There is an old saying in business, “Think globally, act locally.” While oftentimes this phrase refers to environmental or ethical concerns, as companies are urged to consider their impact on the planet and local communities, more and more the concept is applicable to customer contact. While many small companies would feel that their reach is modest, covering a small local area, it is important for these businesses to realize that, in this day and age, matters of time and geography are not as restrictive as they once were. For this reason, many firms are making smart use of geography to staff call centers that can be available, on demand, 24 hours a day.

For companies with a global reach, it makes sense to have agents in many different time zones. These agents can be available to take calls and orders at a time when their part of the world is awake, even if the home office is dark and closed for the night. But other companies, many of which are small businesses, are starting to realize that they need to offer services around the clock as well.

For instance, a doctor’s office may want to have a live agent available to take calls at any time of day, in case of patient emergencies. In these cases, call centers staffed by agents in different parts of the world are very handy. And, with advances in hosted and on demand call center technology, these agents can work from home without the need for fully-staffed facilities.

One company that deals in this space is courteouscom.com. Explaining their services, a company spokesperson said, “What we have to offer is more than just someone on the other end of the line when a person calls your business after closing time. We specialize in service operators who possess knowledge of a wide range of business genre's such that they can perform tasks like cultivating sales leads and provide real answers for questions that your callers might have.”