enhanced communication
And another thing, Alex, use the military alphabet so emails don't bounce back. A lot of people have served. And it gives you consistency. So you're not just thinking on the fly. And these are the sort of things where you might close one additional deal a month because an email didn't bounce back just because of that. And so I think that the military likes it. People will relate to it. And in my professional opinion, it's been able to end calls in a great way where you almost get an encore song or two where it should have been ending. But now you're talking the military and Memorial Day weekend and Veterans Day. And you show your pride and respect.
Introduction to a Successful Entrepreneur
All righty thank you for for joining me it's a pleasure to talk to you i feel like i know you for the viewers that just joined i want to introduce to you richard blank behind this magical smile there is one phenomenally strong entrepreneur. You have grown your business from renting desks to a 300-seat call center in Costa Rica. That's right. Your business is taking care of hundreds of employees and you build a strong company culture that lets you carry on through COVID and you're going strong in the face of AI apocalypse with your... on the ground business with the people that you hold dear, the people who work for you.
The Art of Leadership and Communication
It's not so stiff. There is a balance. And if you're going to come here and spend more time with me than you do with your own family, why don't we have a little bit of dessert as well and make it fun? And it's not enjoyable to be a boss where people are afraid of you and you scream and yell and make people stress. There is that responsibility. They have a job to do. Yeah. But we can almost do it by doing the apex, by being the leader and the one that can fly the highest and the furthest and the fastest. Thankfully, this is my wheelhouse. So at any time I can jump on this call and I can not only resolve the issue, would share a lesson to the agent that was looking for that guidance. So in essence, I just don't write checks. This is something that, as you say, you quit after a little bit but got the skills. I sold my soul. I decided to be in this industry for 24 years because I saw the art of the speech. I didn't want it to be ruined and muddied by the bad reputations that stocks and sweet steaks and other call centers do that take advantage of people there. You know, Alex, there's a ton of people out there that earn a wonderful living by retaining a client for a company, setting appointments, making business, getting a referral, possibly if a client is upset and giving you an exit interview or feedback that you're responsible, take the suggestions and implement. And so as long as you're engaged and proactive, that individual's priceless for a corporation.
Mastering the art of communication with strategic name-dropping
You're not lying. You're not angling or forcing a sale. All I'm doing is repeating a name drop. I'm introducing myself. I'm expecting you to ask me two or three clarification questions where I just use a buffer boomerang. I'll name drop you to adjust the tone, let you know it's a great question. Repeat the question, Alex, so you don't have to repeat it, right? And then I'll send it back to you in a positive way to just keep readjusting that negative, positive tone and shutting doors and checkpoints so we don't have to repeat rabbit holes and get you upset.
Author your Brand Podcast. Surfing, Bilingualism, and Non-Voice Omnichannel Support with Richard Blank
The Author Your Brand show takes a deep dive into becoming a best selling author, sometimes without writing a word. The host, Doug Crowe, interviews CEO’s of multi-million dollar firms, successful entrepreneurs, and “slightly” famous people. Guests include the former CMO of Starbucks Asia, the Inventor of GPS (who sold the company he founded for $6.6 Billion) & NYT bestselling authors. This daily LIVE show uncovers the mindset of these visionaries & their success tips
In a lively podcast interview hosted by Doug Crowe, Richard Blank, founder and operator of Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC), a thriving call center in Costa Rica, shares his passion for surfing, bilingualism, and the challenges of operating a call center in a global market. Richard explains the high-quality services his call center provides to clients across North America, Central America, and Europe, emphasizing the importance of bilingual, college-educated agents dedicated to specific campaigns.
The conversation then turns to the benefits and drawbacks of non-voice omnichannel support, as Doug and Richard discuss the value of personal engagement when it comes to creating a rapport with customers that extends beyond the immediate transaction. This interview will be relevant to anyone interested in call center operations, customer support, and building lasting customer relationships.
Understanding Call Center Contracts and Compliance
One seat for one month is my minimum contract. But if it were my own personal opinion, I like odd man outs. I'd prefer three seats for three months just to at least see. Yeah, right. And do you do any list bill stuff or the client's got to provide the list to call on? Not only does the client provide me the list, but it has to be scrubbed through the DNC because my company is inscribed in the United States that follows all U.S. business and banking laws. Okay. And for clarification, those who don't want to mention, DNC stands for do not call list, which I'm not sure if that actually works or not. They should know because I know a lot of people that have been hit for that. And so you have to be very careful.
AI vs. Human Touch in Customer Service
The pros and the cons. I think when people have these non-voice omni-channel supports, which are chats and emails, which could be generated and used, fine, that saves time and can move things forward. But how about this? You've been a client a long time somewhere and you'd like to speak with somebody. And if no one speaks with you or their office hours are better, you're in a queue a long time. When you finally get someone, you're going to pop. And there's a very good chance you're gonna curse, you're gonna scream, and you're just gonna let it out. And so these relationships cost a lot of money to build. And as much as AI can assist you, it really won't put the ball in the end zone because me and you talking about your dog or your trip to Egypt, or your being a magician, or these fun things that both you and I do in lives with pinballs in Costa Ricas, your AI will not catch that. And that's where the situation is going to be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8awjWIfJAc
https://youtu.be/CCbCZ-gi8e0
https://youtu.be/eFZHKjI4aA8
Doug Crowe is a business growth strategist that’s passionate about getting results for his clients. Doug is your partner in business growth and your best option for leveraging the digital revolution. He has helped clients maximize resources and build a thriving business. Doug leverages his years of expertise to bring growth to your business.
WE TELL YOUR STORY
...Better
Why consider becoming an author? Is the time, money, and resources necessary to create a book of impact even worth it?
Influence. Impact. Authorship.
Becoming an author is always a major achievement... but never done alone.
Our authors do more than simply publish a book; they make a dent in their Universe.
Why Authoring Your Book Can Change the World
(But You’ll Surely Fail if You Don’t Do This…)
Your story matters. Your ideas need to be shared. But if you depend only upon a book to become the tipping point, it simply won’t work. In today’s ecosystem of information overload, even a social media influencer has an impact that lasts about as long as the memory of a goldfish.
Engagement? That’s cute. What does that mean, anyway?
There is a single foundational element all thought leaders, influencers, and visionaries have that most authors hope for, but very few achieve.
Stop Dreaming. Start Researching.
Your idea for a book may be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Why haven’t you written it and had a dozen publishers beating down your door for a movie deal? For most authors, there’s a bit of doubt and fear, and that's normal.
Is what you are saying worthy?
Will people resonate with it?
Can you make a difference?
What if there was a way to find out the answers to all of these questions? Here's the good news. Not only can you get these questions answered, but our proprietary "vet & validate" answers them and begins building your audience... before your book is written.
AUTHORS OF IMPACT
What’s your idea, your dream, your vision?
Do you know a better way to communicate at the office? Maybe your leadership principles would apply to a new demographic like local government? Your story can be life-changing for somebody.
But only if you are published.
Don’t go through life with the potential to make the world a better place and squander the opportunity. Once your idea of becoming an author is in your heart-don't hesitate.
Take action today.
What do John Grisham, Tony Robbins, and ** Rowling have in common?
These visionaries didn’t start at the top. Like all people of influence, they had humble beginnings. They were just trying to make ends meet as…
…A lawyer in a busy firm.
…A janitor in a corporate office.
…Or a single mother on child support writing the first few words of her book on a napkin.
The one thing they have in common is that they were as busy as you (maybe more). But that did not deter them from moving their vision into reality. Authorship, like any large venture, requires a blend of patience and perseverance. Equally important is a process and team to pull it all together.
At Author Your Brand, we use that same system the Fortune 100 do for developing and guaranteeing a new product launch.
Research.
The process is detailed, thorough, and will give you the data, confidence and pre-sales to boldly move forward; to helping you become a #1 Best Selling Author… without you writing a single word.
We help people just like you capture, organize, publish, and market a beautifully crafted book that tells your unique story within the context of serving others.
We transform leaders into respected experts in their field. We make sure that your book is a timelessly powerful tool that attracts new opportunities and has the power to make a dent in the Universe.
If You Qualify, Expect:
Unparalleled collaboration to frame your unique perspective
Professional journalism to distill your content into a compelling story
A systems-based creative process that perfectly captures your voice
Over 200 data points of competitive intelligence
Unlimited revisions and focus group testing on your book cover
#1 status as a Best-Selling author on Amazon.
Major media attention and outreach to build your author*ity
...and much more.
Doug Crowe
Founder
A gifted leader with a variety of talents, Doug is a prolific businessman, marketing expert, and a brilliant writer. He writes for Entrepreneur.com and has been published in Yahoo Finance, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, and the Seattle Times.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Author your Brand Podcast, Doug Crowe, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,
#Doug Crowe #AuthoryourBrandPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #AuthoryourBrandPodcast
Author your Brand Podcast. Surfing, Bilingualism, and Non-Voice Omnichannel Support with Richard Blank
The Author Your Brand show takes a deep dive into becoming a best selling author, sometimes without writing a word. The host, Doug Crowe, interviews CEO’s of multi-million dollar firms, successful entrepreneurs, and “slightly” famous people. Guests include the former CMO of Starbucks Asia, the Inventor of GPS (who sold the company he founded for $6.6 Billion) & NYT bestselling authors. This daily LIVE show uncovers the mindset of these visionaries & their success tips
In a lively podcast interview hosted by Doug Crowe, Richard Blank, founder and operator of Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC), a thriving call center in Costa Rica, shares his passion for surfing, bilingualism, and the challenges of operating a call center in a global market. Richard explains the high-quality services his call center provides to clients across North America, Central America, and Europe, emphasizing the importance of bilingual, college-educated agents dedicated to specific campaigns.
The conversation then turns to the benefits and drawbacks of non-voice omnichannel support, as Doug and Richard discuss the value of personal engagement when it comes to creating a rapport with customers that extends beyond the immediate transaction. This interview will be relevant to anyone interested in call center operations, customer support, and building lasting customer relationships.
Understanding Call Center Contracts and Compliance
One seat for one month is my minimum contract. But if it were my own personal opinion, I like odd man outs. I'd prefer three seats for three months just to at least see. Yeah, right. And do you do any list bill stuff or the client's got to provide the list to call on? Not only does the client provide me the list, but it has to be scrubbed through the DNC because my company is inscribed in the United States that follows all U.S. business and banking laws. Okay. And for clarification, those who don't want to mention, DNC stands for do not call list, which I'm not sure if that actually works or not. They should know because I know a lot of people that have been hit for that. And so you have to be very careful.
AI vs. Human Touch in Customer Service
The pros and the cons. I think when people have these non-voice omni-channel supports, which are chats and emails, which could be generated and used, fine, that saves time and can move things forward. But how about this? You've been a client a long time somewhere and you'd like to speak with somebody. And if no one speaks with you or their office hours are better, you're in a queue a long time. When you finally get someone, you're going to pop. And there's a very good chance you're gonna curse, you're gonna scream, and you're just gonna let it out. And so these relationships cost a lot of money to build. And as much as AI can assist you, it really won't put the ball in the end zone because me and you talking about your dog or your trip to Egypt, or your being a magician, or these fun things that both you and I do in lives with pinballs in Costa Ricas, your AI will not catch that. And that's where the situation is going to be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8awjWIfJAc
https://youtu.be/CCbCZ-gi8e0
https://youtu.be/eFZHKjI4aA8
Doug Crowe is a business growth strategist that’s passionate about getting results for his clients. Doug is your partner in business growth and your best option for leveraging the digital revolution. He has helped clients maximize resources and build a thriving business. Doug leverages his years of expertise to bring growth to your business.
WE TELL YOUR STORY
...Better
Why consider becoming an author? Is the time, money, and resources necessary to create a book of impact even worth it?
Influence. Impact. Authorship.
Becoming an author is always a major achievement... but never done alone.
Our authors do more than simply publish a book; they make a dent in their Universe.
Why Authoring Your Book Can Change the World
(But You’ll Surely Fail if You Don’t Do This…)
Your story matters. Your ideas need to be shared. But if you depend only upon a book to become the tipping point, it simply won’t work. In today’s ecosystem of information overload, even a social media influencer has an impact that lasts about as long as the memory of a goldfish.
Engagement? That’s cute. What does that mean, anyway?
There is a single foundational element all thought leaders, influencers, and visionaries have that most authors hope for, but very few achieve.
Stop Dreaming. Start Researching.
Your idea for a book may be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Why haven’t you written it and had a dozen publishers beating down your door for a movie deal? For most authors, there’s a bit of doubt and fear, and that's normal.
Is what you are saying worthy?
Will people resonate with it?
Can you make a difference?
What if there was a way to find out the answers to all of these questions? Here's the good news. Not only can you get these questions answered, but our proprietary "vet & validate" answers them and begins building your audience... before your book is written.
AUTHORS OF IMPACT
What’s your idea, your dream, your vision?
Do you know a better way to communicate at the office? Maybe your leadership principles would apply to a new demographic like local government? Your story can be life-changing for somebody.
But only if you are published.
Don’t go through life with the potential to make the world a better place and squander the opportunity. Once your idea of becoming an author is in your heart-don't hesitate.
Take action today.
What do John Grisham, Tony Robbins, and ** Rowling have in common?
These visionaries didn’t start at the top. Like all people of influence, they had humble beginnings. They were just trying to make ends meet as…
…A lawyer in a busy firm.
…A janitor in a corporate office.
…Or a single mother on child support writing the first few words of her book on a napkin.
The one thing they have in common is that they were as busy as you (maybe more). But that did not deter them from moving their vision into reality. Authorship, like any large venture, requires a blend of patience and perseverance. Equally important is a process and team to pull it all together.
At Author Your Brand, we use that same system the Fortune 100 do for developing and guaranteeing a new product launch.
Research.
The process is detailed, thorough, and will give you the data, confidence and pre-sales to boldly move forward; to helping you become a #1 Best Selling Author… without you writing a single word.
We help people just like you capture, organize, publish, and market a beautifully crafted book that tells your unique story within the context of serving others.
We transform leaders into respected experts in their field. We make sure that your book is a timelessly powerful tool that attracts new opportunities and has the power to make a dent in the Universe.
If You Qualify, Expect:
Unparalleled collaboration to frame your unique perspective
Professional journalism to distill your content into a compelling story
A systems-based creative process that perfectly captures your voice
Over 200 data points of competitive intelligence
Unlimited revisions and focus group testing on your book cover
#1 status as a Best-Selling author on Amazon.
Major media attention and outreach to build your author*ity
...and much more.
Doug Crowe
Founder
A gifted leader with a variety of talents, Doug is a prolific businessman, marketing expert, and a brilliant writer. He writes for Entrepreneur.com and has been published in Yahoo Finance, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, and the Seattle Times.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Author your Brand Podcast, Doug Crowe, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,
#Doug Crowe #AuthoryourBrandPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #AuthoryourBrandPodcast
Author your Brand Podcast. Surfing, Bilingualism, and Non-Voice Omnichannel Support with Richard Blank
The Author Your Brand show takes a deep dive into becoming a best selling author, sometimes without writing a word. The host, Doug Crowe, interviews CEO’s of multi-million dollar firms, successful entrepreneurs, and “slightly” famous people. Guests include the former CMO of Starbucks Asia, the Inventor of GPS (who sold the company he founded for $6.6 Billion) & NYT bestselling authors. This daily LIVE show uncovers the mindset of these visionaries & their success tips
In a lively podcast interview hosted by Doug Crowe, Richard Blank, founder and operator of Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC), a thriving call center in Costa Rica, shares his passion for surfing, bilingualism, and the challenges of operating a call center in a global market. Richard explains the high-quality services his call center provides to clients across North America, Central America, and Europe, emphasizing the importance of bilingual, college-educated agents dedicated to specific campaigns.
The conversation then turns to the benefits and drawbacks of non-voice omnichannel support, as Doug and Richard discuss the value of personal engagement when it comes to creating a rapport with customers that extends beyond the immediate transaction. This interview will be relevant to anyone interested in call center operations, customer support, and building lasting customer relationships.
Understanding Call Center Contracts and Compliance
One seat for one month is my minimum contract. But if it were my own personal opinion, I like odd man outs. I'd prefer three seats for three months just to at least see. Yeah, right. And do you do any list bill stuff or the client's got to provide the list to call on? Not only does the client provide me the list, but it has to be scrubbed through the DNC because my company is inscribed in the United States that follows all U.S. business and banking laws. Okay. And for clarification, those who don't want to mention, DNC stands for do not call list, which I'm not sure if that actually works or not. They should know because I know a lot of people that have been hit for that. And so you have to be very careful.
AI vs. Human Touch in Customer Service
The pros and the cons. I think when people have these non-voice omni-channel supports, which are chats and emails, which could be generated and used, fine, that saves time and can move things forward. But how about this? You've been a client a long time somewhere and you'd like to speak with somebody. And if no one speaks with you or their office hours are better, you're in a queue a long time. When you finally get someone, you're going to pop. And there's a very good chance you're gonna curse, you're gonna scream, and you're just gonna let it out. And so these relationships cost a lot of money to build. And as much as AI can assist you, it really won't put the ball in the end zone because me and you talking about your dog or your trip to Egypt, or your being a magician, or these fun things that both you and I do in lives with pinballs in Costa Ricas, your AI will not catch that. And that's where the situation is going to be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8awjWIfJAc
https://youtu.be/CCbCZ-gi8e0
https://youtu.be/eFZHKjI4aA8
Doug Crowe is a business growth strategist that’s passionate about getting results for his clients. Doug is your partner in business growth and your best option for leveraging the digital revolution. He has helped clients maximize resources and build a thriving business. Doug leverages his years of expertise to bring growth to your business.
WE TELL YOUR STORY
...Better
Why consider becoming an author? Is the time, money, and resources necessary to create a book of impact even worth it?
Influence. Impact. Authorship.
Becoming an author is always a major achievement... but never done alone.
Our authors do more than simply publish a book; they make a dent in their Universe.
Why Authoring Your Book Can Change the World
(But You’ll Surely Fail if You Don’t Do This…)
Your story matters. Your ideas need to be shared. But if you depend only upon a book to become the tipping point, it simply won’t work. In today’s ecosystem of information overload, even a social media influencer has an impact that lasts about as long as the memory of a goldfish.
Engagement? That’s cute. What does that mean, anyway?
There is a single foundational element all thought leaders, influencers, and visionaries have that most authors hope for, but very few achieve.
Stop Dreaming. Start Researching.
Your idea for a book may be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Why haven’t you written it and had a dozen publishers beating down your door for a movie deal? For most authors, there’s a bit of doubt and fear, and that's normal.
Is what you are saying worthy?
Will people resonate with it?
Can you make a difference?
What if there was a way to find out the answers to all of these questions? Here's the good news. Not only can you get these questions answered, but our proprietary "vet & validate" answers them and begins building your audience... before your book is written.
AUTHORS OF IMPACT
What’s your idea, your dream, your vision?
Do you know a better way to communicate at the office? Maybe your leadership principles would apply to a new demographic like local government? Your story can be life-changing for somebody.
But only if you are published.
Don’t go through life with the potential to make the world a better place and squander the opportunity. Once your idea of becoming an author is in your heart-don't hesitate.
Take action today.
What do John Grisham, Tony Robbins, and ** Rowling have in common?
These visionaries didn’t start at the top. Like all people of influence, they had humble beginnings. They were just trying to make ends meet as…
…A lawyer in a busy firm.
…A janitor in a corporate office.
…Or a single mother on child support writing the first few words of her book on a napkin.
The one thing they have in common is that they were as busy as you (maybe more). But that did not deter them from moving their vision into reality. Authorship, like any large venture, requires a blend of patience and perseverance. Equally important is a process and team to pull it all together.
At Author Your Brand, we use that same system the Fortune 100 do for developing and guaranteeing a new product launch.
Research.
The process is detailed, thorough, and will give you the data, confidence and pre-sales to boldly move forward; to helping you become a #1 Best Selling Author… without you writing a single word.
We help people just like you capture, organize, publish, and market a beautifully crafted book that tells your unique story within the context of serving others.
We transform leaders into respected experts in their field. We make sure that your book is a timelessly powerful tool that attracts new opportunities and has the power to make a dent in the Universe.
If You Qualify, Expect:
Unparalleled collaboration to frame your unique perspective
Professional journalism to distill your content into a compelling story
A systems-based creative process that perfectly captures your voice
Over 200 data points of competitive intelligence
Unlimited revisions and focus group testing on your book cover
#1 status as a Best-Selling author on Amazon.
Major media attention and outreach to build your author*ity
...and much more.
Doug Crowe
Founder
A gifted leader with a variety of talents, Doug is a prolific businessman, marketing expert, and a brilliant writer. He writes for Entrepreneur.com and has been published in Yahoo Finance, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, and the Seattle Times.
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica’s Call Center since 2008.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
Author your Brand Podcast, Doug Crowe, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,
#Doug Crowe #AuthoryourBrandPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #AuthoryourBrandPodcast
Un video donde se habla de la ocasion, en que Dross difamo a un politico mexicano en base a una Fake News, y se acobardo ante este, cuando amenazo con demandarlo por difamacion, y se tuvo que disculpar con este, para evitar problemas legales con el.
Un video en donde se da una opinion, respecto al conflicto de Dross vs Victor Gonzalez de Badabun, ademas de una critica al comportamiento de Dross en todo este conflicto.
Un video en donde se analiza y se da una opinion sobre el infame audio, en donde Dross llama a la esposa de MarginalMedia para hostigarla, hasta causar que esta ultima llore.
In my opinion a small man made pond or lake equals to a lots of big problems and people need them https://ausertimes.blogspot.com/2024/08/in-my-opinion-small-man-made-pond-or.html The shallower the water, the higher electricity bill for filtration and oxygen. What you really need is what I pointed out in the video with also little stone or sand beach(over concrete) to make access into pond/lake as pleasant as possible. With creation of pond as first, you will have your kids happily assisting you with construction for the rest of the housing project. I am not expert and don't have any experience on creation of ponds. Ask professionals before settling for project and good luck. Always keep kids and yourself safe and perhaps even fence with signs steep deep areas from access to water....
