Outsourcing and Customer Service

Look up customer service on a search engine and then switch to the pictures page. What you’ll see is predominantly photos of smiling faces sitting at a call centre desk. The irony is that this is where the poorest customer service is usually evident. If you were asked what good customer service entails, wouldn’t you agree that it is predominantly about speed, reliability, relationship and trust? Seeing as the call centre is so closely associated with customer service, why is this function so consistently outsourced, and how does this relate to these factors?

Move, Rest, Eat, Sleep…

A few days ago while doing a heavy set of Incline Bench Presses, I asked one of the guys standing around to spot me during the last set. I was already tired and stopped somewhat short when bringing the weights down. After the set, the spotter advised me to drop the weights and rather bring it all the way down to my chest. Nothing wrong with the advice, so I just said; “OK, thanks for the help” and moved on. But I immediately realised that I was looking at this young man who was badly overweight, could not push half the weights that I did, and thinking; “who is he to even think of giving me advice?”

Even good advice from those who have obviously not achieved is often spurned.

The truth is that we happily take advice from people who have already achieved a level of excellence to which we aspire. Even good advice from those who have obviously not achieved is often spurned. So, I have decided to spend more time writing articles related to the area where I can show demonstrable results. Health and fitness is a strong suit, and I post a recent picture to show this (Note: I am NOT a body builder, and looking like one is not a goal – I gym for fitness, health and keeping in shape).

How Our Academic System is Flawed…

What have you recently invested in your intellectual life? Have you read some good books, attended courses or seminars? Whatever input you are getting now will directly influence the direction your life takes in the next 5 years. In fact, if you read my article in Katoptron – The Human Machine, you’ll know that you are in large part the sum total of learning experiences that shaped the values on which you base your life.

Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.
Anthony J. D'Angelo