To run a business in the traditional way from an office can be expensive, as there is rent and bills to consider, including electricity, water, phone and gas. It makes sense for many companies to hire individuals who can work as call center customer service agents from home. However, in order to do this there must be an effective structure in place, if you strive to be the best in the field of call centers.

An instant advantage of training all call center customer services agents to work from home is the reduction in office expenses. These monies can help you buy the latest equipment for your staff. What disappoints many customers about a call center is a hang up. A better telephone system will eradicate preceding problems and help you gain an advantage over your competitors. After all, excellent customer service equals repeat customers and positive feedback, and this is what every company must strive to attain.

Training and education is imperative in the field of call centers

You would not allow a child to cross the road without first teaching them road safety, and this same consideration must come into play with your call center agents. If you are asking members of staff to work from a different environment to their usual, help them adjust to their new surroundings. Pay staff to have a day at home where they read up on the latest written materials.

Create a supportive environment for staff

The work-at-home environment is very different to an office environment where teamwork is important. You want your call center customer services agents to feel assured and focused. Consider the regularity of a weekly or monthly meeting where staff can discuss any issues, and provide a solution to these problems. At-home-workers can find it especially difficult to motivate themselves without any friends around, which is why a recognition and rewards scheme must be put into place to award the hardest working at-home call center customer services agents.

Consider setting up a virtual help center for staff that allows them to email or call with any questions or concerns, which will be immediately picked up with an instant solution provided. Automated solutions to any query can be effective, but there must also be a human member of staff to answer any queries that the automated feature cannot solve.

Scripted messages are obvious

It is obvious to a customer when a call is a script message. While you may request that your call center customer services agents read from a script, there must also be a level of engagement with a customer to build a trustworthy rapport. This will set you apart from other call center agencies.