A glimpse into our inbound call centre and what we deliver for our charity sector clients
We caught up with Frazer Hurrell who works for some of our charity sector clients in our Inbound Contact Centre. We talked to Frazer about the work he does every day on behalf of our client The Leprosy Mission Shop and this is what Frazer said:
1. Could you introduce yourself and give us a brief overview of your role
Hello, I am Frazer Hurrell and I work full-time in the Inbound Contact Centre at Mosaic Fulfilment Solutions. One of the main accounts I have the pleasure of working on is that of The Leprosy Mission Shop.
A normal day involves speaking on the phone to the charity’s supporters, who could be calling in for several reasons. Some supporters are calling to place an order for items in the charity’s online shop or catalogue; some may be calling to donate; and some may have questions about the charity and its work.
Every day is different, but generally my daily work involves the following:
- Taking product orders from The Leprosy Mission Shop catalogue and answering any queries on the products (such as their size, colour, delivery time etc).
- When I place an order, this triggers several actions. Our distribution centre at Mosaic receives the order; the items are picked and packed in our warehouse and then dispatched to the supporter on the charity’s behalf
- Handling virtual gift orders for The Leprosy Mission Shop, these are called ‘Gifts for Life.’
- Taking donations from supporters and passing them on to my banking & thanking colleagues
- Passing legacy and bequest requests to The Leprosy Mission specialist legacy officers
- Providing general information on the work done by The Leprosy Mission charity
- Ensuring all aspects of every transaction are handled in a compliant manner eg around Gift Aid declarations, and email opt in/opt outs
- Confirming product details before the order goes through so that the supporter can check exactly what they have just ordered
- Handling customer service questions after an order has been placed eg supporters calling in to ask ‘when is the delivery’, ‘where is my order’, ‘how do I return this item’ etc
For my work, I need to be totally familiar with The Leprosy Mission’s purpose and mission – and I am. I know their product line and the services they provide like the back of my hand. In fact, I consider myself to be an intrinsic part of The Leprosy Mission Shop’s team.
In my supporter-facing role, I am often the first point of contact with the charity, so I am part of their brand, and my tone of voice must be the same as theirs. I am aware of the charity’s Christian values, and this informs my every action.
2. How did you get involved with The Leprosy Mission Shop?
I came to work for both Mosaic and The Leprosy Mission 5 years ago, when I joined Mosaic. I previously worked in a smaller contact centre, so I was already familiar with the requirements of the role. As a people person, I understand how empathy, great customer service and gratitude go a long way, and that I can make someone’s day brighter by handling calls well. I do receive regular ongoing training both in house and from The Leprosy Mission Shop, ensuring I am always kept up to date on new products and processes.
3. Why do you like working with The Leprosy Mission Shop?’’
As a people person, I genuinely enjoy speaking with The Leprosy Mission Shop’s supporters. They are good Christian folk and lovely to deal with. Often, they share interesting stories about their reasons for supporting the charity, or why they are making the order or donation that day. I am an active listener and am genuinely interested in making a difference.
My job is to keep supporters happy, whether that is by actively listening, being compassionate or handling every transaction with empathy and a smile. There is always a good reason behind people picking up the phone on any given day, and my job is to interpret that, support the supporters with their call, and in turn help The Leprosy Mission.
Sometimes supporters are apologetic for making what they consider to be a ‘small’ donation. I tell them that there is no such thing as a small donation, every single donation makes a difference. It takes just £24 towards curing a person of leprosy, so every penny is valued and counts towards eradicating leprosy by 2035.
I also feel that I am doing my bit towards the charity’s amazing work. When I began this role, I knew nothing about leprosy in the modern day. I didn’t realise that it was still a thing and thought it belonged to Biblical times when lepers lived in colonies, ostracised and isolated because they were contagious. I am proud to be part of The Leprosy Mission’s work by supporting their supporters and helping those with leprosy now in 2022.
There seems to be no good reason why anyone should be suffering from leprosy unnecessarily nowadays. We are so lucky in the western world that we have access to healthcare and information and that leprosy is not an issue for us here. Thanks to charities like The Leprosy Mission, there no reason why leprosy cannot be eradicated in developing countries too and I am proud to be part of The Leprosy Mission’s aim to eradicate this awful disease globally, hopefully by 2035.
4. What are the challenges in your role?
Some calls can take a while, but this is the nature of our work – many people want to share their story or may take longer perhaps because they are hard of hearing or sight impaired. Some callers need extra support with ordering, selecting a Gift for Life or making a donation, and we may have to talk them through the process several times. We totally understand that some supporters need more support than others. Our policy is that each call takes as long as it takes. Keeping supporters supported and happy is our priority, and we would never cut anyone’s call short when they need extra support.
Some supporters need to pick up the phone several times after ordering too, for example to double-check their orders even though they have been sent email confirmations. Others might need help returning an item which has been delivered. Our job is to listen patiently and deliver a solution quickly, painlessly and with empathy.
5. Which is your favourite product from The Leprosy Mission Shop?
I particularly like The Leprosy Mission Shop’s Artisan range of products. My wallet was one such purchase – I bought it 5 years ago when I first started working with The Leprosy Mission Shop. The wallet was excellent quality and felt nice, it was my first of many purchases. The wallet is still going strong and has proved to be worth every penny.