How do Experts Gig?

If you've always wondered just how our Experts gig, you've come to the right place. After surveying over 600 GigCX participants and interviewing others in-depth for our 2021 report, we've uncovered the day-to-day gig practices of our Experts, giving us a sneak peek into how, where, and when they serve the brands they love.

Location, location, location

It's safe to say it has been a rocky, unpredictable couple of years. Changing customer and worker demands, and of course COVID, have all driven a change in the ways professionals are working. Our eyes have been opened to the benefits of working from home. For many, the reduced cost and time spent in commuting, as well as the ability to work the hours that suit their lifestyle, has been a welcomed treat. Besides, it's become clear that employees - in any sector - don't always need to be in an office to be productive. 

Yet for our Experts, it didn't take a global crisis to enjoy the perks of flexible working. Whether it be from the comfort of their sofa, or in their garden on a sunny day, there is no pressure to work anywhere other than wherever they may please. In fact, Experts work across the entire globe. Sri Lanka? Morocco? Singapore? You name it. We discovered that Experts on our platform are from 34 countries and 6 continents. Not only does this ensure that anyone is welcome with no barriers to entry, it also gives brands access to a whole new talent pool they previously couldn't access. By leveraging Experts across a range of time zones, diverse cultures and languages, Experts can be perfectly matched to customers within a region, often skyrocketing CSAT scores.

To top it off, this could bring benefits to our planet, as well as our people. With Experts logging into our GigCX platform, being decentralized across the globe can help to reduce the contact center carbon footprint. With reductions in travel and infrastructure, a work-from-anywhere model could bring us a step closer to a greener, cleaner planet. 

Working round the clock

The global nature of the GigCX crowd means that working time preferences span an entire 24 hour period, which fits superbly within our GoodGig principles. One of our key aims is to provide flexibility and choice to both the GigCX Expert and customer. That's because we really pride ourselves on the ability to give our Experts the choice to serve customers at a time that suits their schedule.

As such, the GigCX model provides complete fluidity for everyone involved. And with 40% of brands saying increasing flexibility and the ability to handle demand volatility is why they're drawn to GigCX, it really is a win-win situation. Experts can enjoy the flexibility to log on as and when they like, for how long they like, and this can be ramped up to meet sudden peaks in demand if needed.

On that note, we found that 62% of Experts only spend between 1 and 10 hours a week answering queries, demonstrating the importance of GigCX as a supplement to other activities or roles. For example, an Expert at SunBasket told us she likes to answer queries early in the morning (with her coffee, of course!) and on her days off. Another Expert, who is currently a university student, told us that he fits his GigCX activities in the gaps of his academic schedule. If you tuned in to our last installment, you already know that the most popular motivation for our Experts was the flexibility to work on their own time and schedule. Now, you can see why!

Flexibility

Finally, what's giving GigCX those extra brownie points is the increasing trend of asynchronous messaging. Unlike synchronous messaging which involves a live person-to-person conversation, asynchronous communication doesn't require both parties to be present and speaking at the same time. This is great for both the Expert and customer because they are able to start, pause, and resume a conversation around their daily life - and these benefits are quickly being noticed.

In 2020 alone, Facebook saw 100 billion messages every day across its WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram messenger apps. Likewise, this massive figure is backed up by our survey, where 90% of respondents said they used asynchronous messaging personally every day. It's clear that users and brands alike are drawn to the convenience and accessibility that asynchronous messaging provides.

That being said, it makes perfect sense that organizations are looking to add this channel to their customer service operations. Asynchronous messaging will see a boost with GigCX as you could have an Expert anywhere that works 15 minutes here, an hour there, two minutes an hour later, and still do their day job at the same time as well as serving the customer. It seems that flexibility really is the future of our workforce.

For more information, why not download our The 2021 Gig Customer Service Report and meet the Experts and CX leaders behind this installment.