JOHN H . ( JACK ) BOYD
FEATURE
WHERE TO CALL AND CONTACT ?
THE NEW NORMAL , LIKE WFH , HAS SHAKEN UP CONTACT CENTER SITE SELECTION STRATEGIES .
BY BRENDAN READ , CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE ; Q & A WITH JACK BOYD
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE IMAGES
When contact centers seek to source their employees , once they have decided which , if any , of their agents will be outsourced , the choices have become increasingly bewildering .
Not only must center executives assess how many staff will be needed in light of both demand for their products and services but also of encroaching rapid – and artificial intelligence ( AI ) -driven – automation .
And once roughly decided where it is their agents will work ? On-premise , work-from-home ( WFH ) or hybrid ? Onshore , nearshore , or offshore ? Large metro or small city ?
And what about factors like disaster risks both natural and human i . e ., crime , and also employee childcare , all of which are becoming problematic in this New Normal / Age of Anxiety era ? Not to mention taxes and inflation ?
To obtain insights , I had a virtual conversation with John H . ( Jack ) Boyd , founder and principal , The Boyd Company . He is a leading site selection expert who has been locating contact centers for clients since the 1980s and was one of the first to recommend nearshore and offshore countries for them .
JOHN H . ( JACK ) BOYD
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE THE NEED FOR MORE OR FOR FEWER CONTACT CENTER AGENTS ?
A : Big picture economic headwinds are playing a role here . Historically high rates of inflation and higher finance rates dampening consumer demand and onerous new taxes and regulations , are combining to hold the line on new job growth at best case . And job reduction in the 5 % to 8 % range at worst case .
Another interesting ( and potentially partially offsetting ) site selection driver is the expanding electric vehicle ( EV ) industry in the U . S . and Canada , where the industry is expected to quadruple in market share over the next five years .
GM , Ford , and Hyundai are examples of companies expanding contact center capabilities specific to new EV and charging related demands .
6 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE