Upload
vipdesk
View
728
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The Value Proposition of Home Agents-What Does It Mean For Your Business? Sally Hurley: President and CEO, VIPdesk Michele Rowan: President and CEO, Customer Contact Strategies LLC The home-agent model Cost reductions Critical success factors Risks and contingencies Cost benefits of scaling an at-home strategy Building your strategic analysis and operationalizing your plan Developing an effective pilot program Technology: data transfer, call routing and other best practices Why adopt our culture? The power of the people Profile and preferences of at-home agents Recruiting, training and managing the best. Hiring best practices
Citation preview
Confidential- Proprietary VIPdesk Information 1
Cover Slide
The Value Proposition of Home Agents-What Does It Mean
For Your Business?
VIPdesk Webinar Series March 3, 2010
View The Webinar
Presented by:Sally Hurley: President, VIPdesk
Michele Rowan: President and CEO, Customer Contact Strategies, LLC
Confidential & Proprietary VIPdesk Information 2
Agenda
• The home-agent model● Cost reductions● Critical success factors● Risks and contingencies
• Cost benefits of scaling an at-home strategy
• Building your strategic analysis and operationalizing your plan
• Developing an effective pilot program • Technology: data transfer, call routing
and other best practices • Why adopt our culture?• The power of the people
● Profile and preferences of at-home agents● Recruiting, training and managing the
best. ● Hiring best practices
Confidential & Proprietary VIPdesk Information 3
About Today’s Presenters
• 20+ years experience delivering premium customer service
• Passion for 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
• Former President of Entrepreneurs Organization in D.C.
Sally HurleyPresident, VIPdesk
Confidential & Proprietary VIPdesk Information 4
About Today’s Presenters
Michele RowanPresident and CEO Customer Contact Strategies, LLC
• 12 years with Hilton Hotels Corporation as Vice President – Performance Management
• Both US and International Experience
• Designed European At-Home Program
• Led US expansion from 200 to 1000+ agents
• Consultant, Speaker and Author ‘Go Home’
Growth of At-Home Agent Model
CBRE Survey Results
Size of At-Home Agent Pool Today
55% < 100 agents
29% 100-500 agents
13% 500-1500 agents
3.2% 1500-3000 agents
Percentage of Agent Population At-Home
58% < 10%
16% 10-15%
9.75% 16-25%
6% 26-35%
9.7% > 35%
Participants: Healthcare, Financial, Hospitality/travel, BPO 65% utilizing home agents today 42% of those not utilizing WAHA are considering implementation w/in 2 yrs
Why Hilton Hotels Scaled the At-Home Agent Model
Attract & retain best talent
Cost reductions – the bonus!
Cost Benefits of Scaled At-Home 8
Source: WestAtHome.com, 2009* Results based on 92% agent efficiency, ultilization of 75%., revenue per sale of $55
At-Home Agents
US-based Brick & Mortar Agents
Near-Shore Brick &
Mortar Agents
Offshore Brick &
Mortar Agents
Price $23.00 $27.00 $18.00 $13.50
Calls per Hour 10.8 11.8 12.4 10.8
AHT (in seconds) 230 210 200 230
Sales Conversions 30% 23% 15% 23%
Cost per Call $2.13 $2.29 $1.45 $1.25
Revenue per Hour $178.20 $149.27 $102.30 $136.62
Return on Investment* $155.20 $122.27 $84.30 $123.12
Cost Reduction Strategies
Cost Center Common Variable
Facilities and energy • Reduce facilities and energy cost
Reduced base wage • 20% lower for new starts• 10% lower for in-house transfers
Reduced training wage • Additional 15-20% for new hiretraining period
Reduced new hire training budget • Virtual training < 25%
Reduced trainer overhead • Trainers un-tethered from singlenew hire classes
Shift equipment ownership • Employee owns PC, headset, phone
Shift mix from full time to part-time • Eliminate insurance costs
Work force management • Improved scheduling efficiency with increased PT work force
ACD upgrades and maintenance • Move to hosted solution SaaS
Call/screen recording and pushed recurrent training
• Move to hosted solution for one or both
Sample Risks and Contingencies for Strategic PlanningRiskFactor Impact Contingencies
Risk Level
1. Turnover – Part time evening employees could be less loyal than Part time day and/or Full time employees (driven from desire for temporary -only added income)
• Forecasted turnover benefit is depleted• Recruitment and labor costs exceed targets
• Accelerate plan to hire PT day WFH agents
Medium-High
2. Virtual training is poorly assembled and/or delivered –Mediocre or poor transfer of new hire training from classroom to virtual
• Training retention rate suffers• After training performance thresholds diminish
• Thorough benchmarking with successful long distance companies• Leverage established internal distance learning resources
Low
3. Brand and social connection weakens as a result of long distance relationship
• Turnover and related costs rise• Performance thresholds diminish
• Execute more robust, readied plan of connection and social activities• Reduce supervisor to agent ratio
Low-Medium
4. Technology limitations materiallydisrupt connectivity for certain agents and/or in specific markets
• Negative impact to service levels and revenue
• Research high speed internet availability in major markets where we plan to hire agents• Establish minimum standards for PC and internet speed, type of service and test prior to live working
Medium
5. Legal environment – new legislation may create obstacles or inefficiencies in the areas of security, home working environment or payroll
• Potential for increased costs, delayed start-up of agents on line• Others unknown at this time
• Develop contingency plan for delayed/depleted home working volume to be redeployed• Closely monitor federal and state legislation in employment, compensation and technology arenas
Low
Key Drivers of Effective Scaling
Technology
People
Process
VoiceData
Capital Expenditures
Demographics 12
Average Age: 23 30% have some
college-level experience
Average Age: 38+ 80% college-level experience 40% management
experience 30% bilingual Stay-at-home
parents Military spouses Retirees Disabled
Source: Frost & Sullivan
Traditional Brick and MortarAgents
At-Home Agents
Attributes & Preferences ofAt-Home Agents
- Independent- Problem-solver- Mature- Engaging- High technology aptitude- Less social interaction and touch- Share experiences
- Collaborate on work schedule
Why Adapt our Culture?
At-Home AgentAttribute/Preference Impact to Organization
IndependentProblem solverMature
CommunicateTrainCoach
Very effective at engagement Less emphasis
High tech aptitude Different training (less)
Less social interaction Reduced one-to-one time
Share experiences Restructured development
Collaborate on work schedule Re-engineer WFM
What About Hiring?
1. Fish where the fish are - on line!
2. Phone interviews – job modeling
3. Engage problem-solving and navigational skills in pre-work
3. Look for experience working independently; social interaction
4. Use your existing selection tools, assuming they are effective
Building an Effective Pilot
1. Reasonable sample size – minimum 5-10%
2. Mix of high, average, low performing for in-house agents (2/3)
3. Minimum one-third new hires and send home after training/nesting
4. New hires should meet your new profile expectations (i.e. part-time)
5. Established KPIs with frequent, systematic measurement & reporting
6. Trained and focused supervisors with intent to succeed
7. Clear, defined expectations for at-home agents (in writing and signed)
At-Home Impact on theCustomer Experience
Better at selling.
Better at educating and informing.
Better at engaging our customers.
“Satisfaction without engagement? Worthless. Satisfaction with engagement? Priceless.”
Gallup Organization
Questions?
Upcoming Workshops
Confidential & Proprietary VIPdesk Information 21
Upcoming VIPdesk Webinars
• March 23: Social Media and Customer Service: The Tools to Use and Best Practices
For more information or to register for the VIPdesk Webinar series, visit
www.vipdesk.com.
Confidential & Proprietary VIPdesk Information 22
Find Us Online
Website: http://www.vipdesk.com
Blog: http://blog.vipdesk.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/vipdesk
Facebook: http://facebook.com/vipdesk
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/companies/vipdesk
YouTube: http://youtube.com/user/vipdesk
Via RSS: http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/23095083.rss
Confidential & Proprietary VIPdesk Information 23
Thank You for Attending!
Sally HurleyPresident
[email protected](703) 837-3518
Michele RowanPresident and CEO
Customer Contact Strategies, [email protected]
972-510-8591