And the case for remote workers…
Cubicles exist for a reason.
A psychological reason. And that’s exactly why they have no place in the world of 80/20 customer service.
A cubicle is a box. Literally.
A box for people, their equipment, their personal effects.
But also a box for their minds.
Cubicles are usually grey or beige. They have walls that prevent you from looking around at anything distant.
They contain your work and only your work.
They funnel attention into mechanical tasks. Doing the thing in the way you were told to do the thing.
This fine for accountants or math nerds.
And it even makes sense in the world of conventional customer service. The NPC world where independent thought is the enemy.
But that’s not what I want from my customer service people.
I want independent splinter cells capable of making decisions and handling things without bothering me all the time.
That requires creativity. Creativity dies in cubicles.
It thrives in different places for different people.
I’m sitting on my balcony right now writing this, surrounded by green beans and tomato plants. Blue sky and a nice breeze.
Other people work best at the kitchen table. Or a coffee shop.
From the passenger seat of a car somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
And that’s exactly where I want them. Where they can give me their best work.
I have no interest in timing piss breaks and enforcing dress codes.
I’m interested in getting customer service right.
— Mark
P.S. If this idea sounds unthinkable to you, it may be time to make some changes.
Changes I outline for you here: https://gumroad.com/l/rkbth/VIP
