When remote work doesn’t work
Vimal Jairam, Head Of Customer Service at Innovation Group South Africa.
Alternative workplace programmes, in various forms, are one of the fastest growing business trends changing office environments around the world. Faster and more accessible internet connectivity, cloud computing and the smartphone revolution makes it much easier for people to work in ways that would have been inconceivable just a decade ago. And it’s understandably exciting to employees.
The benefits of such a working arrangement are well documented, but they’re certainly not for everyone. For one, it goes against everything you look forward to during the working day: working in a team, being with friends and colleagues, and achieving success together. That’s important because, especially in the context of the contact centre industry, the team is king.
Being there for the customer
The contact centre lays at the heart of an organisation’s customer service operations, and despite advances in mobile technology, one thing hasn’t changed: the customer’s schedule. Contact centre agents may jump at the thought of working different hours, but customer interactions, and most business processes in general, still require someone to be there when customers come knocking. The technology is certainly there to enable remote agents, but management and logistics hasn’t reached a level of maturity any customer-centric business should be comfortable with.
That doesn’t mean that your workplace shouldn’t be a little more flexible, and many contact centres are. Technology, like headsets that screen out all sound except the agent’s voice, is allowing for more creative use of the spaces agents work in. Open plan offices, shared workspaces, satellite offices, and many other creative solutions are helping to add flexibility to the workforce without risking productivity, security, or customer service standards.
The adverse effects of taking work home with you
Alternative workplace programmes are also not always so forgiving on your home life. Granted, many have lauded them as a major driving force behind a better work-life balance, but studies are showing that this is more difficult to achieve than one might think.
Home working has also been shown to blur the lines between work and home life. It makes going home and forgetting about work impossible and can cause feelings of stress, team disconnect, and isolation – not something everyone wants in today’s already trying times. This is especially true for individuals who thrive in the office environment, relying on daily interactions and energy from colleagues to excel.
The bottom line
Working at a contact centre can be a lucrative career worth pursuing, but those who apply should be ambitious and motivated. The contact centre is both a place for personal growth and a great way to earn precious experience in understanding customers, a skillset every business wants. It’s also one of the most important jobs for any business that puts the customer experience at the top of its list of priorities.
