How Impact Sourcing is the Ultimate Loyalty Strategy for Modern Business
Do you know about the new trend called impact sourcing?
Rita N. Soni, Everest Group’s Principal Analyst for Impact Sourcing and Sustainability, joins Stacy Sherman’s Doing CX Right Podcast to explain what Impact Sourcing is and why it matters. She describes how inclusive hiring of underserved communities for customer service builds empathy between agents and customers, driving loyalty. Originally used in contact centers, impact sourcing has expanded more broadly.
Topics Discussed About Impact Sourcing & Customer Experience
- Misperceptions about impact sourcing.
- Who typically owns the decision and implementation of programs?
- How the gig economy relates to impact sourcing.
- What leaders need to know for future planning.
- Leadership advice – best tip given and given to others?
- If Rita could go back in time, advice she would give to her 20 year old self.
Actionable Tips for Leaders Related to Impact Sourcing:
- Get executive buy-in and support for impact sourcing initiatives. This ensures it becomes a company priority.
- Involve operations leaders who make hiring and staffing decisions. Get their input on implementing impact sourcing.
- Review job requirements and qualifications that may create unnecessary barriers to entry for underserved groups.
- Leverage technology thoughtfully to reduce barriers, create opportunities, and enhance experiences. But don’t let it replace human connections.
- Build partnerships with organizations that work with diverse talent pools you want to tap into. Collaborate on training and hiring.
- Make small reasonable accommodations to support employees with special needs, like modified equipment. This often benefits all.
- Analyze your customer base demographics. Consider how impact sourcing could increase empathy and loyalty by reflecting your customers.
- Promote a culture of continuous learning and growth. Challenge teams to keep expanding their capabilities and problem-solving.
- Lead by example. Have compassion, take an inclusive approach, and embrace opportunities to learn from others different from you.
- Share impact sourcing success stories internally. Highlight positive impacts on employees, customers, and communities.
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About Rita Soni:
Rita N. Soni is Everest Group’s Principal Analyst for Impact Sourcing and Sustainability. Her focus delivers a triple-bottom-line lens of people, planet, and profits to global services market research, beginning with an in-depth examination of impact sourcing.
Before joining Everest Group, she was CEO of NASSCOM Foundation when the term impact sourcing was coined and continued to evolve the field as an advisor to B2R Technologies. Rita also held the role of Country Head of Responsible Banking at YES Bank, where she led an award-winning business approach to CSR and Sustainability. She grasped these economic development issues on the ground in earlier positions at the Ford Foundation and American India Foundation after beginning her professional journey with General Electric and NBC. Her initial start as an engineer instilled in her a strong passion for the catalytic role of technology to solve social and environmental challenges within the private sector.
Rita serves on the Board of Sapna NYC and is an active mentor at the New York Academy of Sciences. She holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.
About Stacy Sherman: Founder of Doing CX Right®
Customer experience and marketing global keynote speaker, journalist, co-author of two books, advisor, and host of the award-winning DoingCXRight podcast. Known for her Heart & Science™ framework that helps you gain profitable clients and brand loyalty–fueled by an empowered workforce. Stacy’s been walking the talk for 25 years as a strategist and practitioner at companies of all sizes and industries, i.e., Liveops, Verizon, Schindler Elevator Corp, Wilton Brands, and AT&T. She’s also a board advisor at multiple universities, featured in Forbes and other top-rated publications.
Her Why: To cultivate loyal relationships and meaningful experiences that enrich people’s lives. Contact Stacy abut DOING CX RIGHT, not just TALKING about it. Continue reading bio >here.