Emotional Connections and Authenticity in Business. #telemarketing #call...

B2B Growth Blueprint Podcast . Modern Revenue Strategies presents Mastering Sales with Richard Blank The Future of Sales: AI, Soft Skills, and Human Connection Sales is no longer just about scripts and automation—it’s about human connection, strategic communication, and effectively leveraging AI. Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center, shares how blending soft skills, gamification, and AI can enhance customer engagement and improve sales outcomes. In the latest episode of the B2B Growth Blueprint Podcast, host Mark Osborne speaks with Richard about the power of emotional intelligence in sales, how AI can complement human conversations, and why creating an engaging work culture leads to success. Key Takeaways: The Power of Soft Skills in Sales: Richard highlights the importance of using intentional language and positive reinforcement. Simple word choices—such as saying “assist” instead of “help”—can shift customer perceptions and build trust. AI’s Role in Sales & Customer Engagement: AI is a valuable tool for handling data collection and initial inquiries, but Richard emphasizes that human empathy is irreplaceable. AI should enhance conversations, while sales professionals should focus on meaningful interactions. Gamification in the Workplace: Richard incorporates arcade games and pinball machines into his call center, fostering a fun, motivating environment that boosts morale and productivity. Breaking the Sales Script: Instead of following rigid scripts, Richard trains his agents to personalize their approach—mirroring the company name when answering calls to establish immediate rapport and reduce customer resistance. Supporting Creativity & Local Arts: Beyond business, Richard is passionate about the arts, producing music videos, and collaborating with musicians, including INXS bassist Garry Gary Beers, to support creative projects. Quotes: “If you don’t land the intro, the body and conclusion don’t even exist.” “AI can fly the plane, but humans need to take off and land it.” “Gamification fosters creativity and connection—it’s more than just business.” Conclusion: Sales success isn’t just about automation—blending AI with human connection, emotional intelligence, and workplace culture. Richard Blank’s approach demonstrates that prioritizing engagement, authenticity, and strategic communication leads to stronger customer relationships and better business results. Creating a Playful Workplace and Its Impact on Relationships The worst is, is a sterile environment. Bad coffee, uncomfortable furniture, bad magazines, bad air. It's terrible. I knew growing up that I believe in nurture. And I always got excited for bay windows and vaulted ceilings and things where as a kid you think you could do in a trampoline inside or throw footballs. Right. You made your best friends during recess. Why? You let off steam, recharged batteries. You got a chance to talk to people and hang out with people. And I've seen, especially today, that a lot of people, four could be at a table, but each one of them is on a phone or someone is isolated in the corner or they're having cigarettes outside. Right. And so I had the room. Arcades are going out of business. I'm a Generation Xer. And things that were unattainable as a child and were very expensive, I'm buying for pennies on the dollar and fixing things. Currently have 13 machines. Yeah, I'm a collector of classic pinball machines. And so I got a bunch at home. I got a few here and it gives them a chance to meet people from other departments, hang out with me. And when you see somebody laughing and giggling, you see a different side of them. And that's when people can bond even more and make friends. And so it worked for me because the worst thing you could do is just have a place where people feel like a slave. Emotional Connections and Authenticity in Business people are kind of emotional animals. Yeah. And the emotion of the sort of decision maker is as important as the logic of your pitch. And in fact, most of the time people make decisions based on emotion and they justify why they made that decision by cherry picking out some logical arguments. So it's so interesting that you use sort of that emotional connection that you can make with people around things like that to sort of really bring your business forward. You have to be careful because if it's inauthentic, you're going to get caught. Yeah. Stop calling someone champ. Unless you really know the numbers of why they're number one. So as long as you can back up that compliment, or if you talk about someone's company, but you did some due diligence, like use me for an example. https://youtu.be/itGqGnvx2XU https://youtu.be/vFooCntstPc https://youtu.be/di5mIiNXZUY Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ Mark Osborne, B2B Growth Blueprint 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 Marketing Solutions for SaaS, Tech, & B2B Services Firms to Double Pipeline Quality & Revenues in 90 Days. Attract the right Prospects, Accelerate deals through Decision-Making, & Activate Clients for Renewals and Referrals. Proven 5-Step Framework Our B2B Growth Systems will Set You Free Free from worrying about where your revenues will come from Free from struggling to know what campaigns and initiatives should be prioritized Free to focus on serving your customers and building world-class products and solutions WITHOUT Wasting Money on More Ads that Don’t Work Chasing “Growth Hacks” like Crazy Drowning in Low Quality Leads "Are Your Leads KILLING Your Business?" #1 Best Selling Book Outlines Proven 5 Step B2B Growth Framework Adapt to surprising changes in the Modern, Post-Covid Landscape Proven Strategies for how B2B Buyers Find and Buy Today Attract the Right Prospects with Differentiated Positioning Accelerate Deal Pipeline with Scalable Systems & Powerful Content Activate Renewals, Upsells, and Referrals with Proven Processes Immediate Download plus BONUS calculators, templates and hours of training videos for FREE. Evaluate our approach for yourself to see if it makes sense for your business Mark Osborne Despite your innovations, if you can’t efficiently and effectively connect your solution with your target market, you’ll never succeed. Working with Leaders at Early-Stage B2B SaaS/SwaS and Professional Services firms for the last 20 years, we know the importance of system-based solutions for growth; using data and technology for Revenue Systems that Attract the right customers, Accelerate opportunities through the Pipeline, and Activate clients for renewals, upsells, and referrals. Hiring a Full-Time Marketing Executive with the experience you need to scale your company past initial “Product X Market Fit” is tough. The salary cost, the internal politics, the equity sharing, etc. etc. etc. can be overwhelming for early stage companies. We built Modern Revenue Strategies to bridge this phase of growth from ~$2M – $20M Annual Recurring Revenue, while delivering world-class solutions for marketing leadership that builds your company, and catapults you to the next level of success. B2B Growth Systems set you Free from chasing growth hacks, or dependency on agencies, advertising spend, or gurus. Now you and your team can focus on building the best solutions for your market and servicing your customers; not going crazy trying to run your marketing programs. Most companies struggle with… Confusion over your Ideal Customer and Buying Committee Personas Weak Positioning that sounds just like all your competitors Wasting money on Ads without understanding the Customer Journey Imagine instead… Marketing that stands out, attracting the right customers to you Systems that reliably accelerate your revenue and team success Activating your data and technology on autopilot for predictable results For one established B2B Services business, we delivered a $30M increase in bookings through implementing these systems, creating a successful exit for founders. CEOs and Sales Leaders at Early Stage SaaS, Tech, and B2B Services firms - you can have a growing business without driving yourself crazy. Agencies, Consultants, and Marketing “Gurus” are focused on the wrong things. They’re bogged down in tactics and are giving you whiplash chasing a different growth hack every month. They have you jumping from one idea to the next, burning money along the way, but never realizing results. Your competitors are winning the market with scalable systems and processes that focus on proven marketing strategy. Modern Revenue Strategies delivers predictable growth, often doubling revenue and pipeline in as little as 3 months without wasting money on more ads, chasing growth hacks, or drowning in low quality leads. Most clients see a 10X Return on Investment. Our B2B Growth Systems will set you free. Free from the fear that you won’t make money; Free from struggling to know what campaigns and initiatives should be prioritized; Free to focus on serving your customers and building world-class products and solutions. #1 Best Selling B2B Marketing Book on Amazon lays out our Proven 5-Step Growth Framework: * Attract the right Prospects with Differentiated Positioning * Accelerate Deal Pipeline with Scalable Systems and Powerful Content * Activate Renewals, Upsells, and Referrals with proven processes Get the 1st Chapter for Free to see if our approach makes sense for your business. Hiring a Full-Time Marketing Executive with the experience you need to scale your company past initial 'Product X Market Fit' is tough. The salary cost, the internal politics, the equity sharing, etc. etc. etc. can be overwhelming for early-stage companies. We built Modern Revenue Strategies to bridge this phase of growth (from $1M - $20M ARR) while delivering Best-in-Class solutions for marketing leadership that builds your company and catapults you to the next stage of success. 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/ #MarkOsborne #B2BGrowthBlueprintPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest The Power of Soft Skills in Sales Calls That's an excellent question. We do have the luxury of technology, so we record all of our calls and have a dedicated department to check the quality assurance and their key performance indicators. That's what I'm paying you to do. I want the soft skills. Because anybody can carpet bomb a list. Right. Any supervisor can give you a script and all the rebuttals on what to say. I'll tell you what, if you don't land the intro, the body and conclusion don't even exist. You might get 30 seconds if you're lucky. It's like a mouse. But if you're good, you can buy time and get checkpoints. For a 10-minute conversation, my friend, is 20, 30-second conversations, if you look at it that way. Easier to carry, less weight. Much more control, easier adjustments. But let's get to at least some simple strategies because we don't have all day to give all of my secrets out. The first thing I was mentioning were soft skills. The AI Frustration Breaking Point and the Need for Human Help I don't like putting things over the phone. I don't think it's the voice recognition is good enough. They don't give you enough options. And then they hang up on you after you fail three times to say, I need to speak to someone. That's right. That you could lose a client. So you should, as I mentioned, 20 and 20, that's the breaking point of the frustration of either the program you want me to fill out. It's not working good enough. A sense of urgency because my tire is flat. Right. Or, I'm about to either join your company, leave your company or what to do because it's intense. Money's exchanged, time's happening. So you got to get that stage of someone to jump in real quick and just say, is everything doing okay with the robot? Everything's fine, but I got a question about this thing. It came two days late. Not a problem. Credit on the... Those are the credit on the account. Oh, your email says it's a three. It's an eight. It's an eight. Great. Just wanted to make sure. I tried it five times. That's why I'm here. Maybe you should have a default. Keep pressing the same button. Supervisor should be popping in just to see if you're okay. Yeah. Because you're not okay. Is Emotion the Missing Piece in Your B2B Pitch? B2B buyers might seem all about logic, but emotions often drive their decisions. People buy based on their feelings—then use logic to justify it. Are you tapping into the emotional side of your sales pitch? #B2BMarketing #SalesStrategy #EmotionalBranding Can AI Ever Replace Human Empathy? No matter how advanced AI gets, it will never truly understand human emotions. Empathy isn’t just data—it’s lived experience. And that’s why people will always be essential in relationships, retention, and real connection. #AIvsHuman #EmpathyMatters #HumanConnection Would You Trust AI to Land a Plane? AI can handle the long-haul flights, maybe even serve the food—but I want a human in control when it comes to takeoff and landing. The same goes for customer service. Automation has its place, but when people need real help, nothing replaces a human touch. #AIvsHuman #CustomerExperience #TechBalance Authenticity Matters in Sales & Networking Empty compliments won’t get you far—people can tell when you’re being inauthentic. If you will praise someone or their company, ensure you’ve done your homework. A little due diligence goes a long way in building real trust. #AuthenticityWins #NetworkingTips #DoYourResearch

Creating a Playful Workplace and Its Impact on Relationships. #pinball #...

B2B Growth Blueprint Podcast . Modern Revenue Strategies presents AI Con...

B2B Growth Blueprint Podcast . Modern Revenue Strategies presents Mastering Sales with Richard Blank The Future of Sales: AI, Soft Skills, and Human Connection Sales is no longer just about scripts and automation—it’s about human connection, strategic communication, and effectively leveraging AI. Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center, shares how blending soft skills, gamification, and AI can enhance customer engagement and improve sales outcomes. In the latest episode of the B2B Growth Blueprint Podcast, host Mark Osborne speaks with Richard about the power of emotional intelligence in sales, how AI can complement human conversations, and why creating an engaging work culture leads to success. Key Takeaways: The Power of Soft Skills in Sales: Richard highlights the importance of using intentional language and positive reinforcement. Simple word choices—such as saying “assist” instead of “help”—can shift customer perceptions and build trust. AI’s Role in Sales & Customer Engagement: AI is a valuable tool for handling data collection and initial inquiries, but Richard emphasizes that human empathy is irreplaceable. AI should enhance conversations, while sales professionals should focus on meaningful interactions. Gamification in the Workplace: Richard incorporates arcade games and pinball machines into his call center, fostering a fun, motivating environment that boosts morale and productivity. Breaking the Sales Script: Instead of following rigid scripts, Richard trains his agents to personalize their approach—mirroring the company name when answering calls to establish immediate rapport and reduce customer resistance. Supporting Creativity & Local Arts: Beyond business, Richard is passionate about the arts, producing music videos, and collaborating with musicians, including INXS bassist Garry Gary Beers, to support creative projects. Quotes: “If you don’t land the intro, the body and conclusion don’t even exist.” “AI can fly the plane, but humans need to take off and land it.” “Gamification fosters creativity and connection—it’s more than just business.” Conclusion: Sales success isn’t just about automation—blending AI with human connection, emotional intelligence, and workplace culture. Richard Blank’s approach demonstrates that prioritizing engagement, authenticity, and strategic communication leads to stronger customer relationships and better business results. Marketing Solutions for SaaS, Tech, & B2B Services Firms to Double Pipeline Quality & Revenues in 90 Days. Attract the right Prospects, Accelerate deals through Decision-Making, & Activate Clients for Renewals and Referrals. Proven 5-Step Framework Our B2B Growth Systems will Set You Free Free from worrying about where your revenues will come from Free from struggling to know what campaigns and initiatives should be prioritized Free to focus on serving your customers and building world-class products and solutions WITHOUT Wasting Money on More Ads that Don’t Work Chasing “Growth Hacks” like Crazy Drowning in Low Quality Leads "Are Your Leads KILLING Your Business?" #1 Best Selling Book Outlines Proven 5 Step B2B Growth Framework Adapt to surprising changes in the Modern, Post-Covid Landscape Proven Strategies for how B2B Buyers Find and Buy Today Attract the Right Prospects with Differentiated Positioning Accelerate Deal Pipeline with Scalable Systems & Powerful Content Activate Renewals, Upsells, and Referrals with Proven Processes Immediate Download plus BONUS calculators, templates and hours of training videos for FREE. Evaluate our approach for yourself to see if it makes sense for your business Mark Osborne Despite your innovations, if you can’t efficiently and effectively connect your solution with your target market, you’ll never succeed. Working with Leaders at Early-Stage B2B SaaS/SwaS and Professional Services firms for the last 20 years, we know the importance of system-based solutions for growth; using data and technology for Revenue Systems that Attract the right customers, Accelerate opportunities through the Pipeline, and Activate clients for renewals, upsells, and referrals. Hiring a Full-Time Marketing Executive with the experience you need to scale your company past initial “Product X Market Fit” is tough. The salary cost, the internal politics, the equity sharing, etc. etc. etc. can be overwhelming for early stage companies. We built Modern Revenue Strategies to bridge this phase of growth from ~$2M – $20M Annual Recurring Revenue, while delivering world-class solutions for marketing leadership that builds your company, and catapults you to the next level of success. B2B Growth Systems set you Free from chasing growth hacks, or dependency on agencies, advertising spend, or gurus. Now you and your team can focus on building the best solutions for your market and servicing your customers; not going crazy trying to run your marketing programs. Most companies struggle with… Confusion over your Ideal Customer and Buying Committee Personas Weak Positioning that sounds just like all your competitors Wasting money on Ads without understanding the Customer Journey Imagine instead… Marketing that stands out, attracting the right customers to you Systems that reliably accelerate your revenue and team success Activating your data and technology on autopilot for predictable results For one established B2B Services business, we delivered a $30M increase in bookings through implementing these systems, creating a successful exit for founders. CEOs and Sales Leaders at Early Stage SaaS, Tech, and B2B Services firms - you can have a growing business without driving yourself crazy. Agencies, Consultants, and Marketing “Gurus” are focused on the wrong things. They’re bogged down in tactics and are giving you whiplash chasing a different growth hack every month. They have you jumping from one idea to the next, burning money along the way, but never realizing results. Your competitors are winning the market with scalable systems and processes that focus on proven marketing strategy. Modern Revenue Strategies delivers predictable growth, often doubling revenue and pipeline in as little as 3 months without wasting money on more ads, chasing growth hacks, or drowning in low quality leads. Most clients see a 10X Return on Investment. Our B2B Growth Systems will set you free. Free from the fear that you won’t make money; Free from struggling to know what campaigns and initiatives should be prioritized; Free to focus on serving your customers and building world-class products and solutions. #1 Best Selling B2B Marketing Book on Amazon lays out our Proven 5-Step Growth Framework: * Attract the right Prospects with Differentiated Positioning * Accelerate Deal Pipeline with Scalable Systems and Powerful Content * Activate Renewals, Upsells, and Referrals with proven processes Get the 1st Chapter for Free to see if our approach makes sense for your business. Hiring a Full-Time Marketing Executive with the experience you need to scale your company past initial 'Product X Market Fit' is tough. The salary cost, the internal politics, the equity sharing, etc. etc. etc. can be overwhelming for early-stage companies. We built Modern Revenue Strategies to bridge this phase of growth (from $1M - $20M ARR) while delivering Best-in-Class solutions for marketing leadership that builds your company and catapults you to the next stage of success. https://youtu.be/itGqGnvx2XU Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ Mark Osborne, B2B Growth Blueprint 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 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/ #MarkOsborne #B2BGrowthBlueprintPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest The Power of Soft Skills in Sales Calls That's an excellent question. We do have the luxury of technology, so we record all of our calls and have a dedicated department to check the quality assurance and their key performance indicators. That's what I'm paying you to do. I want the soft skills. Because anybody can carpet bomb a list. Right. Any supervisor can give you a script and all the rebuttals on what to say. I'll tell you what, if you don't land the intro, the body and conclusion don't even exist. You might get 30 seconds if you're lucky. It's like a mouse. But if you're good, you can buy time and get checkpoints. For a 10-minute conversation, my friend, is 20, 30-second conversations, if you look at it that way. Easier to carry, less weight. Much more control, easier adjustments. But let's get to at least some simple strategies because we don't have all day to give all of my secrets out. The first thing I was mentioning were soft skills. Creating a Playful Workplace and Its Impact on Relationships The worst is, is a sterile environment. Bad coffee, uncomfortable furniture, bad magazines, bad air. It's terrible. I knew growing up that I believe in nurture. And I always got excited for bay windows and vaulted ceilings and things where as a kid you think you could do in a trampoline inside or throw footballs. Right. You made your best friends during recess. Why? You let off steam, recharged batteries. You got a chance to talk to people and hang out with people. And I've seen, especially today, that a lot of people, four could be at a table, but each one of them is on a phone or someone is isolated in the corner or they're having cigarettes outside. Right. And so I had the room. Arcades are going out of business. I'm a Generation Xer. And things that were unattainable as a child and were very expensive, I'm buying for pennies on the dollar and fixing things. Currently have 13 machines. Yeah, I'm a collector of classic pinball machines. And so I got a bunch at home. I got a few here and it gives them a chance to meet people from other departments, hang out with me. And when you see somebody laughing and giggling, you see a different side of them. And that's when people can bond even more and make friends. And so it worked for me because the worst thing you could do is just have a place where people feel like a slave. Emotional Connections and Authenticity in Business people are kind of emotional animals. Yeah. And the emotion of the sort of decision maker is as important as the logic of your pitch. And in fact, most of the time people make decisions based on emotion and they justify why they made that decision by cherry picking out some logical arguments. So it's so interesting that you use sort of that emotional connection that you can make with people around things like that to sort of really bring your business forward. You have to be careful because if it's inauthentic, you're going to get caught. Yeah. Stop calling someone champ. Unless you really know the numbers of why they're number one. So as long as you can back up that compliment, or if you talk about someone's company, but you did some due diligence, like use me for an example. The AI Frustration Breaking Point and the Need for Human Help I don't like putting things over the phone. I don't think it's the voice recognition is good enough. They don't give you enough options. And then they hang up on you after you fail three times to say, I need to speak to someone. That's right. That you could lose a client. So you should, as I mentioned, 20 and 20, that's the breaking point of the frustration of either the program you want me to fill out. It's not working good enough. A sense of urgency because my tire is flat. Right. Or, I'm about to either join your company, leave your company or what to do because it's intense. Money's exchanged, time's happening. So you got to get that stage of someone to jump in real quick and just say, is everything doing okay with the robot? Everything's fine, but I got a question about this thing. It came two days late. Not a problem. Credit on the... Those are the credit on the account. Oh, your email says it's a three. It's an eight. It's an eight. Great. Just wanted to make sure. I tried it five times. That's why I'm here. Maybe you should have a default. Keep pressing the same button. Supervisor should be popping in just to see if you're okay. Yeah. Because you're not okay.

Navigating Business with Richard Blank: From Call Centers to AI & Pinbal...

In this episode of the Valuu Maker Podcast, host Ryan Purvis talks with Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center. They discuss the transition to remote work, the impact of technology and AI, and the charm of retro pinball machines. Richard shares his journey, the challenges faced during the shift to cloud services, and his love for classic art and arcade games. Whether you're interested in business strategies, nostalgic gaming, or future tech, this conversation has something for everyone. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:26 Pinball Machines and Personal Interests 00:58 Transition to Work from Home 01:35 Challenges and Benefits of Remote Work 03:20 Training and Employee Development 09:16 AI and Its Impact on Business 19:51 Plug and Play Solutions 19:59 Cloud and Insurance Companies 20:29 Building and Office Space 21:03 Art Deco and Architecture 21:57 Cost and Labor Savings 24:10 Journey of the Limousine 26:52 Pinball Machines and Collectibles 28:28 Electromechanical Pinball Machines 30:26 Jukeboxes and Vinyl Records 32:13 Music and Video Productions 33:20 Future Plans and Hobbies 33:46 Final Thoughts and Advice

Richard Blank : Embracing Change: From Pinball Machines to AI Enhancements

In a lively episode of Valuu Makers, host Ryan Purvis welcomes back Richard Blank, the charismatic CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center. With a passion as electrifying as his pinball machines, Richard delves into the shifting landscape of remote work, the integration of AI in business, and the art of maintaining human connections in a digital age. What ensues is an insightful discussion on adapting to modern work environments while cherishing timeless personal interactions, interspersed with tales from Richard's unique journey in Costa Rica. Pinball Passion and Changing Norms Richard Blank shares his sentimental attachment to his pinball machines, a collection rooted in nostalgia for the vibrant 1970s. “I'm living a 13-year-old dream, just having your own arcade,” he quips, underscoring his belief in blending professional demands with personal passions. Yet, his story isn't just about games — it's about adapting to forced transitions, like the shift to remote work prompted by COVID-19. “Sometimes the best changes are when your dad throws you in the deep end of the pool and says, swim,” he reflects, emphasizing resilience. Navigating the New Work Landscape Ryan Purvis probes into the transformative effects of remote work on business operations. Richard candidly admits, “The labor pool prefers working from home... But I'm old school, I'd like to see people.” While embracing technology, he stresses the irreplaceable value of human interaction and the spontaneity of office conversations. The switchover to cloud-based systems, a critical move for many businesses, also forms a large part of their discussion. Leveraging AI Without Losing Humanity A focal point of their conversation is the role of AI in transforming business practices. Richard sees AI as augmentative rather than replaceable, highlighting its role in enhancing efficiency while preserving the human touch. “The AI can never hug you...or say Happy birthday,” he asserts, advocating for a balanced approach where AI handles routine tasks, leaving humans to build genuine relationships. Ryan, too, stresses this point, noting how AI can simplify tasks, granting more time for personal pursuits. Richard's views are clear: “There’s a lot of entry-level and easily replaceable employees that feel threatened,” he acknowledges, but emphasizes, “If you have skills... companies will still hire you.” It's a reminder that while AI is revolutionizing how we work, it cannot replicate human empathy or creativity. Building a Future with Personal Touches Despite technological shifts, Richard stresses the importance of empathy and personal connections. “There is no replacement for the satisfaction of a real high-five,” he insists, capturing the essence of human interaction that technology can't replace. His narrative is not just about adapting to change but doing so while cherishing the human elements of his industry. Wrap-up: As Ryan and Richard's conversation draws to a close, the key takeaway is clear: adapt to new technologies while maintaining the human touch that sets businesses apart. For more enriching insights, tune into the episode and explore how to navigate the changing digital workplace.

Manager Memo podcast by professor Len Samborowski. Un Maestro de la Comu...

Manager Memo podcast by professor Len Samborowski. Un Maestro de la Comunicacion con Richard Blank. Manager Memo podcast A biweekly podcast focused on the planning, organizing, leading, and evaluating functions of management. Interviews with leading business practitioners provide tantalizing tips, wizardly wisdom and energized encouragement to our listeners. Len Samborowski, MBA Associate Professor, Nichols College Season 07 Episode 25 Richard Blank: President of Costa Rica’s Call Center provides a fast, fun, and furious master class on the science and secrets behind telemarketing sales. Along the way we discuss – the power of bilingual skills (11:50), First Impressions (14:00), training telemarketers (20:00), pinball metaphors (27:00), INXS (31:45), positive escalation (38:30), Phonetic Micro Expressions (39:00), the Buffer Boomerang Technique (43:35), and Right Butt, Wrong Seat (51:00). Special challenge – count the culture references sprinkled throughout this pod, from Helen Keller to Bo Derek, Napoleon Dynamite to Eddie George. Checkout Richard Blank’s YouTube video featuring Garry Gary Beers (INXS) @ Costa Rica’s Call Center. This podcast is teamed with LukeLeaders1248, a nonprofit that provides scholarships for the children of military Veterans. Help us reach our 3-scholarship goal for 2025. Send a donation, large or small, through our website @ www.lukeleaders1248.com, PayPal, or Venmo @LukeLeaders1248. Music intro and outro from the creative brilliance of Kenny Kilgore. Lowriders and Beautiful Rainy Day. Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ Len Samborowski, Manager Memo 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 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/ #LenSamborowski #ManagerMemopodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest https://youtu.be/whUvx30ILfY

Overcoming Expectations and Choosing a New Path. #adventure #dreamer #bu...

Night Beat Media "Living The Dream" podcast. Mastering Business with a Bilingual Edge with Richard Blank "Night Beat Media's Living The Dream" is a Podcast dedicated to providing inspirational and educational content for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and individuals seeking personal and professional growth. Through a combination of mindset hacks, interviews, and open discussions, our podcast aims to share the real-life stories and insights of successful entrepreneurs, entertainers, industrial experts, and thought leaders. Our mission is to empower and educate our audience, helping them overcome obstacles and turn their dreams into reality. Night Beat Media "Living The Dream" podcast. It features mindset hacks, interviews and open discussions with entrepreneurs, entertainers, industrial and small business experts regard their journey, obstacles faced and how they overcame them to remain standing. In short it's the hero's story from real people. Our guests include a mix of people who speak on topics of the day that are relevant and important to the small businesses, entrepreneurs, game changers and thought leaders. The experts and guests alike offer great advice, stories and tips that are beneficial to entrepreneurs, everyday people, small businesses and the minority community. It's one thing to talk about succeeding, but it's another putting in the work in order to turn your dream into a reality. Richard Blank, the innovative CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, takes listeners on his extraordinary journey of defying expectations and embracing the power of bilingualism. From a young age, Richard's passion for the Spanish language set him on a path that would transform his life. Disregarding traditional career norms, he pursued Spanish studies at the University of Arizona, leading him to a pivotal opportunity in Costa Rica. There, he started from scratch, building both a successful career and an impressive team of over 10,000 bilingual telemarketers, all while fostering a company culture enriched with retro gaming and creativity. Listeners will be captivated by Richard's insights on the profound benefits of bilingualism and the unique challenges of entrepreneurship in a foreign land. He shares his experiences of navigating cultural nuances and emphasizes the importance of adaptability and continuous learning. Richard's story highlights how embracing a second language can open up vibrant new worlds and enrich personal interactions, while also offering practical advice on assembling a team of skilled specialists to thrive in a competitive business landscape. This episode goes beyond traditional business discussions, exploring the enduring value of human empathy and authentic connections amidst technological advancements. Richard delves into the art of sales techniques, the significance of soft skills, and the power of personalized communication to build lasting relationships. With his innovative approach to gamification in the workplace, Richard demonstrates how a playful environment can enhance employee morale and foster meaningful connections. Join us for an inspiring conversation filled with insights on leadership, personal growth, and the irreplaceable human touch in an increasingly AI-driven world. AI vs Real Life Why Live Experiences Will ALWAYS Win! Richard Blank compares the value of live experiences, like seeing a painting or live theater, to artificial alternatives, like prints or movies. It's, it's better to see a painting than a print, home-cooked meal than microwaved, live theater compared to movie. And so, you will see today, and people talk about it, that AI is writing script, playing music, creating art. That's okay. But if you walk downtown, 10, 20, 30 years from now, and you see a person playing live on the street, you know, with his hat there to try to make a buck, I can guarantee he's gonna have a long line of people dropping a dollar into his hat, 'cause they're gonna love to see somebody that's passionate, live, doing their business. AI to the 10 Yard Line, You Score the Touchdown Human Touch Wins! In this video Richard Blank discusses how AI can help gather information and move it along, using a football analogy to illustrate AI's role in getting the ball to the ten-yard line, while emphasizing the need for interpersonal communication to complete the task. How Observing Your Surroundings Can Change the Conversation I tell you what. When I used to go on my job interviews back in 1996, I was going around Scottsdale and Phoenix trying to get jobs. This is before people's cell phones. So imagine how these individuals are sitting in the waiting room. So it was my turn and I would go in and I have to talk to Billy and Joey and make my case. So I'd be sitting there talking and then I'd say, listen, gentlemen, do you mind if I stand up for a second? OK, not to intimidate when we move around a bit. And so what I would do is I'd get up and I do a half loop around their office. Why? Because if I'm sitting, I'm talking to you. I don't see the jukebox and the candy machine behind me. And so there's a very good chance I'm going to see you fishing, playing golf, Michigan State, you know, something. And I'm going to talk about things that I would have never talked about if I didn't look behind me. I mean, these are your things in your office turned on. proudly displayed. You'd be foolish not to find two or three me too's in there and to get real and raw for a minute. Introducing Richard Blank: Taking Risks, Building Dreams Hi, welcome to another episode of Mighty Media's Living the Dream. Joining us today is Richard Blank, the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center. Richard's story is all about taking risks, overcoming family guilt and societal pressure, and building something amazing in a new country. He's been on this incredible journey for over two decades now, training over 10,000 bilingual telemarketers along the way. That's right, 10,000 telemarketers. Richard's got some seriously advanced telemarketing strategies tips on conflict management and insights into customer support that we're going to dive into. Plus, he's also about gamification. He owns the largest collection of restored American pinball machines and antique jukeboxes in Costa Rica. Living in the Now: The Unexpected Joys of Bilingualism But then you say, well, you might make a mistake or you might not understand something. Yeah, I got you. But the people are so enthralled for the fact that you're participating. You're there. You get points for that. There's like a handicap and a hedging and a curve. And everyone is more than willing to carry you along, to give you some grammar, some additional vocabulary, a couple expressions. My problem is I don't get jokes in Spanish, or it takes me five years to get it. But that's cute. It's still innocent. It's still raw. You're not so rehearsed and the conversation isn't so mundane that you space out. When you are bilingual, you are really concentrating in the moment. You're translating, you're figuring, you feel smarter. It's like a recharging of a battery. You're really in there. And so for somebody with attention deficit and attention spans and can be bored quickly if someone's not juggling in front of me, this really allowed me to live in the now and to really be there in life and it surprised me it's kind of weird it's almost like surfing you know eventually you can kind of know where the board is you kind of get a couple moves but there's nothing better than a three-minute conversation a five-minute conversation you're like wait a second really surfing next thing you know you've been talking for two hours with someone over coffee hanging out and you you feel that you have more culture you feel enriched You want to start looking at paintings now and write poetry. Overcoming Expectations and Choosing a New Path I could fall under the pressures of going to Harvard Law like grandpa, Columbia Business School like my pops, or Washington and Lee University like my brother. I didn't have the grades, the maturity, and I just didn't feel like that was a good path for me. It just didn't feel right. And so I decided to be a Spanish major and go to the University of Arizona. I knew it was going to make me versatile, marketable, open some doors, or at least I know I'd get a return on investment of those four years, or in my case, five years at the university. And so what happened was... During college, I interned for Telemundo just to test the waters. Post-grad, I worked for the importers of Corona, and I also sold telecom to the Latino marketplace. I was practicing those skills. And so in August of 2000, I was given a one in a million opportunity to move to Costa Rica and work at my friend's center. And as you stated, I got past some serious parents' guilt, decided to stop sending my resume out through a fax machine to try to get a job, and to take a time out. Little did I know I shed some skin, opened my eyes, fell in love with the girl of my dreams, decided to stay. And that pretty much began the second half of my life on this amazing adventure. It was very pure. It was raw. There was no blueprint. You couldn't use your family or friends' connections. It's pretty much just starting from scratch at a later age in life when you're 27. You're not a kid anymore. https://youtu.be/oDOHvVp8-Hk https://youtu.be/svjB3BQUn88 https://youtu.be/H25KhARbaCM https://youtu.be/r_c5w7voMEA https://youtu.be/YGhRjNVuU5E Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ Gregory A. Tucker, Night Beat Media, Living The Dream, 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 Gregory A. Tucker I’m a highly motivated, results-focused Independent Digital Media Producer/Veteran Employment Specialist/Trainer/Media Coach with over 18 years of assisting diverse individuals in the areas of vocational rehabilitation, job readiness and personal development. Processing 20+ years-experience of new media/video production. Resourceful problem solver, strategic planner with proven ability to bring quick resolution to clients challenging situations. Ensuring that clients message/story is clear, concise and engaging by managing digital media projects from beginning to end by utilizing agile and lean methodology. Currently working towards PMP certification through PMI. Specialties: Final Cut Pro Studio/ FCP X Power User/ Adobe Creative Suite Power/ AVID Composer Power User/ DaVinci Resolve. Final Draft User/ Remote Location Manager/ Project Management/ Agile Project Management Job Coaching/ Personal and Workforce Development/ Strategic Planing Digital Media Marketing/ Program Development/ Certified Deposition Video Specialists 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/ #GregoryATucker #NightBeatMedia #LivingTheDream #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest