1to1 Magazine - November/December 2008 - (Page 37) Seizing the Home Field Advantage A look at utilizing home agents to reach peak efficiency F or years, companies have long struggled to achieve the ideal number of contact Figure 1: Home Agent vs. Brick-and-Mortar Staffing Comparison center agent resources available at any given time. Too many agents means wasted money, and too few agents results in overworked employees, attrition and missed opportunities for additional sales and better customer satisfaction. In fact, contact center managers tend to spend more time and effort dealing with the ups and downs of staffing and scheduling than on any other business challenge. While workforce management software, call trend analysis and other analytics can vastly improve a company’s ability to predict staffing requirements, in reality, the unexpected frequently happens: more calls coming in than planned, technology issues or inclement weather can impact agent availability. The ability to deftly maneuver around these day-to-day and even hour-to-hour staffing challenges is key to running today’s costeffective and high-performing contact center. their call center resources significantly in an extremely short period of time—sometimes in a matter of hours. Higher quality, better-educated agents who can help increase sales conversions by up to 15% and provide a 10% increase in quality. Up to a 10% increase in agent productivity versus traditional call center agents. Unmatched, layered security protection including a Locked-Down Desktop Security Environment and compliance with PCI, SOX and HIPAA regulations. Source: West at Home West at Home—Contributing to Peak Efficiency West at Home combines the industry’s most robust infrastructure with home-based agents located across the country to scale agent resources quickly—delivering the short-notice flexibility companies need to accommodate spikes in volume without impacting customer service and satisfaction. With thousands of agents certified, trained, and ready to take calls, West at Home can help companies flex up and down by more than 100% to better support fluctuating call volume and ensure that no opportunity is missed. By partnering with West at Home, companies also benefit from: West’s proven ability to recruit, train, manage and monitor a large pool of dispersed agents. Utilizing Home Agents for Greater Flexibility and Efficiency Companies are beginning to take a more progressive stance toward these perennial staffing problems by considering alternatives such as incorporating home agent solutions into the customer contact mix. Not only can home-based agents help companies scale up or down more effectively than traditional brick-and-mortar call centers, but they deliver a number of distinct advantages, including: improved customer care, greater agent productivity, and reduced costs. Figure 1 shows a typical scenario of agent resources required to support call volume and how contact centers can respond to these requirements. The brick-and-mortar agent scenario shows the discrepancy between need and staffing that can occur with short duration spikes and other call volume fluctuations. In comparison, home agents bring an additional level of scalability to meet cyclical or unexpected needs. Using home agents, companies can scale Conclusion By outsourcing your home agent solutions, to companies such as West at Home, you can reap the many benefits of using these highly skilled agents without having to invest in the infrastructure, technology, and skills required to manage this virtual work force. Companies across nearly all industries have turned to West at Home to gain peak efficiency in their operations and optimal flexibility for both expected and unexpected business changes and challenges. About West at Home West at Home helps Fortune 1000 clients deliver unparalleled results by combining higher quality home-based agents with a highly scalable infrastructure. This combination, including comprehensive agent management processes, remote training and multi-layered security, helps companies achieve a higher level of quality service, improve staffing flexibility and realize a greater return on their investment. To learn more, visit www.westathome.com or call 1-800-841-9000 BRANDED EDITORIAL http://www.westathome.com http://www.westathome.com
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