An agile and scalable CX resource

In our new "GigCX Is Here" series, we'll be looking at some of the key reasons why GigCX is taking the industry by storm, and shining a light on some of the practices that are shaping the future of the customer experience industry.

In our first instalment, we're delving into how GigCX can help with resource planning by providing a pool of experts that can expand and shrink on-demand.

People-first agility

If there is one major headache for the average CX leader, it's probably workforce management (WFM). In the contact centre model, scaling up, down, or making any considerable changes to staff numbers in line with fluctuating customer query volumes (both expected and unexpected) is a battle not taken lightly. Erlang C Simulation base forecasting and intraday management, whilst battling with occupancy and shrinkage levels are a necessity to ensure that you have just the right amount of availability to deliver just the right amount of performance.

Searching for staff, training and onboarding them, and meeting the required level with customer queries within a short space of time, is a highly unrealistic goal for many. Even if it was a possibility, it would come at a significant cost.

GigCX is an agile model that banishes the need for staff rotas and a fixed number of full-time staff. By shifting the power to gig agents, they can choose their own hours and increase or decrease as they wish. This is the Resource Planner's dream - demand spikes are no longer an issue. Typically within a fixed resource model, you might be able to increase capacity through squeezing occupancy and productivity by maybe 20% to cope with demand excess but in the GigCX world that is more like 400% by virtue of the fact that when there is work there are workers when there is not there are not - it's much like taxi drivers swarming an airport when there are flights and not when there are none.

Most importantly, the GigCX model supports the payment of agents per gig who, are incentivised to pick up extra jobs during peak times. In short, the workforce can be easily scalable with agents who are keen to earn extra money.

End of 9-5 service

As customers now demand more from their favourite brands, a frequent point of difference between competitors is the customer service options on offer. Customers now have their fingers on the pulse, and likewise, their expectations extend to accessing a customer service representative at a time that is wholly on their terms.

Whereas the traditional contact centre typically offers a staffing pattern that fits the "normal" (whatever that is anymore) working times such as a 9am to 5pm weekday service, which coincidentally are the times you are often least able to make a customer service enquiry due to your own work, the GigCX model, however, supports round the clock support as it taps into a crowd of availability that isn't confined by the rules of normal working hours and is often found fitting that in around their lives such as childcare, studies, other work commitments. Most importantly, this isn't offered to the detriment of a conventional customer service agent who has been unwillingly lumbered with a night shift - the gig agent at the end of the line truly believes in their brand and wants to help a fellow customer.

GigCX enables the employment of brand advocates and loyal customers to help other prospective customers. And with that in mind, all experts should be able to enjoy offering a genuine and helpful customer experience that is freely available at any time, not just as a 9 - 5 workday checkbox activity.

Why GigCX?

In short, the gig isn't about replacing careers or other work: it's about giving companies another resource pool they can use, and people the option to supplement their earnings and to do it flexibly. We have a worldwide mission to help people "gig" at their leisure and to get paid fairly for the work they do.

In turn, customers can now receive the customer service they have always expected - and more. Personalised conversations, real insights, and genuine advice can now be offered as standard, regardless of a brand's existing contact centre capabilities.