“Agent at home” is more than a new buzz phrase or job title that takes business casual dress to an extreme level. Instead, it is becoming a key asset in the contact center industry that is increasing overall contact center performance, agent productivity, and enhancing hiring options for the industry.
“Agent at home” technologies usually include an advanced ACD capability to route calls to the right agent, Web-based or thin client software, and flexible telephony infrastructure such as VoIP or SIP. These technologies enable a contact center worker to perform their duties from anyplace that has a computer with a high-speed Internet connection.
There are many common examples where “agent at home” is a key asset to the contact center
Retaining knowledge workers. These are employees that have a specialized skill or experience set that can be retained and given a more flexible working arrangement using “agent at home” technologies. Nurses, support experts, veterans, stay-at-home moms and semi-retired people are all examples of knowledge workers who can provide their expertise to the contact center and retain a flexible schedule while working from home.
Overflow and seasonal peak volumes. During anticipated high volume call periods, these employees can be used to handle the increased call volumes without actually being in the contact center. Non-contact center employees or outsourced agents using “agent at home” technologies can be deployed quickly to augment the contact center during high volume periods.
Disaster recovery. “Agent at home” can play a central role in disaster recovery plans by ensuring that contact center agents can still perform their duties from any location that has high-speed Internet connectivity.
Regardless of the exact use of “agent at home” technologies, there are some significant benefits to be gained through their use:
Retain talent. Knowledge workers are difficult ID replace; the costs associated with ramping a new…