Blog - people will benefit from remote working?

How remote working could be the future of call centres

 
Working remotely can provide fantastic benefits for both employees and call centre owners and could help shape call centres of the future. 

What is remote working?

Remote working is where employees don’t need to be at a particular location such as an office and can work where ever they want. Most people prefer to work from home, however, you can work from anywhere such as coffee shops or even a holiday home. In most cases, remote workers need a stable internet connection and a quiet environment.

What types of people will benefit from remote working?

• Parents with young children
• People who live in rural locations
• Disabled people
• Overseas people

What will an employee need to be able to work remotely for a call centre?

Fixed Internet Connection

As the focus of a call centre is making calls the quality of voice and reliability of the call needs to be high. Therefore using a fixed internet connection over a mobile internet connection would be key. However, soon with the introduction of 5G, this might be a thing of the past (check out our previous blog on the benefits of 5G for call centres).

Laptop or Desktop PC

To access the dialler software and start making calls you will need a computer, nothing powerful as the software is based in the cloud and doesn’t rely too much on computer memory or processing power. 

Headset

The final piece of equipment a call centre employee will need will be a headset. As the employee will be making calls for large periods of time, a headset will be key. This will connect to a softphone on the computer to make calls through the dialler software. You won’t need to use a physical phone as this is often uncomfortable for larger periods of use.

How does an employee connect remotely to make calls?

The beauty of the internet now allows us to connect to software hosted in the cloud. Therefore a hosted dialler or CRM can be accessed without the need for you to be at its exact location.
All you need are log in details and you can connect. All your actions will be logged so managers can track your performance and make sure you’re working hard. If using hosted dialler software which integrates with a CRM like Primo Diallers solution, you can manage the leads easily, as you won’t need to log into your CRM.
 
The benefits to employees and call centre owners are as follows:

Benefits to Call Centre Employees

No travel expenses

Call centres are usually found on business parks so travelling to and from work can be costly. Working from home will eliminate the need for travelling. Individuals who live in remote locations and find it difficult to get to work due to cost can now take advantage of remote working.

No travel time

If you’re planning to work from home there would be no travel time. Imagine what you could achieve with an extra 1-2 hours a day. Parents who need to fit in school runs and other tasks can find working from home a huge benefit. 

Lower Stress

Working from home is proven to lower stress, no rushing around to get to and from work, extra time to relax or do exercise and less confrontation with other members of staff.

Benefits to Call Centre Owners

Attract a wider scope of applications

By advertising jobs with greater flexibility your opening your job roles up to a wider range of people. This means you could potentially find higher calibre call centre employees who might be put off from jobs which involve travelling due to cost or time.

Save costs on equipment

In most cases, users already have their own computers and headsets are not too expensive. So the outlay per call centre employee will greatly reduce. 

Save costs on office space

In most cases, as the call centre grows, more office space will be needed. However, if the majority of workers work at home then this cost will be minimal and the business can make greater profits.

Save Heating and Electricity costs

An office will need heating in the colder months and electricity needed to run the equipment. The bigger the building the higher the costs.

Disadvantages of remote call centre working

Working remotely does have some disadvantages, removing the social aspect removes the competition within the workplace. Things such as wallboards highlighting employee performance won’t have as much effect.
Face to face meetings also helps to keep on top of staff, can help with training and make sure people are happy. Remote working removes this possibility.
 
Whilst it might not benefit every call centre and some owners may prefer traditional ways of management. Allowing call centre workers to work remotely could have some great benefits to your call centre. Due to the cost savings and benefits for employees, it could shape the future of the call centre industry.
 
If you’ve tried implementing this approach, let us know, we’d love to know your feedback. If you’re looking for predictive dialler software which helps you work remotely we can help. Get in touch with us hello@primodialler.com.