UNMIK on
Air
Telemarketing
By
Danielle Bremer
Atmosphere: sound
of Fellanza making a telephone call
This is Fellanza who works for
company “Same day marketing” offering telephone services to American
businesses. Firms that make or receive high numbers of phone calls - for
example to promote products or answer questions from customers use this very
common type of service in Western Europe and the United States.
Hello and welcome. This is UNMIK on Air,
What is special about this company is that they offer this
service from Kosovo. Xhihad Vuqitrna, the manager of “Same day marketing”,
explains how this business between two continents functions.
‘All our phone calls go to the United States. And the people who call have to know English
well and have the right accent. “
“We call over the Internet but our number is registered in
the United States, In Rhode Island. The people we call see that number on their
display, not a number from Kosovo.”
Owner and founder of the company is Jill Long. She came to
Kosovo to teach International business at Pristina’s summer University and at
the American University of Kosovo. Founder of a similar business in the United
States she realized Kosovo’s potential for such a service Industry.
Actuality No. 2
“We have a group of operators, or agents as we call them
that are making phone calls on behalf of our clients who are businessman in the
States.”
“The labor rates in particular are what makes Kosovo a desirable location. There are other cost benefits as well: the tax rates are very reasonable. Real estate: just renting office space costs less then it does in the States. So all around it is a good financial decision to come to Kosovo.”
Fellanza, just back from the US, describes this as an ideal
job. With her American accent she finds it easy to convince people she calls on
behalf of a company based in the States.
Actuality No.3
“Some people are more nervous then others but it’s good
that you do not see the other person. If you call in a direct way, if you are
good, you get positive reactions.”
To make it more convincing they
are calling from the United States the operators take on American names on the
phone: Skender introduces himself as ‘Ken’, Kaltrina is ‘Tina’ and Fellanza is
‘Lucy’.
As many Americans are worried
about job-losses in their country with this kind of service-industries moving
abroad, it is important to convince people they are receiving a phone call from
an American based firm.
Besim Becaj taught at Pristina’s summer university together
with Jill Long and followed the start of her company from close by. Now working
for the Chamber of Commerce he believes the initiative has a great chance for
success.
Actuality No. 4 on why service industries will do better in Kosovo then a
‘classic’ company producing goods and why this specific company stands a good
chance as it makes good use of Kosovo’s potential: young good English speaking
people who are good with computers
The company started operations in March and currently
employs only a handful of people. But manager Xhihad Vuqitrna has big plans for
the future.
Actuality No. 5
“The potential is great. If we pass the test that we made
for ourselves we could grow to 100 or 150 people. This means 150 jobs. That’s
not a small amount.”
Back announce: For Kosovo
this business is a novelty. But as others are successfully offering similar
services to the American market from places like India, owner Jill and her
local manager Xhihad are sure the company is here to stay and will make it big.