Fast Leader Show host gets Neal Topf to talk about how he’s led Callzilla to top ranking among thousands of call center providers (and a whole lot more).
Each Wednesday, Fast Leader Show host Jim Rembach has a guest share their stories about when they have had to “get over a hump” in their career or life. “Their stories help others learn a better way, or different way, to move onward and upward faster,” says Rembach.
Recently he interviewed customer experience guru Neal Topf, Callzilla’s founder. Jim’s thoughtful questions and engaging style led to Neal sharing things about his background and drivers that even longtime colleagues didn’t know. For example:
Neal Topf got his first job in New York City at the age of twenty-five in a large direct marketing agency. The boss that had hired him was wonderful during his interview, so Neal was excited to get going. But this same boss turned into Neal’s nightmare. She made his life so miserable that if he met her today he would hug her and thank her. Listen and learn why Neal is so grateful: www.fastleader.net/nealtopf/
“Like a well-oiled machine or a football team offense that executes a play to perfection, Neal’s greatest professional achievement is running a business that competes hard, grows, and evolves in one of the most competitive industries on the planet,” explains Rembach.
The 20 minute discussion ranges over numerous topics: what Neal’s 5th and 6th grade football coach taught him, the call center industry’s worsening reputation, qualities Neal needs to see in teammates, and how he is trying to prepare his son to thrive in a fast-paced, competitive world.
At one point Neal says with passion,
“There is no call center easy button. Easy button does not exist. We all wish there was one. But it doesn’t exist.”
The interview has so many gems, in fact, that we will post again here with more excerpts.
Since 2005, Neal has led Callzilla, an outsourced contact center providing customer care, customer acquisition, and business process outsourcing to top brands. Our call center success stories show client’s return on investment when they tap Callzilla to improve the customer experience, add channels such as live chat, gain market share among English and Spanish speakers, and more.
Jim spent many years in contact center operations and leverages this to help others. He is a panel expert with the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), certified Emotional Intelligence (EQ) practitioner, Certified Employee Retention Specialist, Certified Better Place to Work Expert, and frequently-quoted industry expert.
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