Video transcript

Truly a one-in-a-million personality, Virgin Mobile employee Talli Osbourne is topping the organization’s charts in customer service and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.

The multi-award winning customer-service superstar, even named Virgin Mobile’s best agent worldwide, was born without her arms and stands a modest three feet tall. But those who meet Talli in person quickly realize that she has never let her disability hold back her ambition to build a rich career in customer service. In fact, her colleagues and managers will tell you that Talli’s bright character inspires those around her.

At the heart of this story is Virgin Mobile’s enthusiasm for being inclusive to all their employees – a practice that enhances productivity and allows Virgin to access a broader workforce.

In Talli’s case, Virgin made simple modifications to their office space and to Talli’s equipment that have made her work environment easy to navigate. Without barriers, Talli has advanced in her career and taken the strides necessary to win many awards in customer service.

Virgin’s employment strategy is people first, explains Nancy Tichbon, Vice President, Customer Experience.

“For us our motto is that we recruit on attitude and drive and any disability doesn’t play into that – we want to know what’s in people’s hearts and minds,” says Nancy.

Talli is one shining example of how organizations can benefit from accessible employment, because she is a return on investment that, from a business standpoint, costs Virgin Mobile very little. By modifying their space and being perceptive to employee needs, Virgin makes it possible for all their agents to represent the Virgin brand to their maximum potential.

With great modesty and an understandably unique perception of the world around her, Talli explains that accessibility is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all concept.

“Something could be accessible for somebody in a wheelchair, but that doesn’t mean that it is also accessible to me,” says Talli. “It’s important to think about the ways that you can help. All you have to do is ask.”

Virgin knows this well and now takes an organic approach to accessibility. This means being aware of their employees’ needs and letting them know that accessibility can always be a part of the discussion.

“It’s not just something you talk about when someone joins your organization; things change and people’s needs change, and it’s our job as an employer to understand what our staff members need to make their day better or easier,” says Nancy.

For Virgin and for Talli, it all comes down to one principle: When your employees are happy, it’s reflected in the overall customer experience. Smart.