Generally speaking, call centers evoke some range of emotion from annoyance to grudging tolerance, but most people don’t stop to imagine what the world would be like without them. Next time you’re on hold with the jazz stylings of unknown artists, you can, instead of holding your breath and clenching your jaw, smile a little at the memory of the many ways in which the world would just not be the same without the presence of call centers.
First of all, it’s always said that Americans need to expand their horizons – travel, learn different languages, make contact with other cultures. Thanks to Call Centers and call center software, you don’t have to invest in Rosetta Stone or book a flight, you can converse with someone across the globe while getting your internet connection fixed or a late bill paid. And next time this is the case, instead of griping about an inscrutable foreign accent, maybe lean in to what life is like somewhere else. And if you’re worried about Americans losing their jobs, relax. At a 2012 panel discussion at the White House, Mary Murcott, CEO of the Fort-Worth outsourcing firm Novo 1, announced that the wave of outsourcing is changing directions; where at one point 30% of call center jobs for high-tech firms were overseas, now, the percentage is down to 12%. This shift is partially predicated by the growing awareness in businesses of the importance of customer service, which leads us to the second reason why call centers are critical!
The call center is a key point of contact between a business and its customer base. It’s where the relationship is both tested and strengthened. Think of it as a playground of trust. Customers most often call in when something isn’t working, or they need help understanding a policy or operating a new technology. Being met with friendliness, support, and prompt attention can leave them with not only a positive impression of the brand, but also a sense that there are human beings behind the product. It’s not only a chance for the business to show it cares when it most counts; it’s also a chance for the customer to practice patience, kindness, and a sense of humor. In a world where the “customer is always right,” it’s easy for us, consumers, to become entitled and, to be frank, a little bratty. Ultimately, even if we’re “right,” this dynamic can be disempowering and dissatisfying when compared to the possibility of making a real connection while maintaining a commitment to service.
As the world becomes more and more virtual, the value of being heard and seen by another human being becomes a precious commodity, one that can be present not only amidst family and friends, but also between “strangers.” If this sounds like a pitch for a Hollywood blockbuster, maybe it is. Maybe next time you have the need for a call center, the connection between you and the stranger on the other line will spark your imagination and provoke an idea for a great movie, novel, or even short story. If the familiar soundbite of “you’ve got mail” could give rise to a “Sleepless in Seattle,” just think about what wonderful art and entertainment the evolution of a call center could produce.
In addition to their role of potential muse in disguise, call centers often play the part of a convenient scapegoat. If there wasn’t a polite stranger on the other line to vent at and become angry with, where might that upsetness be redirected? Would we take it out on our kids; would we have to pay extra for therapy; would it take a toll on our marriages? Most call center employees take their disgruntled customers with a grain of salt and have a running joke with their co-workers about how terrible people are to let off some steam. Of course, I’m not recommending that one treat a call center agent as a punching bag, only pointing out that we might be grateful that contact centers absorb and diffuse some of our collective hostility and aggression, not unlike the World Wrestling Federation.
Finally, and least jokingly, call centers represent the other side of our love affair with our smart phones, our fast internet, and our beautiful complex world. They represent the hard work that goes into maintaining all our fabulous interconnectedness – the numbers, the time, the aching necks and shoulders. Without them, we have no telecommunication empire, no market at our fingertips, and no instant access to social media. With that in mind, perhaps we will all have a little more appreciation for the call centers that make our world possible, not to mention – the men and women who staff them.
