As we look beyond the pandemic, CX leaders are planning what their future contact center operations will look like, and for many organizations, remote working (in some form) is here to stay. The hybrid workforce model, with advisors having the flexibility to split their time between working at home and visiting a center, is gaining prominence, as are pure virtual workforce solutions, due to the positive performance outcomes over the past 18+ months. Understandably, some organizations are considering shifting all contact center staff back to the office. The right model depends on each organization’s goals and nature of business, staff preferences, IT systems, and processes, but we know it doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all approach.
The hybrid workforce model has come of age
A hybrid contact center workforce model is not a new concept—in fact, Concentrix has over 16 years’ experience operating in this way, with expertise gained from supporting thousands of work-at-home advisors from hub-and-spoke operations (as well as pure virtual models) in North America, LATAM, EMEA, and APAC—for hiring and onboarding, training, HR, and IT support needs.
Now, common systems and processes, combined with secure and resilient infrastructure, are enabling a consistent, digital-first approach across all on-site and remote staff globally, from virtual hiring and training, to real-time advisor assistance and process automation. Equally, remote working is no longer reserved to a handful of countries; it’s evolved into regions and countries where it was never thought possible, like the Philippines, India, and LATAM. Earlier this year, Concentrix opened three purpose-built hybrid sites in the Philippines—the first of several new Community Hubs Concentrix is opening globally, specifically designed to support work-at-home advisors.
Technology is the game-changer
One by one, the challenges associated with remote working are being addressed by technology. Secure, digital workspace environments are keeping customer payment and personal data safe, intelligent monitoring tools optimize network infrastructure, and cloud-based platforms are seamlessly connecting teams with systems globally. Greater use of AI and speech analytics is enabling CX operations to pinpoint issues to resolve and opportunities to exploit, and increasingly, this is all happening in real time—and at scale.
Collaboration tools and virtual meeting environments are helping to further unify remote and on-site staff experiences—helping them to stay connected, and ensuring the same level of engagement with a client’s brand culture regardless of proximity. All of this, combined with advances in omnichannel orchestration and the intelligent routing of customer interactions, is enabling brands to rethink where work is placed, who does it, and how it gets done.
Now you can mix and match
Unified by technology and operating practices, today’s workforce anywhere equation allows for a new holistic approach to drive CX performance and take business outcomes to the next level—one that introduces more flexibility and choice. You can now blend and match the best of global talent and workforce models with specific work and customer combinations—with the added benefit of greater efficiency and resilience.
Contact us to learn more about new approaches to work and CX.