What does working in a contact centre have in common with a role in tech?
More than you might think, says senior manager Lorna Norris:
A new role naturally brings with it excitement and trepidation in equal measure. That’s exactly how I felt as I walked into our Bretton contact centre to start my new role as Senior Manager for Resource Planning. Choosing to leave Thomas Cook after 11 years was a huge step for me and I had been on a rollercoaster since making my decision…
But once I started, I never looked back and what a ride I’ve been on since! If you had told me, back then, that I would now be working in the business technology team ingrained in detailed tech programmes I would have thought you’d been on the sauce… IT, tech, me?! I’m not technical enough, surely? But here I am, and loving it!
I believe it’s widely accepted these days that everyone working in a business that impacts customers is responsible for the customer experience in some shape or form, and it’s not just those that are in customer services that carry this duty.
So how did I, a customer-driven, people-orientated, operational planning manager end up in tech? I guess looking back it’s simple really - it’s precisely because I am customer driven, people-orientated and love planning. Customer services and tech are not as far apart as you might imagine, both are pretty much obsolete without customers and the right people - and each other.
To explain, I am certainly not looking to depreciate, or take anything away from the exceptionally talented people in either field. The SMEs that drive innovation and make things possible, those technical experts that, without whom, it wouldn’t be possible to operate efficient, award-winning contact centres, customer services and all the varied tech environments we are privileged to have within our reach. But let’s be clear on the relationship between them too.
Life in customer services is fast paced, unpredictable, ever changing, constantly impacted by external events and challenging, but so rewarding too. Life in tech isn’t so far removed…
I believe it’s widely accepted these days that everyone working in a business that impacts customers is responsible for the customer experience in some shape or form, and it’s not just those that are in customer services that carry this duty. Of course, there are roles that are closer to everyday interactions with customers, but every aspect of the business from tech, compliance, finance, partnerships, training, coaching, rewards and benefits has a role to play in shaping our CX.
Our people play a crucial role in providing that experience as does a culture that breeds the right focus and behaviour - you drive progress, innovation, a sense of achievement and desire to continue doing more, together. To bring customers and people together requires planning, and lots of it.
In our customer services teams, for instance, the way BGL puts customers at the very heart of the business was recognised when our contact centres were crowned best in Europe at the European Contact Centre and Customer Service Awards. The judges praised the way in which the Group’s leadership and culture drives a relentless customer focus throughout all parts of the business and they could clearly see the link to the teams across the business that make it possible for BGL’s contact centres to operate so efficiently.
Life in tech isn’t so far removed, its equally fast-paced, technology is evolving rapidly, programmes and delivery are constantly impacted by changing priorities. There are many examples of our teams doing incredible things to serve our customers, a recent standout being at the outset of the pandemic when the tech teams worked hard to implement a cloud-based solution that allowed our contact centres to transition to operating remotely in just eight days.
The key to this success, and others I’ve seen since joining BGL Tech, was centred around our ability to come together as a team and a huge desire to overcome barriers. So many of the roles in the tech teams are specialised and it takes real dedication to push through some of the obstacles we come across. There are countless daily examples of the teamwork required demonstrated through mobbing, stand-ups, retros, sprint planning etc. these are all vital to achieving great outcomes for our customers and building continuous improvement.
To this end - much as in the same way as in the contact centre - I’ve also observed time and time again the sense of satisfaction and achievement when a plan is put into practice that drives a better customer result.
So you see, a move from customer services to tech isn’t as irregular as it might first sound.
