Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level

Transcription

1 Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Introducing an outsourced secure, cloud-based approach to work-at-home agents. By: Marc Robinson, Director of Product Management, Sitel Operating Corporation Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 1

2 Whitepaper Overview In the United States, the at-home agent model continues to generate headlines, and with good reason. From making hotel and airline reservations to providing advanced technical support, work-at-home agents represent one of the fastest growing outsourced customer service sectors in the country. The primary drivers behind this trend are: Global expansion of high-speed, high-quality Internet services coupled with secure and powerful desktop technologies An ever-growing number of industries, from healthcare and travel to banking and insurance, seeking mature, college-educated agents with a working knowledge of their business An older, more experienced diverse workforce who view working at home as a way to balance work and quality-of-life issues With less experienced vendors still enduring teething pains, the at-home agent delivery method is still considered an evolving business model. Understanding that many companies have concerns such as data security, recruiting, training, management, technology and quality, Sitel has based its Work@Home Solutions on its experience as the world s leading business process outsourcing provider and offers strategic solutions to resolve those concerns while attaining the benefits of an end-to-end, complete work-at-home customer service model. For example, sensitive customer information can be gathered by voice services in the midst of a live call without exposing the data to the agent. Secure cloud services, encryption and authentication technologies remove the worry of misuse or misdirection of data. As a result, Sitel s Work@Home Solutions is truly changing the industry, creating a more flexible and powerful way to provide superior customer service. l Sitel Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 2

3 Introduction Just 10 years ago, the work-at-home agent was only a concept with minimal visibility outside of the call center industry. But technological, social and economic changes have made working at home a viable business model, especially for experienced outsourcing providers. A 2010 report by Gartner, Inc., the world s leading information technology research and advisory company, delivers a blunt assessment: Creating an Just 10 years ago, the effective at-home service requires more than just an agent, a work-at-home agent was only a concept with phone and a quiet work space. minimal visibility. According to Gartner, today s work-at-home agent technology solutions are based on the increased availability of broadband access (DSL and cable modems), better security, voice over IP (VoIP), softphone and thin client hardware systems. Furthermore, the costs and risks associated with these technologies continue to decrease. In Hype Cycle for Contact Center Infrastructure, 2010, Gartner points out that agents, supervisors and the technology that connect them must be recruited, trained and monitored, respectively, with a virtual orientation. Putting that type of organization together requires extensive experience, from recruitment and training to agent monitoring and security. The key to at-home outsourcing is that, done effectively, it benefits everyone: the agent, the client, the client s customer, and the service provider. The primary provider benefits include the ability to: 1) Access a broader spectrum of specialized talent and skill sets 2) Employ agents for what may be short or seasonal shifts to support cyclical call volumes 3) Establish geographical dispersion of the labor pool, thereby enhancing BCP capabilities 4) Improve employee and customer satisfaction 5) Enhance interaction quality 6) Increase sales conversions 7) Provide just-in-time resources that enable clients to rapidly and effectively meet volume spikes 8) Provide program flexibility 9) Reduce training costs and improve attrition related impacts 10) Improve agent productivity Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 3

4 Sitel Solutions Sitel employed its best and brightest problem solvers to create Sitel Solutions. This unique approach combines a Center of Excellence, new technologies and Sitel s Global Operating System (GOS) in a powerful new way to deploy a virtual workforce. Sitel s Work@Home Solutions is built upon its Global Operating System (GOS) - a set of highly defined, world-class standards, processes and procedures based on Sitel s global call center experience developed over the past 26 years. Sitel s new Center of Excellence, or COE, in Omaha, Nebraska has redefined these standards and processes to support a virtual, home-agent environment, one that focuses on technology application, virtual recruitment, training and management. The result is a customer service quality comparable to any Sitel call center. Together, the Center of Excellence, Sitel Global Operating System, and the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure form a robust people process and technology foundation for the Sitel Work@Home Solution. To produce a best-in-class work-at-home agent model, Sitel combined its years of experience with reliable industry research to address and resolve seven key issues and concerns identified by both the market and clients. Sitel s Work@Home Solutions is based on four key areas: Security and Infrastructure Recruiting and Hiring Operational Management Capabilities Remote Agent Training and Development Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 4

5 Recruiting Automating the at-home employee vetting process helps service providers find the right agents quickly and efficiently. To ensure compliance with federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements, the online application asks every applicant to submit exactly the same information. All applicants must meet the same basic requirements, including broadband connectivity, a quiet work room free of distractions, and client-specific typing and behavioral skills. There is virtually no chance of a hiring discrimination claim. By the time an applicant reaches the interview stage, they ve already met or surpassed the end user s minimum job qualifications. Quality Employees In general, at-home agents enjoy the flexibility of working at home especially in geographies where job opportunities are not plentiful. As a result, the industry s agent attrition rates are 35 to 50 percent lower than traditional call centers. Retaining a greater number of experienced agents benefits the program because experienced agents tend to provide better customer service. Absenteeism rates, which average 3 to 5 percent per day at a call center, are substantially lower too, usually 1 to 3 percent with at-home agents. A targeted agent pool Being able to draw from a national labor force versus the traditional 50 mile center radius -- means the client can access and choose from a much larger pool of college-educated and/or experienced work-at-home candidates. Though there is no standard profile, roughly 85% of Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 5

6 Sitel s Work@Home Associates have secondary education The key to at-home experience and 40% have some management experience. outsourcing is that it benefits both the agent and Many are retirees, teachers, veterans and/or spouses of the service provider. active duty military, disabled individuals unable to travel far from or even leave their home, or stay-at-home moms and dads looking to re-enter the workforce. At the outset, Sitel clients submit an at-home agent profile that often includes industry-specific skill sets. For example, a healthcare company may seek agents with a medical background perhaps a semi-retired nurse or pharmaceutical sales representative. Sitel s Work@Home Solutions manages a qualified pool of agents who can quickly fill these needs, thereby reducing campaign start-up timelines by weeks. Training At-home training is another end-user concern, though it needn t be. A multi-faceted approach to training can provide home-based agents with the same skill sets and familiarity with client products and/or services as is found in a traditional call center. Employing proven Web and distance based e-learning and e-coaching tools, Sitel creates a virtual classroom in which agents meet face-to-face through integrated video and audio connections. Virtual break-out rooms allow agents to participate in and to record mock, clientspecific call scenarios as a group and then discuss the results. New products are shared remotely by using multiple screens to pass the product around the classroom as participants take turns explaining how to use it. Once the initial classroom training is complete, Sitel s exclusive Skills Knowledge Enhancement Plan (SKEP) further leverages technology to monitor, record, and evaluate the quality of customer interactions on an agent-by-agent basis. Using pre-defined performance metrics, the program automatically alerts an agent s manager if his or her performance scores drop below a pre-defined threshold. For example, if an agent s calls are taking too long, the system automatically 1) alerts the manager and 2) recommends an online training course. The agent is then notified and given a certain amount of time to complete the course. Operational Management Capabilities Creating a sense of teamwork and collaboration Whether the agent is at home or in a call center, Whether the agent is at home or in a call center, being part of a being part of a team is team is critical. As such, a variety of measures have been critical. implemented to give at-home agents a sense of belonging, including: team newsletters, daily team huddles, shared videos, team portals that allow agents to upload/share personal photos, a chat-based virtual lunchroom, as well as rewards and peer recognition programs. Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 6

7 Regularly scheduled team huddles via a video conference bridge allow agents to gather, watch and discuss new product videos, or to congratulate team members meeting certain metrics or milestones. Sitel diminishes the sense of isolation by enhancing associate engagement just like in a traditional call center. Motivating and incenting Sitel s at-home reward and recognition programs also Today an agent working within the Sitel Work@Home replicate those found in its call centers. Managers are Solutions can serve any of the trained to engage their agents by reinforcing contact channels required by productive behavior behavior that makes everybody s their savvy customer community. job easier. Again, through the use of video conferencing technology, managers acknowledge and/or reward team members through incentives or actionable feedback. For example, agents by nature tend to be very good at multi-tasking. During a team conference there may be a virtual treasure hunt that involves searching the Web for specific information the team needs. The team member who finds the information first may receive a gift card or some other reward. Win or lose, every team member participates in the learning process. Today, an agent working within the Sitel s Work@Home Solutions can serve all the contact channels required by their savvy customer community. The technologies to make this happen are no longer issues of risk. Instead, customer service executives should be focused on capabilities of the workforce. A good example of this concerns the changing role of the Tier 1 Customer Service Agent. Tier 1 interactions are basic support queries that require a lower level of training and skill. More and more customers prefer self-service options for these simple service needs. However, these simple queries often morph into more complex question, which means a live agent option is necessary to support all self-service applications. Because self-service now includes corporate websites and social media interactions, agents must be able to work in more complex environments solving more difficult problems. The sophisticated workforce of the Sitel s Work@Home Solutions is well suited to this environment. Workforce flexibility One major difference between a traditional call center and the Work@Home model is scheduling flexibility. During the application process, prospective agents list their availability. Client schedules are then posted to the applicant pool. Applicants interested in a particular client defined schedule can apply online. Once hired, candidates contractually agree to allow Sitel to move scheduled start and stop times (with notice) for the hour before and/or after the agreed-upon schedule. Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 7

8 Such flexibility is especially valuable during peak call times and/or during disaster recovery periods. One end user, for example, supplemented its 10,000 in-house agents with Sitel agents who work only during peak call center hours four hours in the morning, and four hours in the evening. Sitel allowed the client to add staff only when it needed it most. In addition, should a force majeure or inclement weather event, pandemic health issue, or other disaster disable a brick-and-mortar call center, these agents are able to step in and deliver temporary backup, often within hours. Security and Infrastructure Security is typically a client s number-one concern, but with the proper infrastructure call center, security can be effectively replicated within a home setting. By leveraging proven stop gaps and technology, Sitel s Work@Home Solutions meet even the strictest customer demands. Sitel s first security stop gap is to ensure that the home agent passes comprehensive background and security There is no opportunity for unauthorized data access or checks. Sitel then employs an ongoing multi-level storage. authentication process that ensures the agent is truly the person taking calls. The methodology includes the use of key codes, keystroke monitoring, IP address analysis and two-factor authentication. Managers can and do listen in on calls and monitor agent activity online, which includes running real-time quality and performance reports. Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 8

9 Further, when an agent requests sensitive information, there is no opportunity for unauthorized data access or storage. That s because we use a technology that requires a customer to enter PCI or sensitive information using their phone keypad. The agent remains on the call, but only hears distorted touch tones and can only see asterisks on the screen. This enables Sitel s client organizations to collect credit card numbers, ID numbers and other information without agents (or those observing recordings) ever seeing, hearing, or accessing sensitive customer data. Infrastructure: hardware and software Sitel s VDaaS platform delivers a complete desktop experience, with all the necessary software applications. The platform is the result of an integrated stack approach that includes network, storage, and server infrastructure bundled with virtualization, automation, and orchestration software, to provide a secure at-home system that can be scaled up to meet demand. Sitel s Work@Home Solutions also utilizes two agent computing options defined as Secure and SecurePlus. With both options, a virtual desktop is securely accessed over the Internet from a private cloud that utilizes a vaulted model where all applications and data are segregated from the public cloud. This service is based in multiple highly redundant data centers that are SAS70 and PCI-certified. The Secure option utilizes a standard browser for cloud access while the SecurePlus option relies on a dedicated thin client, sometimes called a zero footprint device to access the cloud. With the Secure option, the agent provides the home computer system that must first pass memory, speed, and throughput tests conducted by the Sitel Center of Excellence. Once operational, the virtual desktop will block the usage of external hard drives and print ports. Further, within the virtual container features such as copy/paste are also disabled to prevent any unauthorized data capture. In the second option, SecurePlus, agents use a Sitel-provided thin client device to connect to the Sitel private cloud. The thin client device has no local storage capability. For the voice connection, agents utilize an Avaya Internet phone with built-in compression and voice stream encryption. This prevents anyone else in the household from listening in on calls. Summary & Conclusion The trend toward work-at-home agents in the United States is expected to accelerate, perhaps as much as 10 percent annually for the foreseeable future. The Sitel s Work@Home Solutions model makes it possible for businesses to reduce the cost of customer service by outsourcing call center and back office activity in any number of ways. Our at-home agents make it possible to: The Sitel Work@Home Solutions model makes it possible for businesses to reduce the cost of customer service. Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 9

10 Preserve employees who are meaningful to your business. At-home agent attrition and absenteeism rates are well below the industry average for call center agents. That s because at-home agents truly appreciate the added benefits to their jobs. They enjoy the steady and reliable paycheck as well as the flexibility; plus, they save money on transportation and wardrobe costs. Leverage Sitel s decades of call center experience. Sitel s Work@Home Solution is built around its Global Operating System (GOS) - a set highly defined, world-class standards, processes and procedures based on global call center experience developed over the past 26 years. Remain up-to-date on the latest technological trends. Known throughout the industry for its technological prowess, Sitel leads the industry in its use of cutting-edge technology that addresses and resolves security, training, monitoring and other at-home agent challenges. Ramp up quickly. Whether you need to add staff for a seasonal campaign, a specific time of day, or a new market, a Sitel virtual workforce represents a rapidly deployable workforce who can actually exceed the performance of the traditional call center. Stay focused on the customer experience, not the operation. Sitel can remove all the worries about facilities, staff, technology and performance. We have over 26 years of experience providing affordable award-winning customer service, and we will continue this pattern for years to come. For further information about Sitel s Work@Home Solutions visit or call Sitel. Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 10

11 About Sitel Sitel is a world leader in outsourced customer care services, including some of the most advanced contact centers in the world. With over 26 years of industry experience, Sitel has twice been ranked as the top overall call center outsourcing provider in Datamonitor s annual Black Book of Outsourcing survey. Sitel has also been ranked in the Leaders Quadrant in Gartner s Magic Quadrant: Customer Management Contact Center BPO, Worldwide, Sitel s 57,000 employees provide clients with predictable and measurable return on their customer investment by building customer loyalty, increasing sales and improving efficiency. Sitel s solutions span 120+ domestic, nearshore, and offshore centers, speaking 40 languages in 25 countries. United States Two American Center 3102 West End Avenue Suite 1000 Nashville, TN, 37203, USA SITEL United Kingdom Building 600 Leavesden Park Hercules Way, Watford WD25 7GS +44 (0) For more information, please, visit Taking the At-Home Agent Model to the Next Level Page 11