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At Home Agents as an Alternative to Contact Center Outsourcing

By Chris DiMarco, TMCnet Managing Editor

Call centers require a delicate balance of resources, and for many the need to generate revenue while reducing operational costs ultimately translates to outsourcing. While sending customer service operations abroad can result in the reduction of overhead, outsourcing operations are simultaneously a point of savings and soreness for call centers.

We’ve all heard the horror stories of customers dealing with agents that have only a basic grasp of the English language, or are transferred again and again only to hang up in frustration, their issue ultimately left unsolved. Perhaps because of this easily editorialized experience, new legislation is directly targeting overseas call center outsourcing. Under proposed legislation, not only would those utilizing outsourcers loose the ability to receive guaranteed loans, but operators would be required to divulge their location when asked and would need to have the option to return the call to a representative in the United States upon request.

So with the threat of financial sanction and public flogging, what can call center providers do to reduce operational costs while simultaneously using workers on U.S. soil? The logical choice seems to be employing home agents.

Virtual call center software allows call centers to employ agents from many disparate locations through any sufficiently connected PC. This not only increases the size of the hiring pool, but also reduces the hardware and maintenance investment typically associated with running a classic call center. While the average salary for the call center agent wouldn’t decrease by any dramatic margin, without the need to lease, heat, and outfit additional office space overall expenditure can still be driven down.

While this strategy may not be as cost effective as hiring from large BPOs, when you incorporate an at-home agent strategy you’ll not only save some money, but also avoid legislation and perhaps more importantly help the struggling US economy.

Although over the past few years some call centers jobs have gradually begun returning to our shores, thousands of customer service positions are still being sent overseas. If you’re looking for an alternative method of cost reduction, the at home agent strategy may be right for you.

Chris DiMarco is a Managing Editor for TMCnet. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University. Prior to joining TMC (News - Alert) Chris worked with e-commerce provider Suresource as a contact center representative and development analyst. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page. Follow him on Twitter (News - Alert) @cpdimarco.

Edited by Stefanie Mosca