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Recruiting, Managing and Training Remote Customer Service Agents Sally Hurley, President VIPdesk The essentials of training and managing home-based team members including Recruiting of home-based agents and employees How to build a curriculum for remote learning The tools and technology necessary to deliver virtual learning Keys to managing a virtual team The tools, team structure, and culture to support a home-based team VIPdesk’s lessons learned
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Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information1
Cover Slide
Recruiting, Managing and Training Remote Customer Service Agents
Sally HurleyPresident, VIPdesk
Thank you for joining us today, the Webinar presentation will start shortly.
To access the audio portion of the presentation, turn on your computer speakers, or call (605) 475-4875 (passcode : 406291#)
VIPdesk324 N. Fairfax StreetAlexandria, VA 22314
(703) [email protected]
June 2, 2009
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information2
About Today’s Session
The essentials of training and managing home-based team members including:
• Recruiting of home-based agents and employees
• How to build a curriculum for remote learning
• The tools and technology necessary to deliver virtual learning
• Keys to managing a virtual team
• The tools, team structure, and culture to support a home-based team
• VIPdesk’s lessons learned
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information3
Sally HurleyPresident, VIPdesk
• 20+ years experience delivering premium customer service; 10 years home-based model
• Has a passion for the customer experience
• Committed to building a culture that supports work-life balance
• Proud to be a green company- supporting thousands of individuals that work from home across North America
• Current President of EO (The Entrepreneurs Organization) - DC
• Contact info: [email protected] or 703-837-3518
About Today’s Presenter
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information4
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
More Information
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information5
VIPdesk is the leading provider of virtual contact center solutions for national brand leaders, providing premium customer experiences through our home-based Brand Ambassadors ™ and Concierges.
Changing Business. Changing Lives.
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information6
About VIPdesk
• Pioneer of home-based model – founded in 1997
• Remote infrastructure supports over 40 clients
• Team members located across North America
• 21 years of experience providing high-quality customer care; 8 years providing virtual services
• Proprietary technology, organization, processes, and culture
• Recognized expertise for servicing complex, intuitive customer contacts
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information7
Inbound and outbound customer
service
Customer loyalty & personalized
Concierge Services
• Premium customer care• Sales: cross-sell/up-sell• Order processing• Surveys• Peak volume
management• Customer profile
enrollment• Email/chat services
• Dining reservations, entertainment tickets, trip planning, etc.
• Event management• Travel and tourism –
complete travel agency capabilities
• Experiential packages• Special offers and
discounts
Home-based Services
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information8
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
More Information
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information9
Growth in Home-Based Call Centers
Off-shoring/centralized produced mixed results due to:
Unrealized cost savingsHigh turnover and training costsLower productivity, lower skilled workersCultural/language barriersLimited local recruiting pools
Virtual contact centers remedy all shortfalls – with verycompelling economics!
Additional benefitsHigher skilled workforce“On-demand” capabilityEco-friendly – “Going green”Access to unlimited global labor pool
130,125151,200
198,240
266,130
305,026
333,100
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
U.S
. Hom
e Ba
sed
Agen
ts
U.S. Home-Based Agents (000s)
U.S. Home-Based Revenue ($B)
CAGR – 21%
CAGR – 21%
$3.3$3.8
$5.0
$6.7
$7.6$8.3
$0
$2
$4
$6
$8
$10
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
U.S
. Hom
e B
ased
Rev
enue
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information10
Brands with Home-based Team Members
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information11
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
More Information
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information12
Advantages of Work-at-Home Positions
Work/Life Balance Incentives/Benefits
• Flexible scheduling
• Ability to work off-hours, split-shifts
• Part-time work - maintain professional experience
• Comfort of working from home
• Ability to live where desired vs. location of job
• Maintain lifestyle beyond profession
• Increased job satisfaction
• Supplement household income
• Pay for performance -rewarded for results
• Elimination of commute
• Reduced expenditures -wardrobe, meals, etc.
• Get paid for doing work on behalf of favorite brands
Compelling Advantages for Team Members
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Unlimited Recruiting
Pass Basic Qualifications: 24%
Pass Client Specific Qualifications: 59%
Pass Hardware/Software Requirements: 73%
Pass Resume and Phone Screen: 83%
Pass Credit/Criminal Check: 79%
Complete Agreement and Tech Setup: 85%
Complete/PassCertification: 63%
Go Live: 95%
Ability to be Selective
Currently 1 out of 30 Candidates are selected
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1. Portal RegistrationApplicant registration and validationReview and confirmation of requirements
2. Online ScreeningBackground informationOnline assessments & technology audit
3. VIPdesk ScreeningResume & phone screening
4. Security/Background ChecksSSN verification, criminal background & credit check
5. Additional Testing & Program MatchingPersonality and aptitude Typing, writing, voice
6. System Setup & AccessAgreements, notarized affidavit, paperworkRequired systems setup, software assessmentBrand Ambassador University registration
7. CertificationLevel One: Basic customer serviceLevel Two: Tools & applicationLevel Three: Client program
Screening Process Overview
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information15
Noise-free home-office– Separate room in home with functional locking doors/windows– No background noise– Locking desk/file cabinet– Cross-cut shredder
Dedicated phone line– Analog or FiOS land line
Analog phone with corded headset– Wired Internet connection – VOIP & digital phone services currently not allowed
Computer– Processor Speed - Single Processor: 2 GHz+; Dual Core
Processor: 1 GHz+– MS Office or comparable suite – Memory - 1 GB RAM+– Web Browser - Minimum: IE 6– High Speed Internet Access - 1.5 Mbps+ DSL or Cable
Home Office Requirements
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information16
• Superb customer service skills– Excellent tone of service– Customer focused– Resourceful/able to troubleshoot challenges
• Appropriate experience to match program needs
• Sales orientation (depending on need)– Potential cross-sell/up-sell opportunities
• Quick learners; intuitive to customer needs• Upbeat - “smile in their voice” ☺
• Strong computer skills• Ability to multi-task• Effective writing skills• Ability to meet performance requirements
Successful Candidate Profile
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information17
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
More Information
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information18
Remote Learning Platform
Learning Management System (LMS)
• Class schedules and ability to register
• Learning Paths
• Curriculum Library/Searchable database of training modules
• Assessments/tests
• Self-paced modules
• Videos
• Web Conferencing• Conference calling
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information19
Training Components
1. Company/Brand Training – In-depth overview of the company history, culture, products and services.
2. Application Training – Individuals complete online, self-paced modules, which educates them on the fundamentals of the application.
3. Instructor Led Learning – Individuals learn curriculum and soft skills through instructor led role play and practice.
4. Assessments – Evaluate knowledge retention.
5. Simulated Calls/Emails/Chat – Agents handle test calls that are monitored.
6. Soft-Launch – Agents take real calls and go back to the classroom to discuss experiences.
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Remote Training Best Practices
• Dedicated teams
• Smaller classes - 1:15 Instructor to Brand Ambassador ratio
• State of the art LMS (Learning Management Tool)
• Tiered education strategy to allow for learning "checkpoints“
• Instructor-led sessions
• Self-paced modules/simulators
• Soft-skill calibration
• Software education and practice
• Incorporate video
• Extensive role-play
• Assessments and benchmarks required for passing
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information21
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information22
5 Keys to Successful Remote Management
• Organization-wide buy-in to model
• Communication mechanisms
• Clear key performance objectives
• Tools to support virtual operation
• Recognition and rewards
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Corporate Culture Considerations
• Leadership Team can also be home-based
• Home-based team requires culture of open communication
• Performance-based management approach is key
• Supply team with support – program experts
• Leadership structure must be conducive to home-based structure
• Managers must be “coaches” – providing resources, support and best practices
• Virtual recognition/awards
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information24
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
More Information
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information25
Communication Tools
Instant Communication• Secure IM• Switch capabilities - transfer/conference
Resources• Resource portal• LMS• Weekly updates• Monthly Newsletter
Methods• Weekly team web conference meetings• Weekly team calibration sessions
Results and Reports• Performance Dashboard
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Communications Switch–CIC (Interactive Intelligence)• Integrated phone, email and chat
VIPdesk Integrated Technology Platform
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Workforce Management- eWorkforce (Aspect)• Performance & multi-skill, multi-channel scheduling
• Demand forecasting
Business Intelligence (Cognos)• Agent Scorecards and Operations Dashboards
• KPI reporting and forecasting
Learning Management System (Learn.com)• Online training and certification courses through self-
paced modules and instructor-led seminars
VIPdesk Integrated Technology Platform
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information28
Recruiting Portal• VIPdesk’s recruiting and screening portal
• Automates recruiting process for home-based positions
VIPdesk Proprietary Technology Applications
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information29
Call Recording Retrieval/Listening Application• Proprietary solution to securely listen to and search for calls near-
time
Quality Grading Application• Integrated with call recording portal
• Provides capability to grade and report scores for the remote agents
VIPdesk Proprietary Technology Applications
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Reporting• VIPdesk’s custom reporting package allows the creation of reports
on any aspect of call, email, or chat data
VIPdesk Proprietary Technology Applications
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Remote Team Communications Platform• Internal chat application- V!M
• Brand Ambassador Gateway
• Data Dashboard
• VIPdesk Intranet
VIPdesk Proprietary Technology Applications
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information32
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
More Information
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information33
• The profile of the candidate - working from home is not for everyone
• Home office and computer requirements
• Smaller class size- Trainer to Student ratio
• Interactive role - play and practice sessions
• Web-based LMS - for remote training
• Technology platform - to enable easy communication
• Self-study courses - approach for some content
• Policies and procedures - reflect the needs of a home-based audience
• Communication tools
Lessons Learned
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Potential Annual Savings
Real Estate– Real estate costs * number of agents=_____________
Increased Productivity– Fewer agent hours * hourly rate=_____________
Attrition Recruiting Replacement Cost– (Recruiting time * salary) + job posting costs=______
Attrition Training Costs– (Trainers’ time * salary) + materials + licenses=_____
Fewer Managers– Number of managers * salary=___________________
Lower Salary Agents (based on locations)– Number of agents * salary difference=_____________
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information35
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
More Information
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information36
VIPdesk Client Bluefly Awarded 2008 International Service Excellence Award
• In November 2008, Bluefly was awarded the International Service Excellence Award
– Category of Business-to-Consumer Contact Center– Awards are given to organizations in all industries worldwide in
recognition of their commitment to customer service excellence
• VIPdesk has provided Bluefly’s e-mail, phone, and online chat customer support since July 2007. Results include:
– Increased total service sales by 23% year-over-year– Increased sales conversion– Reduced cost per contact 18% year-over-year– Virtually no attrition– Within 3 months:
• 87% customer satisfaction phone and e-mail• 94% customer satisfaction in chat
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information37
Clie
nt
2Clie
nt
1
Exceeded dollars/order goals through holiday season while ramping agents to double capacity
Reduce AHT by 31% over the first year of operation
Reduced shrinkage by 14% over two months
Handled 200%+ of forecasted volumes during season periods where weather impacted client’s internal center
Enabled client to consolidate in-house call centers down to one during the first year, handling 67% of peak traffic in year two
Improved email contact completion rate by 41%
Improved service levels by 60%
Reduced AHT for the client by an average of 22 seconds
Improved overall first-contact resolution
Other Client Results
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information38
VIPdesk OverviewVirtual Contact Center Industry Overview
RecruitingRemote Training
Remote Team Leadership and ManagementCommunication Tools
Lessons LearnedCase Studies
More Information
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information39
Other Resources
• “Training and Managing Home-based Customer Care Agents: Five Steps to Success” in Interactive Intelligence “Book of Answers”
• This article can be downloaded at www.vipdesk.com/info/pdf/Book_of_Answers_VIPdesk.pdf
• “The Challenge of Remote Agent Training” in Connections Magazine
• This article can be downloaded at www.connectionsmagazine.com/articles/8/025.html
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information40
More Information on VirtualCustomer Care
• VIPdesk and IDC co-authored a whitepaper on the virtual customer care market
• This whitepaper can be downloaded at www.vipdesk.com/whitepaper
• Subscribe to Virtual Voice – a monthly newsletter clipping of relevant articles covering the virtual call center space
• Industry-wide information, not just VIPdesk specific
• Subscribe via email at:[email protected]
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Questions
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Questions?
Please submit your questions now
• You can also email questions to:– [email protected] or call 703-837-3507– [email protected] or call 703.837.3518
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information 1
Website: http://www.vipdesk.com
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LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/companies/vipdesk
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/vipdesk
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