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5LINX, Rochester, NY

How to EnterCompany: 5LINX, Rochester, NY
Company Description: 5LINX offers a unique work from home business opportunity based on essential products and services people use every day. 5LINX distributes its products and services through a network of dedicated independent marketing representatives. Our representatives provide our customers with the latest in telecommunications products, energy and many other products and services.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Team Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Contact Center of the Year (Up to 100 Seats) - Technology Industries

Nomination Title: 5LINX Contact Center

Tell the story about what this nominated contact center achieved since the beginning of July 2012 (up to 525 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

5LINX, recognized as the fastest growing privately held company in Rochester, NY, experienced significant growth in 2012/2013 resulting in increased demands of the Contact Center.

The 5LINX Contact Center presented at the SWPP conference in April of 2013. The presentation, “Having fun as an agent and increasing results”, was one of the best attended and received high scores by attendees. 5LINX has been invited back to the next conference to present again on how we increase results by ensuring our agents are having fun each and every day.

In 2013 5LINX introduced its “White Glove” customer service initiative. 5LINX stresses the overall customer experience as a top priority and defines white glove service as an experience where customers are amazed at how we consistently provide the highest level and quality of service in each and every interaction. Whether it's from the personal phone calls or personalized touches, we truly want customers to know that their business is important to us. White glove service is not only meeting the needs of our customers today, but by anticipating their future needs and solutions we can deliver above and beyond their expectations.

5LINX contact center management has continued its Pay for Performance Program. This program awards employees bonuses for exceeding expectations in areas such as talk time, agent availability, schedule adherence, and call quality. Agents can receive up to $1 per hour for every hour they worked and in turn, the contact center has continued to decrease the average answer times, improve the overall quality of service, and become more efficient in the process. The success of this program has resulted in the contact center being under budget in headcount along with expenses being 10% under budget in 2013 as well.

Internal surveys have demonstrated that Contact Center Agents have consistently ranked 5LINX high as being satisfied with 5LINX as their employer. Monthly promotions have included Survivor (Call observations/policies), Name That Tune (All metrics tracked), Family Feud (best schedule adherence), and Trivial Pursuit (Call observations/policies). During customer service week management created an agenda of festivities that included meals for agents, Skee Ball and Dance Revolution competitions, a peer recognition exercise and a tailgate party to conclude the week.

Efficiencies stem from finding creative ways to service customers. In 2013 5LINX used Twitter to monitor customer questions/concerns and provide immediate feedback. This channel of support has continued to increase since the launch. Twitter agents receive 10-15 questions/day, reducing calls into the contact center. 5LINX currently has 2,652 Twitter followers.

Other great programs positively impacting the contact center includes the Customer Care Suggestion program as well as “Cannoli’s with Cannova” meetings. The suggestion program receives 25-30 suggestions/month on improving processes and policies to maximize customer experiences, an easier agent experience, or making 5LINX more cost effective. Every suggestion is discussed within management and executed based on its viability. “Cannoli’s with Cannova” is a meeting where the VP of Customer Experience meets with random agents to interact with and talk to on a personal and professional level. This program has fostered great ideas as well as allowed management to get a pulse for what is happening in the front lines.

 

Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated contact center:

David Shaffer, Chief Operation Officer- David brought 15 years of telecommunications experience along with 5 years of sales support to Globalinx. David oversees all of operations from Customer Care, Engineering, Network Operations, Provisioning, Billing, and Warehouse Operations. David is a respected leader in the company and promotes a very positive work environment for his teams.

Michael Cannova, Vice President of Customer Experience and Operations- Michael came to Globalinx with over 20 years of telecommunications experience. Michael has held roles that ranged from finance, and regulatory to outside plant operations. Michael currently oversees all operational functions for Customer Care, Warehouse operations, and Service Delivery. Michael’s main goal is to ensure that all customers and representatives experience “White Glove” customer service in every interaction with our team.