This month, in honor of Independence Day, companies in the U.S. are tuning into ways they can celebrate veterans who have fought to protect this country. In addition to spotlighting veteran business owners and raising awareness, there’s another action you can take: supporting mission-driven services like outsourced call centers that explicitly focus on veterans.
Veterans Find Job Opportunities at Lighthouse Enterprises
Based in Chicago, Lighthouse Enterprises has a long record of hiring veterans. We began as a social enterprise to support blind people, including by teaching them employable skills. As our client base grew, so did our mission. As we expanded to include veterans organizations, we began training veterans for call center roles.
Our clients in healthcare and other industries have discovered they benefit in more ways than one when they use our call centers. They are supporting an important cause by employing veterans and people who face disadvantages finding work. In doing so, our clientele also receives exceptional customer service by uniquely dedicated, passionate and well-trained call center agents.
Read more about how Chicago area businesses benefit from using local call centers.
Supporting Veterans Near You
Americans want companies to support veterans, yet often think they’re not doing enough. Filling full-time positions isn’t always an option, particularly for smaller companies.
Using remote services through an organization that hires veterans is one way to recognize all they have done to protect the freedoms celebrated on July 4th. By utilizing mission-driven organizations such as The Chicago Lighthouse, which partners with the Veterans Administration, you are honoring the enduring values of service, sacrifice and resilience that veteran workers represent.
Why Hire Veteran Call Center Agents?
Veterans aren’t alone in needing support, but research from Ipsos shows they often face greater challenges than non-veterans when it comes to accessing employment and education. Lighthouse assists in both of these areas. We provide ongoing training and education to our employees so they have a full range of skills to address each call that comes in. This keeps our turnover at a fraction of the industry average.
Once hired, veterans are shown to be productive, long-term employees. According to one veteran employment study, qualities they tend to bring such as perseverance and leadership skills make them especially qualified. Nearly 60% of employers said that veterans out-performed non-veterans and they viewed these employees as highly beneficial to their companies.
The Value Veterans Bring to Customer Service at Lighthouse
- Team-centered environment: Veterans are used to working as a team to accomplish a shared mission. That mindset translates directly to call center settings, where collaboration and mutual support are key.
- Appreciation for helping others: Many veterans value the emotional reward that comes from helping people. They find purpose in service, which aligns naturally with customer support roles.
- Real-life compassion: Veterans have often shown compassion in the most extreme circumstances. One veteran shared their experience in a medevac unit, not only caring for fellow soldiers but also treating enemy soldiers with the same level of care. That kind of empathy shapes how they interact with customers.
- Empathy shaped by experience: One of our veteran call center agents, Johnny McCraw Jr., who has spent eight years with us, reflected on his time in Iraq: “We gained an appreciation for our country’s ethos. Yes, we are fighting, but at the same time we are all human beings. They have families just like we do.” That perspective helps veterans treat callers as people first, no matter how challenging the call is.
- De-escalation through understanding: “Just like in combat, where the enemy might be shooting at you, you learn not to take it personally,” McCraw said. “People are angry because of the situation they’re in, and I’ve learned to take a step back and respond with understanding, even if that means handing out an MRE to someone who was just trying to harm you.” Veterans are often skilled at pausing, recognizing the emotion behind someone’s frustration, and responding with calm and empathy.
- Routine and flexibility: Military life involves routines, but it also demands constant adaptation. McCraw described it as, “You maintain your personal sense of calm, do your duty, and adapt.” That blend of structure and flexibility serves vets well in dynamic call center roles.
- Adaptability: Veterans are used to adjusting quickly due to transitions, moving between roles, organizing gear, and the classic “hurry up and wait” culture. They often carry the ability to adapt to different circumstances.
- Conflict resolution and communication: Veterans are trained in effective communication and know how to resolve conflicts diplomatically, respectfully, and efficiently.
Lighthouse Helps Local Military Families in Chicago
Our team supports veterans who are transitioning to civilian life by helping them navigate employment benefits and possible work opportunities. This includes a hotline that we use to guide military personnel and their family members through benefits processes, deployment information, and other resources when they need them.
Support Vets Through Telemarketing Services at Lighthouse
Local communities want to support veterans not just in July – when patriotism is especially visible – but throughout the year. In doing that, Lighthouse Enterprises takes a highly customized approach so that all types of organizations can access call center services at scale, only paying for what they need, when they need it.
Call Lighthouse Enterprises today to discuss how our mission-driven services can serve your organization’s customer service needs.