It's Customer Service Week, So Thank an Agent

While customer service teams have always played an important role on the front lines, they have become even more important in the past 18 months as businesses have been forced to confront the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the effects it has had on both their daily operations and customer expectations.

Let';s not forget that this week as we celebrate Customer Service Week, and in the weeks ahead as supply chain shortages and the big holiday season will place added strain on contact center agents already pushed to the limits.

Below, some business leaders weigh in on why agents deserve to be celebrated and how businesses can better support them:

"Customer service is key to the success of any business. Whether it be navigating the implications of supply chain delays or rebooking travel because of COVID exposure, no role has been more important to keep businesses running. Customer service agents drive brand connectivity and allegiance, so company leaders should invest in the technology that enables them to make customers feel heard and comfortable, regardless of what language they speak" says Vasco Pedro, CEO and co-founder of Unbabel.

"Customer service representatives have incredibly hard jobs. They’re one of the first touchpoints for customers who have had a mediocre or poor brand experience. Plus, due to the lasting impacts of the pandemic, they’re dealing with more complex and emotionally charged customers than ever before. Customer Service Week is a great recognition of the incredible job so many of them do. As leaders we can’t take our eyes off the need to support them every day, all year long. We know the most successful organizations are those that worry about the CSR experience as well as the customer," says Rick Britt, vice president of AI at CallMiner.

"Customer service teams have challenging jobs. We have to continuously figure out the best way to service different types of customers with different needs. We have to look for the best-possible solution, and then we have to dig deeper to see if we can do it better next time. It goes without saying that the last year has been difficult for everyone," says Natalie Miranda, vice president of customer success at Justworks.