Inflation and the effects of a post-pandemic economy will pressure businesses to be more flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient in 2023. Dialing back headcount or trimming overhead can seem like short-term solutions without taking account of any obstacles due to unexpected changes in demand. As we’ll explore below, the inherent benefits of the gigCX model can redefine the customer experience to meet these challenges in the new year.

What is GigCX?

GigCX (short for gig customer experience) is a staffing model that relies on gig workers to provide temporary customer support for businesses. Gig work is made available to agents where they can choose projects and build ideal schedules while helping businesses balance their workload.

Gig teams aim to be an extension of the brand they represent, and agents employ education, certifications, and relevant experiences to do so. Most GigCX models are designed so that agents can take on a company’s best practices via self-guided learning to deliver an experience that is consistent and familiar to customers. 

In contrast to traditional outsourced customer experience models, where agents will go through weeks of training or onboarding before they can start supporting customers.

GigCX offers flexible scheduling arrangements compared to traditional contact center operations which concentrate on strict, meticulous management of agents’ time. The traditional use of agents’ time doesn’t compensate for any unforeseen shifts in demand, which makes it a challenge for brands to keep up with the fluctuating needs of their customers. 

GigCX providers like ShyftOff have access to large recruiting pools of qualified gig agents to take on work as-needed. This flexibility is key when staffing up and down to meet demand, allowing businesses to react to changes--even at a moment’s notice. 

GigCX Benefits That Define the Future of Customer Experience

The ShyftOff gigCX model intrinsically addresses some of the most drastic industry challenges we can expect in the new year:

• Perfect staffing year-round. GigCX providers can rely on a large pool of available talent throughout the year to meet the demands of their clients. Enabling contact centers to have the right headcount at any given time to meet customer demands.
• The ability to scale customer support to meet unexpected surges or dips in demand. Traditional contact center models don’t have the resources to deliver the level of flexibility for growth during a recession.
• High-quality, dependable talent. Our US-based agents are skilled professionals from a range of professions, experiences, and qualifications. We hire and retain top talent for the continual delivery of excellent service. 
• Lower cost. Simply put, ShyftOff customers save 35% or more on their cost of customer support staffing through traditional outsourcing models. 

GigCX Enable Brands to Hire Talent Entirely Focused on Their Customers

Because gigCX providers can focus on a single industry element––frontline customer service––we can match brands to agents who are aligned with their industry. Agents may have specific certifications (such as healthcare insurance licenses, property & casualty insurance licenses, college degrees), unique experiences (technical support for telecommunications, for example), and diverse interests (gaming, fitness, sports, hobbies, etc.) that match well with contracted projects.

Additionally, quality gigCX providers train agents to adapt to existing customer relationship management (CRM) platforms. CRMs are used to log interactions with customers and create a record for analysis, growth, and proof of customer service, which is critical for businesses to understand how agents are performing for their brand and how customers are treated in their absence. 

Companies tend to utilize CRMs in ways that fit their own operations (whether through proprietary software or purchased from mainstream providers). Customer support agents who are unable to utilize each brand’s unique CRM tool effectively may fall short in their delivery. The importance of a CRM platform to a brand’s success is not underestimated by top-tier gigCX providers; instead, they are relied upon to serve as the bridge between customer and agent, agent and brand. 

GigCX is Scalable

Scalability has stepped up as one of the most essential components of any sustainable modern business. However, this can be difficult to pull off when operating from legacy outsourcing models. 
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Quality gigCX providers allow for quick scaling of customer support through contact centers that accept new projects year-round. We prepare a larger set of agents than we anticipate needing to meet unexpected challenges without loss in response time from customer support. 

For example, ShyftOff was able to onboard 150 agents in less than 72 hours to support Hurricane Ian claims calls for a Property & Casualty insurance company –– when it would likely have taken months for a traditional contact center to staff the necessary support.

High-Quality GigCX through ShyftOff

Navigating the waters of supply and demand in 2023 requires scalability without sacrificing culture, brand image, or reputation. Leveraging quality gigCX providers has the potential for more predictable and more cost-efficient support during peak or low seasons, and quality providers can deliver seamless integrations to save brands time and money from the start.

‍See how the unique advantages of our gigCX model can propel your business in the new year! Contact our Sales Team.