Remember when working from home was thought to be expensive, a security risk, unproductive, and unmanageable? Well, nowadays high-speed Internet access (DSL and cable), Internet Protocol (IP)/Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-enabled networks, and line charges are all reasonably priced, and agents working from home can solve many more contact center problems than they used to cause.
Today, over 3 million Americans work from home. Due to advances in digital technology, not only is this possible, but for many, it’s more desirable. More than 50 percent of call centers in the U.S. have at least some employees who work at home. Research has shown that attrition rates for work-at-home agents are typically 35 to 50 percent lower than for those working in a cubicle in a call center.
“One of the biggest trends in the call center industry today is the transition of agents working in call centers to working from home. At-home agent adoption is expected to accelerate by as much as 25 percent annually in the foreseeable future. Work @ Home customer care gives employees more flexibility and allows them to have a better work/life balance. It also delivers great efficiencies and high margins for call center companies while providing access to specialized skill sets that are often difficult to find,” says Felix Serrano, in an article titled, “Will Call Center Agents Working from Home Be the Demise of the Call Center? Experts Say No.”
Security
Many contact centers, especially in the highly-regulated finance and debt collection industries, are still battling concerns about the security of their data if agents are allowed to work from home. Serano says, “In many cases, the added layer of computer-based security can make the home working environment even more secure than legacy in-house call centers. These capabilities, such as touchtone entry of payment information and use of PC cameras, are reducing security incidents while still allowing for the same efficient and effective technological capabilities of those agents working in-house.”
Securing data might require additional safety measures, such as installing special access codes and adding additional passwords. Some call centers even record the screens of their workers so that they can see if a security breech is taking place and do their best to prevent it, or at least resolve it after the fact.
An aspect of security only recently consider is the ability of agents to keep working in all kinds of circumstances. Just as it is considered necessary to store data in the cloud or somewhere off-site, especially if your call center is in a high-risk area, it might be just as smart to have some of your agents working from home in case of weather events or other disasters that could impact your headquarters and your productivity.
Building a Business Case
Donna Fluss, a recognized call center expert, states that the primary business drivers behind the trend to use remote or at-home agents are:
- Trouble hiring high-quality agents.
- High call center staff turnover (e.g., an annual turnover rate of 25%).
- A need for part-timers to staff peak or off-hour periods.
- A desire to attract call center agents from a broader geographical area.
- Agent commuting costs.
- A need for call center agents with flexible schedules who are not tied to specific shifts.
- A need to quickly and easily scale staff up and down to meet changing call patterns or seasonal demands.
- A requirement for agents with specialized expertise.
Advantages
There are other reasons why the idea of remote agents is gaining popularity
- Cuts office-space costs, especially in high-rent districts.
- Increases employee satisfaction by allowing them to dress casually and work in the comfort of their own home.
- Adds flexibility to the hiring process when location is not an issue.
- Many agents are more productive and able to give individualized attention to each caller with fewer distractions than in a large office.
- A shift in the flexibility of scheduling, and working hours that matches when people are home
Challenges and Disadvantages of a Remote Workforce
- Reps working from home can lose the sense of community and connection present in a call center. They’re not getting out of the house, going to the office, and associating with the same people every day. It can also complicate things when it comes to training or progress reports.
- Training becomes a challenge when it must all be done by video and over the phone. Monitoring calls and providing whisper coaching when necessary can shorten training times with remote agents. Choosing the right virtual call center software can also improve training time, if the software is intuitive and easy to learn.
- The motivation to keep working at top productivity might be more difficult to maintain when the agent is in their own home, instead of seeing others working at their desks. Regular check-ins to monitor progress and give tips for improvement can take place via calls or Skype or other face-time video chat technology.
- For mission-critical projects, it may not always be possible to hire call center agents that work from home. However, it would be ideal if they work onsite for a year or so before they can start working from home.
The work world is changing in many ways, and the call center industry is leading the way. There can be many advantages in the shift towards remote agents and, with up-to-date technology and management strategies, working from home can actually save money for call centers and result in happier and more productive employees.
Serrano concludes his article by asking, “So is work-at-home the future of customer service and will the call center simply become a distant memory in years to come? While the industry-wide swing towards the at-home call center is unquestionable – today, both are essential to a balanced strategy and each makes the other discipline stronger for the highest quality customer experience possible.”