Home Based Agents –

New Possibilities

Christian Hultén, Transcom

Outstanding

Customer

Experience17 April 2013

Transcom in brief

• 30,000 employees in 27 countries

• 70 contact centers, onshore, off-shore and near shore

• Services in 33 different languages

• 400+ Clients

• Customer care, technical support, sales and credit management services

The number of Home Based Agents is increasing rapidly and is expected to grow significantly faster than contact center-based agents in the next few years

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

2011–15 CAGR = 18%

Global outsourced home-based agent growth*,

2011–2015*

* Total agents working exclusively from home for 20 or more hours per week

Source: Ovum

• Well established in USA and

Canada

• Customer care more common but

technical support is increasing

• Support by phone more common

than other contact channels

• BPO companies are increasing

their share of Home Based Agents

• 15% lower cost can be anticipated

• Not considered a threat to off-

shoring

Reasons why the use of home based agents is increasing and will continue to do so in the future

High quality/customer satisfaction

Cost efficiency

Flexibility

High resilience to disruption

Excellent recruitment potential

Lower absenteeism and better staff retention

Transcom’s home-based agents in Sweden

• Ongoing projects since 2009

• 200 home-based agents (and growing) – all

Nordic languages

• Technical support and sales

• Age between 20 and 60

•Average age higher than in traditional contact

centers

• COPC certification during 2013

• Speech analytics

• RECRUITMENT: How do we find,

evaluate and communicate with

potential candidates without actually

meeting them?

• TRAINING: How do we train and

assess agents that are spread across

Sweden?

• MANAGEMENT: How do we follow

up on agents, analyze calls, coach

and motivate?

• Partnership with staffing agencies

• Video interviews

•Personality assessment and focus on working-at-

home profile

• Virtual training tool

• Series of continuous tests

•Group education with the option of a “break-out”

room

•Trainee period with continuous support

• Co-listening on calls and screen capturing

• Coaching via chat and web camera

• Focus on social skills

• Virtual team meetings and activities

Operational challenges and Transcom’s solutions

Summary of the home based concept

7

Success factors

• Innovative virtual technical solution

• Clear recruitment profile

• ”Online community” enabling

communication and exchange of

best practice between home-

based agents

• High degree of visual contact and

involvement by management and

coaches

• Hub of Excellence

• Corporate culture open to new

ideas

Conclusions

• Good way of securing talent

regardless of geographical

location

• Drives customer satisfaction

• More cost efficient for both client

and supplier

• No limitation with regards to type

of services supported

• An increasing trend, however

there are limitations

• Good, but not for everyone

With regards to working out of my own home,

the experience is positive. It’s more relaxed

and there are no disturbances. On top of that

it’s also nice not having to travel to work,

especially today when there is a snow storm

outside.

Inger Karlsson, Härnösand

Thanks!

christian.hulten@transcom.com

OUTSTANDING

CUSTOMER

EXPERIENCE

”

”

”

Saving two hours of travel time every day made a

big change in my personal life. The benefit of

working at home gives me more flexibility and a

better balance between work and time with my

family. Now I’m able to pick the kids up from

kindergarten now and then. It’s also better

financially.

Senad Porobic, Västerås

”