Sarstedt. “Bonjour” – “hello” – “ciao” – “hola” – and so on: They speak a lot of languages here! aktiv is a guest in telephone studio F at the company TDM in Sarstedt near Hildesheim. Employees from many European countries sit here at screens, advise callers from all over the world and answer technical questions.
Telefon-Direkt-Marketing GmbH, TDM for short, is a call center. And a very special one: The more than 100 employees of the international team also look after companies from the metal, electrical and rubber industries. They take calls in a total of 26 languages, advise customers, record orders, provide information about products or make appointments. For example, some employees are constantly available for patients who use ventilators from an industrial company.
Specialist translators also learn basic knowledge in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering
Anyone who works for this technology hotline needs a lot of know-how, explains Yvonne Nolte: “I am a specialist translator for languages and technology, my studies combined language with mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.” She speaks fluent English and French, with her technical understanding they also answer complicated questions. For example, she can help if a technician from France wants to know something about a machine.
In addition, many skilled workers or engineers work in the telephone studios in Sarstedt, reports head Martin Knopp. “If companies would reveal who of them uses call centers, our industry would have a completely different image,” he says. “But we always stay in the background.”
The industry has become more professional
In telemarketing, one differentiates between inbound and outbond calls, explains Knopp. Inbound is used to describe call acceptance and customer service, while outbond stands for active calls and sales. “There are definitely black sheep in this area who want to sell lottery tickets on the phone in the evening.”
Knopp has been fighting for a further professionalization of the industry for years. “Today there are two apprenticeships: the service specialist for dialogue marketing as well as the businessman and the clerk for dialogue marketing.”
The top-class team offers concentrated language skills
Because quality is required: “We are not the face, but the voice of companies,” says sales expert Ramona Wolff. Born in Spain, she is expanding the international team. She used to travel all over Europe with Knopp, going to Paris in the morning and Lisbon in the evening. Always with the aim of building a call center network. There are now only a few partners left. “We hardly have an international employee in Sarstedt who only speaks one language. We offer concentrated language skills. “
Of course, a wide variety of temperaments come together. “Everyone grew up in a different culture and has different expectations of the other person. But everyone treats each other with respect, ”reports specialist translator Nolte. “This mix of cultures is something beautiful.”
——
A special telephone service provider
- The customer. Telefon-Direkt-Marketing GmbH works for industrial customers, banks, insurance companies and e-commerce.
- Companies. The TDM was founded in 1983 in Sarstedt. The focus is on telephone marketing for products that require explanation and technical products.
- The employees. The company has around 500 employees, including more than 100 in the international team. Since 2006 it has been training in dialogue marketing professions.
—–
/data/photo/2015/12/07/1505117mobkas11780x390.jpg "Used car options Rp. 70 million at the beginning of the month, there are CR-V, Innova, and BMW")