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VoIP HUD for Call Centers Could Reduce the Need to Outsource, Creating Local Jobs

By Matt Paulson, TMCnet Contributing Writer

Many Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) carriers offer call center automation for business phone systems, which creates highly efficient calling centers. Companies like Fonality offer Heads-Up Displays that combine computer screens with IP phones, and use powerful cloud computing to give operators access to every detail of their phone call and callers instantly. However, many are worried that such efficiency means that outsourcing these jobs is in the near future.

As far back as 2006, outsourcing with VoIP seemed to be the game plan. To deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Red Cross used a flexible call routing solution with Verizon (News - Alert) Business, which offered a wide area of network connectivity, managed network services and professional contact center services.

According to the Red Cross' executive director of client services Malcolm Welch, the key factor was an investment in core skills and where they were needed most. The call center is important when needed, but “there are 10 months out of the year when we have no need for Verizon's voice services. During critical periods, hosting creates a more judicious use of our people and time.” Red Cross has other areas that need attention on a more routine basis, so having a specially trained call center worked best when someone with those skill sets could do it offshore for cheaper.

However, companies like Enlighten Software claim that call-center automation helps companies avoid the outsourcing of jobs and control it in-house. SAI (News - Alert) Global, a large mortgage processer in Australia, has staved off outsourcing and actually had to hire more people after automating their call center.

According to executive general manager Peter Mullins, “Offshoring is weak management. Sending something to India doesn't magically make it good when the processes are broken,” because call centers can be directly managed in-house for optimized performance. Better automation tools and display tools make their call centers more efficient, and Mullins says that this is responsible for a market share increase from 22 percent to more than 50 percent.

Most businesses send something offshore because they quickly realize doing a task will take time and effort that they simply don't have. The ability to do real-time mentoring of employees with VoIP HUD and other tools means that these processes can be optimized before needing to go offshore so that they actually work the way they're supposed to.