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Aegis's Joplin Contact Center Team Recovers from Tornado

By Brendan B. Read
Senior Contributing Editor

When disasters strike it is their impact and toll on individuals, and how they get through and recover from these horrific events that truly matter, more so than on property and businesses. Items can be replaced. People can’t.

These facts were demonstrated when a massive F-5 tornado struck Joplin, Mo. Sunday evening May 22, killing 141 people; the deadliest single one to have hit the U.S. since 1947, reports Reuters. Other reports say that the storm carved a six-mile long/1/2-mile wide path of destruction, with debris strewn for more than 60 miles.

Global BPO firm Aegis has a 40,000 sq. ft. contact center in the community, which provides employment to 325 individuals. While the facility, which opened in February 1998, lost power and only suffered minor damage sadly 11 off-duty employees were injured and hospitalized and 1 died afterwards while 60 staffers were made homeless.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and their families,” said Chandra Venkataramani, Aegis COO Americas.

There were 20 agents and supervisors working in the contact center that evening. Then some 17 minutes before the tornado struck an early morning siren sounded. The staff left their workstations and entered purpose-built safe rooms. Client managers immediately communicated the situation to the firm’s customers. Calls and contacts were then rerouted from the Joplin center to those in Florida, West Virginia, Texas and the Philippines.

The contact center came back up Tuesday May 24. Meanwhile Aegis communicated with the employees through TV announcements because cell phone coverage was minimal at best in the area.

“Once the telecom infrastructure improved, we were able to communicate more regularly,” explained Venkataramani.

Aegis senior management and staff companywide began pitching in, assisting affected employees almost immediately after the tornado hit. Many employees whose homes were left standing opened their doors to their colleagues and their families. People quickly gathered articles of clothing, toiletries, linens, bottled water, canned food, toys, and other essentials.

Every Aegis office commenced donation drives, organized fundraising events and reached out to their respective communities. The company partnered with a local non-profit to process cash donations via their foundation account. Aegis’ clients were similarly generous. One client—Texas-based TXU Energy -- whose engagement is run in Joplin and other centers, donated four vanloads of clothing and other needed items in a single day.

 “The response from clients and Aegis employees to volunteer in the cleanup and recovery has been prompt and heartwarming,” said Venkataramani.