Thursday, April 14, 2011

Wage rates versus Australia - business opportunity

There has been a lot of debate recently in the media following Bill English’s comments about our lower wage rates giving us a competitive advantage over Australia. The reality is that the current wages and currency settings create a window of opportunity to attract big business across the ditch. The combination of lower labour and exchange rates at present can mean a saving of up to 35 per cent on the final bill which gets attention in the cost competive world we live in.

It is important to note that this does not mean that Telnet bases its business proposition on cost. Quite the contrary, we are a high value provider servicing a blue chip client base. Our average wages for customer service and telesales reps are about 26% above the minimum wage and our offices are based in the heart of Queen Street in a modern corporate styled and fitted office, giving our staff the respect they deserve as valued employees.

We also work hard on training and developing our employees’ skills so if they choose to leave the profession they come out better skilled. As result of this almost all of our managerial staff, apart from those in IT and accounting positions have started with the firm as a telesales or customer service representative.

Importantly, innovative technology is also a key attraction when we pitch against firms in call centre competitive countries - as is our shared culture and comradeship with the Australian culture. We will never compete with the likes of India or the Philippines in an area like wages but we can compete against Australian domiciled centres. Therefore, a combination of innovative technology and competitive wages as well as quality staff with superior customer service all combine to enable us to compete at an international level.

This is something we are proud of and shouldn’t shy away from. Just because we don’t like being the poorer cousins that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do the best to take advantage of a competitive situation to grow our business.

We talk about this more in our recent interview with TVNZ’s business programme. Click here to see this clip:

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Telnet Awarded QFE Status - First NZ Contact Centre

I am happy to announce that after a great effort from the team at Telnet, we are the first NZ Contact Centre to be awarded QFE status.


Have a look at our press release below

John Chetwynd


TELNET SERVICES FIRST NZ CONTACT CENTRE TO BE AWARDED QFE STATUS


New Zealand’s largest privately owned contact centre Telnet Services is pleased to announce that it has become New Zealand’s first contact centre to gain the Qualifying Financial Entity (QFE) accreditation, making it easier for Telnet to market financial products to retail customers on behalf of its clients.


Telnet Managing Director John Chetwynd says the accreditation is a significant step for the company. “We have worked hard to develop a first class training, monitoring and compliance environment at Telnet which we believe has positioned us well for obtaining QFE status.”


Telnet provides telephone sales services to a number of substantial financial services companies. “By seeking registration our clients will find it easier to use Telnet as a partner to promote their products.”


Telnet’s QFE status enables it to sell Category 2 products which include insurance products, and consumer credit contracts such as hire purchase and loans.


Chetwynd says Telnet sought accreditation with expansion of the business in mind. “Being the only contact centre at this stage with QFE status will enhance our competitive advantage in the financial services space.”


Under the requirements of a QFE, Telnet must take responsibility for ensuring its telephone sales agents deliver a professional service to retail customers. But Chetwynd says this is an area in which Telnet has always excelled.


”We have always placed integrity of service high on our priority list for our clients and their customers. We believe that passing the standards required of a QFE is confirmation of this.”


Telnet has a comprehensive performance management framework in place for its training and development, customer service, technology and people management. This was further developed over recent years as a prerequisite to securing the business of financial service companies in the already tightly regulated Australian market.


As part of Telnet’s push into the Australian market it has also obtained accreditation with the Australian Teleservices Association and its esteemed Centre Standards and Accreditation Programme (CCSA).


The CCSA is a framework of guidelines, processes and disciplines focusing on five key areas of a contact centres’ business – Planning, Infrastructure & Environment, People, Process and Achievement & Performance.


“The rigour of assessment required to promote financial products within Australia and the standards required within the CCSA program provided an excellent foundation for us to secure QFE accreditation for our New Zealand business,” Chetwynd says.