Webhelp rewarded for its commitments
The group obtains the highest distinction of the AFNOR label for the French region
Webhelp, one of the world leaders in customer relations, has obtained the label RSE Engagé with the level Exemplary issued by AFNOR for the French region.
This award is the result of a strong commitment, which has been driven since the creation of Webhelp by its two founders, Olivier Duha and Frédéric Jousset, by integrating the policy of corporate responsibility (CSR) at the heart of the group’s business model and strategic management.
Several criteria were evaluated by AFNOR. The organisation awarded Webhelp the highest distinction of the label, a level rarely awarded during a first evaluation, according to 4 axes:
- The positive impact of the group’s locations on the territories: creation of jobs, new trades and new local skills.
- Respect for employees: they are at the centre of the strategy to improve customer relations and the innovations proposed.
- An organisation that attracts talent and ensures personal development through promotions and internal development.
- Precise monitoring of performance via quantified commitments and monitoring dashboards covering social, economic, health and safety, quality of life at work and environmental issues.
Vincent Bernard, Global Chief Operating Officer, welcomes this label: “Our commitment to CSR has taken root and become stronger within the company over the years. This year, it is reflected in this 3-star rating, which rewards the commitment of everyone in the various territories where Webhelp France is present. Bravo and thank you to our employees, let’s continue together to embody our common Think Human philosophy“
Present in 49 countries through 170 sites and 65,000 employees, Webhelp is committed to promoting the values of diversity, equality and diversity in all the territories where the group operates. The group’s commitments are structured around 4 pillars:
- People : The group is working to create a future and career path for populations with difficult access to the labour market and to create the best possible working environment for teams, in particular through the global WebHealth program.
- Planet : The group has implemented a policy of reducing its emissions to aim for carbon neutrality and is building a climate roadmap aligned with a 1.5°C/2°C trajectory.
- Progress : To make market practices more ethical: in particular on data protection and corruption. Webhelp selects partner companies that respect the same rules of conduct as the group.
- Think Human Foundation : This translates into the implementation of citizen actions in favour of education and reintegration in each of the countries where Webhelp is present, in particular through Think Human Foundation. The Group is also a signatory of the Diversity Charter and has joined the United Nations Global Compact.
Whitepaper: Using KYC to deliver competitive differentiation
Revealing why KYC is no longer just a regulatory requirement but a matter of competitive survival
The process of knowing your customer, commonly shortened to KYC, describes the actions that organisations undertake to verify the identity of their customers. Regulatory compliance is fundamental to an effective KYC operation, but it is only the start.
As brands undergo rapid and necessary digital transformation in response to COVID-19, the importance of the experience created during the KYC process must not be overlooked. From regulation to differentiation, the customer must still be at the heart of the KYC journey.
KYC processes are increasingly viewed as competitive differentiators, for both clients and consumers alike across multiple industries. KYC can be flexed to provide differentiation linked to an organisation’s broader strategy, whether that is delivering a seamless journey for customers, rapid response times or reduced cost.
In this paper, authored by Senior Account Directors Ali Fry and Virginie Raux at Gobeyond Partners, part of the Webhelp group, we review the impact of new technologies, lessons learnt from other digital industries, and two key focus areas for KYC improvement activity.
Webhelp Ranked Highly Across all Aspects of Social Media by Leading Analyst NelsonHall
Firm announces host of analyst accolades
Paris, France , 11 February 2021
The leading global customer experience (CX) and business solutions provider, Webhelp has been recognized by top-ranking industry analyst, NelsonHall, for its social media capabilities.
The firm was recognized across three core areas: customer care and sales capability; online reputation management capability; and content moderation, trust and safety capability.
NelsonHall’s Evaluation & Assessment Tool (NEAT), part of a “speed-to-source” initiative, enables strategic sourcing managers to assess vendors’ capabilities to identify the industry’s best performers during the sourcing selection process. The methodology specifically evaluates the quality of players’ abilities in several categories, such as technology and tools, service innovation, geographic footprint, and scalability, amongst others.
“We are thrilled that NelsonHall has recognized our social media capabilities. Now more than ever, and in an increasingly digital world, businesses need to deliver high-quality and trustworthy customer experience interactions. Webhelp has a diverse range of digitally enabled services, which allow us to support global brands with their social media interactions and reputation and work with social media platforms and marketplaces themselves to support a safer online environment for users. We are very proud of our achievements in this space,” said Webhelp Co-Founder Olivier Duha.
Ivan Kotzev, NelsonHall CX Services analyst, said:
“Webhelp’s strong performance in social media support and sales is built on a fundament of proprietary technology, channel management experience, and CX consulting capability. Notable is the company’s expertise in lead generation and sales activities on social channels, an increasing priority for brands looking to meet their customers on these channels.”
Webhelp’s extensive capabilities and growing global footprint continue to be validated by the analyst community, with esteemed U.S.-based analyst, Gartner, naming Webhelp as a Niche Player. This builds on the analyst’s reporting of Webhelp as a Rising Star in 2019/20, as the business further establishes its reputation as an industry disrupter and credible alternative to the more traditional players in the North American market.
These recent accolades amplify Webhelp’s current positioning by global analyst Everest Group as a Leader in Customer Experience Management (CXM) in its PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2020, as well as a Leader in its CXM in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Services PEAK Matrix, recognizing Webhelp as being particularly strong in terms of both vision and capability. The Everest Group positioning extends to a new report where Webhelp is recognized as a Major Contender in work-from-home solutions amongst other global players.
Everest Group wrote in its WAHA (Work at Home Agent) CXM Services PEAK Matrix Assessment:
“Webhelp is driving digital transformation through cloud adoption, CX consulting, and automation by partnering with technology vendors such as Amazon Connect, MS Azure, and UiPath, utilizing their platforms as per clients requirements.”
Americans distrust tech companies to moderate content online
Where do we draw the line between freedom of speech and allowing misinformation to be broadcasted online?
Content moderation is crucial for social platforms to ensure a trustworthy relationship with their users. Without moderators, billions of social media users would be shown potential harmful content every day.
Government control – trusting the system
There are many nuances of user generated content, and there are concerns that governments will take control over the content posted on media platforms, removing the platforms purpose of sharing content freely (within the guidelines).
For example, the U.S. Government signed new laws to ban social media platform TikTok – which has over 80 million daily users in the U.S. The platform has since won a preliminary injunction that will allow for the app to be used and downloaded from the U.S app store.
This precedent shows that if the government had more control, they would be quick to implement such regulations on these platforms. It is unlikely to happen as political figures use social media platforms to connect with their constituents, communicate their views, and advocate for political campaigns.
Free Speech vs Content Moderation?
According to Gallup and Knight Foundation survey, “55% of Americans say that social media companies are not tough enough, with only 25% saying they get it right”.
For instance, Trump’s behaviors and actions on Facebook, Twitter, and other social platforms, have allowed communicating harmful propaganda which can influence political views and undermine election campaigns. As well as provoke/incite violence by sharing false and deceptive information to the public which we have witnessed during his election campaign in 2020, and more recent events at the US Capitol with Trump supporters.
The violent storming of the US Capitol led to the big tech companies like Twitter and Facebook suspending Donald Trump from using the platform due to his alleged role in inciting violence and sharing misinformation; with many other players permanently banning him from their platforms. The platform Parler, which has a significant user base of Donald Trump supporters, was taken off major service providers app stores as they accused the platform of failing to police violent content.
After Trump’s 12-hour ban was lifted on Twitter, he continued to violate their policy. They concluded that his tweets during the incident was against their Glorification of Violence policy and left them with no choice but to permanently suspend his account.
To give multiple chances to an individual with this level of influence, users continue to express their views that big tech companies are being taken for a ride and not doing enough to stop the virality of content. Consequently, this has resulted in people not trusting the platforms’ moderation policies and algorithms to display authentic, unbiased content efficiently.
Trusting the system
Controversially, US online intermediaries are under no legal obligation to monitor content, “social media companies are under no legal obligation to monitor harmful speech, and governments can’t really make them or compel them to offer things like counter speech without running into First Amendment roadblocks”, Forbes, 2020.
Section 230 – a constitution act for Americans which protects the freedom of expression. In comparison to other countries, the U.S. Section 230 provides online platforms with immunity for legal reprimands with few exceptions, “they can avoid liability, and object to regulation as they claim to be editors of speech” outlined in Section 230(c)(1). There are many caveats and exceptions – particularly when it comes to interpreting images and videos.
Therefore, when it comes to accountability, this legislation has limitations to hold online intermediaries liable for user generated content on their platforms. It does not establish what is considered tortious speech, harmful or misleading information. Rather, big tech companies are left to outline this in their policies; to do the right thing by their users.
Moderating content
Early last year, Twitter introduced new labels on Tweets containing “synthetic and manipulated media”, likewise Facebook created labels that flagged harmful or unverified information.
Although these companies continue to introduce new tools to highlight harmful content, it is important for moderators to have the correct tools and expertise to moderate sensitive content and not solely rely on technology to do this. Without the right guidance and principles, misinformation and propaganda will manage to fall through the cracks.
Lear more about our Digital Services, or contact us to find out more.
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Webhelp to launch content moderation services in new office in Daugavpils, Latvia: 55 people are already in training
February 1st 2021
Webhelp, a leading global customer experience and business solutions provider, is opening an office in Daugavpils, Latvia, to support a new global client with content moderation services.
Right now, 55 people are in training and Webhelp is recruiting more new team members during spring.
“We have chosen Daugavpils based on the great local talent, the city’s geographical location, support from the local institutions and Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, as well as our great cooperation with Daugavpils University.” said Janis Misans, MD Webhelp Latvia.
Webhelp is keen to contribute to Daugavpils’ economic development and the broader Latgale region while offering professional services support to international and local clients, leveraging our global network and extensive experience. Together with Webhelp’s office in Riga, the Daugavpils office will enable Webhelp to create a cohesive service network and further strengthen our service capabilities for the region.
Igors Prelatovs, Chariman of Daugavpils Council, stated:
Daugavpils municipality highly appreciates the cooperation with LIAA, as a result of which an international company Webhelp has started operating in our city.
It is a great opportunity for young, motivated citizens to start their careers in their hometown. As the company is located on the premises of Daugavpils University, it makes it easier for employees to combine their studies with the work.
We are proud that Daugavpils has been chosen as the company’s location and that the people of Daugavpils are competitive for the international labor market.
I wish great success for Webhelp’s plans in Daugavpils so that the company can thrive and evolve, and continue to offer new job opportunities to young people in Daugavpils and the surrounding area.”
Making business more human for the world’s most exciting brands
We live in an era of fast connectivity and AI. Today, human experiences have even more power to make businesses come to life in customers’ hearts and minds.
Webhelp is committed to making business more human.
It’s through this commitment that Webhelp enriches customer experience, and designs business solutions that create value for the world’s most exciting companies.
Webhelp is a partner across a range of services including customer experience solutions, social media content moderation through to payment services.
Hundreds of brands across the world trust Webhelp because of their people, the culture they work in, and the ideas and technology they put to work.
By choosing Webhelp they access the passion and experience of 65 000 game-changers from more than 150 locations in 50 countries. Each one determined to bring their own intelligence, empathy and experience to the table every day.
Webhelp is the European leader in their industry, with a revenue of €1,5B in 2019, and aims for a global leadership position.
Webhelp is currently owned by its management and GBL, a leading global investment holding, as of November 2019.
More information can be found at www.webhelp.com
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Janis Misans, MD Webhelp Latvia
janis.misans@webhelp.com
+37167224437
Ida Naper, Nordic Director of Communications
ida.naper@webhelp.com
+4793673123
Alliance Manchester Business School partners with Webhelp to boost tech offering
- Partnership will provide graduate MBA recruitment and internship opportunities for students
- Collaboration will drive research in areas including AI, automation, analytics and robotics
Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) has embarked on a strategic partnership with Webhelp, a leading global customer experience and business solutions provider, to pursue collaborative research projects and create new recruitment pathways for students.
Webhelp enriches customer experience and designs business solutions that create value for the world’s most exciting companies; for instance, they run customer service for a number of UK retailers, and technical support for one of the world’s leading tech firms. They partner across a range of services, from customer experience solutions and social media moderation to payment services. The business also provides management consultancy through Gobeyond Partners, part of the Webhelp Group, which works with clients to solve their complex customer journey challenges.
The collaboration will support Webhelp on the next stage of its growth journey by providing access to world-class research and academic expertise, an enhanced people development programme, and recruitment opportunities. Gobeyond Partners will drive research programmes and collaborative analytics programmes in partnership with key clients and AMBS.
For AMBS, the new partnership will see senior executives from Webhelp guest lecture at AMBS and provide industry insight into potential new programmes. The two organisations will also collaborate on joint research with a specific focus on AI, automation, analytics, robotics, DevOps, and API development. Webhelp will provide University of Manchester students, graduates and alumni career opportunities through its global career service portal.
Professor Fiona Devine, Head of Alliance Manchester Business School, said: “As a business school, we are keen to support high-growth businesses and our focus on digital futures, innovation, organisational excellence, and supporting the development of people aligns with that of Webhelp. We want to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with key players in the industry. So when Webhelp came to us, it was clear that they were trying to achieve something that played to our strengths.
“We are proud that our research-focused approach is enabling us to develop relationships that not only benefit the school and the education we provide to students, but one that has a longer-term impact by creating job opportunities for graduates at all levels, as well as our alumni.”
David Turner, Webhelp UK CEO, added: “Forging a partnership with an establishment like Alliance Manchester Business School will positively shape the future of our business. Alliance MBS has an outstanding reputation, but the most important thing for our people-first business was making sure our organisations were culturally the right fit to work together.
“The relationship will drive new opportunities for our people and our clients, as well as recruitment opportunities for promising graduates. We’re looking forward to fostering a genuine cooperation through which we can mutually learn and inspire each other.”
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Read the 6th edition of our OneShot magazine on Social Engagement
Our 6th edition of the OneShot is here!
Tick tock tick tock…
Time is ticking away – now is the time to start focusing on social engagement.
Social commitment means becoming aware, but above all, taking action and standing up for inequalities.
Taking action can be as simple as these recipes to be: more human, more green, and more equal. Not only are these good for you, but for others too.
Compelling your company to pledge and commit in the fight for social and environmental changes, such as the global warming crisis or social justices and equalities – are vital steps to take now for a brighter future.
And it all starts with knowledge. So, here’s to your learning with the latest edition of the OneShot.
Dare to be ‘woke’ and be a driving force for change?
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Legal frameworks of content moderation around the world (Part 3)
With an initial goal of curbing fake news and online hate, the NetzDG unfortunately, created a blueprint for internet censorship around the globe.
Turkey
For many years now, freedom of speech and press freedom have been strongly condemned in Turkey, it is ranked 154th out of 180 countries in the RSF 2020 World Press Freedom Index. (Source: www.rsf.org). Denying access to around 3000 articles, Turkish courts blocked articles that were highlighting political corruption and human rights violations in 2018, added to a track record of frequently blocking social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
On 29th July, the Turkish parliament enacted a new law that was hastily ushered in without considering the opposition or other stakeholders’ inputs. Once approved by President Erdogan, the law mandates social media platforms to appoint a local representative in Turkey. However, activists are severely concerned that the law is designed to further conduct government censorship and surveillance.
Australia
Following the gruesome terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch (New Zealand), which was carried out by an Australian in 2019, a bill amending the Australian criminal code was passed. The amendments hold service providers criminally liable for failure to instantly remove violent content that is shared on their platforms.
Despite similarities with the NetzDG, the main difference is the take-down timeframe and the subject matter of illegal content. The amendment faced criticisms from media companies, stating it could lead to censorship of legitimate content due to the incentive it creates to over-screen their users. Others called for the government to address the problem at its root: violence and Anti-Muslim hatred as opposed to holding social media platforms accountable for the manifestation of such problems.
Nigeria
On 5th November 2019, an Anti-Social Media Bill was proposed by the senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to bring to book violations in peddling malicious information. The campaign has been backed up with the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) held with traditional rulers, government officials, and leaders of the National Assembly.
Following the recent terror at Lekki Toll Gate on the night of 20th October 2020 that turned fatal when police brutally invaded peaceful protests to #EndSARS by use of live ammunition, the infringement of freedom of speech amidst media censorship continues to oppress the fundamental human rights and is condemned by Amnesty International. Nigerian Police have since then denied despite evidence of people streaming live on their social media platforms to showcase this cruelty. (Source: amnesty.org)
China
With a more sophisticated censorship approach, China’s government blocks websites, IP addresses, URLs whilst monitoring internet access. Online service providers are expected to authenticate the real names of the online users according to the Cyber Security Law (CSL) that has been effective since 1st June 2017. Additionally, the CSL mandates all network operators to closely screen user-generated content and filter out information that is prohibited from being published or relayed by existing laws or administrative regulations.
Other countries that also have heavy internet censorship through political media restrictions and social media include Iran, North Korea, Somalia, Ethiopia amidst political unrest, and many Eastern European countries such as Moldova.
Following the recently concluded U.S. elections against a highly controversial and polarizing incumbent, President Trump is yet to concede. Instead, he has been making widespread allegations of voter fraud as well as concerns about the integrity of the process. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook continue to struggle with screening fake misinforming content.
Due to the thin line that exists between permitted and prohibited speech, enacting a universal solution globally governing content moderation is assertive. When relying on automated decision-making tools, moderation systems are prone to errors. Online platforms are hence forced to assess the amount of collateral damage that would be deemed “legitimate” versus the amount of harmful content that would slip through the cracks. Stronger enforcement means less hate and fake news will be shared, but it also means a greater probability of flagging of for example activists protesting police brutality or journalists exposing injustices and corruption in those particular governments.
This article is the the final part of a series. If you missed the first part, read it here.
Want to discuss the specificities in your country? Get in touch with our experts to find out more.
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Video Chat for Customer Service sees 70% growth in Europe
Consumers embrace video calling when interacting with organizations since COVID-19.
Over one quarter of consumers would switch brands if offered the option of video chat.
Paris, France
20 January 2021
Webhelp, a leading global customer experience and business solutions provider, has today released new research regarding consumer preferences towards video chat . The research conducted during the pandemic found that, whilst COVID-19 has resulted in an uptick in the use of video calls across both personal and professional lives, consumer preferences for the use of video calling in a customer service setting have dramatically increased at 70%. This data is underlined by the increased opportunities that Webhelp is seeing to support its clients and their customers effectively with video chat as a new channel.
The research, which polled over six thousand consumers across the UK, France and Germany, found that prior to the pandemic, only 21% of European consumers had used video-calling in a customer service setting; however, since COVID-19, that number has grown substantially. The research highlighted that 62% of consumers are now using video to interact with brands; either the same amount or more, since the pandemic started. And when asked whether they would use video calls to contact businesses after the pandemic had subsided, 76% of consumers revealed they would likely use it the same, if not more.
Vincent Tachet, Group CIO of Webhelp, comments on the findings:
“As we go into 2021, consumer behaviours are understandably continuing to change dramatically as a direct result of the pandemic. Alongside improvements in technology, this is making video chat more accessible for consumers and more successful for brands, if used in the right context. Video chat makes full use of the capabilities of the technology devices now available to consumers and agents. The interaction itself can take many forms. For example, customers can share their cameras to help identify technical issues, or agents can co-browse with the user to show product features or benefits. This can help reduce overall contact time and therefore cost-to-serve or increase the opportunity for sales conversion and additional revenue – whilst also helping take the experience to the next level for brands. Even if it is not going to be appropriate for every customer interaction, we are seeing great success in high value sales, insurance claims, and during complex or critical customer service conversations. Similarly, for our clients who are looking for new and innovative ways to market their services, video has provided some real added value and set them apart from their competitors.”
Other key findings from the Webhelp research, conducted by OnePoll, include:
- Social networking and speaking to family were the most commonly adopted use cases for video-calling, both pre and post COVID-19.
- Customers were more likely to want to use video when dealing with insurance claims, accessing hardware and technical support and when entering into high value sales and mortgage conversations.
- 27% of European consumers said they would switch to a different brand if that brand offered video chat as an additional channel for sales and customer service.
- Citizens between 25-34 years old, and people who have used video chat when contacting organizations, are more likely to express a preference for this channel.
- 40% of European consumers expect they will keep using video as much as they do now, whilst 14% predict that they will actually use it more after the pandemic.
Vincent Tachet continues:
“We are far from out of the danger zone when it comes to COVID-19, but given the roll out of the vaccine, we wanted to look at the impact of video calling in a post pandemic world. Our results are certainly a timely reminder that video chat is here to stay. We’re always looking at emerging channels here at Webhelp and video is fast becoming a way for our clients to differentiate themselves from their competitors. If done well and used in the right context, brands can not only improve their customer services, but also their sales too. Video calling could well give a brand a competitive advantage both now and in the future. This is certainly something we have been seeing across the brands we partner with who are already bringing this innovative channel into their customer experience journey armoury.”
5G and Customer Service - What early adopters are looking forward to
With the marketing of new 5G equipment and packages, the questions of the first customers and early adopters will not fail to flood the contact centers.
Here are a few comments from Jalil Lahlou, Director of the Telecom & High-tech business unit at Webhelp.
1. The 5G early adopters will want to take advantage of their latest high-end smartphones.
Three prerequisites are necessary in order to benefit from 5G: being in a well connected area, having a compatible smartphone and the availability of a 5G package. It will not be necessary to change your SIM card. The latest generation smartphones have the ability to access and switch between 4G and 5G networks when needed. In addition, some operators will push usage by offering 2 SIM cards for users who also have a tablet, connected watch or compatible laptop – the offer is expected to grow progressively. Ambiguities concerning the dual SIM mode will most likely have to be resolved.
2. A number of early adopters in 5G have shown an interest in video streaming.
Netflix, Amazon and other video streaming services will be among the first beneficiaries. The quality and fluidity of the display will benefit from the high speed of 5G. Similarly, fans of video downloads will experience a significant reduction in download times. On paper, 4K and 8K video enthusiasts who want to share them will also be delighted. But in reality, everything will depend on the actual speeds…
3 – What’s holding back the 5G market? When will the “real” flows come?
As far as disruptive factors are concerned, the question will certainly be asked: when will the speeds promised by 5G, i.e. similar to the fibre (with the theoretical) maximum speed announced exceeding 1Gbps arrive? It should be remembered that in 2021 5G will have a limited speed (5G non-standalone, i.e. coupled with 4G) and that it will be necessary to wait for the operator’s network to evolve to take advantage of the “true” 5G standalone network.
4 – 5G will bring benefits to gamers
5G promises shorter latency times. In other words, the fluidity of interactions will be greatly improved, which should benefit fans of online video games and cloud gaming (Microsoft Xcloud). However, it is not certain that the offer will be very extensive: some publishers could delay the distribution of their games to avoid disappointing their audience – as the current performance of 5G is not sufficient. But, in the short to medium term, gamers equipped with hyper-powerful smartphones, coupled with 5G, will definitely seize the day!
5 – Connected objects and 5G: who should get involved?
Online connected items will certainly be the big winners of the move to 5G. Thanks to this new technology, the possibilities of data exchange will be enhanced. For the general public, the 3 areas that should eventually be of benefit are connected automobiles, connected healthcare and connected homes. However, it is in the field of industrial connected devices that 5G promises to be revolutionary, by enabling massive connectivity.
6 – And regarding some worrying rumours.
The 5G is the subject of lively debates, not only in France. The questions that have been raised by customers and prospects regarding the health and environmental debate. At present, contrary to official claims, 175 studies have been carried out worldwide on the subject of 5G. For the time being, as far as millimetre waves (26-28 GHz band) are concerned, it is true that there is a lack of scientific data on their possible health impact. But these frequency ranges will probably not be deployed until 2025, and independent studies are underway. For his part, Orange CEO Stéphane Richard has a clear position: “I fully agree that we should not rush to use them, and wait for work to be done”.