Why a gig model will fix your CX supply chain problem

A global gas shortage. Empty grocery shelves. COVID-inspired toilet paper hoarding.

These are just some of the cumulative effects of the product supply chain crisis, which has disrupted the lives of consumers everywhere.

Much like the product supply chain, the customer service (CX) industry presents a very fragile supply chain as well. Although most companies are beginning to bounce back in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining a high level of service remains a tricky challenge, and something that many companies have yet to master. 

Here are three reasons GigCX can fill the gaps in your customer service supply chain.

Brand advocates for the win

With companies needing to adapt to a remote workforce during the pandemic, companies looked to self-service options, automation and chatbots to support customers. These solutions can certainly help ensure customers receive a response to their inquiries, but they lack the personalized, empathetic responses customers want.

While technology plays a key role in CX, keeping humans at the heart of the customer experience is essential. Consumers want personable, human interactions, and no one does that better than a caring, passionate human being.

Who would you rather get help from? Someone like you, who knows and loves the product or service? Or a chatbot with automated, canned responses?

That’s why GigCX Experts — brand advocates who have actual experience with the products or services they represent — are a great way to create a personal, unique interaction with customers.

Having a crowd of passionate, caring experts helps create tremendous value for customers, and helps businesses keep customers happier, lowering attrition rates and solving the CX supply chain challenge.

Flexing with demand 

One of the biggest lessons we learned from the pandemic is that traditional customer service models don’t scale well in response to crises. Coupled with unprecedented staff shortages, this volatile demand creates a serious problem for companies.

As McKinsey noted in its October 2021 report, whether relying mainly on in-house or external talent, a gig-style staffing model (GigCX) can give companies the agility they need amid today’s increasingly volatile markets.

Since a crowd of GigCX Experts grows and shrinks in line with demand, businesses can achieve a whole new level of flexibility. Experts have the freedom to work when they want, all within the bounds of when a business needs extra help.

Our recent report even found that 91% of GigCX Experts are able to handle more queries — with almost half saying they could take on 50% more tickets — showing the significant capacity to absorb volume in response to sudden supply chain disruptions.

Better technology to meet remote needs

With many companies returning to bricks and mortar work environments, they are breathing a sigh of relief, seeing it as the only way to fix the gaps in the CX supply chain.

But employee work preferences have changed. According to Harvard Business School, 81% of employed adults say they either don’t want to return to a traditional workplace or would prefer a hybrid schedule.

In fact, according to our 2021 GigCX report, one of the most attractive aspects of becoming a gigger is the flexibility to work when you want, wherever you want.

As most workers had their eyes opened to the wonders of remote or flexible working, progressive companies are now adopting new models and technologies to respond to new work preferences and avoid worker shortages. 

The pandemic has been an opportunity for organizations to test new models – like GigCX – and build operational agility into their businesses to adjust to rapid change.

By adopting a GigCX model, organizations can create a more flexible CX operation to fill the gaps in your supply chain.

Want to learn how to create your own GigCX plan? Get a free GigCX assessment.