Some events are so seismic in their impact that they have a before-and-after effect on the world. COVID-19 is a prime example of an event that shook the entire world, including the business sector, and changed the way we do many things. Some of these changes may be temporary, but some of them seem to have staying power. Remote working is a trend that became popular at the height of the pandemic as companies struggled to find ways to remain open and obey public safety guidelines. Well, it appears remote working is one of those trends that could be here to stay.
Truthfully, remote work was already becoming more popular before COVID-19 put public life on hold. Remarkably, many companies found that their team members were more productive when working from home. Furthermore, call centers, which have notoriously high turnover rates, reported that they experienced much lower turnover rates when they switched to remote work. Your company can have success with it too, as long as you have the right call center solutions. Continue reading to learn what call center solutions you need to make your remote operations as seamless as if you were on-premise.
Use VoIP to provide connectivity to your remote agents.
One of the first things you’ll need to do if you decide to take your office operations remote is to provide phone and internet service for your team members. Most companies also give their employees the essential office equipment they’ll need, including laptops, phones, and other operational equipment. As mentioned, you also need to provide phone service as you can’t expect your team members to communicate with customers on their own phones. Nor should you want them accessing the company’s database using personal devices. Voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) systems are an essential part of remote call center software as it enables you to connect your remote team to the company system as if they were in the office.
Implement IVR technology to manage your inbound call queue.
If your company has a large inbound call volume or small customer support team, it’s a good idea to invest in systems to help them manage the call queue. Interactive voice response (IVR) uses an artificial intelligence-powered virtual agent to answer incoming calls and direct them to the right agent. In fact, IVR systems are often able to handle caller queries without human assistance. People hate waiting in long call queues to get the support they need, but IVR technology eases the burden on overwhelmed call center agents and the stress on callers.
Workforce management tools help remote teams remain productive.
Many managers worry about their remote workers slacking off while working from home, and that’s a reasonable concern. However, studies show that people tend to be more productive when working from home. Furthermore, contact center software comes with workforce management tools that enable managers to monitor agent productivity using data analytics.
A lot of companies have switched to remote operations in recent years, and it appears to be growing increasingly popular as more companies realize its potential to increase agent productivity and lower costs. Using the right remote call center software can help your sales team and support team achieve more than you ever thought possible and from the comfort of their own homes. The business world is rapidly changing, and only the companies that are versatile enough to evolve with the times have a shot at surviving. Remote work saves money and improves employee satisfaction. The low turnover rates that remote working companies experience are the proof. So, maybe it’s best to tell your team members to stay at home today.
