Stephen joined Gungho in May 2023 and brought with him 8 years of experience in telemarketing. His management experience shone through and just 3 months after joining as a Business Discovery Agent (BDA), Stephen was promoted to Team Leader. His current role involves managing a team of BDAs from our Bournemouth office in the UK. Here, we spoke to Stephen about how Gungho stands out from the crowd when it comes to lead generation.
What attracted you to apply for a role at Gungho?
The main attraction for me was the potential growth of the business. It’s exciting to see where Gungho is headed and the opportunities available. After researching the organisation, I didn’t view it as just another call centre. Gungho seemed different, and its environment didn’t come across like the other call centres I’d worked in previously. There is a better work/life balance, employees are listened to, and there is genuine care for the wellbeing of the workforce. Plus, the attraction of a 4-day working week! But ultimately, it was the long-term growth and progression that was the key factor for me.
How does Gungho differ from the telemarketing agencies you have worked at during your career?
It is so important to enjoy your job. In this type of B2B marketing role, it can be challenging, and you can experience rejection, so having a positive work/life balance and a nice working environment balances those harder aspects of the job.
I’d also say that Gungho is more strategic than other places I have worked. I’ve worked in companies where it is really heavy dialling, no research and your KPIs were based on how many calls you’re going to make in a day rather than the quality. Gungho is different, you’re given all these tools to use and so much autonomy. It isn’t just about dialling. I also know that if I have a suggestion, I feel confident that if there is some value in it, it will be listened to by senior management. We also have the Gungho suggestion box, which is completely anonymous and every single month the questions get answered by the senior management. I think those kinds of things make a real difference.
You joined Gungho with significant experience, how did you find the learning and development programme?
The usual Gungho induction training programme is 16 weeks, but where I came with experience, they shortened it to 8 weeks. In other places I’ve worked, you get 2 weeks of basic training and you’re expected to be operating and achieving your targets. That doesn’t happen here.
In addition to the in-house induction training when we start at Gungho, I found the Skillcast, Fifth Square and Mimecast online training very useful. These are modules which provide compliance and industry training on topics like anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, embargos, sanctions and cyber security. This was really insightful, and it gives you more confidence as you have a solid understanding of the world of RegTech and FinTech. At Gungho, you are gradually introduced to targets when you start and they go up incrementally over the weeks.
What does a typical day look like for you as a team leader?
It always starts with the ‘To Do List’ to keep me organised. Anything urgent admin-wise would get done first, I’ll also check in with the team and make sure they’re happy, know what they’re doing for the day and have everything they need. I make sure myself and anyone on my campaign are set and ready to start the day.
Following that, I tend to get on the phone myself. I like to lead by example and get an appointment booked early so I can use that as motivation and create a positive atmosphere. I factor in any client calls and preparation for them and ensure there is time to action anything following the call.
Really, it’s rinse and repeat in the afternoon because we then go on a US campaign and do the same thing after lunch. During the afternoon, I check in with everyone on the team and make sure everyone’s happy and give any support they might need.
What does a three-day weekend mean to you?
Fridays have now turned into family days. We have a 2-year-old son, so we take him out and have a whole day all together. I play football on Saturdays and then Sundays are a chill day. Having that extra day makes such a huge difference. The days are slightly longer at Gungho but I’d rather spend the whole on Friday with my son as opposed to an extra half an hour in the morning and the evening through the week, working a 9am – 5pm job.
