Report

November 2001

Call Center Agents @Home?

Bob Chatham 		Less than a third of firms are piloting remote agents to cut costs and slow the turnover treadmill. Technology and the business case support wider adoption, but firms must revisit preconceptions to tap the opportunity.
by Bob Chatham with Laurie Orlov, Taichi Nakashima

INTERVIEWS
  • Only 28% of firms have deployed remote agents, but 61% have the technology to support them.
ANALYSIS
  • Persistent myths obscure the remote-agent opportunity.
  • Remote agents typically save 1 to 2 cents per agent minute and provide fault tolerance and wider access to labor.
ACTION
  • Cut agent compensation 5% in exchange for remote work.
  • Use pay-for-performance to minimize remote-agent risk.
WHAT IT MEANS
  • Remote agents curtail demand for offshore agents.
  • Colleges become prime recruiting spots for remote agents.
 
Figures & Data
  • Figure 1.  Firms See At-Home Agents In Their Future
  • Figure 2.  Interviewees Are Cautious About Exploring Remote Agents
  • Figure 3.  Centralized Versus Remote-Agent Work Forces
  • Figure 4.  Current Technology Supports Remote Agents
  • Figure 5.  Model Assumptions And Inputs
  • Figure 6.  Model Results Show That Remote Agents Save Money
   
RELATED MATERIAL 
  • Online Resources
  • Companies Interviewed For This Report
  • Related Research
 
GRAPEVINE
  • Skinny-dipping in the labor pool.
  • A high-school math problem.
  • Orbitz customer service stinkz.

 

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