At-home agent programs have moved from ‘interesting to have’ to ‘must have’ for several solid reasons. These include facilities cost savings, flexibility, higher productivity, greater labor pool reach that is not limited by geography or applicants’ disabilities, reduced emissions i.e. ‘going green’ and business continuity.

 

Making home agent programs feasible are the spread of Voice over IP and residential broadband that permits high-quality low-cost office-akin voice and data connectivity.

 

There are methods and tools such as password logins, biometric readers, software that limit agents’ access to non-work applications while working, VPNs and policies such as no wireless hubs that provide security.

 

The key issues lie in the people management and in scaling the program successfully beyond the pilot stage according to a new white paper by Knowlagent, Building Blocks for a Solid At-Home Agent Program published on TMCnet.com.

 

The Knowlagent study revealed common challenges ranging from managing remote agents to coaching agents virtually, and ongoing training. It said techniques used in brick and mortar centers such as walking the aisles, ad hoc team meetings and huddles, classroom training, drive-by coaching, and raising hands for help do not readily work with a remote workforce.

 

Another challenge is selecting which agents will work from home. Typically, it said that companies involved in at-home pilots or those trying to grow beyond them take their best agents and spread them in a set radius from the physical contact center. But as they try to scale the program, they move beyond existing agents and often hire agents who have never worked in the center before and do not have the same ‘safety net’ of floor experience.

 

The Knowlagent paper outlines key steps to take when getting started and scaling an at-home agent program. Click here to obtain them and other key information from Building Blocks for a Solid At-Home Agent Program.

 

 “Some of the most successful programs are using brick and mortar best practices as a solid foundation and automating those processes for a virtual workforce,” says the paper. “In this way they are taking advantage of the benefits of a new model using proven practices assisted by technology.”

community comments powered by Disqus