Canadian operator Rogers Communications has said that all of its customer service team members across all brands are now based in Canada. This follows the company’s announcement earlier in June that it is hiring for 350 jobs at its new customer solutions centre in Kelowna, B.C. In June, Rogers completed the transition of 150 remaining customer service positions to Canada, with new jobs created with partners across Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. With its entire 7,000-strong customer service team now based in Canada, every phone call or online chat with Rogers or its brands Fido or Chatr is answered by a customer solution specialist on Canadian soil.

This investment is part of a comprehensive multi-year program to improve the Rogers customer experience.

Tarifica’s Take

Having 100 percent of a customer service team located domestically may seem like mere nationalism, but there is much more to it, especially during the pandemic.

First, for Rogers to have its entire team based in Canada eliminates the difficulties that often arise from language and cultural barriers. Customers will most likely experience easier conversations and interactions with operator agents, which will increase customer comfort, satisfaction and, by extension, loyalty and retention.

Second, consolidating the customer service force in Canada gives Rogers greater knowledge of and control over the conditions under which the force is working. This is particularly relevant during the pandemic, in that conditions affecting workers in other countries could put Rogers at a disadvantage if it had not brought all its customer service jobs back home. Canada is in a very good position with regard to Covid-19 rates, compared to most other nations, so this move is well-timed.

Finally, and related to the above point, thanks to its Canadian-based operations Rogers has been able to rapidly move its 7,000 customer service center agents to working from home, thus keeping the workers safe while maintaining maximum support for customers.