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By Mary Naylor
Tips for Getting Started
Determine internal customer service delivery costs and metrics to determine what your average cost per call or per minute runs. This will be helpful if you go out to bid with outsourcers or decide to send your own employees home.
Factors to review include:
Salary and benefits of customer services reps
Telecom
Training/development
Software applications
Agent hardware
Help desk support
Average talk time
Call patterns/volume
Hours of operations
Special skills required
Current turnover rate
Conduct a pilot test: You can either allocate a certain percentage of your calls to an outsourcer for a 90-day period, or you can set up your own internal test by configuring home technology onsite and have your most experienced agents take the calls. You can observe the tools and results first-hand.
After 30 days, send your agents home. Your company should provide agents with a PC, software and headset; agents should provide high-speed access, telephone, telephone line, and a quiet work environment. Specialized tools will enable you to remotely monitor agent calls, manage volume, record calls, and schedule remote works.
Create a best candidate profile: Once again, whether outsourcing or managing the virtual model yourself, the profile of a home agent and the requisite skill-sets differ from an office-based agent. The following represent key attributes of an effective home agent:
Proven ability to work with minimum supervision
Highly self-motivated
Driven by performance incentives
Strong sales and customer service orientation
Superior communications skills
Excellent computer skills
Develop a communications plan: Morale and engagement can be difficult to maintain in a virtual model. Communication is essential in order to build and foster a sense of company belonging. Here are some suggestions for building a strong communications strategy:
Daily coaching via phone and e-mail.
Maintain a knowledge management system or portal for home-based team members.
Conduct team meetings via conference calls and web meetings.
Establish speed-dial access to a help desk.
Enable communication via secure instant messaging.
Conduct random home visits.
Hold regional events that include home agents.
Despite some obstacles that need to be addressed, the benefits of operating a home-based customer service team for a small business are numerous. From increased productivity and access to a vast labor pool and decreased facility expenses, I think you will find as we have that there is no place like home.
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