Third Party Verification Tour
Meet Sara Goldberg, our Executive Director, and hear her describe the TPV process and our endless pursuit of quality. We take our role in the customer transaction very seriously, and recognize that we have responsibilities to both our clients and the end user. We’re proud to provide the service.
Third Party Verification Employee of the Month
Our third party verification statistics are through the roof. And while every team member at the Sales Verification Company contributes to our overall success, we felt it was time to formally recognize those who go above and beyond their duties in the execution of our TPV programs.
So, drum roll, please, for our first official Employee of the Month, Account Manager Yasaman Garner. Yasaman joined the Sales Verification company in October, 2010, after six years in other customer-service retail positions. Her friendly demeanor and attention to detail made her a natural at 3rd party verification. She quickly moved up to Account Manager, and as such has direct responsibility for ensuring client satisfaction and TPV program success.
“Yasaman is really the face of our company for her clients,” Executive Director Sara Goldberg said. “The care she demonstrates in those relationship is extraordinary. All pertinent data and qualitative feedback is delivered swiftly and efficiently. Beyond that, though, she really builds the kind of trust with clients that carries a relationship for the long haul.”
That two-way communication is what makes Yasaman such an effective third party verification account manager.
“I give my clients feedback on the ways our team can better work with their sales team to create a better understanding for the customer and increase the percentage of quality verifications,” Yasaman said. “We pride ourselves on making changes as quickly and efficiently as possible so the client can launch new processes, markets or extensions to current markets as quickly as possible.”
Congratulations to Yasaman, the January Sales Verification Company Employee of the Month.
Tags: Business Development, Client Services, Quailiy ControlThird Party Verification Team Creates Festive Office Holiday
When trying to rally employees toward common business goals, there’s a lot of talk about “team pride” and “all for one,” in creating a positive office environment. Third party verification is not easy work, and like any conscientious company, we do what we can to let our employees know that we appreciate their efforts.
But when they show an appreciation for each other? Well, that’s when we know that the caring, team atmosphere is genuine. And it warms our hearts.
Jacque O'Malley (l) and Sara Goldberg at the party
Heading into the holiday season, one of our third party verifiers had a sudden blow to her health, and was forced into emergency surgery that threatened her ability to walk again. Her brother, also a Sales Verification Company employee, was overwhelmed in caring for her and her five children. Their hopes for a happy Christmas were pretty
grim.
Her colleagues decided to pitch in and fill their tree with the kids’ most wanted gifts; a bike, some radio-controlled cars, and a small mountain of Legos. The generosity was contagious, and the giving soon spread to include several other children of the SVC team.
The employees had a secret Santa exchange for themselves, and created a potluck feast. A volunteer decorating committee added the final touches, transforming the third party verification center for a festive holiday celebration.
“It was very happy occasion,” Executive Director Sara Goldberg said, “and one of the most genuine displays of holiday spirit I’ve ever seen. It’s very heartwarming to see that kind of support for each other in the workplace, and I think it’s a great testament to the work atmosphere we try to create.”
May we all carry our holiday spirit throughout 2012.
Third Party Verifications Through The Roof
Our third party verification volumes are through the roof: so much so that we are shopping for a bigger one.
Statistics are how we measure the health of the TPV business. We’re always aware of the ups and downs, looking for patterns of success and areas of improvement. Recent trends indicate that our hard work is paying off. Since the beginning of September, our internal call quality percentage has been on the rise.
Each of our third party verifiers are monitored daily on each campaign. The quality assurance team is trained to listen not only for one-time mistakes (which are correctly immediately), but also for potential tongue-twisting areas of the script that might need addressing with the team as a whole, or even with the client. It’s our goal to deliver a concise, easy-to-understand verification of customer understanding.
And based on our numbers, we’ve been doing a great job. Our overall service level is consistently above 90%, a number that includes not only our accuracy measures, but also our speed-to-answer and our average talk time. One of our biggest clients conducted their own internal review, and our call quality on their campaign was above 96%!
So business is good, volume is up, and all the seats are filled. We’re bursting at the seams, actually, which has prompted us to begin the search for a larger office. More business than you can handle is a problem any operation would like to have, and we’re fortunate that our third party verification service is expanding to meet clients’ needs.
Congratulations to the Top Sales Verifier of the Month
Nothing fuels the competitive fires on the sales verification floor better than bragging rights. A little trash talking based on quality TPV metrics drives productivity and company pride. At The Sales Verification Company, it’s all about the Top Dawg Award, given on a weekly basis to the sales verification represetnative that achieves the best statistics on their given campaign. At the end of the month, the Top Dawgs square off for the coveted Employee of the Month Award.
Congratulations to October’s winner, Tomika Jones.
“All the sales verifiers have a good time with the award,” Executive Director Sara Goldberg said. “It’s a way of stirring up some lighthearted competition on the TPV floor while keeping the focus on our quality and efficiency measures, which is where it needs to be every day.”
The Award is based on several metrics including call quality, talk time, zero-tolerance complaints, and per-hour production.
“I’m certainly excited to win the award,” Jones said. “I take great pride in my work, as we all do, and it’s great to have that hard work recognized by the management team. Now I’ll just enjoy the title for the month, and look forward to winning again.”
Payless Power Rewards Proud Third Party Verification Vendor
Nothing makes us prouder than to exceed a TPV client’s expectations. Especially when there are cupcakes involved.
The third-party verifiers on the campaign for Payless Power, an energy retailer based in Texas, took a short break from the phones recently and enjoyed an 
afternoon snack, compliments of the client. The TPV reps were smiling and the mood was light, and not only because of the goodies. The event was a celebration of months of hard work, and a testament to a true vendor-client partnership.
“I couldn’t be happier with what The Sales Verification Company has done for our business,” said Sam DeHoyos, Vice President of Operations for Payless Power. “The feedback they have provided has increased the effectiveness of our sales force. The stats are up, and we see great growth ahead.”
The spark came from an onsite visit to Payless Power by Sara Goldberg and Milly Borja, Executive Director and Senior Account Manager, respectively, 
for The Sales Verification Company. The personal attention and face-to-face relationship building helped level-set expectations, address concerns and challenges, and cement the partnership that has become the bedrock of day-to-day success.
“It really is all about relationships,” DeHoyos said. “I really enjoy working with Milly. She understands and responds to our concerns, while providing valuable feedback, and the result has been a dramatic increase in effectiveness.”
So much so that Payless Energy felt compelled to say thank you to the verifiers by springing for the treats. The team snacked in shifts, of course, so as not to slow down production. The show must go on, after all.
The Beast Keeps TPV Production Online
Earlier this year we told you about our new backup generator at The Sales Verification Company, affectionately nicknamed “The Beast.” Big and brawny, lurking in the back parking lot, waiting to leap into the fray with a snarl.
Earning his keep
OK, maybe that’s a bit dramatic (we couldn’t resist), but we do want to report that at around 11:00 ET today, a transformer blew in our neighborhood, knocking out electric service to much of the industrial park in which we’re located. The emergency generator kicked on instantly and, as advertised, was at full power within seconds. Ten seconds, actually, was all it took for a reboot back to full capacity. We barely skipped a beat. In an odd sort of way, the story gets better when we report that the power was out for four hours and 45 minutes. While businesses around us closed up shop and went home, we kept on providing our third party verification clients with the security and responsiveness they’ve come to expect. An extended power outage would have cost clients and vendor alike thousands of dollars in lost productivity. Today, we’re happy we had The Beast in our backyard.
Tags: Client ServicesGarner Reaches For a “Hire” Rung on the TPV Ladder
Promoting employees from within to ever-increasing positions of responsibility is a feel-good validation for everybody. It means that we’re recruiting, screening and hiring exceptional people at the entry level, but it’s also a testament to the working atmosphere and motivational environment on the third party verification floor. So we’re proud to announce Yasaman Garner’s new role as Account Manager.
Yasaman joined The Sales Verification Company in October, 2010 as a front-line verifier. She demonstrated an ability to handle any TPV situation on the phone, while conveying a measure of leadership to those around her. She was quickly elevated to a Quality Control monitor, and later to Training Manager, where she mentored others in the traits necessary to succeed in our business: patience, clarity and exactitude. As our business in on the upswing, we needed to dedicate more resources to Account Management, and Yasaman was the obvious choice.
“We are so happy to have watched her rise through the ranks to her new post,” Executive Director Sara Goldberg said. “She has shown great determination in her new career, and she’s tackled everything that’s come her way in her previous positions. We know that she’ll be a great account manager, as well, and give our clients the attention they deserve.”
In her new role, Yasaman will act as the day-to-day contact with her TPV clients, providing statistics and performance metrics, facilitating script changes, and determining manpower needs based on sales projections. Her friendly demeanor and customer-service background make her a natural for the position, and she’s excited for the future.
“Every day is a brand new opportunity to grow,” she likes to say.”Each job I’ve had at the Sales Verification Company has offered different challenges and rewards, and I’ve enjoyed them all. I think that experience will be a great asset in serving my clients. I can’t wait to get started.”
We welcome Yasaman to her new post, proud to elevate and recognize one of our own.
Tags: Business Development, Client Services, StaffPlaying by the Rules
In a world with endlessly changing legislation and the constant imposition of new regulations and rules, it’s important to know that your vendors stay on top of the latest developments and are able to perform in accordance with up-to-date directives.
The business of telemarketing is highly regulated and this makes playing by the rules extremely important to the ultimate success of our business. Properly executed third party verifications are essential to the achievement of correctly authorized customer switches from one provider to another, particularly in the telecom and energy sectors.
The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has instituted very specific rules and guidelines for Independent Third Party Verifications (“TPVs”) in order to prevent the unauthorized changes of consumers’ carriers, a practice called “slamming.” The regulatory bodies in many states followed suit and adopted the same or similar standards in the statutes and/or rules that apply specifically to the provision of energy telemarketing services.
Among the various requirements of the FCC relating to TPVs are the following prerequisites: that the identity of the subscriber is revealed, confirmation that the person on the call is authorized to make the carrier change, disclosure of the names of the carriers affected by the change and the types of service involved, verbal confirmation of the date of verification with the consumer and a direct statement that the carrier change will be effectuated once the verification is complete, even if the customer has a question during or after the verification process.
Did you know that the FCC also requires that a TPV must be conducted in the same language that was used in the underlying sales transaction? You may also not realize that it is mandatory that the entire TPV transaction be recorded; every single call. Further, it is important to note that a carrier’s sales representative initiating a three-way conference call for verification may not remain on the line after the connection has been established. For more information on the FCC’s requirements, visit www.fcc.gov.
Is your head spinning yet? There are also many other agencies which impose additional rules and bodies of law on the telecommunications and energy industries, and it sometimes seems that applicable new legislation is discussed on the news every other week!
But you don’t need to worry about these things when you utilize the services of The Sales Verification Company. It’s our job to keep abreast of all rules, regulations, laws and standards which are applicable to our business. So rest easy, my friends. We play by the rules.
Tags: Business Development, Quailiy ControlEpley Rides Into Town to Keep TPV Quality In Order
There’s a new sheriff in town, and his name is Mike Epley.
Everyone knows that professional reputations are slow to build but can be torn down in an instant. In the call center business, you’re only as good as your last transaction. That’s why the Sales Verification Company takes such great pride in the Quality Control of our third party verifications.
Mike Epley
We know it’s what sets us apart from the competition. Accuracy and integrity from our customer service representatives is simply what our TPV clients expect.
To help keep our good thing going, and to lift us even higher in our demand for excellence, we welcome Mike as our new Director of Quality control. Mike has over 25 years in the call center business, mainly in product control, call monitoring and training efficiencies. He’s made a career at keeping his teams in line and focused on the common goal.
“Everyone on the phones needs to understand that they not only represent their employer, but more importantly, they represent the client,” Mike said. “With third party verification, we are in the accuracy business, and there’s simply no room for veering away from the unique demands of any campaign. My people have always understood that. We create a positive environment, reward excellence, and correct where necessary. It’s a proven approach, and one that is ultimately reflected back to us in positive client feedback.”
Mike may not walk the sales floor with a bow-legged swagger and a silver badge, but we all know who’s keepin’ the peace in these here parts. Welcome aboard, Mike.
Tags: Business Development, Quailiy Control, StaffThere’s Nothing We Like Better Than Satisfied TPV Customers
Like all businesses, there are lots of metrics by which we measure our effectiveness and success. Nothing makes us happier, however, than when we receive complimentary feedback and heartfelt appreciation from a third party verification client. We are, ultimately, in the customer service business.
We recently received this response from Haytham Hermiz, the Director of Operations from BOSS (Back Office Support Systems) in St. Clair Shores, MI. With his permission, we wanted to share.
“Our biggest challenge is scaling up and down based on our needs,” Hermiz said. “Your team provides quality and 
training on par. The Sales Verification Company has been responsive to our challenges and our needs. I get results quickly. Within minutes I get a response and IT moves on it right away! No one comes closer for servicing our needs. I have tried a few companies, but none come close to this success. It’s the best quality, best value.”
Thank you Haytham! The Sales Verification Company is equally happy to have you as a client!
Back Office Support Systems partners with companies that are looking to achieve higher operational effectiveness by lessening the administrative burden and lowering any unnecessary operating costs. For nearly a decade, B.O.S.S. has provided complete back office support and business process outsourcing solutions that include contact center solutions and technologies, as well as billing and data management services. BOSS reaches customers not only by traditional contact center methods, but by multichannel marketing methods to help drive results.
BOSS has contact centers across the United States that process payments and manage telemarketing and fundraising campaigns for long distance resellers, deregulated utility suppliers, independent contractors, organizations and more.
Tags: Business Development, Customer TestimonialNew Generator Protects Against TPV Campaign Disruption
What looks surprisingly like an illegally-parked tractor trailer behind our offices in Clearwater is actually our new backup power generator. Contractors from Generac spent several days onsite in early April installing the unit, which should provide significant peace of mind to current and future third party verification clients.
The Sales Verification Company's new emergency generator
Affectionately nicknamed “The Beast,” the industrial-grade diesel engine can go from cold start to full power within 10 seconds of any local power disruption. Its 200 kw output can power all our lights, HVAC and computer systems for three days, and the unit can even be refueled while in full operation. The significant investment demonstrates the Sales Verification Company’s commitment to business continuity and redundancy planning.
“We understand what matters most to our clients,” said Vicki Norton, V.P of Business Development. “And that is the absolute requirement that their campaigns remain up and running, regardless of local conditions. The new generator means we no longer have to rely exclusively on the stability of the power grid. We’ll be online no matter what, and our clients will have uninterupted access to their TPV programs and data.”
Despite its very broad shoulders, we hope we don’t ever have to lean too heavily on The Beast. But like any good insurance policy, we’re glad it’s out there waiting, just in case.
Tags: Business Development, Quailiy Control
Sara Goldberg Named as Executive Director
The Sales Verification Company welcomes Sara Goldberg as our new Executive Director. Specializing in consulting small to mid size business owners to improve their own lines of sales and services, she has also played an imperative role expanding companies across the nation, from manufacturing to other high tech professional services. Sara has tackled and mastered positions above and within personnel, public relations, sales and marketing, just to name a few, with over 30 years of entrepreneur and consulting experience.
On our Team Management page you can view Sara Goldberg‘s full Bio which details the prestigious work she has done for the Commercial and Industrial industries, in which she was the director of handling all hiring and training on top of her daily duties. She has also worked as Senior Vice President for companies like USP & G Energy and ESI where she oversaw human resources, public relations, marketing, trained staff as well as executives and even acted as a legal liaison. Sara has a reputation for turning small companies with just a handful of employees into some of the fastest growing companies in the US as well as increasing sales over 500% with her spot on re-training and organization skills.
Since her primary strengths are re-establishing and building companies from the ground up, here at The Sales Verification Company her responsibilities will be to oversee our expansion all while maintaining our viability.
Welcome Sara!!
