Commitment to perfect performance motivates the Green Team

Customer Service Representative Monique Figueroa states that prior to Tooty it was taught to deliver the dry message “I’m sorry but those are the rules”. But this two-year member of the Green Team of San Jose has learned through Tooty the tools for better delivery of the same message. Monique has learned to really listen to a customer and help solve a problem.

It’s one of the skills that makes Figueroa and her fellow team members — Erin Avila, Denay Dominguez and Lindsey Gutierrez — near perfect performers in Waste Connection’s Tooty program. Tooty trains employees in Waste Connections’ tools and best practices for effective handling of customers during sales and service situations.

Green Team is the franchised solid waste hauler for the California cities of San Jose, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Campbell.

Green Team is geared toward making the customer feel completely satisfied. “We listen to our customers needs and our customers hang-up feeling all of the their needs have been professionally and pleasantly addressed.” says Beverley Dokken, customer service manager.

Franchised environments are bound to rules predetermined by the hauling contract. Adherence is paramount but “a hard attitude of ‘here’s the rules’ without explaining why can create ill will and division between customer service representatives and customers,” says Lori Miller, president of Tooty.

“One challenge that Tooty helped us overcome was to deliver our franchised rule set in a way that make the customer feel like they are receiving the valuable service that they are paying for,” Dokken adds. “

Green Team has learned to restructure calls within the limitations set by the contract, Doken says. “For example, we say, ‘here are your options’ instead of ‘here’s how it has to be.’ We redeliver the same message with content and a tone that’s consistent with better customer service.”

The women on the Green Team have consistently earned Tooty scores of 90s and 100s — up from 20s and 30s when the program first started. The high scores bring those monetary awards, recognition and gift certificates. Green Team handles about 350 calls a day. Four calls a month come from Tooty secret customers who are testing the Green Team’s customer service skills.

Green Team call center sets up new accounts and handles billing. Reps take service calls for roll offs, misses and garbage carts and bins for residential and commercial customers.

One of the Tooty directives is to ensure that no customer service call proceeds without a verification of billing information, Erin Avila says. Erin also mentions that Tooty works because “At Green Team we treat each and every call so that it would score a 100!”

Figueroa says that since her training she takes more time to listen to customers. “I’m not in such a hurry to get off the phone. It’s more beneficial to take the time now instead of seeing the problem repeat itself the following week.”

Figuero finds out what the underlying problem is instead of just sending someone back right away for a missed collection.

“The customer might be setting out material that’s not acceptable,” Figuero says. “Carts may be improperly spaced or not set out before 6 a.m. We would go over that again with the customer instead of seeing the same mistake made again.”

“As a manager I am so proud of our Customer Service Staff. For the last two years each and every Customer Service Rep has taken ownership of their performance with Tooty. They pride themselves on their personal scores and are truly disappointed when they do not score a perfect 100. I am proud of what they have accomplished with Tooty but I am even more proud of their performance with our real customers. Tooty has shown me what a pleasure it can be to work with high achieving individuals such as Denay, Erin, Lindsey, Monique and our newest CSR Noemi,” Dokken says.