Communication Solutions

According to the principles laid out by Geoffrey Moore in his book Crossing the Chasm, the home-based agent model is clearly in the early adopter phase. Creating a virtual call center, staffed completely with agents working from home, is definitely an innovative concept. And, although these centers have been providing quality service for over 10 years now, the concept still takes some explaining to new prospects.

 

When talking about the home-based model and the resulting cost-savings, I frequently come across companies that like the concept, but think they can do it themselves. Many executives believe that by simply allowing their current agents to work from home, they’ll experience the same cost reductions and improved service benefits as outsourcing to a virtual call center partner. However, they fail to take into account many of the additional costs, unique agent demographics, complex tools and resources required to manage a successful virtual operation.

 

The first challenge companies face when establishing a work-from-home agent model, is finding the internal resources necessary to create and manage the call center. As we all know, to run a profitable business every employee must be maximized to his or her full potential. That means most companies don’t have someone with “extra” time waiting around to implement a new type of call center. Therefore, making the decision to do-it-yourself places additional workloads on employees, such as IT and HR managers, who already have full schedules. Without these dedicated resources, though, the process can be extremely slow, if it gets completed at all.

 

From a financial perspective most executives fail to consider the many hidden variables associated with operating a home-based agent model. Some examples of additional expenses with a virtual call center are:

 

Many times companies that try to move their existing call center agents to a work-at-home environment find the results to be disappointing. This is because working from home isn’t for everyone. It takes an extremely dedicated individual who values the flexibility of a work-from-home position. The profile of successful home-based agents is very different than that of agents within a bricks and mortar call center. For example, home-based agents typically are better educated with more work experience. They also are adept at multi-tasking and can focus on the task at hand.

 

To find the type of people most likely to succeed at working from home, you need a large pool of applicants. Because a typical brick and mortar company has a hiring radius of approximately 30 miles, it can be challenging to find enough qualified agents who are suited to work-at-home positions. Not having the right agents can be detrimental to the success of the do-it-yourself program.

 

Another factor to consider when deciding whether or not you need a partner to implement a remote call center is the home office environment. Some of your existing agents may not have suitable space at home in which to handle customer service calls. Most virtual call centers require agents have a quiet work space equipped with Internet access, a telephone line, and a computer.

 

Requiring agents have dedicated home offices is one thing, but turning them into a fully connected, virtual call center is not as easy as you may think. Home-based agents must have the same tools and resources available to them as your on-site staff. For this reason, virtual call centers use the latest technology to create an exact replica of a company’s call center organization within a virtual environment. This requires significant investment be made to deploy the necessary network systems, as well as hire adequate support staff.

 

Security is always a concern when talking about the Internet. Here again, most companies fail to consider the cost associated with protecting customer information at the home-based agent level as well as the network level.

 

Virtual call centers have spent years developing proprietary tools and processes to effectively and efficiently manage their remote workforces. These resources, provided to both agents and clients, allow companies to enjoy the financial benefits of using a remote workforce, while still meeting (and exceeding) the highest quality standards. They are built from the ground-up and have been honed over the years based on real-life applications.

 

Examples of the applications needed when “virtualizing” your call center are:

 

 

Of course, the biggest challenge with managing a virtual workforce is maintaining appropriate levels of staffing. In a virtual environment, it is important to know exactly which agents are handling calls at any given time, who is available but not working, and which managers are online to answer questions. To do this, virtual call centers have developed electronic scheduling programs that allow them to “see” and control their remote agents. This helps avoid understaffing, which affects the quality of service provided, as well as over-staffing, which adds unnecessary expenses.

 

Finally, companies must consider how to stay connected with their home-based agents. Many times employees working from home feel isolated from the rest of the company. It can be difficult to maintain open lines of communication and companies often find it hard to cultivate and build a corporate culture that includes at-home agents. On the other hand, virtual call centers are experienced at creating strong online communities. Some companies even have dedicated online resources similar to a “My Space” for agents, which help agents communicate with each other, share best practices, and avoid feelings of seclusion.

 

I have seen firsthand the challenges companies face when trying to implement their own home-based agent models. While in theory it seems plausible, in reality the execution is difficult and time-consuming with varied results. Of course there are some companies who can afford to make the investment, have the right IT leadership and can find the right agents. For the rest of us, outsourcing to an experienced home-based agent partner saves time, improves profit margins and results in better customer service.

 

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