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Call Center Furniture: Set-up for the Future

TMCnews Featured Article


August 24, 2006

Call Center Furniture: Set-up for the Future

By Stefania Viscusi, Assignment Desk Editor


In the call center, enhancing operations and service levels for the future is essential. Enhancements in technology and staff roles allow a call center to maintain success for the future.
 
As the role of agents change to include new tasks, and new technologies are introduced that provide ease and efficiency, an important element to also include is call center furniture design. Future furniture and design plans are important to support these new enhancements and to make the work environment a safe and effective one.
 
To find out more about call center furniture designed for the future, I asked David Kenrick, President, Interior Concepts, to answer some questions on the subject.
 
 
How is the changing workforce having an affect on call center furniture design?
 
As the workforce changes, so must the furniture – there is certainly a direct correlation. For example, the shift to more inbound centers in the U.S. resulted in larger, more comfortable and better-equipped stations. If the center is a multiple shift environment, the furniture must likewise adapt to and accommodate multiple users. The use of technology within the stations also affects the design. For example, the use of flat screens and flat screen support arms affects the work surface dimensions and design; communications and electrical service requirements likewise present many variables to consider when designing the stations. The furniture should be designed for, and adapt to, the workforce and the work being performed, and not the other way around.         
 
What are some of the newest elements to take into consideration when designing a station? Is there a need to design stations around new technologies?
 
Elements to take into consideration when designing a station tend to be more job specific than universal. By that, I mean that a 911 center, for example, will have a need to house/support multiple CPU’s and monitors as well as back-up power systems. Another center may wish to incorporate electronic sit-to-stand work surfaces in their center. Yet other centers may create custom designed work surfaces/stations that promote their team environments. The key is the ability to collaborate with the customer when designing the center; thus, with our custom manufacturing approach, we consider the “elements” of each individual call center.       
 
Besides innovative thinking, how are new furniture designs considered?
 
New furniture designs typically result from collaboration with our customers. Our goal is to provide furniture that best facilitates the work being performed in the center and the type of environment the customer is trying to create. Since we are a custom manufacturer, we can start with a blank page to create what is needed.    
 
How important is the role of lifecycle in furniture designed for the future?
 
The consideration of Lifecycle and Lifecycle Costs is playing an ever-increasing role in the purchasing decision. The furniture industry is extremely competitive, which places the customer in a favorable position of being able to “buy more for less”. Also, centers recognize that their capital cost is miniscule compared to their people cost; thus they are more willing to invest in furniture that will last for longer periods. The customer should not accept any less than a limited lifetime warranty on their furniture purchase; if their furniture provider doesn’t offer this warranty, they should keep shopping. By not having to dispose of or replace their furniture, they are making a very wise long-term decision. 
 
Is flexibility an important element in new design? What are some ways that flexibility can be added to a workstation?
 
Flexibility, and more specifically ergonomic flexibility, is critical to the station design. This flexibility should be built in using adjustable work surfaces or keyboard mechanisms, adjustable monitor support arms and of course seating that is adjustable. These features become even more critical in a multiple shift environment; the stations must be ergonomically correct for short, tall and in-between employees.     
 
Does the increase in mobility play a role in the way a station is set up?
 
A need for mobility certainly affects the way a station is designed and set up. Thus far, we haven’t seen much of a demand for mobile stations on the call center floor. The reality is that you could make the stations mobile – and then cable and/or tie the furniture together electrically so that you couldn’t move them even if you wanted to. We do have customers that will purchase such things as mobile filing cabinets to provide added flexibility. Even with mobile filing cabinets, we tell the customer: “The good thing is that you can move them” – “The bad thing is also that you can move them”. 
 
Where mobility does come into play is in ancillary facilities, offices and conference rooms; this specifically includes training rooms and multi-purpose rooms. We equip many of these rooms with mobile, flip top tables and such things as mobile dividers/presentation boards. We recently introduced a mobile station that operates from a self-contained battery supply; one station can power two laptops for a complete week without having to be recharged. By eliminating the “hard wire electrical connection” the station then becomes truly mobile; we feel that this product is well suited for training applications. 
 
In office/administrative settings, mobile tables can be important to create additional meeting spaces and/or work areas. Mobile furniture can be important and the need/desire for mobility should be established with the customer during the center design.    
 
 Have you noticed an increase in the need to offer comfort and ergonomics with the newly designed work areas?
 
Most definitely. A growing realization is that the investment in employee comfort “more than pays for itself” through employee retention and a reduction in worker’s comp claims (and hence premiums). It’s truly the old cliché of “you can pay now or you can pay later”. We should add however that equipping stations with the proper ergonomic accessories is only a job half done. The remaining half is in the agent training and being sure, the accessories are being adjusted/used properly. Some centers have even incorporated “ergonomic exercises” into their daily regimen to help prevent repetitive motion injuries.   
 
How do these newly designed workstations help encourage collaboration and teamwork, essential in the call center?
 
In designing furniture for the call center, the “tasks/services being performed” should be taken into consideration and the furniture/call center floor designed accordingly. Said differently, the furniture should be designed to facilitate the environment and the work being performed. Individual company “cultures” or “environments” can range from privacy concerns – to a very “open” call center floor – to the creation of “team” environments where agents openly communicate and share information. This then drives the station design in terms of panel heights, size and design of the station and the groupings of agents. If the furniture is specifically designed for the individual call center/environment then the furniture will enhance the productivity of the center – and thus the profitability.     
 
 What does Interior Concepts offer to accommodate to the changing needs of the call center furniture future design?
 
Interior Concepts offers three very distinct furniture advantages; a one-inch, thin line panel system, custom design/manufacturing and extensive wire management capabilities. With each and every job, we design and manufacture what works best for the call center. Floor space is much too valuable to waste; with our custom approach and thin line panel system, we provide to our customers the very best utilization of their space. This translates into additional stations within the floor space and/or larger, more comfortable stations for the employees – these are significant benefits to the customer. Our extensive wire management system lowers initial cabling costs and easily allows for future technology changes within the center.
 
Another element of what we offer includes our CRM and quoting/project management systems. We maintain extensive computerized records, including space plans, of each and every job; thus, if a customer desires future changes to their center we can easily accommodate those changes.   
 
Do you see the future of call center design continuing to play an important role as workforces adapt to meet changing needs?
 
Although important now, the design of the call center will continue to increase even more in importance in the future. This will be due to competition among call centers/companies competing against each other for business and to attract and retain a good workforce. The design and comfort of the stations will have a significant impact on such things as repetitive motion injuries (and hence worker’s comp claims and insurance premiums) and employee comfort and retention. The design of the center has both a direct (size and number of stations, etc.) and an indirect (employee turnover/health related costs) impact on the cost of running the center. A center must be designed to facilitate “how the customer does business,” and it must be respectful of the needs and comfort of the workforce. 
       
For more information, please visit: www.interiorconcepts.com
 
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Stefania Viscusi is an established writer and avid reader. To see more of her articles, please visit Stefania Viscusi’s columnist page.
 
 







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