Current global circumstances have forced many industries to find new, alternative ways of working, and contact centers are not an exception. Many contact centers have also seen an increase in call volume during the pandemic. These changes have led to a rise in remote work, and an increased interest in virtual contact centers. While these two factors are the most obvious, there are many other benefits to a virtual contact center.
Expanded Talent Pool
-
- Due to the popularity of Self-service IVR, agents no longer handle simple, easy-to-answer questions as often. This increasing average level of complexity means that the average agent needs to be more highly skilled than in the past. Finding these highly skilled agents can be difficult, especially when the local market is saturated. A virtual contact center allows for agents to live anywhere – this enables the business to hire the most qualified agents, improving the customer journey.
Integration with Remote Work
-
- The popularity of remote work has been growing steadily for the past few years, but the COIVD-19 pandemic has forced many companies to switch over to most employees working from home. This aspect of virtual contact centers is especially popular with agents, as well as environmentally friendly. You will be able to attract more skilled workers, as accommodate longer opening hours for the business.
Reduction in Staff Turnover
-
- In comparison to other industries, Contact Centers have some of the highest turnover rates, with an average of around 30%. Reducing this number is important regardless of the type of contact center, but virtual contact centers have an advantage when it comes to employee attrition. By expanding the talent pool, virtual contact centers enable the business to hire a higher percentage of dedicated, highly skilled agents. In addition, the flexible lifestyle enabled by easy remote working is often a perk for agents. Agents can find a balance more easily with flexibility of a virtual contact center.
Contact Center Growth
-
- As a business grows, its contact center needs to grow as well to preserve and enhance the customer journey. However, due to rapid contact center growth, many areas have reached market saturation. A virtual contact center allows for agents to live outside the local market and makes it easier to bring in skilled workers from different areas of the enterprise. Another benefit is due to the cloud and IP telephony – a large virtual contact center is often more affordable than an on-prem equivalent
Longer Business Hours
-
- Expanding business hours can enhance the customer experience, but it’s often difficult to find skilled agents who are enthusiastic about working these unusual hours. Similarly, the business may not need agents to work an entire shift at times, but rather a shorter 1-2-hour shift. The increased flexibility provided by a virtual contact center makes it easier to offer these mini-shifts, and it allows agents to work later or earlier and still maintain a great work-life balance, benefitting everyone involved.
All these factors enable an efficient, productive contact center and enhance both the employee experience and the customer journey. You can learn more through ContactBabel’s Inner Circle Guides.
