Work From Home Interviewing

Transcription

1 Remote-Controlled Telephone Interviewing Larry Snell, VP - Operations Survey Technology & Research Center (STR) November 18-19, 2009 IVR

2 Remote-Controlled Telephone Interviewing also known as Work From Home (WFH)

3 What are the Challenges to implementing WFH Interviewing Recruiting, screening and hiring qualified and motivated WFH interviewers On-boarding and training new WFH interviewers Setting-up, operating and maintaining remote interviewing equipment What s needed at the main office Monitoring, supervising and providing feedback

4 How to recruit, screen and hire qualified and motivated WFH interviewers STR advertises in both area newspapers and on-line job networks (CareerBuilder) Tap into WFH networks STR developed an on-line job application process, similar to a web survey Include assessment questions Web survey passes applicant to an IVR application IVR asks applicant to read web survey screens Responses are recorded and reviewed as part of the applicant screening process

5 How to recruit, screen and hire qualified and motivated WFH interviewers STR has developed an on-line applicant tracking system to manage the process and reduce paper Listen & grade reading ability from recording Review on-line application Screen applicant by phone In-person interview at call center includes another reading exercise Replace the in-person interview with in-depth phone interview or use web cam If hired, applicant assigned to training class

6 How to on-board and train new WFH interviewers New WFH interviewers at STR currently attend the same training sessions as other interviewers Wednesday (4 hours) & Saturday (8 hours) or Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (4 hrs each day) Future plans for on-boarding & training FedEX new hire paperwork, pre-filled as possible First four hours of lecture via self-administered web session Last eight hours still in-person role playing and hands-on practice

7 What Equipment Does a WFH Interviewer Need? High Speed internet connection DSL or higher Newer PC (MACs? maybe) Monitor, keyboard and mouse Direct connection to in-home router Wireless is not allowed Quiet work space

8 What Equipment Does STR Provide for WFH? Linksys ATA (Analog Telephone Adaptor) Converts analog telephone signal into a digital telephone signal (VoIP) Prioritizes digital voice transmission over data transmission Telephone Noise Canceling Headset

9 WFH in-home set-up

10 Connecting the WFH Interviewer to CATI and dialer Web based CATI system PRO-T-S dialer VOIP Enabled PBX takes ISDN calls from Pro-T-S and translates them to VOIP calls to the interviewers ATA devices Reliable VOIP provider Preferably a managed IP network

11 How to monitor, supervise and provide feedback STR created expanded workstations for monitors One monitor is assigned to every 8-12 WFH interviewers Don t mix WFH with internal WFH interviewers require the same level of supervision, if not more

12 How to monitor, supervise and provide feedback Don t forget to treat WFH interviewers as internal staff Create systems that track productivity separately from internal staff Think of WFH as a virtual site Create programs that recognize and reward WFH Develop communications systems like an internal social network

13 Benefits of Work From Home Interviewers Attract a different type of interviewer Interviewers have a different set of skills or languages Stay at home moms, caregivers, persons with disabilities, I don t drive at night Create a more flexible work force Pay less, get more

14 Concerns in using Work From Home Interviewers Don t skimp on monitoring Listen for background noise Watch for long breaks or inactivity Make sure the person that you hired and trained is the person that s interviewing Be aware of special tax implications at the local and state level

15 Summary Implementing a Work From Home workforce requires rethinking the entire staffing and data collection process Don t be too quick to recruit nationally You probably need internal creative thinkers to make it work well

16 THANK YOU! Larry Snell, VP - Operations Survey Technology & Research Center (STR) LSNELL@STRCENTER.COM November 18-19, 2009 IVR