The optimum environment is key to the success of your customer service team.
Your customer service team spends a large part of every day in a space allocated to them, and this space can have a huge impact on how they work and their success at providing top-notch customer service. Many of us know that office space can influence the mood, motivation and even inspiration of employees, but according to a 2018 report by Aruba, titled The Right Technologies Unlock the Potential of the Digital Workplace, those who embrace an environment that is technologically and digitally driven unlock both productivity and happiness in the workplace.
Of the 7 000 employees in 15 countries studied, those who worked in spaces that fully embraced what the digital world could offer them were 51% more likely to be satisfied in their job and 43% more likely to feel positive about the balance they had between work and life, than those whose employers offered less technology. In addition, these “digital revolutionaries” as they are called in the report, are 60% more likely to experience constant motivation for their work and 91% more likely to agree with the goals of their company.
In the customer service space, it is vital that your call centre agents become these “digital revolutionaries”. As they are likely to work long hours, be subject to irate or angry customers at times, and are the first port of contact between your business and the consumer, the happier, more motivated and more in tune with the product or service they are, the better service they can and will want to provide.
This report finds a direct correlation between access to digital technology and productivity. “The revolutionaries are those who both get, and expect, a digital infrastructure from their employers, and are more open to the benefits it can deliver. In our study, 75% said that their employer allows them to use their own personal technology at work, and, of those whose organisation has invested in digital technologies over the last 12 months, 73% said that digital technology has increased their productivity”.
Automation
A major trend picked up by the report reveals that automation technology is the biggest player in providing a digitally driven environment. Together with machine learning, automation has paved the way for more streamlined processes, more effective use of time, and faster response times. In response to the trend of automation, 71% of the respondents felt that they would embrace a fully automated workplace that is able to cater for the different likes and dislikes of each employee. From turning traditional over-the-phone business-customer communication into the system of chatbots, to the simple adjustment of light and temperature within an office, the majority of respondents would welcome the automation trend fully into their working lives.
While the increasing use of technology does open businesses up to more and different security threats, 93% of all respondents, whether they worked in a tech-heavy environment or not, believed that the increased use of technology would lead to improvements in the workplace. These improvements include efficiency, collaboration, and a more enjoyable environment.
The report concludes that technology is no longer a few pieces of equipment that businesses can make use of to improve their and their customers’ lives, but rather an integrated system that can be employed to make the entire work experience as effective and enjoyable as possible. It’s not necessarily about getting the work done faster, but about getting it done smarter, and it seems employees require this type of environment for their long-term success.
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