The alarm clock buzzes. It's 8.30 AM in Manila, Philippines, and Samantha wakes up to another day of work. She rustles up a meal, finishes up chores, and gets ready for office. But this time, it's business-not-as-usual. "My workstation, mobile, and network connections are ready at home to support the voluminous service calls pouring in from global customers. Another exciting day of work; the rhythm of life continues," she remarked.
Clarity Amidst Chaos
It’s the worst of times, but also the best of times at CSS Corp. “Foresight,” “readiness,” and “seamless” are some of the words used to describe the way CSS Corp sailed through the onset of the pandemic phase despite the negligible time on hand. When many enterprise leaders are perplexed about navigating the crisis, CSS Corp stepped up by transitioning 7000 professionals to a 100% remote work model. Remote support from Samantha is but one of the many examples of the foresightedness and seamlessness of customer support that CSS Corp is fleshing out to global customers amidst the disruption. The leadership is under a double-spotlight for executing a successful and crisp crisis-readiness plan thanks to the RESILIENCE and CHEER framework. The swift response in decamping 100% of staff to a work-from-home model was highlighted by HfS Research in their POV last week. Members can access the complete report. Click here.
The Guiding Philosophy
For the leadership at CSS Corp, the days before the lockdown evoked memories of team cohesiveness and dexterity for strategically decamping staff toward a work-from-home model. The team recounted anecdotes of rapid executions of Business Continuity Plans to the analyst. The report highlighted the feat of moving 100% staff to the work-from-home model. Other enterprises seemed to have a hazy roadmap in setting up remote infrastructure and ensuring that logistics were in place. When many companies have lost their footing in facing an unprecedented global crisis, CSS Corp, on the other hand, accelerated digital transformation. CSS Corp assured zero dips in Customer Experience and Employee Experience. The team lobbied with telecom partners to procure solutions and invested in logistics to distribute equipment. They provided tight data security and offered uninterrupted client service from home with the help of new-age digital tools (AI, automation, analytics). KYRA, a proprietary AR platform, enables CX and enterprise support through self-service, virtual assistant, and live agent support. Such team cohesiveness and clarity sprung from the RESILIENCE framework that took a holistic approach to the business.
It helped them prepare --> stabilize --> embrace to convert setbacks into setups for transformation.
Components of the Resilience framework
Real estate & facilities management
Facilitate the transition of employees & materials in line with government regulations.
Employee enablement
Rapidly assess employee home-based work environments & ramp up work systems.
Support functions alignment
Quickly strategize OPEX, CAPEX, Digital HR, & back office continuity.
IT connectivity & collaboration
Ensure client approvals & work-from-home systems are in place.
Legal & compliance monitoring
Enforce procedures based on local government regulations & regulatory changes.
Information & physical security
Tighten web security & pre-empt vulnerabilities & data breaches.
Emotional well-being
Engage & ensure high employee morale via new-age digital platforms.
Numbers & dashboards
Keep a tight rein on SLAs & metrics via virtual command & control.
Communication & engagement
Get customers’ buy-in; ensure timely communication for clients.
Emergency response & crisis management
Maintain WFH SLAs & control site-wise crisis management
Clients across the Unified Communications and Networking sector appreciated the timely support when it mattered the most.
Expect the Unexpected
As virtual collaboration among internal teams was on the upswing, the CHEER framework oversaw employee engagement, morale, and wellbeing.
C: Communicate with employees
H: Highlight their accomplishments
E: Energize teams
E: Engage employees
R: Recognize achievements
To add on to this feat, the leadership pulled a rabbit out of the bag by offering pay hikes, variable pays, and promotions to eligible employees. All this at a time of massive layoffs, job losses, and pay cuts. Economic Times splashed the news on its front page for the first time in CSS Corp’s history; the column highlighted the leadership’s foresight in using the crisis as an opportunity for digital transformation.
"In these unprecedented times, it's a great opportunity for organizations to lead with empathy and take care of their employees' interests. We believe that giving pay hikes will help add certainty in these uncertain times," said Manish Tandon, CEO, CSS Corp.
A Cut above the Rest
While many view CSS Corp as a mid-sized player in the market, its 2 decades of experience in handling B2B and B2C support plus its ability to pivot when it matters most are the other hallmarks that set it apart from other players. “The viral predator has put millions of jobs worldwide on the line. For us at CSS Corp, it’s a proud moment that we are shielded during tough times. I rest my head at night with the assurance that CSS Corp has me covered through Resilience and Cheer framework.” says Samantha.
Members can access the POV Click here.