It began in the summer of 2002 with a skeleton staff of 20
employees. Within a mere 2 years, CSM (Customer Service
Management) has become Israel's leading call center. Its
primary services, offered by telephone, are customer service,
sales, and fundraising. Already 25 times its original size,
CSM now has more than 500 employees and anticipates growth to
more than 1,000 employees in the coming years.
Located in the heart of Jerusalem's hi-tech business park Har
Hotzvim, CSM has successfully been a breath of fresh for the
English speaking community. With the current matzav
and government cutbacks, many English speakers were
considering leaving Israel to find parnassah in
Chutz L'Aretz, but CSM has eased many of the
challenging economic burdens and offered an employee-
friendly atmosphere for frum workers as well.
It is no accident that CSM has come to Israel and blessed so
many families with a parnassah. CSM is a subsidiary of
New Jersey-based IDT Corporation, the fourth largest
telecommunications corporation in the US whose founder and
chairman, Howard Jonas, is a frum Jew who created CSM in
Israel as a means to provide gainful employment for hundreds
of English speakers fighting to stay afloat in Israel's
stressful economic situation.
However, CSM has done more than provide members of the
community with jobs. Like a community of its own, in the past
three months two staff members have gotten engaged and two
have gotten married -- couples whose shidduchim were
initiated through CSM employees. Also, taking their employee
satisfaction seriously, CSM has initiated scheduled
minyanim on-site, transportation for employees living
outside of Jerusalem, and more flexible schedules, allowing
the religious staff to benefit further from the job
opportunities provided by the organization.
"We do wonderful things," says Mikki Dorn, Director of Client
Operations, and the feeling is mutual among clients and staff
alike.
Recently, the fundraising team took on a project for an
organization in the States. "We gave them our entire database
to call. Their team was amazing and our donors really
responded well to their calls," said the client,
emphatically. Sharon Schwartz who worked on the project
responded, "These projects are really close to what I
believe, so it's easy and it's fun."
CSM, caring about Israel and its citizens, works hard to make
sure that an opportunity exists for everyone, regardless of
their background. When they realized that people without
computer experience could not find employment with a proper
parnassah, they decided to implement a program that
provides basic computer training for new employees.
Most of all though, CSM wants to show its support of good
family values that are shared among Jews. According to Randy
Lazarus, "I love working the night shift. I get to have
dinner with my family, say bedtime Shema with my
children, daven ma'ariv at my shul, and then I go to
work. I come home in time for Shacharis, eat breakfast
with my children, and then take them to gan. That frees up my
day for learning -- and some sleep. If I had a standard day
job, I would barely get to see my family at all."
Yet, for some, the evening and night hours are difficult and,
therefore, CSM has begun to implement split shifts and
shorter work weeks to accommodate those who are unable to
work the evening and night hours that its overseas clients
require. CSM wants to ensure that no family is without the
opportunity to make a parnassah.
