Essential Support During COVID-19: A Human Touch for Those in Dire Need

Regardless of where you live, we’re all experiencing some sense of upheaval. Either your mobility is restricted and you’re practicing physical distancing or, if you’re in China, you’re just beginning to emerge from confinement to find that a strange, new reality has replaced the old. Everything looks different now than it did just a few short weeks ago.

Many industries, and even entire economies, are facing unprecedented disruption. So, naturally, the demand for customer support has increased dramatically. People rely on help addressing essential needs like healthcare, telecommunications, energy and utilities, banking and more. The restrictions on physical proximity have also pushed interactions to remote channels and intensified the use of many digital services. And, in addition to needing practical support with the essential services that sustain our lives, people are also in desperate need of human compassion.

As a species, we’ve evolved over the centuries to become more globally aware and connected. Curiosity has driven us to create, invent, and experience new things. Constantly challenging ourselves to do more, we’re social creatures who crave the company of others and thrive on feelings of belonging and acceptance. Humans are an incredibly complex species with complicated needs and an intricate validation system.

And, in an instant, we’ve been forced into physical isolation.

Now at our most lonely and vulnerable, people are in greater need of empathy and care than ever before. For many, there is little contact with the outside world. So, when they need help – especially with something life-sustaining – that human connection has never been more meaningful.

That’s why the personal touch our interaction experts provide is so important.  They’re providing a lifeline when people have nowhere else to go.

“I received a call asking for assistance in getting a meal due to COVID-19. I could hear in her voice that she was really desperate for help. My Supervisor recently reviewed this type of request, to help us understand the available options. When I told the member she qualified for assistance, she was so thankful. She said she didn’t know what she would have done without us. I am really honored to be able to impact people’s lives in such a meaningful way.” – Teleperformance interaction expert supporting a healthcare company

Plus, our agents are also human, and are dealing with their own “new normal”, with many of them quickly transitioned to work-from-home. So, helping others offers them a sense of purpose and fulfillment, too. Making a difference in the lives of others helps more than just the recipient.

“I have a member who has had difficulty getting the care needed to manage his heart condition. He finally had his bypass surgery and is currently going through his second course of cardiac rehab. We have gone through quite a bit together and have established a really strong connection – so much so that he recently called to check on me! He called just to see how I’m feeling with the stress and chaos of the pandemic. For me, that really put into perspective how much of a difference we make in people’s lives.” – Teleperformance interaction expert supporting a healthcare company

During this time of great human vulnerability, empathy and compassion have never been more important. Or, to be more specific, essential. We are a complex species with many essential needs during these weeks and months of seclusion. So, our interaction experts – and those supporting companies all around the world – provide a much-needed lifeline for people feeling isolated and alone. They help us with internet connections to remain connected to loved ones from a distance; access to our banks to manage accounts and payments; help managing food deliveries and pharmaceutical shipments; assistance maintaining water and energy services to our homes. 

In fact, many Teleperformance clients deliver essential services to their communities, and we’re there to offer kindness and care on their behalf. Especially now, when empathy and compassion are very much needed, and people’s lives may depend on getting the right level of care.