A Call to Action
In my 40 years in the call center industry as a director, BPO center operator, industry advocate and trade association CEO, I have come to realize just how important we can be to communities and individuals.
The contact center industry has provided of millions of jobs for the hard to employ, students putting themselves through school, and parents that need another income source—often with the flexible hours they require. Communities that were devastated by the loss of large manufacturers were reinvigorated by opening of contact centers. These jobs made a huge difference.
Barriers to employment in the industry are minimal and though agent pay doesn’t usually provide a middle-class income, there are those who gained valuable experience and a career path. I often speak with executives at global enterprises who started their careers as call center agents.
Our industry has received major criticism (some deserved and most not) because of unwanted and robocalls. Unfortunately, our industry is rarely praised for the economic value that the industry has provided to individuals and communities.
There have been many technological advancements over the years that have contributed to our success, but in my opinion near and offshore contact centers have changed the industry the most. Agents in many of these new locations view employment in a contact center as a lifeline, one that out pays other local employers and offers a career path.
The jobs created help these communities raise the standard of living for everyone as the ripple effect helps local restaurants, day care centers and retail stores. We are a vital part of the economy wherever we go; some governments have even made the sector a vital part of their future economic growth plans.
As the United States experiences increasing wages and a labor shortage, there will be an increase in outsourcing to other countries. Through outsourcing, there is also the opportunity to have great social and economic impact.
I have created Impact SourcingCX to offer US enterprises access to business process outsourcing in parts of the world where we can provide desperately needed social and economic impacts. For example, in Africa there there are millions of English-speaking agents in South Africa and Kenya. There is tremendous growth potential, and US enterprises gain the benefit of a large pool of potential employees, competitive pricing, and successful customer service results, while making a tremendous social and economic impact.
If this is an opportunity that would benefit your company, please contact me directly at [email protected], and I’ll be happy to share more details.