This old PC Week Online 1998 article was prescient of how Call Center operations were using technology to evolve from the Bricks and Mortar call center model to the Home-Based agent model. The latter model is now being widely adopted, because newer technologies have made its adoption far more cost effective and because multiple other operational cost line items benefit. These include:
Reducing real estate to close to zero,
Reducing Labour Turnover to <10% from as high as 100% or worse,
Reducing Hiring & Training costs because of reduced labour turnover,
Increasing Productivity by 10%-15%+. Don't overlook the fact that these values are worth more than the loaded raw salary cost of agents - base the productivity gain calculation on their marginal net revenue earned.
Other factors help operators' move to the home-based agents are:
Corporate policies promoting Sustainability by both reducing their Carbon Footprint and using a distributed work capability to increase their organizational resiliency,
Knowledgable retirees, whose 401Ks are now 201Ks, need money to help them close their $ shortfalls -- working as a home-based agent P/T or more is a gift,
Similarly, for those with disabilities that make commuting difficult ... a gift,
Similarly, for service-wounded Vets ... a gift,
Similarly, for military spouses ... a gift,
Similarly, for care givers, whether a child or an elderly parent ... a gift,
Similarly, for those in Tribal areas ... a gift, and
Similarly, for those in rural and remote townships ... a gift.
FYI: The Airline Jet Blue ONLY has home-based agents. AT&T has repatriated 3,000 support center jobs, with 2,000 more planned. IDC predicts 330,000 home-based agents by 2010. In the UK, BT has 15,000 home-based contact center employees. LiveOps, Inc., has 16,000.
About the TeleworkNetwork: The Telework Network promotes the adoption of telecommuting strategies which provide companies with integrated operational and resilient continuity, increased productivity and reduced overhead costs and labor turnover. Telework, also known as telecommuting, provides employees with a better work/life balance, while reducing a company's carbon footprint and improving regional air quality. The Telework Network offers the products, services and resources employers need to start or expand a telecommuting program, or learn and exchange best practices within a peer-to-peer forum.
