The at-home agent – it’s an innovative approach to reducing the cost of supporting the customer base through the virtual call center. While a number of companies have opted for this customer service model through the hosted contact center, still others may be worried about the potential security risks involved. Do you put your data at risk with at home agents?

This was the question asked in a recent Convergys (News - Alert) piece, forcing the reader to take a closer look at what are actually risks in the hosted contact center environment, and what are myths circulating throughout the industry that have no actual basis. According to Convergys, your data is just as safe with your at-home agent as it is with agents within the contact center.  

The biggest challenge to believing this statement is the common misperceptions about the ability to monitor at-home agents during their work hours. While the hosted contact center manager may not be able to physically see the at-home agent, he or she can take advantage of the advancements made in call center technology applications, as well as the stringent network capabilities that now exist, to easily monitor anything about the hosted contact center agent this wish. 

In the hosted contact center environment, all agent activity is measured very closely. With the Automated Call Distribution (ACD) and integrated scheduling and monitoring systems, at-home agents can be easily monitored as their activity is captured in great detail. For its part, Convergys has developed technology that enables the hosted contact center manager to easily monitor agent PC screens live and launch instant messaging and chat rooms. At the same time, very detailed audit logs, application log-in and network entry provides for a complete historical reference of all agent activity.

Well-run at-home agent programs often use key data security components to manage the desktop appropriately. Accessing client systems and hosted contact center portals can only be done with locked down desktops that are connected through a Virtual Private Network, encrypting all information as it traverses the Internet. If VoIP is in place, greater control is in the hands of the hosted contact center when it comes to managing the calls.

The at-home agent program within the hosted contact center can be easily designed to meet the specific needs of the client, including the deployment of a Thin Client or the use of a desktop as the Thin Client. No wireless connections to ensure added security, and virus protection is put in place to ensure home agents cannot introduce malicious content or activity onto the corporate network.

Hosted contact center solutions allow managers to take full control of the agent desktop, monitoring activity and measuring performance. What cannot be seen with the eyes can easily be seen with the network application for the hosted contact center.