Because their client needed an operational center within a very tight timeframe, ACCENT had little time to deal with permitting, hiring and tax issues.
The Solution
ACCENT representatives contacted the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. Working closely with the EDC, they discovered a full service business resource that provided assistance in locating a facility to meet their specifications, in hiring new employees with the necessary skills, in negotiating the needed permits and utilities, and even in announcing this company's presence in the region to local media and the community. The Opportunity
Metro Orlando encompasses four Central Florida counties: Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola. ACCENT chose a location in the city of Eustis, which is located in Lake County. For a company in need of immediate facilities, it was serendipitous that another local employer, a healthcare corporation, had recently relocated to larger facilities. The Lake County community readily welcomed another substantial company with new employment opportunities to take advantage of that existing office space. The Facility
The Metro Orlando EDC and the local utility company, Progress Energy, worked together to meet ACCENT's building, energy and technology needs. A 30,000 square foot facility in a central, easily-accessible location, was renovated into the state-of-the-art call center that fully met the company's facility specifications. The Workforce
ACCENT has a rather unorthodox way of evaluating whether a community is a good fit to meet its workforce needs: the "Buggy Test." The test involves going out into the community, generating planned interactions, and observing how citizens respond in different social situations. The name comes from one of these situations, which involves "accidentally" bumping into a person's shopping buggy at the local grocery store and observing their reaction. If citizens react courteously in these types of situations, then it can be assumed that they would be courteous to ACCENT customers at the call center. Metro Orlando citizens passed the Buggy Test with flying colors. ACCENT found this to be a community of polite, understanding and helpful individuals, exactly the type of customer service representatives they wanted working at their new facility. Aptitude in this area should not come as a surprise. As the world's top tourist destination, the Orlando region is known worldwide for the quality of its service industry. ACCENT representatives saw first hand the value of transferring those customer relations skills, honed in service industry jobs, over to a customer representative office position. "The two industries have the same overall goal, to provide a good customer experience," states John Higgins, General Manager, ACCENT Lake County Call Center. In helping ACCENT reach their initial hiring goals, the Metro Orlando EDC teamed up with Workforce Central Florida's local One-Stop Career Center to organize a job fair specifically for the company. Through this effort, ACCENT retained a large, diverse, qualified group of employees that they needed to work in their new facility. By all accounts, it was just what they were looking for. "We've been very pleased with our workforce," stated Lovit White, former General Manager of ACCENT Lake County Call Center. The Result
The ACCENT Lake County Call Center has been fully operational for less than a year. In that short time, the company has experienced exceptional success and is already looking to expand. It is no secret that the turn-over rate in the customer communication industry is usually high, and companies like ACCENT sometimes have trouble keeping employees. But, the Lake County Call Center reports that they have found their employees to be loyal, and they have had no trouble with retention. Currently, 300 customer service representatives work at ACCENT's Lake County Call Center. And, the company is looking to expand and hire another 200 employees by March of this year. The center has already expanded its hours. Originally open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., the center is now open from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily. The Final Word
"I've been in the customer communication industry for seven years and I can honestly say that this is the best call center I've ever worked for. The people here are wonderful. Our employees really strive to provide great, solid customer service. We have found a good home in Orlando." John Higgins, General Manager, ACCENT Lake County Call Center.
About ACCENT:
Founded in January 1993 as a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management Company, ACCENT develops complete customer care campaigns to acquire, retain and develop clients' customers. ACCENT's focus includes customer service, loyalty marketing, customer satisfaction, sales support, database management, direct marketing, fulfillment, reporting and modeling. The company works with many major corporations, including Sprint, Sears and Carrier. About Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission:
Founded in 1977, the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) serves Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties, and the City of Orlando. It is a private, not-for-profit, regional economic development organization in Florida. The EDC's mission, to build a diverse economy capable of withstanding dramatic shifts in the global marketplace, is accomplished through the proactive marketing of the region as a corporate center and through the work of four cross-functional teams: business recruitment; technology business development; international business development; and film and digital media development. |
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