Celebrating Customer Service Week With 5 Ways to Elevate CX Year-Round

How to Go Above and Beyond for CX Success at Every Touchpoint

Since its debut in 1987, Customer Service Week has been an international celebration of the vital role of service professionals. Officially recognized by the U.S. Congress in 1992, it honors the dedication of those individuals who serve and support customers. 

This year’s theme, “Above and Beyond,” reflects iQor’s daily commitment to exceeding expectations for both employees and customers in everything we do. As we celebrate our teams that drive exceptional customer service, we also highlight our Symphony [AI]^TM ecosystem, which elevates the employee experience – from accelerated recruiting and onboarding to training and performance optimization – to empower the delivery of outstanding customer experiences. 

In honor of the incredible contributions of our employees to operational excellence, we’re sharing five fundamental ways customer service teams can go above and beyond to ensure both employee satisfaction and the delivery of outstanding customer experiences.  

1. Cultivating a Culture That Goes Above and Beyond for Employees and Customers

Cultivating a customer-centric culture starts from within. Companies that strive to create a positive, collaborative environment empower employees to exceed expectations. This culture is the foundation for delivering exceptional customer service. During Customer Service Week, we celebrate our employees, recognizing their role in driving success for our clients. 

iQor focuses on the following key elements that shape our customer-centric culture and enable us to go above and beyond for employees and customers. 

• Employee Empowerment: Empowering employees involves providing them with training, tools, and support that equip them to perform. This approach enables them to be confident in their customer interactions. 
• Continuous Training: Training isn’t a one-time event. Ongoing development, especially personalized coaching, helps employees stay current on customer service trends and evolving technology, ensuring high-quality service delivery. 
• Leadership’s Role: Leaders are instrumental in driving a customer-first culture. By setting expectations and modeling the behavior they wish to see, they inspire teams to prioritize customer satisfaction and strive for excellence. 
• Collaboration: A collaborative culture promotes teamwork and problem-solving, allowing employees to share insights and tackle customer issues more efficiently. This teamwork creates a more supportive environment, boosting morale and performance. 
• Balanced Approach: While AI and automation streamline customer interactions, the human touch remains critical. iQor balances technology with empathy to create personalized customer experiences that resonate emotionally with customers, ensuring long-term satisfaction and loyalty. 

By embracing these key principles, iQor ensures our employees are empowered, well-trained, and supported by strong leadership and collaboration. 

iQor Recognized as a Great Place to Work^® in Colombia and the Philippines

As a testament to creating rewarding employee experiences that drive irresistible customer experiences, iQor earned Great Place to Work^® certifications in Colombia and the Philippines for 2024, recognizing our commitment to a positive, inclusive work environment. The certification is based on employee feedback about workplace culture, trust, and leadership. These accolades highlight iQor’s dedication to employee well-being and fostering a supportive, high-performance environment across our global operations. 

As we continue our commitment to a customer-centric culture, our teams are equipped to go above and beyond, delivering exceptional service that meets the needs of the brands who entrust us to service their customers. 

2. Leadership That Inspires Excellence and Drives a Culture of Service

Leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping a service-driven culture that inspires teams to aim for performance excellence. Through direct involvement and support, leaders ensure each team member is aligned with the company’s mission to deliver exceptional customer experiences.

“When it comes to employee happiness, bosses and supervisors play a bigger role than one might guess. Relationships with management are the top factor in employees’ job satisfaction, which in turn is the second most important determinant of employees’ overall well-being.”

—McKinsey, “The boss factor: Making the world a better place through workplace relationships” 

iQor Trinidad Inspires Service Excellence Through Accountability and Collaboration

Vice President of Operations and iQor Trinidad Country Lead William Huggins, DBA, exemplifies how purpose-driven strategies can inspire service excellence. Leading over 1,300 iQorians, William’s approach involves fostering a collaborative environment focused on performance, continuous development, and accountability.

William fosters an environment of open communication, encouraging all employees to contribute ideas that enhance their experience. His engagement with employees and strong leadership have built a people-first, customer-centric culture where employees feel empowered to deliver exceptional service, reflecting iQor’s commitment to going above and beyond for our clients all around the globe. 

3. Employee Empowerment Through Continuous Learning and Recognition

Investing in employee growth and recognizing achievements are essential components for maintaining a high standard of service and retaining stellar teams. iQor’s approach to ongoing learning equips teams with the skills they need to excel, while recognition of employee contributions showcases our commitment to celebrating those who go above and beyond.

Leadership Development Programs Help Employees Succeed

Leadership training helps to inspire employees and ensures they bring their best to the company and customers. iQor’s sQholar program is a leadership development initiative designed to enhance employee retention, engagement, and career growth. It equips future leaders with the skills needed to meet performance expectations through a blend of eLearning, workshops, and hands-on experience.  

Over 1,500 employees have graduated from the sQholar program, with many moving into supervisory roles. The program emphasizes trust, coaching, and continuous feedback, driving performance, reducing turnover, and showcasing iQor’s commitment to empowering employees through continuous development.

Empowering Growth With Mentorship, Organizational Development, and Active Learning

At iQor, mentorship is key to fostering growth and leadership development. Initiatives like iQor’s award-winning PeaQ Performance Qoaching Workshop enhance leadership skills and cultivate a customer-centric culture. The PeaQ Performance Qoaching Workshop equips supervisors with the skills to identify key behaviors and coach teams effectively, driving optimal performance and reflecting iQor’s dedication to developing its global talent.  

iQor’s active learning approach also boosts engagement and skill retention through hands-on, personalized training. Active learning focuses on elevating skill development and retention for frontline employees by providing interactive training that promotes problem-solving and personalized coaching, improving both employee engagement and customer service outcomes.  

Our programs showcase iQor’s commitment to nurturing a supportive environment where employees can thrive and ensure that our teams are equipped with the skills, confidence, and motivation needed to excel every day.

4. Staying Ahead Through Innovation and Adaptability

Innovation and adaptability are key to delivering excellent service, especially in a rapidly changing environment. At iQor, our Symphony [AI] ecosystem plays a crucial role, using AI and machine learning to optimize customer interactions and enhance service delivery. This growth mindset enables our teams to be proactive, meeting customer needs in real time and tailoring experiences.

iQor’s Symphony [AI] Powers CX Excellence

iQor’s Symphony [AI] ecosystem revolutionizes customer service by optimizing the employee experience across key areas, including talent acquisition, training, and performance management. Integrating AI and machine learning, Symphony [AI] empowers employees to deliver personalized, real-time customer interactions while maintaining compliance and well-being. Through AI-driven recruitment, tailored training, and performance optimization, Symphony [AI] ensures employees are well-prepared and motivated from Day One, driving efficiency, engagement, and exceptional CX at scale.

Optimizing Digital Support for a US Airline

iQor partnered with a major U.S. airline to streamline and enhance their digital customer care. The client wanted to shift to a digital-first model that would boost efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce operational costs. 

Our Symphony [AI] ecosystem has helped streamline speed to hire and accelerate speed to proficiency, allowing us to quickly onboard new hires to meet the client’s needs. Through an omnichannel solution, iQor has helped the airline achieve a 70% digital interaction rate, a 60% net promoter score (NPS) improvement, a 3:1 chat concurrency during peak volume, and a 15% cost reduction at the same interaction volume.  

This digital transformation has also resulted in a significant uplift in customer satisfaction metrics, reinforcing iQor as a leader in technology-driven customer support solutions for the airline industry.

5. Building Trust Through Strong Client Partnerships

Going above and beyond extends beyond customer service to building strong, long-term client partnerships. iQor works closely with our clients to understand their unique challenges and deliver tailored solutions, fostering trust and collaboration.  

Examples of this include our work with BPO security expertise and healthcare brands, where our dedication to exceeding expectations has resulted in deep, enduring partnerships.

Fostering Client Confidence Through Zero Trust Security

iQor’s commitment to fostering strong client partnerships extends to ensuring top-notch data security through a zero trust framework. By implementing the five pillars of zero trust — multifactor authentication, network segmentation, data security, device authentication, and continuous monitoring — iQor builds trust with clients, ensuring their sensitive information is protected.

Strengthening Bonds Through Compassionate Healthcare Support

iQor’s partnership with a leading healthcare brand exemplifies how trust is nurtured through compassionate, patient-centric support. The healthcare provider chose iQor as their exclusive BPO partner, and we have collaborated closely with them at every stage to create positive, meaningful experiences for their patients. 

Leveraging a team of highly trained agents, iQor provides tailored solutions that prioritize empathy, open communication, and personalized care, ensuring each patient interaction is managed with sensitivity and professionalism. This personalized approach extends to handling inbound support calls, helping patients feel valued and understood. 

Consistently delivering top-tier service and reducing call handling times while maintaining high-quality care helps us strengthen the client’s trust. Our ability to exceed expectations in patient care and support underscores our commitment to building reliable, lasting client relationships that make a real impact.  

Experience the iQor Difference

As we celebrate Customer Service Week at iQor, we honor the dedicated professionals who consistently go the extra mile to deliver exceptional service. We empower our teams through innovation, leadership, ongoing training, and recognition. Our Symphony [AI] ecosystem fuels this commitment, optimizing both employee and customer experiences.  

At iQor, we deliver more than just CX outsourcing — we offer a comprehensive suite of front office and back office services designed to elevate every aspect of your customer lifecycle.

Our award-winning CX solutions include:

• A global presence with 40+ contact centers across 10 countries. 
• A CX private cloud that maximizes performance and scales rapidly across multiple geographies on short notice.
• A partnership approach where we deploy agents and C-level executives to help maximize your ROI.
• The perfect blend of intelligent automation for scale and performance coupled with an irresistible culture comprising people who love to delight your customers.
• Virtual and hybrid customer support options to connect with customers seamlessly, when and where they want.
• The ability to launch a customer support program quickly, even when you need thousands of agents ready to support your customers.
• A best-in-class workforce management team and supporting technology to create a centralized organization that can better serve your entire business.

iQor offers the perfect blend of innovative digital support solutions and expert leadership dedicated to creating exceptional customer experiences that deliver sustained profitable growth for the brands who put their trust in us.  

Ready to elevate your customer service? Contact us to explore how our solutions can help you build lasting client partnerships and exceed expectations during Customer Service Week and beyond. 

Art DiBari, chief administrative officer at iQor, is a dedicated CX leader with more than 30 years of industry experience. He champions the power of innovation to create irresistible customer and employee experiences across a global footprint. 

Connect with Art on LinkedIn.