Company: ClearSource BPO, Pleasant Grove, UT
Company Description: ClearSource BPO provides The Exceptional Customer Experience for brands that intend to keep customers for life. We are based in Utah, and have robust global work-from-home capabilities and engagement centers nearshore and offshore.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Contact Center Manager of the Year
 Nomination Title: Anj Gonzaga
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2020 of the nominated woman, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the spaces below.
- Briefly describe the nominated individual: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 174 words used.
Anj Gonzaga joined ClearSource in Feb. 2022 after a period of personal loss related to COVID-19. A veteran of the call center industry, Anj started as an agent in 2008 and worked her way through the ranks from SME, to Team Lead to Operations Manager while working for a different company. With 4 years of experience managing a team behind her, Anj made the difficult decision to leave her job to take care of family during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Tragically, her brother died of COVID anyway.
“I had to accept that there are external factors that I can’t control,” said Anj. “I had to focus on what I could control. That meant keeping my family strong and finding a job that would allow me to financially support our needs with a healthy work-life balance.”
Anj researched companies until she chose ClearSource. “Now I am working with a company that is passionate about its core values. I can do what I still love to do without sacrificing the time with my family.”
- Outline the nominee's achievements since July 1 2020 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 241 words used.
Anj brought a strong CV of accomplishments with her to ClearSource. Not only did she have operational expertise, but she was also good at team building and culture. People liked working with her and she liked making those around her better. This skill was perhaps most important because the program she was brought to manage was a health and wellness brand that was all about living clean and treating everyone with respect. The program started as a small pilot designed to clear a backlog of contacts related to supply chain interruptions during COVID-19.
When Anj started as operations manager, the program had grown to over 100 FTE, but things were not running smoothly:
- Absenteeism was 9% on a goal of 3%
- Monthly Attrition was 8% on a goal of 5%
- Quality was 86% on a goal of 95%
- Productivity was eroding due to conflict
- Agents complained about their concerns being ignored
- Team Leads were ineffective due to program turmoil
- Anj took action to turn the performance around
- Revised shift bidding through attendance team based to promote team work
- Implemented an Attendance Bonus Structure
- Re- aligned TLs salary
- Build trust with TLs through consistent 1x1 sessions
- Monitor coaching sessions to ensure best practices were followed
- Maintain an open-door policy with agents and team leads
- Increased productivity through team roster restructure
Results
- Reduced absenteeism from 9% to less than 1%
- Reduced monthly attrition from 8% to 2%
- Increased quality from 86% to 95%
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the nominee's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 247 words used.
Contact Center veterans understand the headwinds the industry has faced since July 2020. Covid-19 forced teams to work from home. Attrition and absenteeism skyrocketed as people reassessed their work-life balance and the need to take care of loved ones. Anj faced the same decision and left a good job to take care of their family. Her brother died from Covid anyway and she was left trying to make ends meet while being the emotional leader of her family. She chose to go back to work but would only do so for a company that treats its employees with compassion and respect. The ClearSource core values were a perfect fit and Anj used them to guide her decisions while improving the performance of her team.
Customer First — We share an intense passion for creating an exceptional customer experience.
Humble Courage — Be brave enough to seek, deliver, and accept feedback.
Personal Accountability — Commit to do the right thing and do it.
Hungry — Do your best every day to make great things happen.
Happy and Healthy — Choose well, live well.
Anj inspired her team to get better one human connection at a time. When an agent had a complaint, Anj was there to listen. When a Team Lead became frustrated because an agent repeated mistakes, Ajn offered the type of wisdom that only comes with life experience and on-the-job expertise.
Give people every chance to succeed, teach them a better way, and celebrate success together.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 195 words used.
- According to Bloomberg, Call Centers are struggling mightily due to attrition and attendance issues: Worker turnover has always run high in customer service, around 50% a year, said Jeff Christofis, who oversees staffing giantKelly Services’ contact center unit. During the pandemic, it has swelled to at least 80% -- and in extreme cases to as much as 300%. Full article available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-07/customer-service-wait-times-triple-as-vacancies-vex-call-centers
- There are roughly 3 million customer-service workers nationwide. Before Covid-19, as many as 90% worked in office settings, Christofis estimated. He sees the industry settling into a 50-50 split among in-person and at-home workers, but for now, the workforce is largely working remotely and resisting change. See more at:Customer-Service Wait Times Triple as Staff Shortage Vex Call Centers
- This article illustrates how hard it is to retain employees: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/08/jobs-work-quit-great-resignation/
- According to Market Research Firm Statista, revenue is expected to show an annualgrowth rate (CAGR 2020-2025) of 6.8% in the BPO sector as a whole.
- This article by Deloitte addresses the pains the BPO industry experienced in 2020. This article by Harvard Business Review addresses the difficulties of maintaining program performance during COVID-19.
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