Tribute: Recognizing Mark Boyer and His Commitment to Nearshore

Mark Boyer, Qualfon’s site director in Guyana and one of the nearshore’s most skilled operations’ leads, died recently in Guyana.

Mark, whose career spanned over 20 years in the contact center industry, was especially known as a great trainer who knew how to turn just about anyone into a productive call center agent. On his LinkedIn profile, Mark wrote that he was on a mission to hire as many folks in Latin America as he could. “Trying to help build a middle class in emerging countries…… 3,000 so far and grow by the day,” he wrote.

Stephen Loynd, Global Program Director of Frost of Sullivan, said Mark was an inspirational figure. “Every person he passed by on the call center floor seemed to light-up with a smile when he greeted them walking past,” Loynd said.

From the Philippines and South Africa to the Americas, Boyer had traveled the world and knew everything about the call center industry. He had also planned to write a book on how call centers can ensure that everyone that calls its agents receives a satisfactory answer.

But his death came suddenly. Mark was found dead at his home in Guyana early on Thursday, 8 May.

“Mark had a unique passion for the call center industry. He was without question the best in the industry at connecting with his agents in his call centers,” says Bob Dechant, Qualfon’s chief sales and marketing officer and one of Mark’s closest friends.

Mark began his career in the call center industry in 1994 by joining Heathrow,Fl-based Software Support Inc, which was later sold to CVG. By the time he joined Qualfon as its site director last year, Mark had already worked for several BPO firms such as 3Com, Modus, and Convergys.

“Mark was an exceptional team leader and mentor for agents in the call center. He could simplify any complex job by breaking it down and piecing together,” Dechant added.

With a Bachelor’s degree in business administration specializing in accounting, Mark quickly mastered the art of making contact centers successful. He always took an interest in learning the culture of the countries he worked in, and Dechant recalls that Mark once took his team to the  local Phagwah festival in Guyana.

Mark’s attitude and care for his employees made everyone feel fond of him. “He truly cared about all of the reps on the floor. One day, while planning transportation for a new center, he expressed concern about unscrupulous drivers on the public vans. He cared about the agents’ personal security and ensured that there would be door-to-door service for the female representatives, no matter the time of day or night,” said Michael DeSalles, a principal analyst with Frost and Sullivan.