Inside Marketing with MarketSurge

In this episode, we sit down with Richard Blank, founder and CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center.
From Northeast Philly to San José, Richard shares his journey of betting on himself, moving abroad, and building a thriving nearshore BPO from a one-seat operation to a company that now powers:
✅ Inbound customer support
✅ Lead generation
✅ Appointment setting
✅ Sales training & coaching
He’s trained over 10,000 bilingual telemarketers, launched a telemarketing school, and even infused gamification into company culture with retro arcade pinball, jukeboxes, and air hockey. His story is one of grit, creativity, and a relentless belief in the art of communication.
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to scale a business without outside investment, how to build culture in unexpected industries, or how traditional call centers adapt in the era of AI — this episode is for you.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
  • Why Richard left Philadelphia at age 27 to pursue a short-term gig that turned into a 19-year business journey.
  • How he grew Costa Rica’s Call Center without outside investors, staying lean and resourceful.
  • The unique coaching and training methods he’s developed after analyzing 10,000+ calls.
  • Why empathy, soft skills, and gamification are still critical in the call center industry.
  • How human connection outperforms AI when it comes to building trust and saving clients.
🔗 Connect with Richard Blank
👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/costaricascallcenter/

👉 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ST99AEp7COEWS4q4VUw4Q

👉 Costa Rica’s Call Center Videos: https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/videos/

🔗 Connect with MarketSurge
🌐 Website: https://marketsurge.io

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeio

🐦 X / Twitter: https://x.com/marketsurging

🎙️ Podcast: https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/

🔥 If you’re ready to scale smarter, faster, and louder, don’t guess. Surge.

Creators and Guests

Host
Reed Hansen
Reed Hansen is a seasoned digital marketing executive with a proven track record of driving business growth through innovative strategies. As the Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, he focuses on leveraging AI-powered marketing tools to help businesses scale efficiently. Reed's expertise spans from leading startups to Fortune 500 companies, making him a recognized authority in the digital marketing space. His unique ability to combine data-driven insights with creative solutions has been instrumental in achieving remarkable sales growth for his clients. ​

What is Inside Marketing with MarketSurge?

Welcome to Inside Marketing with MarketSurge — your front-row seat to the boldest business insights, marketing breakthroughs, and entrepreneurial real talk.

Hosted by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge and a digital marketing veteran who's helped scale everything from scrappy startups to Fortune 500 giants, this podcast dives deep into what’s really moving the needle in today’s marketing world. Find us at Marketsurge.io

Each week, we’ll break down the latest marketing and business news (minus the fluff), explore tech trends you actually need to know, and feature unfiltered conversations with the most interesting minds in entrepreneurship and marketing.

Whether you're a founder, a marketer, or just a curious hustler looking to level up, this is where growth happens—loudly, smartly, and with just the right amount of sass.

Subscribe, tune in, and let’s scale something legendary. 🚀

Speaker: Welcome to Inside
Marketing With Market Surge.

Your front row seat to the
boldest ideas and smartest

strategies in the marketing game.

Your host is Reed Hansen, chief
Growth Officer at Market Surge.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hello
and welcome back to Inside

Marketing with Market Surge.

Today's guest is the one and only
Richard Blank, a northeast Philly

native who bet on himself packed what
mattered, and that included his Spanish

fluency and headed to Costa Rica.

What was supposed to be a short training
gig turned into the foundation of

Costa Rica's call center, which he
built up from a one seat operation to

a thriving nearshore, BPO powering.

Inbound support, lead gen
appointment setting and more.

He's trained over 10,000 bilingual
telemarketers, runs a telemarketing

school, and even infuses retro arcade
gamification like pinball games

and jukeboxes into company culture.

He holds a communications and Spanish
degree from the University of Arizona,

plus a language certificate from
Seville, gives back to his alma mater

with a scholarship and has appeared
on podcast exploring leadership growth

and how to make work, feel like play.

Are you ready to dive in?

Welcome, Richard.

richard blank: Hey,
thank you so much Reid.

That was quite the introduction.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: I think.

richard blank: Cliff note version, but
uh, definitely getting an ROI on my

education at the University of Arizona.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Awesome.

So you, moved down to Costa Rica
full time, uh, I think it was

age 27, I think I saw that was
supposed to be a temporary gig.

So what made you stay and what were the
first moments that made you think that

you could make a business down there?

richard blank: How many vacations have you
been on where you said I could live here?

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Oh yeah.

richard blank: out a way.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Right, right.

richard blank: is a very interesting
age in regards to certain musicians

that passed on, but sometimes

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: That's true.

richard blank: It's really, you're
still young, but you're not too old.

And I kind of see it as a shedding
skin coming of age time, not

just when you're 13, beating up
a bully or on your first date.

But, um, I was in between jobs.

I wasn't lost, I was just trying
to decide where I wanted to

spend the next couple decades.

my cousin Joe said, Hey.

Ricardo, why don't you come to
Costa Rica for a couple months and

work at my friend's center, English
for a little bit, take a time out.

Sometimes when you're in a
certain environment, you see

more than what's offered.

And it wasn't like I was doing things
to earn my stripes or to in my time.

No, I'm not writing something on
a chalkboard or washing dishes.

I wasn't in a linguistic environment.

It's different from what Hollywood shows
when you walk into a real call center.

It's, I still believe
in the art of speech and

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: dealing with people
that are bilingual, it bears

the mark of higher education.

Imagine their engagement.

And so felt the energy.

I saw the artist nature of it.

I saw the camaraderie and the mutual
support at this type of job compared

to others where it's cutthroat
and people laugh with others.

And so, I know this, I can
give it an equivalent to

Wiffle ball with a big red bat.

underhand pitches.

I knew I could do this, I just gotta learn

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Awesome.

richard blank: I

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: tingles and I

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Okay.

richard blank: to stay.

And so I was at my friend's
center for four years learning the

business from the inside out and
learning the Costa Rican culture.

And then in my mid thirties, I threw my
hat in the ring, started my business,

and here we are 19 years later.

I can't believe it.

It's so almost like
the stars were aligned.

My brother.

This should have never
happened, but it did

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: time to time you gotta grab
onto the tail and see where it takes you.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: So,
you know, I have a note here.

you did this without any outside
investment, so you've bootstrapped

your way now, which is fantastic.

How have you done this wisely?

Where?

You know, you haven't got out
ahead of yourself and put yourself

in bad financial situations.

Um, what kinds of calculations do you
make to, when you're deciding whether

to grow or be more conservative?

richard blank: Two things.

Uh, it's about being
financially responsible.

I gotta make sure I cover payroll
and other things to stay in business.

And second, I was never really
into what's behind the curtain.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: in the Wizard of Oz, when
they pulled the curtain back and you

saw this guy moving things and touching
things, it kind of deflated the image.

And I didn't want that.

I wanted consistency.

You know, you can rent the most expensive
real estate for a call center, but if the

majority of your clients don't visit you,
the environment is an overkill to what

people should be doing, kinda like Rocky
three when he trained in that nice gym,

he got his ass kicked, had to go out to
California and go to an old school gym.

And so I grew up in Northeast
Philly, seventies and eighties kid.

And so I kind of like grit.

like when coaches call the balls in
the strikes they make you toughen

up a little bit and when you look
left and right and the people that

are with you, they get better.

So I like surrounding myself
with people that are willing to

put in the time and have core.

so for me, you know, with the
technology, I have the CTO in

of other people, I wanted to go,
what I could bring out of you.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: You ever see
a kid get into a fist fight?

He's exhausted,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Okay.

richard blank: still something
in him that keeps him standing.

Maybe it's his pride or his boys
are around him, or he just wants

to test himself, and I felt that
this industry was a luxury trade.

Besides the technology behind it and
the bad rap, sometimes telemarketers

get, as I mentioned before, it gives
you such self-confidence and reliance

to communicate with someone through
a medium and to convert a call and to

extend calls and to focus on your quality.

And thought it was beautiful.

And so for me, I, I wanted to, through
gamification, maybe it was the pinball

machines or the air hockey table, or the
fighting machines that someone could,

um, as I mentioned, have a breakthrough.

If you see somebody laughing at work
reading, see a different side of 'em, I

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: they're vulnerable
'cause they might laugh funny,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Right.

richard blank: that they have a
real side to 'em and you might

connect through other ways.

And so I wanted to see if I
could be that guy bring the best

outta people linguistically.

And so, how did I start this thing?

Well, grandma always said, if you can't
pay for it in cash, you shouldn't do it.

So I was raised to act my wage
and I believe in the word pacing.

'cause you could either putter out or you
could be too slow where you stall out.

So there's always that, like in golf,
that sweet spot on your three wood,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Right.

richard blank: place to hit it.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Mm-hmm.

richard blank: So what did I do?

Well, I was a guest in this country.

I didn't have a home court advantage.

I needed to surround myself with experts,
but that was at the second stage.

The first stage for me was renting
a turnkey station at a blended

call center, kinda like a fancy

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Mm-hmm.

richard blank: I didn't own the
plane, but I could do seat by seat

and row by row, and I did that way
so I could pay for the seat, the

salary, benefits, and make my margin.

It was a glamorous no, but exciting.

Like freshmen living in the dorm.

I don't wanna be there all college,
but it's freaking fun, you know,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: of freshman year.

So I was in the honeymoon stage
and this plane took off and I

couldn't believe that I was.

Retaining clients and people would stay
with me for a while, and I was actually

able to adjust with that attrition rate.

And then after a couple years when
I had the stability of the clients

and some capital, I rented space
and I also bought used equipment.

I'm willing to admit it.

so I wanted to avoid the 80% import tax.

and so it's like the depreciation
of a car, know, when you buy it,

I'll still get the Porsche's,
just lemme buy it a year later.

So I'm not, you know, I save 50 grand.

But um, I was able to get Dells
and hps and I was able to get

chairs and other monitors and
stuff for a fraction of the cause.

And if you can suck in your
pride and not have to be Mr.

Fancy, you be able to survive.

And

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Mm-hmm.

richard blank: always having that.

The nuts for the winter mentality.

I always wanted to do
that like a squirrel.

And so, um, I did that for six
years and then when I really had

the capital and I really had the
clients that I purchased property.

Put on a third floor decked out
art deco with neon lights and

marquees the old school way.

And, um, as I say, it took me 19 years
while most of your people do it at the

age of 19, you know, with these apps and

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Sir.

richard blank: I, unfortunately, my man,
with a football analogy, I had to grind

out the yardage in the first downs.

These weren't Dion Sanders's long runs.

I really had to grind this out, but.

you know when you have momentum?

Eventually, Reid, you and I are
gonna put that ball in the end

zone, and so just knew just to
hang in there for the long game

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Where do
you think, uh, your grit comes from?

So, you know, you mentioned North
Philly and you used aptly, the

Rocky Balboa metaphor earlier.

Um, I mean, do you think it comes
from your family or do you think it's,

um, you know, your're born with it?

What do you, where do you attribute it to?

richard blank: since you were.

we're friends, I'll definitely disclose
some of my method of my madness.

It had a lot to do with some losses.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: When I was, um,
13, I was politely asked to leave

the private school that I was at,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: I see.

richard blank: and that was the
school that my father and brother

graduated from a prestigious
school called Germantown Academy.

I was there since kindergarten, got kicked

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Oh,
I've actually heard of it.

richard blank: and I had poor grades.

I, I really did.

I failed all my classes.

Was I rebelling?

I don't know.

It was just a weird year for
me, they kind of gave up.

But I didn't want to give up on myself
while sitting there at summer school.

And so I wanted to make sure that
I wasn't that kid that the mother's

committee whispered about or the
kids weren't allowed to play with,

or the teachers made an example of.

That was an interesting time for me.

And so, um, going from there to Abington
and you had mentioned the scholarship.

Sure.

I.

Do a scholarship for a graduating
senior that wants to study

second languages like me.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Oh, awesome.

richard blank: someone, when you
see the dedicated practice read.

That's above and beyond the classroom.

The kid really loves what he does,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Right.

richard blank: for me, it wasn't
painting pictures or learning the violin.

I was a linguist, I was
constantly studying my Spanish.

And so, that made that circle complete.

And also my family, my family runs a
real estate company in the United States.

That's what we've always done

And we're in the garment
industry back in New York.

It's the kind of thing where if something
is set up for you, it's good, but when

it's homemade and you do it yourself,
it's the sweetest taste in the world.

And just wanted to see if I could do it.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Mm-hmm.

richard blank: You know, I didn't wanna
use my parents and friends connections.

I wanted to start from scratch you.

The first car I bought down here for
200 bucks was a 1993 Yugo, GVX Yugo.

It was the grand.

Value extra,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Fantastic.

richard blank: seats that moved
forward, but I, why did I want to do it?

Because I wanted to start in
the tent, in the game of life

and maybe end up in a mansion.

I wanted to really see if I could be

and if Richard had the value, and I did.

And so these were a lot of personal tests.

I had to get through family guilt.

I had to make my argument.

I couldn't compare notes to anybody
'cause no one was a Spanish major.

No one wanted to start a call center.

So what kind of notes can
I compare to my buddies?

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: They just wished me well.

And so, um, you want to
have a hero's journey.

You wanna live a life where you
go somewhere, come back and tell

tall tales and you learn something.

And so when we're reading these
fables and people are giving

us these stories of winners and
adventures, I kind of wanted that too.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: um, you know, a
lot of it has to do with maturity.

You gotta choose the right age to
make those big decisions, unless,

you know, you might mess that up.

So those are some of the
things in my childhood.

That motivated me and put me in a
certain direction not to prove people

wrong, but not to allow certain weight
to hold me back mentally and physically.

And so, maybe that was the
rebel in me, Reid that came out.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge:
Well, that is very inspiring.

You know, I think that's a great story.

And now in your current offering, you
are a coach and I imagine this story is

a helpful illustration in your coaching.

but I understand you coach
people that work for you and

people that you work with.

What can you tell us a little
bit about your coaching offering?

What's your approach, what kinds
of needs people come to you with?

richard blank: It forward is.

The premise of everything that
I do, expect anything in return.

I'm just sharing information with somebody
and not ask them to sign anything.

a lot of the business that
I get is because I do offer.

slice of information, not just
a bit to get your interest.

And a lot of people will thank me
when I make certain recommendations,

or I'll politely say, you don't
have enough of a lead list to call.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: your end, you're not
ready yet for this sort of service.

And it's not like I don't want
the business just ethically,

you gotta do the right thing.

But I learned patterns over the years.

And so if you've analyzed over 10,000
phone calls and you've trained over

10,000 people, might see things.

And so, um, a lot of it might seem
like common sense to somebody,

but if they're distracted, they're
not gonna notice it in the moment.

So that's why this incredible structure
that we have allows us to pull certain

things out of calls that you see,
and you can talk about it adjusted

and make 'em even a stronger engine.

And so I like to focus
on the thesaurus because.

The semantics, the
vocabulary is so important.

It could really adjust a tone.

a tone should always be
empathetic and confident.

So I'll take out words like help and
have them use assist, guide, and lend

a hand depending on the stage of the
relationship And instead of saying,

excuse me, or I'm sorry, I'm gonna.

Passive aggressive and inadvertently let
you know I can't hear your 'cause of your

dog, your cell phone, or just your noise.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Mm-hmm.

richard blank: So I'm gonna say for my
clarification, was it A, B, C, or 1, 2, 3.

We do things like that, military alphabet.

I don't have to guess
your email address and I

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: doesn't bounce back.

I can pronounce your exotic
name, which most people thank me

'cause most people are afraid to
ask how to pronounce your name.

you might get lucky people may
have served in the military.

So that's just an excellent way to
anchor with someone in the conclusion

of a call compared to ending it quickly.

So then when you know someone's been a
master sergeant, next time you speak with

them, you could mention that or talk to
them about Veterans Memorial Day are just

on how much of a hero are and sincerely
mention that because like breaking

down the fourth wall in Hollywood.

I always felt it was fun to see what
it looked like on that wall and the

audience and the cameras and, um.

When you and I put our script aside and
we do talk about your military service

or traveling the world or jukeboxes
or things like that, it puts us on a

level playing field to the push and
the pool, and I never enjoyed that.

I always believed that there should
be recess during school, boxers

get a minute in between three
minute rounds to be in the corner.

And so it's, it's only
healthy to take a breath.

And so it, it allows things to
settle and find its its place.

And so I need people to be a little more
focused in the now to not be so, um.

They're so daring when it comes to
memorizing their script and doing that.

Well, it, it can seem jagged.

It, it doesn't seem natural
like a half moon or a wiggle

or like a floating feather.

It's just asking questions and it's
just, it's, it's ugly with people.

It's like a checklist.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: we speak a lot
about a positive escalation.

For an example,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: if you have Judy.

That's answering the phone for your
inside marketing, you know, podcast.

It's amazing.

But here's the skins.

We will say the name of your
company better than she will,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Right.

richard blank: we'll use our anonymity
in the beginning of the call.

Not the whole call, 'cause that's shady,
but it allows us not mystery shopping.

But I'm not just gonna say, may I
speak to Reed or, good morning ma'am.

Or, hello, my name is Richard.

They're black and blue.

From that, or, you know,
they're comparing you to others.

But if I can, in my first
impression, say the name of your

company in the most beautiful way.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: to get her act together.

secondly, you get to gauge positive
reinforcements, positive or negative.

instead of saying, is this a
sales call, take me off your list.

How'd you get my name?

She'd be like.

Who's this and then's the technique that
we use, the buffer boomerang, we're gonna

say, Judy, that's an excellent question.

My name is Richard Blank, so you

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: name drop.

Great question.

Repeat the question and send it
back so you don't have to ask it.

These are things that reduce
talk time and frustration levels,

She'll usually ask my name.

I won't give my company yet 'cause I want
to double dip and make sure Judy says,

well, who is Richard Blank compares to
this a sales call, which means it's good.

Then I'll mention Costa Rica's
call center and is Reed available

before I get transferred.

I'm gonna let her know
verbally how amazing she was

when you pick up the phone.

Hi, this is Reid.

Hey Reid.

I just gotta let you
know how great Judy is.

You don't even know who I am yet.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: from a 10 to a two
when I take that eight and use that

into forward motion in physics, and
then I'll do it in writing my man.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Okay.

richard blank: up your call and I
do the meeting minutes, regardless

of the outcome for doing business,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Mm-hmm.

richard blank: I will not only show
you, I take copious notes where there

is accountability and target dates.

I'll mention Judy.

And so you might say people do this
from time to time, not in writing.

One out of a thousand if you're lucky.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Sure.

richard blank: the Richard Circle comes
back and I happen to call your company

back and Judy picks up the phone, you
don't think I get a hero's welcome.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge:
Yeah, of course you do.

richard blank: I've been able to land an
enormous amount of business by showing

good faith prior to any sort of contracts.

They see how I treat people all
over their company, so at the end

of the day, I might be a dollar more
than the Philippines, love the old

school bedside manner, soft skills.

That we do here.

People really can relate to it.

And so those are the sort of
things that I'll share with people.

I'll talk to them about phonetics
and their rate of speech and

their speaking level so they can
use the mirror imaging technique.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm

richard blank: will match that of you.

Why?

To see if you spike or you dip.

'cause I don't know you, so these are like
micro expression readings phonetically.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: mm-hmm.

richard blank: should
do it in 32nd segments.

Okay.

'cause you get 20 in a 10
minute call, it's great.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: I can see if you're
going fast, slow, loud or soft.

Doesn't mean you like it or don't like
it, but that's usually when someone, Reid

needs to ask a tie down or a clarification
question just to make sure it makes

sense or sounds good or things like that.

And so you, you give checkpoint,
you get a solid three minutes

compared to a shaky 10.

And you'll have romantic deaths
where if the call does not work

out, at least you and I know
that we gave it our college try.

This is a

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: It just so happens
the percentage didn't work that way.

You wanted seafood when I sell steak.

And so, um, these are the sort of things,
my final point on this, it's something

that you can use outside of the office.

So instead of just.

Putting it away in a drawer
until tomorrow morning.

These are the sort of skills that
can save a marriage, a Thanksgiving

dinner, make you a new friend, and, uh,
your life will be much more enriched

with these skills that you enhance.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Interesting.

Well, you know, I am not surprised
that, a 25 year veteran of this

is talking circles around me and,
telling such compelling stories.

I feel like I need this service.

I need this as a part of my offering
and, you're very persuasive.

one last thing I want to touch on.

I don't like to do marathon podcasts,
but, I wanted to ask, there are, a

lot of people that are considering.

and, balancing costs.

Say they have a large operation that
they like to do outreach with and

they're starting to weigh some of these
new voice AI tools verses a service

like yours, what would you say to them?

richard blank: Versus slander
is the worst form of rhetoric.

I'm not gonna speak I will of ai Plus
they're gonna be taking over one day.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Right.

Yeah.

They're listening.

richard blank: let's talk about
the advantages of AI and then

we can gauge it accordingly.

Um, for me, AI is a gathering tool.

For the call center industry, you've
been on IV R'S, integrated voice response

systems, or you entered your information.

Some of it's accurate.

Sometimes you get frustrated

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Mm-hmm.

richard blank: have to repeat and
press zero, but they'll bring the

ball down to the 10 yard line.

They can do that and they can replace
a lot of entry and front level agents

here that might have fatigue or
misunderstandings, that you might get

more accuracy when they get better at it.

But that final 10% read AI will never
ever be able to replace true empathy.

Compassion between human beings.

If they try, you're gonna realize
that it's a print, not a painting.

It's not real,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: okay.

mean, a machine can give you a hug,
no, man, if, if I'm having a really

bad day or if, if I'm elated and having
the best day of my life, I'm calling

Reed, I'm gonna hang out with you.

I just kind of don't want R
2D two giving me an answer.

And so,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Right.

richard blank: uh, there's
something called the uncanny valley.

The more that these machines get
human-like it might freak us out

a little bit to the point of where
we don't want to speak to a machine

because we feel inferior, or we know
that it's replacing one of our own.

I know that a lot of people are doing robo
calls or they have omnichannel, non-voice

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Hmm.

richard blank: like a chat and email.

You know, things like that.

And, and it's, you can get
the immediate response.

You can get what you're looking for.

It's great for companies, but
there's a lot of people that

still like to listen to vinyl.

Okay.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Right,

richard blank: they

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: right.

richard blank: the book
in their hand and read it.

there are people like myself that
will pay the extra 10% if I can press

zero and speak to Judy to work with
me on a reservation or the experience.

I just don't know.

It's just my way.

But, um, yes.

AI will be making my industry a lot
more tidy and flexible for the consumer.

And um, but on the flip side, you
kind of want that grandma apple

pie, American feel, you might
still want to have that person.

Answering the phone for you and being
there for you because they can truly

represent your company in the best light.

can uncover things that maybe AI would've
not been able to uncover during a call.

might be more effective when it comes
to retention to save a client compared

to just filling out a complaint form.

Uh, they might earn more referrals than.

computer program, they might be satisfied
with your service, but you know, if

you're speaking to someone, you might
tell three or four of your friends to call

Richie at extension one oh one, you know?

And, how about the most mature answer?

Read the exit interview.

Let's just say something does go wrong.

You might save the company money.

Or a direction if you do have that
human speaking to the other human so

they don't feel rushed or just filling
out that, that form and even upselling.

I mean, if someone's in a great
mood, you can share with that.

Transfer of energy, that
electromagnetic transfer, it's,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: how do I explain?

I'm not pitching my business
so I stay in business.

I'm very realistic on

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge:
I, you're doing a great job.

richard blank: It's, you
know, it's like the farmer.

Do you think he wants to go there and
milk the cows or have the machine do it?

I don't know.

I think when a farmer sits with the
cow and pats it and talks to it and

spends that 30 to 5:00 AM time with
the cow there's that connection.

Maybe the milk tastes better.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah,

richard blank: but I think it does.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

Well, absolutely Richard, where can people
who want to work with you, want to take

you up on, this great service you offer?

Where can they reach you?

richard blank: When it gets really cold, I
should buy a ticket and fly to Costa Rica.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge:
Did I lose you, Richard?

richard blank: man.

I'm north of Panama and south in

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: I know.

richard blank: just a couple
hours away from a direct flight.

And, uh, real quick about
this beautiful country.

Democratic Society in Central
America, no Standing Army.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge:
Richard, can you hear me?

richard blank: education, so
they got a 95% literacy rate.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Oh.

richard blank: this out, Ray, they
have companies such as Amazon, hp,

Intel, and Oracle that are here.

So they're a player.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: And
Richard, I'm sorry, I, um,

you cut out just for a second.

Um, so I got the last of your response.

um, so I don't know if
you heard my question.

I was just asking if people
are looking for your services,

where can they find you?

I might just ask you to repeat it.

just so, okay.

Yeah.

richard blank: first class
plane ticket and flying down

here during your cold months.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Love it.

richard blank: mentioned we're right
here in Central America, north of Panama,

south of Nicaragua, just a couple hours.

And it's safe.

It's a democratic

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Awesome.

richard blank: no standing
Army, 95% education rate.

And so Amazon, hp, Intel or Corps here.

So I've been very impressed with
the infrastructure and living here.

I've never felt.

In danger or threatened.

it's poor vita is what they

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Yeah.

richard blank: pure life and
that's the sort of culture

and lifestyle that they have.

But nah, your audience can
shoot me an email at CEO at

costa rica's call center.com

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Awesome.

richard blank: me out online and
sometimes I, I can't thank you enough.

the greatest thing for me to do is
to hang out with you on your podcast,

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: Thank you.

richard blank: ideas and listen,
I'm not one of those telemarketers

that will call you during dinner.

If I do let Reid know,
he will kick my ass.

we try to show individuals in this
industry that it is a means to an end.

You can produce a lot of business, save a
lot of business, and just kinda learn the

workings of a call center infrastructure
and why it might be an advantage to

a small, to a medium sized business
that wanna unload some of those duties

to someone like us so they can grow.

Reed Hansen, MarketSurge: That's awesome.

Well, thank you so much Richard for
joining us today and I'll include

your links in the show notes as well.

And, uh, please reach out.

Richard obviously does great
work and I think, this is a great

offering for many small, medium
sized businesses that do outreach.

richard blank: Yeah.

Speaker 2: Want to stay ahead of what's
actually working in marketing right now.

Head over to Market surge.io

and see how we're helping businesses
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That's market surge.io

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