Callers to 1-800-VISIT-NC are typically hoping to learn what the state of North Carolina has to offer as a vacation destination. When Teresa Culpepper answers one of those 100 or so calls per day with, “Thank you for calling North Carolina Tourism. How may I help you?” most callers will not realize that she and the other women in the 1-800-VISIT-NC call center are serving 15 years to life in the maximum security women’s prison in Raleigh, North Carolina.
These women who are the voice of 1-800-VISIT-NC may know more about the state of North Carolina’s attractions than most others, but they may never get to visit them, digtriad.com’s WFMY News 2 reported today.
“The call center here at the Women's prison is a great example of a state program that helps save the taxpayers’ money,” explained Margo Metzger, public relations manager for North Carolina Division of Tourism. “It's also providing information to travelers who are interested in coming to North Carolina and spending their money,” she continued.
Culpepper and her fellow inmates will answer the lines more than 100,000 times this year, today’s broadcast said. Tourism is reportedly an $18 billion a year business in North Carolina.
While most callers are oblivious to the fact that the call center agents are prisoners, occasionally some are aware and try to have a conversation about it.
Culpepper said she knows that talking about the unusual call center arrangement is “not the focus. I’m not here to talk about prison life. I’m here to talk about tourism. You know we just go on and change the subject and go on to ‘Is there anything else I can do for you?’ ’’ said Culpepper.
The inmates are trained to know a lot about what North Carolina has to offer visitors. However, Culpepper stated, “If we can't give you the information, we're taught to know what we know and know what we don't. But we have to know where to get the information to help you. We have to give you a website or phone number to tell you to go on so you can get the information that you need.”
Calls to 1-800-BY-TRAIN, for Amtrak information, are answered by the prison call center inmates as well. In addition, the prison’s call center is the destination for calls to 511 for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Culpepper told WFMY News 2 she likes working in the call center taking calls because it gives her a sense of what her life used to be like.
“I give back to the community. I'm not worthless or not any help. I am help. I do help tourism. I do give back to the state and I'm doing more than my share. I'm not just here. The state's taking care of me, but I believe I'm working – besides my paycheck – I am working for the state to get it back on its feet and give people jobs because we live off of the hotel tax,” said Culpepper.
Another inmate and call center agent, Terry Dixon added, “When you're able to help someone over the phone and help them plan their vacation or help them get to where they're trying to go you're helping someone. You're not just sitting here wasting away.”
Linda Dobel is a TMCnet Contributor. She has been an editor in the contact center space for more than 25 years, and has the distinction of being the founding editor of Customer Inter@ction Solutions (CIS) magazine. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by Jennifer Russell