Meet Connections Call Centre at this months In The HOT Seat, an entrepreneurial interview series showcasing local businesses in Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler, BC. Connections is one of those special BC businesses that has quietly and consistently grown successfully over 25 years and is setting award winning standards of excellence in entrepreneurship. A family run business that now employs 20 members of staff operating across all of North America yet tucked away in beautiful Squamish, BC. Connections Call Centre was founded by Lillian Lyle in 1990 and was joined by her daughter Trish Brown only a few years later. When I visited their office one thing really stuck out right away, the commitment of care to the Connections team and extended family in the way of their clients.
Read on as Trish provides you with insights to the company, their solid core values and the benefits of their services as well as the secret ingredients to entrepreneurial success. Be inspired by her personal story of balancing impressive professional growth with heartfelt dedication to motherhood raising her three children. Finally learn what Connections Call Centre will be investing into and see if you can help fill their need. To download the live podcast of the interview with Trish for free from the iTunes Store, click here.
History
- Connections Call Centre, Squamish BC
Connections Call Centre was started by Lil Lyle with a handful of clients. Coming from a dentistry background, Lil had a vision for herself and her daughter – to create a company that would be based on strong family core values of caring, trust and reliability with a foundation of excellence. Trish joined the business fresh out of school and together they went on to fulfil the promise of setting up Canada’s best inbound call centre with the sole purpose of customer centricity. Today, Connections employs bi-lingual agents who are trained to award winning standards by the best in the country – Lil and Trish. Trish shares how three key commitments have become the base ingredients to their success:
- DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE
- BEING INVESTED IN THEIR TEAM
- HONOURING A PARTNERSHIP WITH EACH CLIENT
Core Offering
When you ask Trish what her company does, her eyes light up and her passion shines through. She shares how the team is being trained first on their state-of-the-art call centre technology system and then on the etiquette of managing customer calls. Only once the agents are passing stringent tests operating at a 97% excellence rate, do they get trained on customer’s own software systems.
Yes, Connections is not your average, basic, quick-fix answering service. Rather they become an extension to your company’s team. Providing 24/7 call coverage in two languages, all of the 20 agents are being trained in your terminologies, systems and equipped with your frequently asked questions to try and solve your client’s inquiries. Wherever possible, they will become your extended sales force, assign work, take credit card payments, take bookings and provide order fulfilment.
- Managed from a fully certified site their office is equipped with disaster recovery systems and vaulted data back-ups, every call is being recorded for quality assurance. Their customer centric approach ensures ongoing improvement suggestions and flexibility in the way they support your company’s current and future needs. Their unique commitment to excellence has won them the Canadian Award of Excellence for 17 consecutive years ensuring highest scoring call satisfaction across Canada and North America. You will be able to enjoy peace of mind knowing that your phone is answered by a friendly and efficient agent who will take excellent care of your clients.
Target Markets & Benefits
Connections Call Centre works with a wide variety of clients. The companies that benefit hugely from their services are in industries that require a 24/7 presence. This could be e-commerce businesses who truly wish to be open around the clock and who do not want to miss an inquiry to the competition. Logistics, shipping or heavy construction that have to have every call answered. Government, emergency services, utilities and communications companies who made a commitment to their customers of providing 24 hour coverage for inquiries. And businesses wishing to do commerce across differing timezones and those who provide call-out services.
The benefits of having Connections Call Centre have your back are multifold. Aside from peace of mind that every inquiry or query is in well trained hands, Trish and her team become your extended internal sales force at a fraction of a full-time staff member securing more business at higher profit margins for your company. You and your team will have more uninterrupted time to work on other mission critical business operations or offer you, as the business owner the flexibility to take time out without worrying about your inbound call communications. One more key competitive advantage is their ability to customize support and implement a jointly developed plan that is adapted to your changing needs.
Sales channels
To get in touch with Connections and explore how they can help your business or project you can either call the centre directly on 1 (800) 667-7588, visit their website at www.connectionscallcenter.com and fill out the new client information form or drop Trish an email trish@connectionscallcenter.com. Together you will design the perfect support plan that provides what you need and works within your budget.
- Connections Inspiration
Accolades & News
This is a subject of true pride in this company as management and agents are extremely competitive in maintaining the lead in service excellence. The Award of Excellence Program tests response times, knowledge, overall impression and accuracy of the agent. Connections Call Centre scores well above the expected average of 80% setting their own internal standard at 97% which has won them the award over 17 consecutive years. In June 2015 this rigorous quality commitment won them top score from ATSI – Association of Tele Services International for UK & North America!
About Being an Entrepreneur
The Love/ Hate Relationship
Trish has been groomed from a very early age by her mom Lil and learned the business very much from the ground up and sometimes with a little tough love. It is this legacy based entirely on solid core values that Trish is so immensely grateful for. These values are passed on to every agent, galvanizing a shared common goal. It is her team that she loves most about being an entrepreneur. Bringing new agents on and watching them grow and then seeing what they are able to accomplish is what it’s all about for Trish.
Striving for balance as a dedicated mom to three children now aged 13, 21 and 22 years old has been a constant key focus. Being an entrepreneur has allowed Trish the flexibility and afforded the funds to provide a really great upbringing for her children. Albeit being tricky to prioritize sometimes, the rewards outperform the challenge.
Most Enabling to Her Business
In Trish’s industry call centres across North America who use the same technology system share information, offer support and help each other troubleshoot arising problems. This has always given her the feeling of being supported by trusted, knowledgeable people in her industry. Looking at this model, one can appreciate the deeply felt shared journey that discounts the typical isolation of being an entrepreneur.
Her Secret Weapons to Entrepreneurial Success
Trish sums these up in three short bullets:
- Always have a business plan.
- Grow an amazing reputation through dedication to excellence.
- Invest in your team.
One Piece of Advice
If Trish could give her younger self just one piece of advice, should would tell herself this: ‘Be patient – it doesn’t happen over night! Be consistent in your approach and patient in your heart.’
Special Message for Women Entrepreneurs
This is where the conversation really got a little emotional. When asked what message Trish has for other women in business who would like to follow in her successful path she had two things to share:
‘Make sure you plan!’, and: ‘YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK!.’ Thank you, Trish, for sharing this as wisdom to all women out there who struggle to maintain a consistent, positive mind set around being an entrepreneur. We know running your own business is not a walk in the park. So hang in there, create the blueprint for your life’s purpose and know you can handle it!
Connections Next Investment
Tying in perfectly with the reason why she loves her business so much, Trish is looking for new resources and products that will be good for her agents. Either as a reward or as a way to offer professional development, she is looking for providers who will help her with incentives, rewards, experiences or training that will give back to her agents and offer them something to help them grow. So if you think you might have something that would enrich the life’s of Trish’s team, please make sure you drop her a line or give her a call!
Her Final Thoughts
Trish wraps up our conversation beautifully by sharing her dearest hopes for the future. She is looking to keep growing the company, expanding on the services they are offering and broadening the skills of her agents. She urges other business owners to focus on their people. Every single person is so valuable and deserves attention appreciation and care. Their company motto is:’ We are only as strong as our weakest agent.’
And with this please join me in thanking Trish for her insights, motivation and advice. And also for demonstrating that you can develop a successful business if you stick to your values and be patient with yourself and that balance is simply a part of the spiritual path of being an entrepreneur.
Thank you, Trish! 🙂
