As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, millions of companies have been forced to implement remote working solutions to comply with local, state, and federal mandates. But, many companies have been forced to lay off employees as well, resulting in a record number of unemployment claims. According to the Department of Labor, more than 6.6 million people filed initial claims last week, double the number from the previous week and a new historic high.
The flip side of the coin, however, is that during this crisis, many essential businesses are being flooded with customer inquiries across all channels, and need the resources to support those customers.
This presents an opportunity for outsourcers who may be seeing a significant increase in demand. In response to the COVID-19 crisis and mandate to move employees to remote environments, customer experience outsourcing company Sitel transitioned 80% of its associates to work at home models in order to be able to continue to support its clients. The entire migration took less than two weeks, and is enabling the company to continue to provide critical customer support for its clients.
“During this crisis, it’s critical that essential businesses, like banks, grocery stores, government agencies, and insurance companies remain functional and that their customers receive the information and care they need,” said Mike Small, Sitel’s Americas CEO. “Our work-at-home associates will play a key role in ensuring that society demands are met.”
But due to the immediate need to scale its services, Sitel not only not reducing its workforce – it’s hiring. The company is looking to hire more than 10,000 new associates to add to its existing pool of customer engagement teams. A customer service outsourcing firm, Sitel delivers customer engagement services for many recognized brands across industries, including banking, technology, healthcare, and hospitality. Now, with many of its clients needing more resources, Sitel has an opportunity to help those suddenly finding themselves without a source of income.
Sitel’s work at home model offer flexible work-life balance options, allowing employees to earn a sustainable income while accommodating personal needs – from the comfort of their homes. With an almost entirely home-based workforce and scalable cloud-based technology, it can continue to support its clients’ needs, while minimizing the impact of job-loss for thousands of people.
“We are honored to help those that have been laid off in a variety of industries find gainful employment, safely at home, during these unprecedented times,” added Small.
ITEXPO has always offered businesses the opportunity to learn and about and see firsthand the latest business technologies that are driving innovations in customer engagement and business communication. Part of the TechSuperShow, ITEXPO, along with many of its collocated events, is coming to the brand new Miami Beach Convention Center, June 22-25, 2021. Along with MSP Expo, SD-WAN Expo, Future of Work Expo, and more, ITEXPO offers an unprecedented opportunity for education and networking for Enterprises and SMBs, contact centers, service providers and carriers, MSPs, and channel partners to explore the latest technologies that are driving business success.
Edited by
Erik Linask
