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Could Furniture Be The Call Center Tipping Point?

by Jennifer Way, Marketing Manager, Interior Concepts - July 23, 2010

Could Furniture be the Call Center Tipping Point? by Jennifer Way, Marketing Manager, Interior Concepts

If you’ve read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell you might remember his idea of the Power of Context. The Power of Context is an environmental argument that behavior is a function of social context. (Gladwell, 2002, p. 150). Generally, the idea that behavior can be affected by environment (the look of a space) and that behavior changes can spread throughout an organization. The Power of Context is also the idea that big problems do not need to be solved to affect behavior; behavior can be affected simply by adjusting the environment to elicit the behavior that you want. In the call center this means that creating a professional looking space can help to determine the behavior and actions of agents in the contact center.

Running with the concept that our inner being is affected by our outer circumstances, purchasing aesthetically pleasing and durable call center furniture and call center cubicles can help the space look professional and well maintained for years to come. Creating a professional looking, upbeat, and well maintained contact center environment could help to keep call center workers happier, thereby increasing customer satisfaction, and perhaps even influencing agent retention.

With our current economy there are many opportunities to purchase used or remanufactured furniture versus new furniture. A used or remanufactured purchase may be a one-time deal on price with limitations on station design, finish selections, quality, and a limited warranty. While price is an initial consideration in furniture purchases, durability is also especially important because call center agents handle a steady stream of incoming phone calls and emails, meaning that they rarely have a chance to step away from their desk. Many centers are also multi-shift, 24/7 operations, and the cubicles face almost constant usage, so durability is a key concern.

Though the price might be great initially consider how the furniture will hold up over time, and if the furniture does not hold up well, how that will affect the entire feeling of your call center. Given the Power of Context idea, the appearance of a space can help to dictate how people behave in a space. So if the furniture is run down and falling apart after a year or two, it could negatively affect the behavior of the agents in that space.

Sometimes a furniture purchasing decision is made based on theoretically saving a few dollars per cubicle. Comfortable and quality furniture can impact employee satisfaction, worker comfort and productivity, and employee retention. These factors are a much greater expense than furniture. Additional considerations, such as durability and extended warranties, will provide an additional cost savings down the line. Contact centers also have specific design requirements that need to be met to create a productive and functional space. When you look at furnishing your space choose to work with someone that knows call centers and their specific design requirements.

Theoretically, changing the smallest details of the immediate environment can affect the behavior of people in that space. This suggests that the appearance of a call center, for example, having a professional, and well-maintained space can help to encourage professional behavior in the space. So while purchasing call center furniture won’t ensure a lower turnover rate or less absenteeism, creating a professional looking space might be ‘The Tipping Point’ for better customer service and professionalism in your call center.

Jennifer Way
Marketing Manager

References:
Gladwell, Malcolm. (2002). The Tipping Point. New York, NY: First Back Bay.

 
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