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THINK BIG - WORK SMART
“Bridging the Gap between At-Home Agents and In-House Agents.”
ACCE Conference & ExpoJune 16, 2010
Anne Ivey Slough
Director, Customer Loyalty Practice
ASlough@LSAGlobal.com
919.779.0003
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Agenda
Introductions
Contact Center/At-Home Agent State of the Industry
At-Home Agents 3 Key Areas (case study format) Recruiting Training Managing/Engaging
Final Thoughts
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
LSA Global Introduction
• Founded in 1995• Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA• Partnered with over 500 clients to deliver targeted business solutions,
consulting solutions, and learning solutions.
“We believe successful organizations recognize that effective people strategies are an integral component in creating and maintaining a competitive advantage. We help clients build their competitive advantage by understanding their critical business needs and bringing the exact expertise to meet those needs.”
• A+ programs, facilitators, and consultants• Best of breed expertise and experience• Bottom line impact• Flexibility and responsiveness• Deep knowledge of the client and your organization• Reduced overall learning costs• Ability to quickly and effectively scale up and down • Guaranteed results
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Introduction Activity
1. Name2. Role/Title3. Company/What do they do?4. Why are they at this session?5. Do they have an At-Home agent program? If yes, then how
many agents, how long have they had the model in place? If no, are they planning on implementing At-Home agents and when/why?
6. What is their biggest challenge regarding At-Home agents?
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
State of the Industry-Overview
Quality talent needs are still unmet in Contact Centers:1
Customer Experience D+
Agent Advocacy/Empathy C-
Efficiency D
Automation Features D-
1. Leo J. Shapiro & Associates, LLC
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
State of the Industry-Overview
In 2006, there were 112,000 home-based agents, by 2010, projections show U.S. home-based agents could reach over 300,000.1
Projected 37% increase in at-home based agents.
According to one poll, 46% of respondents said they were using at-home agents.1
Studies show that 28% of the “free agent” demographic (25-35 yrs.) would leave their current jobs for more flexibility.2
And of those not in the workforce, but highly skilled, 60% would be employed if a flexible job environment existed.2
1. US Home-Based Agent 2005-2010 Forecast and Analysis, Dec. 2005, UCN
2. Kelly Connect Webcast, CCNG, March 2010
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
At-home Benefits
Brainstorming Activity
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
At-Home Agent Benefits (1)
0 20 40 60 80 100
Reduced Office Space
Fewer Work Distractions
Atrracting Better Employees
Retention of Key Employees
Having a Continuity of Operation Plan
Increased Productivity
Happier Workforce/Agent Satisfaction
1. The Work AT-Home Agent Model for Improved Customer Loyalty, inContact, by UCN , The Telework Connection
91%
78%
76%
68%
68%
67%
55%
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
State of the Industry-Why At-Home Agents?
1. Employer Benefits. (INCREASE REVENUE)
2. Employee Benefits (INCREASE ENGAGMENT/SATISFACTION)
3. Flexibility for workforce management and better talent. (INCREASE SATISFACTION)
4. Environmental Impact (INCREASE VALUE)
ROI/Business Case:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Employer Benefits
1. Capital Investments/Facilities
-expansion without adding brick and mortar facilities or computers, desks, chairs, etc.
2. Benefits-often part-time employee model
3. Training-virtual/elearning model; faster speed to proficiency
“Deploying flexible home agents increases capacity by 15%-25%, reduces costs by 15%-25% and increased customer satisfaction.”1
=INCREASED REVENUE
1. Kelly OCG Services, 2010
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Employer Benefits
In-House At-Home Annual Savings(200 seat center)
Facilities $6,000 N/A $1,200,000
Wage (no benefits) $11.00 per hr. $9.00 per hr. $832,000
Health Insurance $2,500/yr. N/A $500,000
PC $800 N/A $160,000
Reduced Recruitment
$6,000 $4,500 $300,000
Savings $2,992,000
1. Kelly OCG, CCNG webcast, March 2010
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Employee Benefits
1. Traditional work costs– Eating Out– Dry Cleaning– Child Care– Commuting (gas & car expenses)
2. Employee Loyalty
- Flexibility
- Improved work/life balance
- Comfortable work environment
= INCREASED ENGAGEMENT & CUSTOMER SATISACTION
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Flexibility and Talent Quality
1. Expanded footprint for talent and increased quality-ability to utilize screening analytics to select best candidates ex:
banking knowledge, pharmaceutical knowledge
-ability to compete for the top candidates; no borders
*Traditional Agents At-Home Agents
18-26 Avg. Age 30-4835% College 80%Average Attrition LowerUnder 10 Avg. Yrs Work Over 10
*CBRE, Spring 2009, Exploring the Virtual Workplace
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Flexibility and Talent Quality
2. Scheduling-increased flexibility for schedule times (up to 15
minutes increments), part-time, spilt shifts, ondemand
3. Disaster Recovery
=INCREASED LOYALTY
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Environmental Impact
Transportation Effects– Gas– Air pollution– Wear and tear on vehicle
“112,000 home-based agents saved $58 million gallons of gas and $640 million on commuting expenses, industry-wide in 2007.” 1
1. West at Home Study Highlights, Home Agents’ Positive Environmental Impact
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Environmental Impact
1. Home-based Agents in 2007
Home-based Agents in 2010
Reduction in Air Pollution
473,013 Metric Tons 1,267,000 Metric Tons
Reduction in Gasoline Consumption
58 Million Gallons 156 Million Gallons
Savings from Reduced Gasoline Consumption
$175 Million $468 Million
Savings from Reduction in Commuting Expenses
$640 Million $1,714 Billion
1. West at Home Study Highlights, Home Agent’s Positive Environmental Impact= INCREASED VALUE
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
Established in 1972 as the Industry Leader by being the most responsive, stable and cost-effective company in the Student Loan Management Industry.
Highly regulated product.
Call Center/Production environment.
Family owned and operated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
25 In-house agents and 15 At-Home agents.
Company Overview:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
Business diversifying; need for higher quality talent. Location of center far from workforce pool. Lower costs for staffing needed. Outgrown existing facility. Disaster recovery plan needed.
At-Home Business Drivers:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
Several centers closed down in area, so job pool of highly, qualified talent available, just not in area of center.
Documented Job Descriptions to delineate In-House vs. At-Home agent duties, criteria and competencies.
Typical profile-stay-at-home moms-been in workforce previously and wanted part-time-banking/financial first; call center second-college degree
Phone screen and onsite interview “Birds of a feather….” referrals
“You are recruiting for a lifestyle…..”
Recruiting:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
Hiring Profiles based on high performers. Job-Shadowing prior to hire. Listening to calls . Document job responsibilities, requirements, procedures,
policies and time frames.
Recruiting Best Practices:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
In-house (onsite), instructor-led primarily with CBT modules for systems and regulations.
2 weeks: 6 days instruction, testing, roleplaying; 4 days on OJT, shadowing and mentoring.
Once per month brought in-house for “spot” training. 1-2 weeks after initial training, brought in for testing on retention. QA to re-enforce. Train in-house agents separately from at-home agents.
Training:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
Bring agents in-house, for initial training, to learn the culture and feel connected.
Blended Learning is best:
-elearning for product knowledge, processes, operations, procedures, skill knowledge
-Instructor-led for skill practice, feedback and re-enforcement Utilize your intranet or LMS to keep accountability for learning.
Training Best Practices:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
Utilize technology to create learning groups and provide feedback and “high touch” when in-house training is not possible.
Leverage elearning simulation training (call, email, chat) to ramp up the learning time.
Establish an assist queue. Deliver ongoing training based on need identified in QA; don’t
“sheep dip”. Tie ongoing training to results: increased QA or decreased AHT.
Training Best Practices:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
QA key tool for feedback. Recorded calls and remote QA sessions. Include At-home agents in all meetings and communications. Schedule weekly “touches” with at-home agents to garner
feedback. Support success via IM and Chat. TBD…..
Managing/Coaching:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Case Study
Always schedule coaching sessions via WFM.
Create balanced scorecards that acknowledge the responsibilities and contributions of the at-home role.
Separate performance coaching from results coaching.
Maximize coaching with at-home agents to foster a sense of community (e.g. “what’s up?”).
Document coaching sessions and next steps electronically and store on intranet/portal.
Intricately weave QA into coaching.
Managing/Coaching Best Practices:
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Lessons Learned
Engagement is key! Utilize social networking to create community.
Allow autonomy and self-management if you have the technology/tools (WFM, QA, eLearning).
Solicit feedback for improvement and maximize their past business experiences.
Leverage at-home agents’ life experience and education.– Complex call types– High value customers
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
Final Thoughts…
Risks– Not connected to
organization’s culture– Difficult to keep on top of
performance– Strong internal managers
may not transition well to a virtual management structure
– Technology required to ensure customer experience must be seamless
– Agents must be technologically savvy
– Traditional training won’t meet the needs of these learners
Opportunities– Make sure there is clear
communication, frequent touch points
– Set up structured performance management process including monitoring, coaching and follow-up
– Leverage new technology in the marketplace to ensure the best customer experience
– Leverage alternative delivery methods like e-Learning
Home Based Agents – Risks and Rewards
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
WIFM
Take Away Activity
THINK BIG - WORK SMART
“Bridging the Gap between At-Home Agents and In-House Agents.”
ACCE Conference & ExpoJune 16, 2010
Anne Ivey Slough
Director, Customer Loyalty Practice
ASlough@LSAGlobal.com
919.779.0003
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