Looking for Great Contact Center Workers? Consider Hiring Veterans

Traditionally, contact centers looking for workers have delved into some very typical labor pools: young people in college, for example, or young and single workers who simply need a job…any job. While there’s no rule that says these people don’t make good workers, for companies hoping to stem turnover with older, more experienced workers who are more likely to stick with the job – a great step toward keeping high turnover rates down -- there are other options than the traditional labor pool. One of them is veterans.

U.S. veterans today have high unemployment rates. Some are injured or disabled, and many of them find getting back into the workforce to be difficult for a variety of reasons. Some U.S. companies are beginning to pay more attention to veterans when it comes to hiring. Television and Internet giant Comcast (News - Alert) recently announced plans to hire 10,000 military veterans, reservists and spouses over the next three years, adding to the pool of about 4,000 it has already brought on board. There are some companies, including third-party contact centers, that have formal veteran-hire programs. These include Atlanta-based VetConnex, which is headed by a retired U.S. Army general; Las Vegas-based InteliCare Direct (ICD), Akron, Ohio-based InfoCision Management Corp., and AT&T (News - Alert).

According to a recent blog post by Monet Software CEO Chuck Ciarlo, veterans make great contact center agents for a variety of reasons, including:

• An accelerated learning curve: veterans can quickly learn new skills and concepts;
• Teamwork: the military encourages both individual and group productivity;
• Grace under pressure: if veterans can handle stressful combat situations, they can certainly cope with the rigors of tight schedules and angry callers;
• Following orders: Military men and women are used to accurately following procedures; and
• Integrity: Veterans are familiar with the concept of an honest day’s work, and will bring their ‘A’ game to their job every day

“There are many qualities that are desirable in a contact center agent, and most of them have already been acquired by men and women who have served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Something to keep in mind next time your contact center is hiring,” wrote Ciarlo.

Some veterans are disabled, and contact center work is well suited for disabled workers, either in-house (with some simple accommodations that are probably already in place in most workplaces due to the Americans with Disabilities Act), or from home, if the veteran is not mobile to travel easily. Thanks to today’s cloud-based contact center technologies, veterans can be part of the contact center through technology and collaboration solutions.

It’s a great option for contact centers tired of high turnover rates and poor service from their traditional labor pools. It’s also a great way to “give back” something to the community, and to people who have given so much to their country. 

Edited by Stefania Viscusi