Recently, when planning a telemarketing unit for a wholesaler, the question came up, “How will our other employees react?”

I laughed out loud.

“They’ll be shocked!” I shot back.

And it’s true. When you develop an in-house tele-sales unit, you’re bringing in an alien culture.

It’s not quite as dramatic as putting cats and dogs together, but there is an image I can’t get out of my mind: lions and lambs!

Not really.

But close!

Telemarketers are rowdy, self-obsessed, mavericks when you compare them to other employees. If they have any substantial experience on the phones, they’ll take a glance at your place and don an expression that says:

“I’ve seen better!”

Well, who needs them, right?

You do, and they know it. Either: (1) You can’t do what they do; or (2) You don’t want to do what they do.

I did some consulting work for Kelly Tire in Cumberland, Maryland, a few years back. They named their tele-sales group, “The Live Wires,” and they were very lively, indeed.

They had a separate dress code, different working hours, pay, and nearly everything else.

And so they wouldn’t be too much of a culture shock to the rank and file, they were even given their own entrance and exit to the building!

So, when you’re developing your unit, be aware of these dynamics, and plan, accordingly.

You may want to create a special place for your tele-people, as well!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of 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®, You Can Sell Anything By Telephone! and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.