Care at its heart: when the vocation of customer relations centres rhymes with passion

The concept of “quiet quitting” appeared on TikTok last year, and shed light on another turmoil at the crossroads of current crises: that of motivation. Meant to provide some framework and ideals, the value systems of our societies are being called into question. The search for profit is no longer necessarily the sole motivation, while the search for meaning and purpose has been gaining steady ground. For customer relations centres, the impact of such changes means that they need to rethink their approach in order to continue to engage not only clients, but also employees, who are looking for something “different”, something real, sincere or even emotional.   

In the wake of the transformation of ways of working following the health crisis, a new model has emerged, based on physical presence on site alternating with remote working. This period also led people to reappraise their expectations in life, particularly at work. It has changed people’s priorities, and organisations have had to change to meet these new needs. The perception of work is now primarily linked to self-fulfilment through the company. Commitment therefore involves the convergence of a personal life project and a collective project. It arises if employees are given the means to reveal their full potential, to follow through with their ideas.      

In the context of the customer relations, we need to look at the vectors of commitment to deal with this paradigm shift. First of all, these professions are a vocation. It is intrinsic, an appetite, a predisposition that needs to be cultivated and stimulated every day. To achieve this, management must be based on support and leadership, and be underpinned by a culture of care. In practical terms, this means taking responsibility, accepting the right to make mistakes, and allowing people to take initiatives in order to develop and involve them.