Rural talent: the untapped advantage in global CX

Why exceptional customer experience is being redefined outside traditional hiring hubs—and how companies like Otonomee are leading the shift.

The rise of AI in customer support has dominated recent headlines—but behind that conversation is another, quieter revolution: a rethinking of who delivers great service and where those people are found.

Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski recently made headlines by walking back the company’s full-tilt push toward AI-led support. He emphasized the importance of recruiting more remote workers from underrepresented areas, including rural regions, to bring empathy and quality back into the customer experience.

“As cost unfortunately seems to have been a predominant evaluation factor when organising this, what you end up having is lower quality,” he said. “Really investing in the quality of human support is the way of the future for us.” (source Sifted)

At Otonomee, that mindset isn’t new—it’s foundational.

Expanding the talent horizon

As a remote-first company, Otonomee isn’t limited to one geography, demographic, or office-based model. Our teams are spread across urban, suburban, and rural locations. That flexibility lets us access a diverse, high-performing talent pool that would be out of reach under a traditional in-presence BPO model, confined to a central location with a shallower pool of applicants.

What we’ve seen firsthand is that great customer experience doesn’t come from one type of place—it comes from hiring the right people, wherever they are.

Rural-based professionals are often underrepresented in conventional, urban-centric hiring strategies, yet they bring a wealth of strengths that are increasingly vital in today’s customer service landscape. Their strong sense of community fosters empathy and collaboration, both of which are essential to delivering outstanding customer experiences. Years of living and working in environments where resources may be limited has also honed their ability to think creatively and act decisively. They’re natural problem-solvers, skilled at using what’s available to find efficient, effective solutions.

Combined with excellent communication skills and a grounded, practical approach, these traits make rural professionals particularly well-suited to high-quality support roles. What’s more, they tend to enjoy better work-life balance and lower stress levels than their urban counterparts — contributing to higher retention and a more stable, engaged workforce.

But they’re part of a much broader remote workforce that includes experienced talent from cities and towns alike. And together, they form the human foundation of truly responsive, high-quality customer service. 

Meanwhile, urban-based BPOs face mounting operational challenges: long, stressful commutes, high living costs for team members, parking limitations, and constant competition from major global brands looking to lure away trained talent. These factors can contribute to low morale, wage inflation, lower retention, and ultimately, higher costs and reduced service consistency.

Remote-first models like Otonomee’s unlock access to underutilized talent while offering economic, scalable solutions for clients, without compromising on excellence.

Empathy can’t be automated

AI brings scale, speed, and efficiency. But what it still can’t deliver—at least not well—is empathy.

When a customer reaches out, especially in moments of stress or frustration, they want more than information. They want to feel heard. Our remote teams are trained to meet those needs with patience, understanding, and the kind of contextual judgment that no script or algorithm can replicate.

“Sometimes people getting in touch just want an answer. But other times they're looking for that human connection, someone to understand, someone to listen to them, someone to tease out “their issue.” In these circumstances, they’ll want the ability to speak to someone directly.”

Otonomee’s approach doesn’t pit AI against humans—it puts them to work together. We use AI to handle repetitive, routine, and time-consuming tasks. But when it comes to real conversations, people still make the difference.

Rethinking what “onshore” really means

When businesses talk about “onshore” support, what they often mean is cultural alignment, clear communication, and trust. With our remote-first model, Otonomee offers all of that, without the limitations of centralised, city-based hiring.

By distributing opportunity beyond traditional business hubs, we create access for talent in more places, while giving our clients the agility, efficiency, and service excellence they need to grow.

The future of CX is flexible

Klarna’s pivot is a sign of a broader market correction: companies are realising that human support still matters—maybe more than ever. But what’s also becoming clear is that the best support talent isn’t limited to urban campuses or large office parks.

At Otonomee, we’ve embraced this flexibility from the beginning. Our remote-first, people-focused model opens doors to talent wherever it lives—rural or urban, coast to coast.

We believe that the future of customer experience is distributed, dynamic, and deeply human.

Let’s talk

If you’re reimagining how to deliver high-impact, scalable customer experience through a modern, remote-first model, let’s start the conversation.

About Otonomee

Otonomee is a Customer Management Outsourcing business that delivers scalable, tech-driven, people-focused solutions. 

Leveraging a remote-first operating model, Otonomee optimizes customer interactions, reduces costs, and increases efficiency. The focus on remote work, automation, and data-driven insights positions Otonomee as a next-generation partner for leading brands and scaling companies.  

Founded in 2020 by Aidan and Hilary O’Shea, to disrupt the traditional “big city, big building” BPO model - Otonomee offers a nimble, bespoke service that is not constrained by contact center capacity. The fast, flexible service can ramp up anywhere, in response to market needs and can rapidly respond to seasonal or product-driven demands.

In four years, Otonomee has grown to over 450 employees (23 nationalities) in Europe, USA & Asia. Clients include leading Irish and major US Tech & E-Commerce Customers, with complex global market needs, who value premium support for customers and clients. Otonomee has been a B Corp since Sept 2023.

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