Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (24853)	3/3/2005 1:38:44 PM
From: Tommaso	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

You are sure to find something you like here: sanantonio.gov You must have been spanked with a Ouija board to be so cranky about these things [g]

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (24853)	3/3/2005 3:17:22 PM
From: mishedlo	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

Benefits of Virtual Call Centers Pile Up Agents working from home tend to be older and more experienced than typical call-center agents. They perform better than agents based in cubicle bullpens, and they are exposed less often to illness and inclement weather, which reduces absenteeism. See Complete Story TechExcel CRM sets the standard for today's high-end customer relationship management solution: complete functionality, total process customization, affordable, easy to use, and easy to deploy. As Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Latest News about VoIP telephony gains popularity, so does the concept of the virtual call center Latest News about call center. Staffed with agents working from their homes, such call centers were, in the near past, only an idea. Now, companies are using home agents and, in some cases, even building their business models on the idea, according to Forrester Research. In fact, "homeshoring," as the trend is called, soon will be a bigger movement than off-shoring or near-shoring, Deloitte's head of U.S. CRM practice Nidal Haddad told CRM Daily. The potential savings in infrastructure costs simply are too great to ignore. Benefits Abound Saving money on infrastructure is not the only benefit of having customer service agents work from home, found Forrester. Companies also save on operational costs, such as utilities and office equipment. In addition, the salaries paid to home workers typically are 5 to 15 percent lower than those paid to their in-house counterparts. Although paid less, agents working from home tend to be older and more experienced than typical call-center agents. They perform better than agents based in cubicle bullpens, and they are exposed less often to illness and inclement weather, which reduces absenteeism. Managing a virtual call center also makes ramping up for growth or seasonal spikes easier to accomplish, and agents' preference for splitting shifts or flexible work hours can be better accommodated. Addressing Management Challenges Some aspects of managing a group of home-based agents, however, are challenging, according to Forrester. Real-time performance monitoring makes overseeing remote agent activities possible. And companies must plan to provide those agents with the sametechnical support Latest News about technical support and training tools available to in-house staff. Remote agents tend to jump ship for better opportunities, so effective supervision requires keeping them satisfied with their work. Ensuring that remote agent sites and equipment are secure is another consideration. A variety of legal considerations also must be taken into account. Such issues include mandates of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other federal regulators,insurance Latest News about insurance for equipment and liability, and state and local tax matters. Conducting pilot programs is a crucial first step to moving call center operations to a virtual structure, says Forrester's Elizabeth Herrell. Companies can try the concept with non-critical groups or with those that serve internal staffers only, such as help desks. crm-daily.newsfactor.com