Business VoIP

Over the last few months, I’ve written a lot about selecting a home-based call center partner, what features and functionalities to look for, and how to know when it is time to consider outsourcing. These topics have spurred some great conversations and I’ve enjoyed getting to know more readers. And yet, I’ve realized there is one basic question I’ve failed to address:

 

 

When Alpine Access first envisioned the home-based model concept, our early clients were in the retail business. Since that time, the home-based model has been applied successfully to a variety of industries, each with unique characteristics that make it suited for a dispersed customer service workforce. Looking ahead, I see tremendous opportunity in applying the benefits of home agents to new verticals. Many companies in other markets have yet to consider outsourcing or still believe that overseas is their only option.

 

So, what makes an industry well-suited for utilizing a virtual call center organization? My answer is “it depends.” It depends on how customer service is currently handled, it depends on the values of the company and it depends on the inherent business conditions of the industry. However, there is one thing that all companies successfully using the home-based model have in common. In general, these companies have customers that required high touch conversations and more detailed transactions. Because virtual call centers are not limited by geography, they can literally hand pick from across the country agents with the perfect match of skills and experience. The result is knowledgeable agents who provide quality service to each and every customer.

 

Listed below are a few of the industries in which companies are currently using home-based agents, as well as markets that I predict are ripe for adoption in the near future. These businesses all benefit from unparalleled access to quality agents and have experienced documented improvements in customer satisfaction levels.

 

Whether an airline, a hotel or a cruise ship, the travel and hospitality business continues to be faced with rising costs, cutthroat competition and downward price pressure. In an industry where every dollar counts, the importance of operational efficiency is equaled only by customer satisfaction. Consumers demand top notch service at bottom-line prices and, if they don’t get it, there are plenty of other choices. With more streamlined and efficient operations, plus experienced agents in the industry, home-based agents provide the competitive edge these companies need to remain successful.

 

In the retail industry, a company’s reputation, whether real or perceived, can sometimes be the deciding factor in its survival. Word of mouth and referrals are critical, so satisfied, happy customers are vital for success. Here the home-based agent model provides consistent, reliable service across multiple time zones. The agent’s knowledge of products and services directly corresponds to customer satisfaction levels. Additionally, the quality service each agent provides enhances the company’s brand, helping it standout within the highly fragmented consumer retail market.

 

There are many types of companies within the financial industry well-suited for the home-based agent model. These include credit card companies, investment institutions, and banks, just to name a few. Yet what all these companies have in common is a need for tight security. On the personnel side, customer service agents handling in-bound calls need to be highly skilled with the required credentials. Finding former accountants or CPAs to work as agents, for example, is not easy, especially if you are limited to a certain geographical radius. In this case, the ability to assemble a virtual team of agents who meet the exact specifications of the company is a tremendous benefit of the home-based model. These hand-picked agents are put through extensive background checks before completing in-depth product and service training.

 

On the technology side, virtual call centers providing services for financial companies have invested heavily in system infrastructure to protect company and customer data. Dedicated servers, workstation lock-down, build-in redundancy and PCI compliance are just a few of the measures home-based centers take to ensure all information is kept confidential. The combination of stringent technology plus qualified agents results in a team that typically outperforms in-house staff in achieving the highest customer satisfaction and efficiency scores.

 

We have all heard the horror stories of consumers needing help with their computer systems only to be met with hours of on-hold time or agents unfamiliar with the products. In fact, some companies are currently facing serious financial trouble as a direct result of their lacking customer service operations. As technology continues to permeate every aspect of our lives, the need for knowledgeable, accessible IT help is increasing. Here again, the ability to hire talented agents from across the country and provide full coverage across multiple time zones, is exactly what this industry needs.

 

High customer satisfaction is the cornerstone of all service-oriented industries. Across the board, access to qualified agents is necessary to remain competitive. Yet, each industry also has distinctive requirements that set it apart. Whether it’s a need for tight security, customer loyalty, or technical expertise, companies must find a way to provide distinctive, standard-setting quality service.

 

Consumers have many choices. One long wait time, one wrong piece of information, or one inappropriate comment can make all the difference. Having a customized team of agents with a unique understanding of the industry is driving the adoption of the home-based model. Whether you are in one of the four industries listed above or not, if you are looking for ways to increase revenue while providing high-touch service, I encourage you to look into the option of home-based agents.

 

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