Simultaneously achieve sustainability and customer experience impact

Published 22/11/24 under:

Sustainability is starting to operate hand-in-glove with improved customer experience (CX). People naturally want to feel equally good about the products they buy and brands in which they are investing. In tandem, organisations are coming under pressure to make smarter choices that positively impact environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials. While greener contact centre technology also has a pivotal role to play.

The race to net zero is on

Over 60% of organisations say they are under increasing pressure^[1] from customers to maintain ESG credentials, with 42% feeling the weight from shareholders. Those failing to take sufficient action face increased financial uncertainty^[2]. 79% percent of investors said the way a company manages ESG risks was an important consideration with 49% willing to divest and sever links altogether^[3].

Buildings are reckoned to be responsible for nearly 40% of global energy consumption and 33% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions^[4]. Heavy users of power-hungry workstations, servers and lighting, heating and air conditioning systems, large ‘bricks and mortar’ contact centres are an obvious player in affecting the race to net zero.

In fact, enterprise technology accounts for about 1% of total GHG emissions globally^[5]. That might not sound like a lot. Yet, it equals about half of all emissions from aviation or shipping and is the equivalent of the total carbon emitted within the UK.

Staying ahead of the ESG curve requires smarter IT choices 

The Kerv and Genesys partnership is geared around helping customers make wiser choices that – at the same time – boost both CX strategy and sustainability. In fact, Genesys maintains continued momentum towards its own mission to reach carbon neutrality by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040, with over 10% organic reduction of emissions in fiscal year 2024 compared to the prior year^[6]. Hand in hand with that Genesys commitment, Kerv is aiming to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, a target that will be achieved by ensuring our energy consumption is 90% from renewable sources.

Kerv’s continued success at transitioning on-prem customers to the Genesys Cloud platform doesn’t only make their contact centres more resilient, productive, and efficient; in the process it reduces the risk of system failures. Architected on secure Amazon Web Services, Kerv customers also benefit from greener contact centre operations with carbon footprint reducing from 64.5 kg to 1.2 kg CO₂eq per agent^[7].

Targeting benefits

Expertly implemented by Kerv Experience specialists, Genesys solutions help contact centre customers reduce their Scope 2 and 3 emissions through:

Simpler adoption of remote and hybrid working

• Less commuting: allowing agents to work from home eliminates carbon footprint associated with regular commuting.
• Decentralised teams: Hybrid models reduce the need for large ‘bricks and mortar’ offices, lowering electricity, heating, and air conditioning usage.
• Energy savings: Encouraging home-based agents to use energy-efficient devices reduces collective CO₂ footprint.

Leading cloud technology

• Greater energy efficiency: Genesys Cloud reduces onsite IT infrastructure and servers, lowering energy consumption and maintenance.
• Smaller carbon footprint: Customers benefit from green data centres operating on renewable energy sources.
• IT agility: On-demand scaling, reducing emissions caused by unused IT capacity and infrastructure.

Paperless operations 

• Digital processes: Genesys chatbots, IVR systems, and knowledge bases enable customers and agents to resolve issues without the need for printed materials.
• Efficient data management: Genesys Cloud easily interconnects with CRM and other systems eliminating physical storage and file systems.
• Automated workflows: Genesys Cloud automates call routing, follow-ups, and other tasks – reducing the need for physical tracking.

Unlocking business value

Although adopting more sustainable business practices has in the past been viewed as a ‘nice-to-have’ investment or public relations exercise, there is robust evidence that ESG best practices create business value, for example from increased productivity, top-line growth and reduced costs.

Given the urgency of climate concerns, CX and contact centre leaders should keep such benefits front-of-mind when transforming their service operations – for the good of their organisation and the entire planet.

Kerv have recently released their 2023-24 impact report, detailing our commitments to use technology for the power of good and being a positive force for our people, customers, society and our planet. Learn more about our mission.

How Kerv and Genesys can help 

As the longest standing Genesys Cloud partner in EMEA, with the most successful deployments, Kerv Experience continues to help clients improve ESG effects while simultaneously boosting the customer and employee experience. To learn more, please contact sales.experience@kerv.com.

 

[1] Bridging The Sustainability Gap, CRN, 2023.

[2] Global Investor ESG Survey, PwC, 2021.

[3] Global Investor ESG Survey, PwC, 2021.

[4] World Economic Forum, 2021.

[5] The green IT revolution: A blueprint for CIOs to combat climate change, McKinsey, 2022.

[6] 2024 Sustainability Report, Genesys.

[7] Genesys presentation, Nobu, October 2024.