November 6, 2014
It would seem like a perfect match: Willing, disabled American veterans looking for work and an industry in need of employees would welcome a job and stick with it.
That’s what inspired Matt Storey, president and co-founder of Direct Interactions, to use a cloud-based virtual contact center solution to create work-from-home job opportunities for disabled veterans and military families.
“I wanted to prove that with the right technology and opportunities, I could compete as a knowledge worker in today’s economy,” said employee Tom Gonzalez, a seven-year veteran of the Navy SEALs. “With Direct Interactions, I am part of a team that solves problems for customers and sets an example that just because a person has a disability, it doesn’t mean we can’t excel in the modern workforce.”
The story begins back when Storey and his business partner, CEO Jonas Nicholson, had set up a number of offshore call centers in the 1990s and realized that the same technology could empower Americans with disabilities and military families by enabling them to work from home.
Today, the company’s 200 agents work from home, providing customer support for technology companies, city governments, and organizations interested in demonstrating their commitment to corporate social responsibility. But they’re not stopping there—not by a long shot.
Over the next three years, Nicholson plans to expand its workforce to 1,000 agents nationwide. He also said he hopes other companies will be inspired by Direct Interactions, which has been recognized by the State of Washington and various nonprofit organizations for its efforts to create jobs for people with disabilities.
“Working from home is a winning trend, and so is hiring people with disabilities,” said Nicholson. “We would like to see more companies follow our example.”
All it will take is someone with a vision and a desire to help.
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