DISH Network

Company: DISH Network, Englewood, CO
Company Description: DISH Network is the offspring of EchoStar, a satellite TV equipment distributor founded by CEO Charlie Ergen in 1980. After filing for a DBS license in 1987, DISH was established in early 1996 and provided a wide array of programming to consumers. Now the third largest pay-tv provider in the US, DISH boasts 14 million subscribers and employs over 34,000 people nation-wide.
Nomination Category: Sales Team Categories
Nomination Sub Category: National Sales Team of the Year

Nomination Title: DISH Network's Direct Sales Team

Tell the story about what this nominated team achieved since the beginning of July last year (up to 500 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:

DISH Network is a satellite pay-TV provider based in Denver, Colorado. The
company has grown rapidly, adding an average of 1 million subscribers per year
from 1995 through 2007. However because of economic and other impacting
influences, DISH Network experienced an average loss of 57,000 subscribers per
quarter over a five-quarter period.

In 2009 DISH reorganized its National Sales Team – the Direct Sales team – and
set an internal goal of adding 1 million new subscribers through the direct
channel – the largest goal in company history.; The intent was to beat rival
DirecTV and become the fastest growing paid TV provider in America.

To achieve this goal, the new team focused on five key initiatives:

1.Create Autonomous Telesales Unit – Separate Direct Sales from the
customer service division, and in-turn move from a cost per minute to a cost
per activation model
2. Build Infrastructure Model; – Create consistent, repeatable, and
scalable telesales sites
3. Staff True Sales Talent – Attract, recruit, hire, and train an
experienced sales force
4. Substantial and Immediate Performance Improvement – Improve telephone
service levels and close ratios
5. Fortify Sales Quality and Integrity – Focus on acquiring sustainable,
profitable customers with minimal cost to operations

To achieve these initiatives Direct Sales first segmented itself into its own
department.; In order to meet the needs of sales versus a customer service
environment, existing space was rebuilt, expansion into new sites was
completed and management hierarchies were rebuilt.

Direct Sales then moved from a bonus compensation model to a commission-only
structure.; This change moved lower-skilled sales agents into service roles
and replaced them with experienced sales talent.; The strategy added over 600
sales professionals who have performed 40% better than the existing staff and
has resulted in higher productivity that accounts for a savings of
approximately $5 million annually.

Simultaneously, the team implemented a real time performance management
model driving hourly updating and reviews of sales results by individual, team and
location. This system has yielded an increase in conversion rate from 18% to
30%.; Additionally, a new call routing process was launched that requires only
one IVR selection before a customer is routed to a person. This has improved
call routing accuracy by 32%, while providing an improved customer experience.

Finally, an Integrity Team was built to complement quality assurance and to
protect against negative impacts to operations’ costs.; This increased order
accuracy and sales completion while decreasing post-sale calls.

Without these changes, 2009 telesales call volume would have yielded 400,000
fewer activations and would have produced only 700,000 new subscribers vs. the
1.1MM that was produced.; One key byproduct of this is that DISH Network’s
stock price nearly doubled since 12/31/2008.

The Direct Sales team successfully achieved their strategic objectives for
2009.;; They broke every service level, conversation rate and gross sales
record the company previously held, and will finish the year at 111% to plan.;
The trend of losing customers was reversed and by the third quarter, DISH
closed with 241K net new subscribers - making DISH Network the “fastest
growing pay-TV provider in America.”; DISH Network gained 150K activations
since third quarter, passing the 14MM subscriber mark.

List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated team:

Kieran Callaghan helped launch the Pine Brook, NJ call center in 2000, where
he began his career with DISH Network. Hired as the call center Director he
was first tasked with handling DISH Network’s substantial foreign language
customer service business.; In 2002 is center’s role was expanded to include
Direct Sales.; For 5 consecutive years Pine Brook was the top ranked sales
center in the organization. With the much needed restructuring of the Direct
Sales organization Callaghan was promoted to Vice President of Direct Sales.;
He was expected to implement the best practices used in Pine Brook across the
seven sales centers he now oversees.