In the contact centre industry we are not persuaded that machines will replace humans.
The statistics back us up – there has been a rise in call centre jobs of more than 9000 positions in the three years, 2016 to 2019. That’s a rise of 35 per cent, according to the latest survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
At Citrus Group we believe the human connection will be more important than ever in this ‘customer service’ era. Yes, technology is essential, but human interaction is a powerful engagement tool.
Says Citrus Group co-founder Gordana Smith: “We’ve seen a continuing rise in demand for contact centre roles in the past couple of years and I can’t see it diminishing any time soon.”
In the top 80 “Jobs on the Rise”, the Call or Contact Centre industry sits at 66, as outlined in this article in The Australian newspaper by The Demographics Group’s Bernard Salt, Australia’s leading demographer.
For more than 30 years, the ABS has tracked the rise and fall of occupations.
The most common job in Australia is a sales assistant – which accounts for 434,921 jobs or 3 per cent of the workforce. Does this include call centre personnel? There is an argument the ABS should identify them specifically. Could that sales assistant be, increasingly, online or on the phone?
‘Storepersons’ are at number 7 on the list, while ‘Other Sales Assistants and Salespersons’ are at 11 and ‘Human Resource Professionals’ are at 12.
Any form of contact or call centre operation will absolutely be needed more than ever as part of the front line in customer service – whatever your industry.
And, it’s a job for any age demographic too.
If you’re keen to find people for your contact centre, or you’re looking to join the industry – now is the time and we are here to help! Contact us at Citrus Group for information and opportunities.
Contact us for more information:
PH: 02 8203 5760
Reference: Adapting to the shifting jobs landscape – The Australian – August 2019