Monday, June 16, 2025
Challenging Workplace Stereotypes about Couples. #business #callcenter #...
Growing Up B2B Podcast. Dialing Into Success: a Call Center into a Legacy with Richard Blank
How do you build a business during a recession—and turn it into a legacy?
In this episode of the Growing Up B2B Podcast, Ed Delia, PCM Delia sits down with Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, who shares how family values, relentless perseverance, and people-first leadership helped him scale a company with heart.
He discusses the dynamics of working with family, including his wife and nephew, and the importance of open communication and respect. Richard also explores the future of the call center industry amidst technological advancements and offers advice for couples in business.
In this episode of Growing Up B2B, Richard shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting his call center during the 2008 recession, and the influence of his family's entrepreneurial background. From hiring his 13-year-old nephew to co-leading with his wife, Richard's insights into succession, culture, and growth are a masterclass in legacy-driven business.
Challenging Workplace Stereotypes about Couples
It's so interesting you say that. You know how some kids will go to mommy and say, hey, mommy, can I have some ice cream? She goes, no. Then they go to daddy, Eddie. He goes, of course you can. I love you. And so there are some people that play the middle. They hedge their bets. And I don't like that. I don't like that at all. Or they said, Richard said that I could. I go, Richard said I could. And I don't like that sort of game. And then some people might, as I mentioned, when they see us, they might not see us even as a couple. They see us as owners and bosses and whatever. But you have to realize something. It's like when you saw your teacher ever ride a bike, you're like, they ride bikes? And no, we have a beautiful life. And if you see us outside the office, you'll see us strolling and arm and arm and smiling. And what are we supposed to be yelling at each other at work? Seriously. And so I think we need to shatter some misconceptions that even though people might have a position or responsibilities, you have no idea what they do behind closed doors.
https://youtu.be/RetVWs1-VTk
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Delia Associates , Ed Delia, Growing Up B2B 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
In this episode of Growing Up B2B, Richard shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting his call center during the 2008 recession, and the influence of his family's entrepreneurial background.
Building Real Connections with Social Grace
Richard Blank, President of Costa Rica's Call Center, talks about how showing up on time, asking follow-up questions, and being sociable can make all the difference in building meaningful connections.
Tough Love at Work? Why It Still Works
Richard Blank’s leadership playbook is pure old-school: accountability, honesty, and deep love.
He shares how family-style mentoring at work shaped a high-performance, values-led culture.
“Hit the Governor Switch. Take the 10 down to a 2.”
In this Growing Up B2B clip, Richard Blank shares how a moment of self-awareness—and a little laughter—can completely shift the tone in tense conversations.
Delia Associates Branding & Marketing
Description
BUSINESS BRAND EXPERTS THAT GET YOU TO YOUR NEXT…
We are a team of creative, knowledgeable, client-focused professionals who develop highly distinctive brands, supported by integrated marketing services.
Your Brand is the Most Valuable Asset to Your Business. When it’s decision-making time, a prospect’s lasting perception of your company as a brand is what’s remembered, appreciated, and acted upon. Ultimately, perception becomes reality because at point of first contact, that’s what prospects are buying; the positive anticipation of using your product or service for their benefit. Branded corporations have consistently outpaced unbranded ones, realizing greater market share, higher margins, happier personnel, and delighted clients. As business brand experts, Delia Associates can take your brand to the next level.
Delia Associates is your dedicated branding, marketing planning, web design and development, social media, PR/press & tradeshow, and strategic search engine marketing and SEO partner.
We specialize in the brands behind the brands. Are you in Specialty Manufacturing, Industrial, Materials Development, Product Development, Financial Services, or other B2B verticals? Let us show you how to elevate your brand.
When your brand happens in the mind of customers, will success follow?
As a brand-centric company, we offer strategic ways to deploy your brand, gain recognition and drive business in your market including:
- Integrated SEO & SEM Programs
- Analytics Reporting
- Website Design and Development
- Video Development
- Marketing Plan Development
- Trade Show Communications and Asset Design
- Strategic Marketing & Messaging Guidance
- Content Strategy & Development
- Custom Integrated Annual Communications Programs
Ed Delia:
TRUTH #1: B2b brands are in my DNA. Yes, it’s true. I’m the second-generation leader of Delia Associates, a full-service b2b branding and marketing firm founded in 1964 by my dad, Mike.
TRUTH #2: Exceptional b2b brands don’t just happen. It takes a clear and deliberate brand strategy and a lot of focused, tactical effort directed towards achieving specific goals. After launching, revitalizing, and re-engineering hundreds of b2b brands with our team at Delia Associates, that’s what experience has taught me. Over and over again.
TRUTH #3: Companies that take the time to properly cultivate their brand consistently outpace all others, which leads to greater market share, higher margins, outstanding employees, and lifelong clients. Experience has taught me that, too.
Now, let’s talk about you.
TRUTH #4: Your brand is the most valuable asset to your business. It gets you noticed, remembered, and ultimately, chosen over all others.
TRUTH #5: Emotion is what ultimately moves customers, prospects, even your current and future employees, to choose your brand. It goes way beyond what you do. It’s about the emotional connection. The shared experience. How it makes them feel.
TRUTH #6: You don’t have to be the biggest company to be the most successful, but you do have to be the best brand you can be. Is yours? Are you sure?
Now, let’s talk about us.
We’re the firm that can take you to a position of brand leadership; quickly and efficiently. We work exclusively with B2B organizations like yours, empowering them through a proprietary, patented system of brand strategy, foundation, and engagement to achieve absolute distinction and sustainable growth. Our results prove it. Over and over again.
Now, let’s talk.
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/
#Delia Associates #EdDelia #GrowingUpB2BPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
How AI and Technology Are Transforming the Industry
The labor pool. I can get anybody anywhere in the world now because of VPNs and the technology. It just took away the synergy in my pizzazz of knowing people and walking the roads. But where do I see this industry going? Just like the buggy whip. Eventually. AI will take over 90% of my business. There is something called the uncanny valley theory, where if it gets too much like human beings, we freak out and then we got to readjust again. I get it. That's why when you have these integrated voice response, the IVRs or these robo calls or Judy trying to sell you time life descriptions, it sounds perfect, but the timing is a little off and still it just doesn't seem 100% correct. It's like a mannequin, something off in nature.
Leadership Through Compassion: Earning Loyalty in High-Attrition Industries
Don't tell anybody. Of course, I'm not going to say anything. They go, you're the best boss ever. I go, yeah, because I know your name and I care. And so through natural filtration and the rotation and the high attrition in my industry, I get the solid rocks because I was there when they needed me most. And I asked for nothing in return. pulled him off the phone, or I gave him the public acclimates. And so I did the right thing that resonated. Do you understand? I made them feel better when they were the most vulnerable. And I could have broken them at that moment, but I didn't.
Mentoring and Growing with the Next Generation
And so this young man, Jason, who has been with me since he's been 13 years old, invested. Look at those beautiful years of late teens and 20s. With me, that is a serious responsibility on my end. And so I didn't want to put too much in the backpack, too much weight. I wanted to make sure he was getting stronger. And I gave little things, had him sitting in on meetings and telling him what's going on. And the things you would do at when you're butting a squire to a knife. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. I love that mindset because a lot of times people, I think sometimes they give up on people and they say they can't get to that next level or they can't do this or they've got shortcomings. And I think that's sometimes that's the opportunity to break through. And if you can break through with somebody, you may have an awesome person on your team for life or for the tenure of their career. And it sounds like you have that in your nephew.
Growing Up B2B Podcast. Dialing Into Success: a Call Center start up to ...
Growing Up B2B Podcast. Dialing Into Success: a Call Center into a Legacy with Richard Blank
How do you build a business during a recession—and turn it into a legacy?
In this episode of the Growing Up B2B Podcast, Ed Delia, PCM Delia sits down with Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, who shares how family values, relentless perseverance, and people-first leadership helped him scale a company with heart.
He discusses the dynamics of working with family, including his wife and nephew, and the importance of open communication and respect. Richard also explores the future of the call center industry amidst technological advancements and offers advice for couples in business.
In this episode of Growing Up B2B, Richard shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting his call center during the 2008 recession, and the influence of his family's entrepreneurial background. From hiring his 13-year-old nephew to co-leading with his wife, Richard's insights into succession, culture, and growth are a masterclass in legacy-driven business.
https://youtu.be/RetVWs1-VTk
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Delia Associates , Ed Delia, Growing Up B2B 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
In this episode of Growing Up B2B, Richard shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting his call center during the 2008 recession, and the influence of his family's entrepreneurial background.
Building Real Connections with Social Grace
Richard Blank, President of Costa Rica's Call Center, talks about how showing up on time, asking follow-up questions, and being sociable can make all the difference in building meaningful connections.
Tough Love at Work? Why It Still Works
Richard Blank’s leadership playbook is pure old-school: accountability, honesty, and deep love.
He shares how family-style mentoring at work shaped a high-performance, values-led culture.
“Hit the Governor Switch. Take the 10 down to a 2.”
In this Growing Up B2B clip, Richard Blank shares how a moment of self-awareness—and a little laughter—can completely shift the tone in tense conversations.
Delia Associates Branding & Marketing
Description
BUSINESS BRAND EXPERTS THAT GET YOU TO YOUR NEXT…
We are a team of creative, knowledgeable, client-focused professionals who develop highly distinctive brands, supported by integrated marketing services.
Your Brand is the Most Valuable Asset to Your Business. When it’s decision-making time, a prospect’s lasting perception of your company as a brand is what’s remembered, appreciated, and acted upon. Ultimately, perception becomes reality because at point of first contact, that’s what prospects are buying; the positive anticipation of using your product or service for their benefit. Branded corporations have consistently outpaced unbranded ones, realizing greater market share, higher margins, happier personnel, and delighted clients. As business brand experts, Delia Associates can take your brand to the next level.
Delia Associates is your dedicated branding, marketing planning, web design and development, social media, PR/press & tradeshow, and strategic search engine marketing and SEO partner.
We specialize in the brands behind the brands. Are you in Specialty Manufacturing, Industrial, Materials Development, Product Development, Financial Services, or other B2B verticals? Let us show you how to elevate your brand.
When your brand happens in the mind of customers, will success follow?
As a brand-centric company, we offer strategic ways to deploy your brand, gain recognition and drive business in your market including:
- Integrated SEO & SEM Programs
- Analytics Reporting
- Website Design and Development
- Video Development
- Marketing Plan Development
- Trade Show Communications and Asset Design
- Strategic Marketing & Messaging Guidance
- Content Strategy & Development
- Custom Integrated Annual Communications Programs
Ed Delia:
TRUTH #1: B2b brands are in my DNA. Yes, it’s true. I’m the second-generation leader of Delia Associates, a full-service b2b branding and marketing firm founded in 1964 by my dad, Mike.
TRUTH #2: Exceptional b2b brands don’t just happen. It takes a clear and deliberate brand strategy and a lot of focused, tactical effort directed towards achieving specific goals. After launching, revitalizing, and re-engineering hundreds of b2b brands with our team at Delia Associates, that’s what experience has taught me. Over and over again.
TRUTH #3: Companies that take the time to properly cultivate their brand consistently outpace all others, which leads to greater market share, higher margins, outstanding employees, and lifelong clients. Experience has taught me that, too.
Now, let’s talk about you.
TRUTH #4: Your brand is the most valuable asset to your business. It gets you noticed, remembered, and ultimately, chosen over all others.
TRUTH #5: Emotion is what ultimately moves customers, prospects, even your current and future employees, to choose your brand. It goes way beyond what you do. It’s about the emotional connection. The shared experience. How it makes them feel.
TRUTH #6: You don’t have to be the biggest company to be the most successful, but you do have to be the best brand you can be. Is yours? Are you sure?
Now, let’s talk about us.
We’re the firm that can take you to a position of brand leadership; quickly and efficiently. We work exclusively with B2B organizations like yours, empowering them through a proprietary, patented system of brand strategy, foundation, and engagement to achieve absolute distinction and sustainable growth. Our results prove it. Over and over again.
Now, let’s talk.
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/
#Delia Associates #EdDelia #GrowingUpB2BPodcast #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Mastering Conversational Techniques in Sales Calls. #telemarketing #busi...
For the Curious and Confused podcast. Host Don McTaggart has a conversation about persuasion with Richard Blank
For the Curious and Confused Podcast
We live in a world where we’re surrounded by experts, but rarely do we get to hear what truly sparked their passion or how they grappled with uncertainty. So, how can we better understand this world through the people who inhabit it?
"For the Curious and Confused" is a podcast hosted by Don McTaggart, a PhD Chemistry student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The podcast focuses on exploring diverse perspectives and experiences from thinkers and doers across various fields, aiming to foster understanding and address collective confusion. Don McTaggart's LinkedIn profile confirms his role as a PhD student and his interest in fostering deeper connections through listening.
The podcast, described as a "collection of conversations meant to foster understanding and connection" according to Spotify - Web Player: Music for everyone, features interviews with guests from various backgrounds. The goal is to delve into the passions and uncertainties of individuals, offering insights into their personal journeys and how they navigate the world.
Episode(#006) Richard Blank is the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, based in San Juan, Costa Rica. When Richard was 27, he moved from Philadelphia to Costa Rica and has since trained over 10,000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard specializes in advanced telemarketing strategy, conflict management, interpersonal skills, and customer support. He also owns the largest collection of restored American pinball machines in Central America.
Our conversation was dynamic and zigzagging, and it's made me revisit the subtle ways we use behavior to influence or gain favor with others.
Chapters:
(0:00) - Introduction and background
(5:00) - Costa Rica and making your own path
(12:00) - Telemarketing as artful communication
(17:00) - Soft skills and connection
(23:00) - Gamification and pinball machines
(30:00) - Recruiting and training in Costa Rica
(37:00) - Ethics and stereotypes about call centers
(43:00) - The purpose of language and empathy
(50:00) - Overcoming obstacles
(1:01:00) - Extra questions and wrap up
A Personal Story of Academic Failure and Self-Reflection
when you reflect on some of the most challenging moments of your life, were there any internal narratives that either helped or hindered your ability to navigate those situations? I had to put some things to bed. Without getting too into it, there's some kids that have grown up and have failed out of school or gotten kicked out of school. I'm not saying I burned the school down. I just failed out via grades. I went to a really nice private school and I failed out in seventh grade. And it's a school my father and brother went to. And so I was a disappointment to people and to myself personally. And I'll never forget this moment. You know when people have dreams where they show up? A lot of people have high school dreams where they show up for the final exam and not studied. Well, this was a true dream. I mean, this must have been, what, late May? And I'm sitting at the dining room table on a Sunday, and it's like 3 or 4 o'clock, sun's going down, books are piled up.
Challenging Call Center Stereotypes and Explaining the Industry Reality
So you're an American who moved to a less affluent country to start a for-profit company. And you said you currently make seven figures. So I may be unjustly calling it a stereotype here, But I think when people hear the phrase call center, many of them think of like a large warehouse in India where labor can be exploited because poverty is widespread. And so just so we're all on the same page and understanding where you're at. Does your call center have any similarities to this dynamic? And if not, what am I missing in the story? Well, you definitely have large areas where people are working in their cubicles. And a lot of times they have triple wides compared to things that are tight. Do they have natural light? Does it stink in there? Is it fresh air? What are the conditions like? What are the managers like? What are the accounts that you're on? Do you get paid on time? So as I say before, if it was as bad as people say it is, I would have never lasted 25 years in the industry, but there are so many people that give it a bad rap.
Conversation Checkpoints and the Power of Answering Speed
And so you think that a phone call lasts 10 minutes done. It's really 20, 30 second checkpoints that gets combined into a conversation because there is an introduction, a body and a conclusion, just like in an experiment. Same thing with conversations. It could be done in 10 minutes or it can be done every 30 seconds, 20 times. That combines into one full conversation. And so that's just the fanatic part. But then here's the best thing. Your tone rate and pitch could be manipulated. It could, but the one thing that cannot is you're answering speed because you do need silence for sound. I mean, that's the part of the thing in the experiment. And so that's why the police usually bring out the evidence by the fourth question. And it's almost impossible for someone to control answering speed. And so that to me, I see is just more of a linear and to see where he goes from zero to 10 every 30 seconds, how quickly do they respond?
Mastering Conversational Techniques in Sales Calls
Let me teach you how to jump clouds and have a romantic death. Are you ready? This is what will keep you from not going insane on Devil's Island when you're in a call center. If you can do a company named Spike... Okay, we're all going to talk about for the Curious and Confused podcast. How are you today? At least I'm going to say it. At least I said that. Judy answers the phone. I'm going to let Judy know she's great. But prior to that, Judy's going to say, who is this? And I'm going to say, it's Richard blank. And then who is Richard Blank? And that's where I use, and you were talking about adjustments of tones, a buffer boomerang technique. Judy, that's an excellent question. My name is Richard Blank. Richard Blank, what's ABC? Judy, glad you brought that up. ABC is 123. Richard, what's 123? Once again, Judy, so glad you mentioned that. 123 is ABC. Oh, it's... Beautiful adjustments.
https://youtu.be/lVmtYq9xB1c
https://youtu.be/EA8BZi6oO-k
https://youtu.be/dHCJsJSvLUM
https://youtu.be/nmtNgscKz-w
https://youtu.be/Fb9bAvp3KgY
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
For the Curious and Confused podcast, Don McTaggart, 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
For the Curious and Confused (podcast) - Don McTaggart
As a chemistry PhD student, I’ve found that real understanding and connection emerge when we listen more deeply. In this podcast, I invite thinkers and doers from all walks of life to share their insights and stories. Join me as we try to sort out some of our collective confusion with open-mindedness and curiosity.
I'm passionate about contributing to solutions for real-world sustainable energy challenges.
Current research projects focus on the discovery and characterization of novel materials for fluoride ion batteries.
Roles in community engagement and broader impacts include:
• NC Energy Literacy Fellow
• Parr Center for Ethics Graduate Fellow
• Treasurer (current) and outreach co-chair (previous) of UNC Materials Research Society Chapter
• Resident Advisor at Guilford College (voted RA of the Year in 2021)
• Shadow-A-Scientist liaison
• Camp counselor for Friends of Santa Claus
• Conference organization committees:
-- Future Fuels and Breakthrough Batteries (UNC Sustainable Energy Research Consortium)
-- Triangle Student Research Competition (UNC Materials Research Society)
-- International Conference on Fluoride-Ion Batteries
I also enjoy health and wellness, philosophy, AI, reading, and being outside!
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/
#FortheCuriousandConfusedpodcast #DonMcTaggart #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Conversation Checkpoints and the Power of Answering Speed. #telemarketin...
For the Curious and Confused podcast. Host Don McTaggart has a conversation about persuasion with Richard Blank
For the Curious and Confused Podcast
We live in a world where we’re surrounded by experts, but rarely do we get to hear what truly sparked their passion or how they grappled with uncertainty. So, how can we better understand this world through the people who inhabit it?
"For the Curious and Confused" is a podcast hosted by Don McTaggart, a PhD Chemistry student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The podcast focuses on exploring diverse perspectives and experiences from thinkers and doers across various fields, aiming to foster understanding and address collective confusion. Don McTaggart's LinkedIn profile confirms his role as a PhD student and his interest in fostering deeper connections through listening.
The podcast, described as a "collection of conversations meant to foster understanding and connection" according to Spotify - Web Player: Music for everyone, features interviews with guests from various backgrounds. The goal is to delve into the passions and uncertainties of individuals, offering insights into their personal journeys and how they navigate the world.
Episode(#006) Richard Blank is the CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, based in San Juan, Costa Rica. When Richard was 27, he moved from Philadelphia to Costa Rica and has since trained over 10,000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard specializes in advanced telemarketing strategy, conflict management, interpersonal skills, and customer support. He also owns the largest collection of restored American pinball machines in Central America.
Our conversation was dynamic and zigzagging, and it's made me revisit the subtle ways we use behavior to influence or gain favor with others.
Chapters:
(0:00) - Introduction and background
(5:00) - Costa Rica and making your own path
(12:00) - Telemarketing as artful communication
(17:00) - Soft skills and connection
(23:00) - Gamification and pinball machines
(30:00) - Recruiting and training in Costa Rica
(37:00) - Ethics and stereotypes about call centers
(43:00) - The purpose of language and empathy
(50:00) - Overcoming obstacles
(1:01:00) - Extra questions and wrap up
A Personal Story of Academic Failure and Self-Reflection
when you reflect on some of the most challenging moments of your life, were there any internal narratives that either helped or hindered your ability to navigate those situations? I had to put some things to bed. Without getting too into it, there's some kids that have grown up and have failed out of school or gotten kicked out of school. I'm not saying I burned the school down. I just failed out via grades. I went to a really nice private school and I failed out in seventh grade. And it's a school my father and brother went to. And so I was a disappointment to people and to myself personally. And I'll never forget this moment. You know when people have dreams where they show up? A lot of people have high school dreams where they show up for the final exam and not studied. Well, this was a true dream. I mean, this must have been, what, late May? And I'm sitting at the dining room table on a Sunday, and it's like 3 or 4 o'clock, sun's going down, books are piled up.
Challenging Call Center Stereotypes and Explaining the Industry Reality
So you're an American who moved to a less affluent country to start a for-profit company. And you said you currently make seven figures. So I may be unjustly calling it a stereotype here, But I think when people hear the phrase call center, many of them think of like a large warehouse in India where labor can be exploited because poverty is widespread. And so just so we're all on the same page and understanding where you're at. Does your call center have any similarities to this dynamic? And if not, what am I missing in the story? Well, you definitely have large areas where people are working in their cubicles. And a lot of times they have triple wides compared to things that are tight. Do they have natural light? Does it stink in there? Is it fresh air? What are the conditions like? What are the managers like? What are the accounts that you're on? Do you get paid on time? So as I say before, if it was as bad as people say it is, I would have never lasted 25 years in the industry, but there are so many people that give it a bad rap.
Conversation Checkpoints and the Power of Answering Speed
And so you think that a phone call lasts 10 minutes done. It's really 20, 30 second checkpoints that gets combined into a conversation because there is an introduction, a body and a conclusion, just like in an experiment. Same thing with conversations. It could be done in 10 minutes or it can be done every 30 seconds, 20 times. That combines into one full conversation. And so that's just the fanatic part. But then here's the best thing. Your tone rate and pitch could be manipulated. It could, but the one thing that cannot is you're answering speed because you do need silence for sound. I mean, that's the part of the thing in the experiment. And so that's why the police usually bring out the evidence by the fourth question. And it's almost impossible for someone to control answering speed. And so that to me, I see is just more of a linear and to see where he goes from zero to 10 every 30 seconds, how quickly do they respond?
https://youtu.be/lVmtYq9xB1c
https://youtu.be/EA8BZi6oO-k
https://youtu.be/dHCJsJSvLUM
https://youtu.be/nmtNgscKz-w
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
For the Curious and Confused podcast, Don McTaggart, 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
For the Curious and Confused (podcast) - Don McTaggart
As a chemistry PhD student, I’ve found that real understanding and connection emerge when we listen more deeply. In this podcast, I invite thinkers and doers from all walks of life to share their insights and stories. Join me as we try to sort out some of our collective confusion with open-mindedness and curiosity.
I'm passionate about contributing to solutions for real-world sustainable energy challenges.
Current research projects focus on the discovery and characterization of novel materials for fluoride ion batteries.
Roles in community engagement and broader impacts include:
• NC Energy Literacy Fellow
• Parr Center for Ethics Graduate Fellow
• Treasurer (current) and outreach co-chair (previous) of UNC Materials Research Society Chapter
• Resident Advisor at Guilford College (voted RA of the Year in 2021)
• Shadow-A-Scientist liaison
• Camp counselor for Friends of Santa Claus
• Conference organization committees:
-- Future Fuels and Breakthrough Batteries (UNC Sustainable Energy Research Consortium)
-- Triangle Student Research Competition (UNC Materials Research Society)
-- International Conference on Fluoride-Ion Batteries
I also enjoy health and wellness, philosophy, AI, reading, and being outside!
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/
#FortheCuriousandConfusedpodcast #DonMcTaggart #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest
Mastering Conversational Techniques in Sales Calls
Let me teach you how to jump clouds and have a romantic death. Are you ready? This is what will keep you from not going insane on Devil's Island when you're in a call center. If you can do a company named Spike... Okay, we're all going to talk about for the Curious and Confused podcast. How are you today? At least I'm going to say it. At least I said that. Judy answers the phone. I'm going to let Judy know she's great. But prior to that, Judy's going to say, who is this? And I'm going to say, it's Richard blank. And then who is Richard Blank? And that's where I use, and you were talking about adjustments of tones, a buffer boomerang technique. Judy, that's an excellent question. My name is Richard Blank. Richard Blank, what's ABC? Judy, glad you brought that up. ABC is 123. Richard, what's 123? Once again, Judy, so glad you mentioned that. 123 is ABC. Oh, it's... Beautiful adjustments.
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