Category: Blog

“Knowledge is power”

This quote has been used by several great minds throughout history but is most often attributed to the works of philosopher Sir Francis Bacon in his work Meditationes Sacrae (Sacred Meditations) from 1597.

This quote is still often used today, but has this ancient wisdom survived the test of time?

Last Friday, the 21st of February, was International Mother Language Day – an annual observance aimed at raising awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promoting multilingualism. At 5CA, we have no shortage of multilingual speakers! Just for our beloved readers, we’ve interviewed six polyglots from different projects and departments, and compiled their knowledge into this very article.

Workforce engagement is a buzzword. And like all good buzzwords, there’s a lot of hype around it, but something really valuable at the heart of it too. My role as Engagement and Communications Lead has been about trying to find out what kinds of activities and programs reap benefits, and which ones don’t quite make the cut.

Much has been written about the benefits of remote work for companies and individuals. One topic that has received considerably less coverage but is increasingly vital in the current context is the environmental impact of remote work.

In virtually any organization where continuous learning and improvement are priorities, there will eventually be a need to organize learning and training using a Learning Management System (LMS). In short, an LMS provides the platform that a trainer needs to create learning content, distribute lessons, and assess lesson effectiveness and learner performance.

At 5CA, we’ve over a thousand customer support agents working from home all over the world. We provide customer support in any language, at any time and over any channel. We’re developing Artificial Intelligence (AI)-backed tools to empower users and assist our agents. We’re data-driven too: continuously analysing vast amounts of information to improve our operations and we pass vital user experience intel to our clients to help them make better products and experiences.

The most common response I get when I tell people I work in Workforce Management (WFM), often coupled with a very confused facial expression, is “Hmmm, is that in HR…?” Given that labor costs can account for up to as much as 70% of total business costs, such as employee wages, benefits, payroll, and other related taxes, it always surprises me that Workforce Management is still not a widely recognized industry.

In today’s business world, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who does not agree that Customer Experience is an essential aspect when building and maintaining a profitable business. The reports support this statement. For example, a recent PWC publication shows that one in three consumers (32%) say they will walk away from a brand they love after just one bad experience. The same report states that “speed, convenience, helpful employees and friendly service matter most, each hitting over 70% in importance to consumers”.

As more and more companies embrace the work-from-home revolution, it is becoming evident that telecommuting is a big part of the future of the workplace. At 5CA, we embarked on this journey 5 years ago and haven’t looked back.

Consumer support over any channel, in any language, at any time: 5CA’s successful contact center as a service is possible because we use technology to make planet Earth our talent pool. It makes for a great story; expert service in any skill or language, an enticing work experience, and a sustainable business. It also presents an intriguing challenge: How do we balance flexibility, productivity, and security?

We’ve probably all heard of quality assessment (QA) before, where a quality specialist goes over agent interactions and checks to see if there are any possible areas of improvement or development. But what if we turn that top-down model on its head and instead embrace a collaborative approach, empowering them to be co-assessors? What if we ask them to self-reflect on their own performance, rather than only respond to the feedback of a third party?

The most successful companies make listening and understanding their customers a vital part of their business strategy. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, the reality is different. In a time where customer preferences are evolving faster than ever, ignoring these might turn out to be quite costly.