Archive for category: Blog

Answer Midwest serves our clients across a variety of industries 24/7 — all thanks to our amazing team members who show up for our clients, and therefore their customers, day after day, evening after evening. 

In a high-stress environment, main dispatchers must effectively multitask to meet the needs of everyone who calls while simultaneously managing a team. Patience and communication are also vital for maintaining smooth operations.

Rachelle, one of our Main Dispatchers, gives us a glimpse into her evening shift with Answer Midwest. Rachelle’s role involves overseeing operators, supervising the team’s work, managing dispatching duties, and ensuring calls are adequately covered while also confirming the team is taking their breaks. Rachelle is also available for any assistance that the team might need. She’s always ready to help! 

Keep reading to learn more about a day (or evening) in the life of an Answer Midwest main dispatcher.

Pre-Shift Preparation

Answer Midwest’s flexible schedule provides Rachelle with a desirable balance between her work and home life. She is a full-time Main Dispatcher, working remotely during 8-hour evening shifts, four days a week. The flexibility of the evening shift allows her to spend valuable time with her son during the day. 

In the afternoon, Rachelle begins preparing for a successful shift by setting up her dual monitor and opening up multiple work systems. The Answer Midwest team uses platforms such as Google Sheets, Gmail, Google Drive, and other necessary applications. Our phone-routing system, Spectrum, works through headsets, so the team doesn’t need a phone. By 4 p.m., Rachelle is ready to start her evening shift.

 

Handling Communication

Our software plays a crucial role in streamlining communication. The software’s role is vital in that it provides the basis for ensuring the team stays on the same page while gathering meticulous information and documenting every keystroke to make sure messages are captured and delivered accurately. 

Real-Time Problem Solving

As an answering service, you’ll inevitably encounter challenges at one point or another. Whether it’s dealing with an unhappy caller or any other obstacle that comes our way, the Answer Midwest team steps up to the plate to solve the problem. Our team answers each call or query with a fast response time, courteousness and understanding, and a high level of knowledge about the client’s business. 

“Each call requires on-the-spot problem solving,” Rachelle says. “It’s important for our team to listen to the caller and think on our feet to provide a kind, listening ear and a solution that satisfies their issue.” 

Coordination and Scheduling

Communication with our clients is important, but equally important is our internal communication so everyone is informed about client changes, call coverage, and team breaks. Rachelle helps keep the team organized, responding to client emails and making sure client messages are sent out through the system according to the client’s instructions. Rachelle also enjoys training operators and assistant dispatchers, in addition to managing schedules throughout the evening.

Break Time

Answer Midwest’s dispatchers typically work an 8-hour shift, with two 10-minute breaks and a 30-minute lunch. Rachelle helps keep track of the team’s breaks so someone is always available to answer our clients’ customers when they reach out. After breaks, it’s back to serving our clients and their callers.

“Last Call”

Rachelle wraps up her day, typically around midnight. She completes client emails, updates on-call schedules, makes sure any issues have been resolved, and keeps management informed of any important developments. Rachelle also ensures smooth communication by documenting any updates that occurred during her shift so the next shift team has clear guidance on what to expect and how to move forward.

Work With Answer Midwest

If you want to find your next favorite job (like Rachelle), apply today to work with us.  Midwest is a fun place to work, where the balance between work and home life is valued, and our team members can grow in their personal and professional lives. From supporting mental health in the workplace to helping team members achieve financial freedom, Answer Midwest is here to support YOU while you support our clients.

The Golden Rule — “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” — is a simple yet profound idea carried across generations. It embodies empathy and consideration for others, as well as ourselves. When put into practice, the Golden Rule can positively transform relationships, workplaces, and even communities.

For Answer Midwest, the Golden Rule is a consistent practice and promise. It ensures that our clients can rely on us as an extension of their teams and values and that their customers will always be treated with the utmost professionalism and care. The practice also takes care of our team, fostering a culture of mutual respect, open communication, and appreciation for diverse perspectives. 

Why Follow the Golden Rule

Applying the Golden Rule doesn’t need to be complex. 

Often, the Golden Rule can be simplified to one question: “How would I want to be treated in this circumstance?” Putting ourselves in the other person’s shoes allows us to navigate even the most challenging scenarios with compassion and integrity.

When we genuinely treat others how we wish to be treated, we take care of everyone we work alongside, including our clients and their customers. For example, when a customer calls with an issue, this empathetic perspective drives us to listen patiently, communicate clearly, and go the extra mile to find a solution. Similarly, when interacting with our Answer Midwest team, we consider how our actions and words impact each other and think more purposefully about how we can continue to create a supportive, appreciative environment.

5 Ways Answer Midwest Follows the Golden Rule

At Answer Midwest, the Golden Rule is more than just a saying — it’s a way of life. Here are a few ways we put this principle into practice:

• It’s in our mission statement. We start every staff meeting by reaffirming our commitment to treating others as we would want to be treated, setting the tone for all our interactions and decisions.

• It drives every decision we make. From setting fair billing rates to handling customer concerns, we always ask ourselves, “Is this how we would want to be treated?” This question guides us to prioritize respect, empathy, and integrity.

• We review our decisions. To ensure we’re living up to the Golden Rule, we regularly evaluate our calls and identify areas for improvement and instances where we have excelled in providing exceptional, empathetic service.

• Kindness is instilled in our team. We champion a culture where everyone treats each other with reverence, listens to one another’s ideas and feedback, and values diverse perspectives. By embodying the Golden Rule internally, we naturally give our clients the same care and consideration.

• We say thank you. Recognizing our team members’ hard work is crucial to treating them as we want to be treated. From personalized thank-you cards to public recognition, we ensure our associates feel appreciated and encourage a culture of peer-to-peer gratitude.

A Culture of Kindness, Respect, and Continuous Improvement

By weaving the Golden Rule into every aspect of our business, we’ve created a culture of kindness, respect, and continuous improvement that benefits our team and allows us to provide the highest service to our clients and their customers.

The Golden Rule creates a workplace culture filled with positive collaboration and innovation, which translates into higher-quality service and a shared commitment to excellence for our clients. It’s our proven strategy for building a thriving 24-hour business and positioning ourselves for success in an ever-changing business landscape.

While businesses are increasingly driven by technology and automation, there are still quite a few industries that rely heavily on ‘person-to-person’ interaction and communication. Sometimes, these roles are a thankless position. It can feel like you are just a cog in a machine, when in fact, customer service representatives are the heart and soul of any organization.

To balance this delicate give-and-take in the customer service business, companies need a strong recognition program to show their team the appreciation they deserve. Team members are not just assets to be managed, but rather individuals with lives, aspirations, and challenges outside of work. 

At Answer Midwest, we recognize the importance of supporting our team’s professional and personal well-being. It’s why we go beyond the standard employee benefits and invest in programs that contribute to our team members’ overall well-being — in and outside of the office. 

Provide A Sense of Purpose

In an era where social media often glorifies grand gestures and life-altering contributions, it’s easy to feel that job satisfaction is directly tied to saving lives or making headlines. However, the reality is far more nuanced. Sometimes, the world truly needs a friendly voice on the other end of the line — a simple yet profound act that can turn someone’s day around.

Many, when needing to call a customer service representative, brace themselves for a less-than-pleasant interaction. However, because kindness is a virtue instilled into our company, helping others is not just a checkmark on the to-do list. It’s a way of life — Answer Midwest President Jen Schulz reiterates daily the Golden Rule: to treat others how you would want to be treated. The numerous compliments and gratitude shared with the team from callers they’ve helped gives their work meaning and provides our team with a sense of purpose. 

Invest in Your Team’s Well-being

Today’s fast-paced work environment that puts the focus on achieving high productivity and bottom-line results can cause employee well-being to take a backseat. At Answer Midwest, we believe well-supported employees are happier both personally and professionally, which is why we’ve implemented several programs to enhance our team members’ well-being:

Marketplace Chaplains

Well-being goes beyond the physical; it also includes mental health. We have a commitment to our team members to create an uplifting and supportive company culture, which is why we partnered with Marketplace Chaplains in 2023. This service connects our team with the listening ear of a neutral third-party to support their emotional wellness. This Employee Care Service program comes at no additional cost to our team, and they have 24/7 access to talk with a Chaplain. 

SmartDollar Program 

Financial stress is a significant concern for many Americans, which can pose a risk to both personal well-being and job performance. Our SmartDollar program provides the resources and coaching needed to make informed financial decisions. Through the program, our team gains access to comprehensive financial management tools, including recorded videos and podcasts, to help them achieve their financial goals. In 2023, Answer Midwest added one-on-one personal financial coaching, which would typically cost $100 to $300 per hour completely free of charge, to give our team members additional support to achieve financial freedom.

Create Trust

Trust is not just a buzzword at Answer Midwest; it’s a cornerstone of our organizational culture. We firmly believe that caring for our team members creates a ripple effect, empowering our team members to take exceptional care of our clients and callers. In essence, it’s people taking care of people, and that’s the kind of culture we strive to cultivate.

It’s easy to talk about culture and values, but we believe in showing, not just telling. A prime example of this commitment is our recent decision to increase pay for our team. It wasn’t just about the increase itself, but also the message that accompanied the increase. We reiterated that when making business decisions we take into account the impact it will have on each of them and this particular business decision was a tangible way to give back to our team and better support them in their lives.

By doing what we say we’re going to do, we’re not just building trust but fortifying it. We’re sending a clear message to our team: “We’ve got your back.” We’re proud to have created a culture where trust is not just a value but a lived experience, creating a solid foundation for team satisfaction and business success.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

At Answer Midwest, team appreciation is not an annual event or a box to be checked; it’s a continuous, daily effort that permeates every interaction and decision we make. We are committed to providing a holistic support system for our team members — after all, a well-supported team is the foundation of a successful business. 

Looking to become a member of the Answer Midwest team? Reach out today to apply to one of our open positions.

Supporting employees means being there for all of life’s moments — big and small. Though showing appreciation in the little ways is important, it is also important to be there for employees when they truly need support and help to guide them through life’s largest obstacles. 

At Answer Midwest, we do not just want our team to succeed at their jobs, but also in their lives outside of work. Over 70% of Americans report that financial stability is a major concern in their lives, with stress from financial concerns posing a risk not just to job performance but also to personal well-being. We are always looking to help our team in new ways, including this month’s featured resource: the SmartDollar Program.

The SmartDollar Program

Knowing how to manage money is not an innate skill for most people, and good money management examples and learning opportunities can be hard to come by. Jen Schulz, President of Answer Midwest, knows from experience how challenging financial wellness can be. Nearly 20 years ago, she and her husband, James, took Ramsey Solutions’ “Financial Peace University” course, originally intending to apply its lessons to just their personal finances. Gradually, Jen saw how she could apply those lessons to business as well and how her team could also benefit from these tools. 

SmartDollar is a set of financial management tools specifically designed for businesses to offer to employees. Created by the same company behind “Financial Peace University”, it provides financial coaching to employees to help them achieve their goals. 

The Employee Experience

Since we introduced the SmartDollar program to Answer Midwest, many of our team have taken advantage of the resources available. One such person is Holly P.,  who participated in the SmartDollar program in pursuit of her ultimate goal of owning a home. 

Holly has been with Answer Midwest for nearly seven years and found herself struggling to create a household budget after she and her husband decided they wanted to become homeowners. Holly was introduced to the SmartDollar program through Answer Midwest and began taking advantage of the learning resources available. 

Using strategies discussed in the recorded videos, podcasts, and other services, Holly’s family started taking steps in the right direction. By saving money, reducing debt, and raising her credit score, Holly and her husband were eventually approved for the purchase of their first home. In the end, Holly says, “Had it not been for the tools and resources provided by SmartDollar, we would not have been able to make the changes needed to complete our biggest goal!”

Discovering New Resources

The Answer Midwest team wants to make sure our employees thrive in every part of their lives, and we are happy to provide resources to help them achieve personal financial goals like owning a home and living debt free.

In January, we were thrilled to add one-on-one financial coaching to our program, giving participants free access to a money mentor who can answer financial questions. This personalized guidance allows employees to make well-informed decisions and navigate through the financial tools available to them with ease. 

We are continuing to expand our existing programs and look for new ways to provide support to our team. With SmartDollar, financial coaching, and our other employee programs, we hope to continue to strengthen the amazingly positive and optimistic culture here at Answer Midwest. 

Want to meet your financial goals?

Come join the Answer Midwest team! With competitive pay, growth opportunities, and financial wellness resources, you will be put on the path to success. Apply today! 

Researchers at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania confirmed what we at Answer Midwest have known all along: call center employees, when recognized by management, are 50% more effective than those who work in a negative work environment. 

We don’t need data to tell us that recognizing and supporting our team members is the right thing to do — after all, we always operate on the golden rule. Here are a couple of ways we recognize our employees year-round. 

      1. Recognizing the individual

Positive vibes start at the individual level. We know our people are the most important part of our company, and we try to recognize them at every opportunity. We take the time to send our employees personalized thank-you notes when they go above and beyond, so all our team members know their hard work is appreciated.

We’re proud of each and every team member, so we go to great lengths to spotlight them on our Facebook and LinkedIn and elsewhere. One of our recent spotlights was for one of our customer service representatives, Pam, who turned the positivity back at us: “When I get to go to the office, it feels like coming home. I love my colleagues and I love my managers — anyone who joins is immediately a part of the family!” 

      2. Appreciating the team

It takes a village to run a successful business, and so recognizing our employees as a whole is just as important as recognizing them individually. With dedicated team appreciation events and holiday parties, our team members are able to give thanks in each other’s company. 

Take a look at the whole team’s joy in the pictures from our last holiday party — the first one we were able to hold after COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were lifted! 

      3. Giving incentives and bonuses

Last but not least, we know it’s important to recognize employees for their hard work by helping them advance in their careers. There are many advancement paths with rapid promotion opportunities available at Answer Midwest. We also award bonuses for each in-depth compliment given to our team members — and since our team is so great, regularly, we hand out thousands of dollars at staff meetings! The bonus for us is seeing our team’s hard work get recognized by organizations like the Association of TeleServices International and St. Louis Small Business Monthly. 

Recently, we asked some of our Answer Midwest team members to share what they were thankful for, with answers ranging from family to opportunities to jobs. With another great year nearly behind us, we’re thankful for all our team!