TMCnews Featured Article

Contact centers serve a specific purpose within the organization. When this purpose is not correctly identified or the center is not performing to its optimal ability, customer service suffers and the center wastes valuable company resources.

A failure on the part of the contact center to adequately perform as to company or customer expectations could be a result of the design of the center itself. In a recent research study conducted by Contact Center World, respondents reported that their internal staff designed the contact center and only one in five relied on external parties.

A number of reasons have been identified as to why this internal approach is taken so often. Many respondents reported that they like to involve their own staff in as many decisions as possible to help motivate the workforce.

The Director of the KSBA shared, “In recent years, many call center owners and operators have realized the merit in accommodating frontline staff’s creature comfort needs with things such as good seating, furniture, adequate and different types of lighting. Additionally, as a way of reducing turnover and achieving recruitment goals, more emphasis is now placed on the interior.”

The top two features identified in this study that make the workplace more comfortable were air conditioning and break rooms. Ranked third on the list, at just over 52 percent of respondents, was ergonomic furniture. This approach suggests that more attention is paid to the design of the center for comfort than some of the more personal creature comforts such as furniture that agents rely on throughout their shift.

The availability of natural light was rated by 45 percent of respondents. Some contact centers stated that they offer views of ‘rolling hills’ while others provide views of the ‘beach’ in an effort to make the workplace more comfortable. One has to wonder, however if the view of the beach is conducive to productive activities or merely a distraction as the employee would rather be there than at work.

Gaining popularity in contact centers are game rooms as 18 percent of respondents stated that they have one. A few centers have also adopted features such as waterfalls and aquariums to create a calming and relaxing environment for the agents. 

One contact center outsourcer shared in the study that when describing the features of their contact center, one respondent wrote in the study: “Full access for all employees is mandatory. Entry/access, public spaces, amenities and private spaces must be functional for all. Desks and chairs need to be adjustable to accommodate the individual needs of all employees without being proprietary.”

“Ensure that all doors are easy to open and accessible for all employees. In addition, having ramps for entry and accessible public facilities such as restrooms, break rooms and medical/privacy rooms are imperative. However, special amenities cannot be overlooked. Recreational areas, patios, and gathering spaces must be able to be enjoyed by all,” this outsourcer continued.

This study demonstrates that the contact centers of today are nothing like the call centers of yesterday. Companies are making great strides in putting a priority on the center, recognizing the benefits that it provides and creating an environment that promotes productivity.