Business Services

Everyday Plastic Packaging

Plastic has become almost ubiquitous in the modern world, particularly when it comes to packaging. Take a moment to think just how many things in your home are stored in some type of plastic container. Odds are that you can’t even begin to estimate. There’s a reason that plastics injection molding is such a thriving industry. Plastic is versatile enough that there are few things that it can’t be used to store. It can provide rigidity, flexibility, or a combination of both.

Chances are that you don’t stop to think twice if you drop a plastic jar of peanut butter or just manage to squeeze a bag of frozen veggies into your freezer. Plastics companies are always improving on the packaging of the products we use every day. The fact that most people rarely notice or consider these advantages shows the extent to which plastic is entrenched in our lives.

Aegis grows call center operations in Florida

For some businesses, the customer service solution industry is showing no signs of slowing down. The latest sign of the continued health of the industry comes from Port St. Lucie, Florida, where the Treasure Coast Palm reports that Aegis Communications Group, one of the largest call center companies in the Southeast, is looking to expand their operations and add up to 500 jobs in the community.

“This is 500 new jobs, that’s what they’re telling me,” said Nate Bray, president of real estate business development for Palm Beach Gardens-based Asset Specialists. “They came in about four weeks ago and moved really fast on this. They love the county and love the workforce. They’re really excited about staying here.”

Aegis Communications Group is a privately owned company that provides outsourced telemarketing and customer support services through more than 30 facilities in the United States and India.

Medical answering service industry continues to grow in the Philippines

Many medical answering services have embraced the Philippines as a place to find trained, competent nurses to handle the outsourcing of after-hours patient calls. But the majority of outsourced call center locations are in other Asian countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong, meaning that Filipinos must relocate to take these highly-prized jobs.

But this might be changing, as many companies are beginning to build call centers in the Philippines as a way to cater to their workforce. For example, Life Stage Communication recently announced that they will open offices in Manila and Davao to employ more than 100 nurses.

Recent figures show that the telephone answering service industry will grow anywhere from 25 to 30 percent in the Philippines in the next year, employing more than 450,000 people. Many of these are in the medical industry, where a large supply of trained nurses provides a willing and skilled talent pool.

Study shows links to BPA beyond food contamination

It’s been thought by many scientists that a harmful chemical called BPA – which has been linked to birth defects, low birth weights, cancer, early puberty and other health problems – is delivered to the body through food eaten in wholesale plastic containers. This has lead to some health care and environmental professionals to call for a new look into the plastics injection molding process to see if any damage is being done to consumer’s bodies.

But a University of Rochester Medical School study shows results that should be of interest to every plastic manufacturer. It suggests that the problem might not just be limited to plastic containers but that humans could be exposed to BPA through other sources, such as water that has run through CVC pipes or dust from carbonless paper such as cash register receipts.

By having test subject fast and comparing their BPA levels, researchers found that the levels did not change even after a day of not eating. This suggests that people are absorbing BPA from a variety of sources other than food.

In response, Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group of the American Chemistry Council executive director Steven Hentges said that the testing was “speculation” and that there is “no significant level of BPA in drinking water, nor is it present in PVC pipe.”

Outsourcing more than just phone answering services

While most physicians know that an outsourced call center can handle functions such as phone answering services and appointment scheduling, many people may not be aware of the other services that they can provide. Many call centers can also serve as an office and customer support solution for a variety of important functions needed to run a medical office:

• Nurse triage: Many medical answering services also offer options of a nurse triage, where experienced nursing professionals can listen to patient’s medical complaints and determine if their situation is minor or serious enough to warrant emergency treatment. This can be an especially important service for an after hours answering service to avoid constant paging of doctors and staff.
• Physician referral: For health systems, this is a convenient way to manage referring patients to primary care doctors or specialists without requiring office staff to research and match patients with physicians.
• Patient follow-up calls: After a patient has received in-patient or out-patient treatment, there are frequently follow-up calls that need to take place. This can include monitoring that they are following their post-care treatment plan or are recovering as expected.
• Customer surveys: As with any other business, customer surveys can tell medical offices how they are doing along with which services to improve upon or add. An outsourced call center can also handle this function, making calls to previous patients to gauge their level of satisfaction.

If you are using a call center or phone answering service, you might want to see what other services they provide. Bundling services can streamline activities while saving money.

Call Center Efficiency

When it comes to a live answering service, both the company running it and the customer using it will likely agree that the more efficient it is, the better. Unfortunately, the question of how to make it more efficient isn’t one that can be easily answered, particularly in the current period of economic crisis. Many companies are being forced to tighten their belts, which can result in smaller budgets for call center services. However, contrary to popular belief, running an answer service that can deliver a high level of customer satisfaction doesn’t have to cost more than your company can afford.

Technology advances in a wide number of areas, including call center solutions, is always improving, so if you haven’t looked at what options are available for your company in recent months, it might be time to check again. Outsourcing is another way to deliver quality at a lower price.

Hiring a Reputable Legal Answering Service

Just as the medical answering service has caught on for physicians, so, too, has the legal answering service for attorneys. These services can handle after-hours calls, take and forward messages, and more. But as with outsourcing any work, attorneys must screen answering services carefully before signing a contract to ensure high-quality service—a must when dealing with legal-related calls that are often sensitive in nature. Getting a referral is one way to find a good service, but word of mouth must be augmented by the attorney’s own research. Ask about the services available and whether the provider has any experience with legal calls. Discuss how call performance will be monitored and measured. And, of course, clarify with any phone answering service the details of the service contract. Be clear about expectations and remain involved with the service. Having someone else field calls can be extremely useful to an attorney, but only if it is done so in a professional, knowledgeable, and courteous manner.

Tips for Choosing an Auto Transport Company

Contact the auto transport company at least two weeks in advance of the date when you want to move the car. This will give you time to verify the pickup date and prepare your car for transport.

Locate local auto transport companies using an online directory or the Yellow Pages.

Call several auto moving companies. As with choosing a contractor, for example, choosing a transport company should involve obtaining rates and availability, researching the company online and with the Better Business Bureau, and checking the company’s references.

Ask companies what type of insurance they carry and if you must meet a deductible in order to be eligible for the benefits. In addition, you may want to purchase your own auto shipping insurance for the move.

If you want to track your car’s progress, ask whether the auto transportation company offers online tracking or status reports.

Find out if you must pay your deposit in advance or on the day of pickup.

Get an estimated pickup and delivery time estimate in writing. Find out if there are any special instructions for pickup/delivery and where they will take place—at your residence? A nearby parking lot? Knowing this information beforehand will make the entire transport process go more smoothly.