In this episode of the Small Business Origins podcast, we sit down with Richard Blank, CEO and Founder of Costa Rica’s Call Center. Hear our discussion on outbound lead generation and sales appointment calling, inbound customer support, how Richard got his start, and some best practices for effective communication on sales and support calls.

Guest Bio:

Richard Blank is the CEO and Founder of Costa Rica’s Call Center, a full-service BPO call center providing lead generation, customer service, social media support and more for US companies. He founded the company 15 years ago and has grown it to over 300 seats.

Key Quotes:

“I believe in synergy. I believe in circles, and I also believe in the sanctity of a meal together, breaking fast, you know, feeding ourselves, making ourselves stronger.” (15:37)

“Why call them gatekeepers, and why give them such a bad rap? These are the first impressions of Emerald City. As long as you understand the protocol and you can give an excellent first impression with that company name spike, you have a chance. Get them out of that trends.” (41:44)

“Leaders remember small details about you, or they dress in case your mother shows up so I can go downstairs and thank her for raising such a fine young man who’s been with me for 3 years.” (16:39)

Main Discussion Points:

– The importance of building relationships in sales, not just trying to force a sale

– Techniques for effective communication and rapport building on sales and support calls

– Why it’s important to treat everyone in an organization with respect, not just decision makers

– How to get referrals and repeat business through exceptional customer service

– Why taking time to understand the local culture is key when doing business abroad

– How Costa Rica’s Call Center vets clients to avoid unethical business practices

Links Mentioned:

Costa Rica’s Call Center

Beefy Marketing

John Kelley’s Links

Small Business Origins Online

Our Sponsor – Wingman

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John Kelley Podcaster, Marketing Advisor

John is a Texas firefighter, entrepreneur and marketing advisor. As a business major, small business owner and marketing advisor for Beefy Marketing, he has become very familiar with the challenges entrepreneurs face every day. Bringing his humor and love for helping others to The Beef, he dives deep into what makes each business tick, helping bring useful information to other small business owners. Learning all about a business and putting them into the spotlight gives listeners a reason to visit each business featured and give them a try.