TMCnews Featured Article

When it comes to service in the call center, the first things we tend to evaluate include time to answer, call abandonment rates and First Call Resolution. Agents are also measured on their ability to handle challenging calls, navigate multiple applications to solve customer issues and upsell or cross-sell on specific opportunities. Lower rates may be the result of poor training or execution, but it also may be the result of poor call center furniture.

The office desk chair, for example, can affect how efficiently we are able to accomplish specific goals. Research mentioned in a recent Business2Community post shows that proper ergonomics in call center furniture can increase productivity by as much as 400 percent. That’s an average of $150,000 in company savings each year.

This research was highlighted in an infographic from Ridiculously Efficient, which stresses how important it is to sit up straight, adjust the computer screen and be cognizant of how much damage hunched shoulders can cause. When call center furniture is designed around ergonomics, employee performance and productivity can skyrocket.

For one insurance company, the impact was so significant that it realized more than $620,000 in improved productivity by investing $500,000 in proper office furniture. After moving into a new building and taking a healthy approach to furniture, 60 percent of employees believed productivity had improved and 80 percent experienced a higher level of customer focus. Of the 200 decision-makers surveyed, 90 percent said productivity improved with better office design.

To make improvements in your office, it’s important to know where the challenges exist. Common issues employees report include cramped spaces, wrong heights for tables and chairs, no elbow support, no back support, banging knees on the keyboard tray, elbows on hard surfaces and cradling the phone while using the computer.

For marked improvements, the call center should invest in specific furniture changes, including a chair that offers backrest tilt, backrest tension control, lumbar support, adjustable armrests and a height adjustable work surface; keyboards that lie flat, have a low profile, include keytop areas of at least 0.5 square inches and key displacement of between .05 and .25; input devices that move easily, offer workable surface areas and a comfortable fit for the hand, and provide a long cord for proper placement; and a monitor that offers adjustable brightness and contrast, adjustable tilt, and anti-glare and is the appropriate size for the tasks performed.

The important thing is to understand that employees need to work comfortably for optimal health and performance. When companies make the necessary investments in call center furniture, they certainly reap the benefits.