In an era of hybrid, flexible, and remote working situations, ensuring that communication technology is improving the customer experience without eating into the wellbeing of staff can feel like a balancing act. As customers increasingly expect 24/7 support, out-of-hours servicing (such as early morning, after hours, on weekends, or bank holidays), and access to an informed point of contact, businesses have had to find ways to meet these demands.
The rise of improvements in communications technology, accelerated by the demand generated from the pandemic, has meant there are plenty of options available for businesses and customers to ensure they get the right contact solution at the right time. Enreach, as a provider of business communication solutions, has embraced these developments along with a forward-thinking approach to working patterns for staff, while considering how best to meet customer support needs.
With a dedicated team assigned to each account, Enreach builds a relationship with customers, gaining insight into specific needs and offering support at a time and level that suits them best. Embracing the flexible working approach, Enreach’s account management teams fit around customer preferences and hours to deliver support and advice exactly when it’s needed.
Staff are fully equipped with all the technology they need to make this approach possible and effective. Enreach Contact, Enreach Mobile, and cloud telephony packages help make this ‘anywhere, anytime’ approach a reality. By encouraging staff to be autonomous and providing them with the tools to make this happen, staff can create a work-life balance approach that best suits them, without any compromise in customer service.
Supporting improved work-life balance for staff is the implementation of AI-powered chatbots on the Enreach website and customer portals. Available 24/7, these chatbots are designed to help answer FAQs and point customers toward the most appropriate resource. The chatbots help reduce ‘busy work’ for staff, freeing up time to spend on customer queries that need a dedicated account manager’s expertise. Staff can utilise their working hours effectively, reducing the need for overtime thanks to streamlined methods like the AI chatbots.
Internally, Enreach has a strong culture of wellbeing and a focus on mental health for staff. Initiatives such as Brew Mondays allow staff the chance to catch up in a friendly, no-pressure environment and address any stresses they might be facing to get the right level of support. Enreach is also partnered with Mind, the mental health charity, with fundraising events due to take place throughout the year to provide valuable support.
Steve Webb, Director of People and Culture said, “at Enreach we work in partnership with our customers; we’re always looking for ways to work more effectively and in a way that suits their processes. Ensuring we’re delivering on customer needs while also supporting our staff in maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial to the way we operate. Our value of being open means we operate with honesty and transparency. We ask customers how we can help, and we ask the same of our staff. When our staff are well looked after, our customers are too.”
