“Don’t tell me when you’re visiting”

#practicemakesperfect

#ONETeam #SNAPS #SageandNotableAdvisesfromPatrickSalazar

Towards the end of a solution defense in Florida, the clients said they will shortlist 2 out of the 3 BPO vendors who presented that week and they will plan a Site visit soon. They kept challenging us that they have been to most of the BPOs already and all are generally the same when they visit the Site.

Somehow, later there was a pause in the meeting coz the clients seem to want to hear more differentiators. At that moment, my Team looked at me. So, I said:

“Here is my request…. Do not tell me when you are visiting. Our Delivery Center addresses are in my business card. Just call me when you are already in any of our Sites in the Philippines.”

After that meeting, our business leader who was with us told me I should never have said that because there is a lot to prepare for a final client Site visit - PPT, dry runs, travel plans, etc.

One early morning 3 months later, I got a call from the Front Desk (FD) of our other Site and told me there are clients from a bank looking for me. I was in the other Site which is 2 hours drive away. I told the FD to get their names and email it to me so I can get clearance from our Head of Security & Compliance to let them in. I knew at that time of the day, the Site is half full - I have closing US shifts from my mortgage and retail account, opening shifts of my local day time accounts for a bank and a government support account are onsite coz the rest have already ended their shifts.

I asked the FD I would like to speak with any Team Lead she can get on the phone. The FD said, the Operations Manager (OM) of the mortgage account is still onsite and is already speaking with the clients right now. I got to speak with OM Mark S and he told me he’ll take charge of the guests.

I drove up quickly to the other Site with my boss, Head of HR and Head of Training. We met with them at the Asian Restaurant at the back of the Site.

We won this RFP.

The secret:

We invest in a core values driven culture. We have a high touch, high feel, high trust relationship with our Associates. Everyone knows our Business Imperatives.

Also, I require all of our internal senior executives who visit the Philippines to do a very thorough “audit and inspection” of the Sites. This means all our Associates and Team Leads & higher across Delivery and Support are exposed to tough executive -level Site Visits. Hence, we are always ready for a surprise client visit.

Practice, practice, and practice makes it perfect.

*About the photo.

My family loves signing so much, we already have a list of songs we normally sing. During my surprise 40th birthday celebration prepared by my gorgeous wife Prudence, the guests requested us to sing.

Immediately, my eldest daughter Nina, played the piano and we all sung “How Did You Know” by Chiqui Pineda.