Singapore's DBS has retrained more than 500 call centre employees for the digital age, creating new roles in areas such as social media, voice biometrics and live chat.
Contact centres are traditionally labour-intensive but, as customers tap new digital communication channels, DBS has seen call volumes drop 12% over the last year, a trend expected to continue.
In response, the bank has upskilled and retrained 500 staffers and introduced 12 new job roles in recent years as it incorporates new technology into its call centres.
In 2017, DBS committed to investing S$50 million over five years to equip employees with digital skills to become a future-ready workforce. Since then, the bank has rolled out an AI-based learning tool available 24/7, and scholarships that encourage peer-to-peer learning.
With fewer people required to answer customer calls, contact centre jobs now include social media relations manager, live chat agents, customer experience designers, business intelligence leads, voice biometrics specialists, natural language processing engineers and digital evangelists.
Geeta Sreeraman, head, customer centre, Singapore, DBS, says: "By investing in our people, we have been able to transform from a labour-intensive department with a high turnover rate to one that is technology-enabled where employees are more fulfilled and armed with future-forward skills."