When I was developing a call center for Xerox, I made a deal with my onsite coordinator:

“Put combination locks on the doors, and don’t permit any tours without speaking to me, first!”

I knew that a successful telemarketing unit would not only attract busloads of corporate tourists and gawkers, but it would be misunderstood.

One reason I promote privacy is that I strive to create a unique environment in a call center, unlike that in any other department. One of my suggestions is to use bells, such as those that adorn the check-in counters at hotels. When a rep sets an appointment or makes a sale, he rings his bell.

This signals success, and it causes a lot of excitement for a number of reasons:

(1) The rep is celebrating his success, making it conspicuous. He gets recognition.

(2) It makes those around him competitive. They want some recognition, too.

(3) It informs management, second by second, how the room is doing.

(4) It reinforces having a louder rather than quieter environment. (See my article: “Bigger Voices Sell Better!”

(5) It’s downright Pavlovian. Want to see management salivate? Ring that bell!

People sell better when they’re uninhibited, extroverted, and one way to get them to be bigger than life is to ring in their sales with bells!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of www.Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com