Working in a flexible environment would be ideal for just about any professional with a keen focus on self-discipline. Structure is good for those who need the parameters, but those with the ability to plan, self-motivate and innovate are more likely to be successful outside of the traditional boundaries. The call center industry continues to realize the benefits of the home-based agent, a deployment strategy likely to grow.
For the industry in the United States, the ability to support the home-based agent has enabled a number of organizations to keep their employee base on U.S. soil. One of the banes of the call center industry just a decade ago was the massive exodus of call center jobs to offshore providers. While the offshore strategy still makes sense in some cases, there are other industries where it makes more sense to the bottom line to keep the customer service team somewhat local.
While the strategy works well for the organization seeking to maximize customer interactions, it can be a challenge for the manager trying to supervise individuals who don’t work on-site. Likewise, the call center industry is still one that relies on VoIP call recording to capture the interaction to ensure compliance and customer service standards are maintained. When employees are located offsite, access to VoIP connections is a critical strategy to ensure cohesive behaviors.
This is especially important as the number of home-based agents in the U.S. call center industry is expected to increase. The healthcare industry is likely to experience the most growth as vendors seek higher margins through the modification of their business models. According to an Ovum (News - Alert) report on potential BPO trends in 2014, home-based agents will continue to be in high demand in the U.S., yet limited throughout the rest of the world.
The analyst firm expects that 90 percent of third-party home-based agent deployments will take place in the U.S. in 2014. Mature locations such as South Africa and India will serve as popular destinations for offshore call center arrangements. For those in the healthcare market wanting to maximize opportunities, the outsourcing sector will be the most competitive and the reliance on VoIP call recording to ensure compliance is likely to be high.
Whether a customer service organization wants a flexible environment, the ability to rely on agents in the U.S. or simply wants to grow without adding to the current infrastructure, the home-based agent model offers a powerful value proposition. VoIP call recording is likely to be a must for standards assurance and the business analytics it provides. When launched and managed correctly, this strategy delivers considerable value.
Edited by Alisen Downey