Kelli Robbins’ story and her own “Soar to Success” began 34 years ago. As a college student needing additional income to pursue the more social aspects of the collegiate experience, she started working at a telephone answering service. Within a year, she became a sales representative, but with her growing experience in the answering service industry, she soon established her own company. The rest is history.
Contact One Communications, celebrating over 33 years in business, provides 24-hour, seven days a week call center services. Her company considers themselves tele-management professionals. While most answering services simply act as gate keepers for doctors, lawyers and other businesses, Kelli and her staff, take the time to understand their client’s business thoroughly and to act as an employee for each client.
When a call comes in with a question, her employees, even though not on site with that business, respond with questions to clarify the request and take a message, that can be immediately transferred to her client. Her company can even set up an appointment time for the caller, which saves her client valuable time and effort. They make money for their clients because people feel comfortable in explaining their issue and asking for an appointment. There are other things that Contact One Communications can do as part of their team as opposed to the company not getting a message because nobody wants to talk to an answer service.
Service industry businesses such as plumbers, carpenters, or other small business find it difficult to hire full-time employees to sit by the phone. Contact One Communications solves this dilemma and saves her clients money at the same time, which adds to net profits.
New businesses especially benefit from Kelli’s services. She provides a contact point, which allows the business owner to do what he or she does best, serve their clients, while Contact One Communications answers the phones and sets new appointments.
One of the growth areas for Contact One Communications is providing critical response and call monitoring for government agencies. As we know, a larger portion of the population is growing older and requires outside help from various service, medical and nursing companies and individuals. Contact One Communications has established constantly monitored phone lines to report abuse or problems that an aging or vulnerable loved one is encountering and reports those claims to the appropriate government agency for follow up.
Contact One Communications has been very successful at retaining clients. In fact, many of her current clients are second generation owners. Kelli began working with the current owner’s parents.
“The longevity of Contact One has been the best part for me. I have a family of clients now, who are the same people I have served for over thirty years and several generations. We are constantly bringing on new clients, but it’s being close to them, being close to my staff, being welcomed into new businesses, because Contact One is so well known. You only get that from one call at a time, one client at a time and doing it day after day after day. We understand, because we have been through the same thing in our businesses.”
During the recession that hit the economy in 2009, Kelli found her business actually grew. Small businesses facing lower incomes and forced to lay off office staff, were able to maintain good customer service by hiring Contact One to monitor their phones. Thus, saving personnel costs, by outsourcing that piece of their business.
“When businesses are forced to cut staff, they don’t cut us. We provide a vital service for our clients. Prospective customers calling into a business do not want to leave a voicemail, they want to talk to a real live person. Sixty percent of callers hang up on voicemail. For example, if a funeral home misses a call, they may lose that funeral, but may also lose future family arrangements, as well. That could add up to tens of thousands of dollars of lost revenues.”
Through the years, Kelli grew her contact list basically through word of mouth and cold calling. She has had a lot of doors slammed in her face. Several years ago, however, through the efforts of a friend, she attended a Rotary meeting. She was impressed with the leadership training and took an active role in the organization. Kelli was just named “Chair of Women’s Engagement” for Rotary District 7300, comprised of 47 Clubs in the Pittsburgh region. She is the first ever Women’s Engagement Chair in the country, perhaps the entire worldwide organization of 33,000 clubs. This is notable in that Rotary International denied women membership until 1987, and women make up only 22% on average in Rotary club membership.
As time progressed, Kelli was introduced to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and has become actively involved with that organization. She has served as President of the NAWBO Pittsburgh Chapter for the past two years.
“NAWBO has become my greatest joy. I’ve had an opportunity, not just to mentor young ladies in business, but also help women break into the circle. I wish I would have had that in my twenty’s. It’s given me the opportunity to network with so many fabulous people. I am constantly amazed with the women I am able to meet and the NAWBO chain of distribution for business women across the country.”
When the Pennsylvania State Treasurer held hearings to explore the lack of proper retirement planning in private sector businesses, Kelli was asked to give testimony and relate her personal experience in planning, or lack thereof, for her own retirement.
The AARP magazine found Kelli’s testimony so interesting, they ran a feature article on it. The full story can be found at: https://states.aarp.org/boosting-saving-workplace/
In March, Kelli was instrumental in putting together a program where the Pittsburgh NAWBO Chapter recognized the Mayor of Pittsburgh, William Peduto, for his extraordinary support of Women in Business.
Kelli was quoted as saying,
“Mayor Peduto took a giant step in his support of women in business, by drawing attention to issues surrounding gender discrimination and actively working to correct disparities. He has been an inspiration to us all. We are excited to honor him for his open support for Women Business Owners in our community.”
Kelli is a workaholic, but still finds time to enjoy her grandchildren, singing in the church choir and traveling.
“At 59 years of age, I feel young enough to do everything and old enough to know what I am doing. I’m wondering if these won’t be the best chapters of my life.”
To learn more about more about Kelli and Contact One Communications call her at: 412-224-1330, or send an email to: kelli@c1com.com.
She guarantees the phone will be answered by a real live person, every single time.
Kelli Robbins has built a solid business, enjoys her life, plus connecting with other business people. She has been recognized for her contributions and is excited about the future of Contact One Communications.
With her enthusiasm, sound business principles and outgoing personality, Soar to Success is certain she will continue to grow and prosper.
