Q&A: Remote Call Center Management

Leading a Mobile Workforce

Updated: June 22, 2016

business manQ: I know that working from home is becoming very popular, especially when it comes to call centers. I am intrigued by the cost effectiveness of a virtual call center, but I'm hesitant to let my employees work from home. Is there software available that allows me to monitor my employees' effectiveness even when they're not on-site?

A: Thank you very much for your question! Hiring and managing remote employees, particularly in the call center environment, is undoubtedly a growing trend in both online and offline businesses. You’ve astutely recognized that embracing a mobile workforce model can provide key benefits to your business, but it is also wise to consider how allowing your employees to work from home will impact their productivity and your profitability.

There are many benefits to embracing a mobile workforce model in your business, such as:

  • Increased employee productivity and business profitability
  • Expanded talent pool of resources
  • Convenience and flexibility

Fortunately, the rise of work from home positions has led to advancements in technology that help companies monitor, track, and position remote employees for productivity and success.

VoIP and ERP

The most important systems and tools you’ll need to consider for successfully managing a remote call center are a Voice Over IP (VoIP) phone system and an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. 

VoIP phone systems are ideal for businesses with remote employees because they support mobile access to your phone system as well as all the advanced call features your employees may need. A VoIP system makes it easy to connect a team of virtual employees, and manage them all on one phone system while giving them individual access no matter their location.

ERP software is designed to enable productivity and success for remote employees and give managers and business owners tools for managing, tracking, and monitoring their mobile workforce.

ERP software typically includes the following tools and resources for your remote business success:

  • Customizable modules to track employee hours and productivity
  • Security controls giving employees access to only the company information they need to perform their job
  • Cloud-based options for simple remote access and use

If you have key performance measures and milestones that you need to measure for remote employees, you can also consider Business Intelligence (BI) software. This software allows you to create and measure employee performance milestones with robust tracking, reporting, and alerts.

Things to Keep in Mind as a Remote Manager

Employee tracking technology offers tremendous potential to your business as you consider switching to a remote workforce. However, as a remote manager you’ll need to be able to rely on your human resources and your management skills as well.

Keep these important tips in mind for optimal success:

  • Educate yourself on successful remote leadership tactics, and customize them to your business and employees as you grow together.
  • Carefully consider your business structure, and only create remote positions that will benefit your business.
  • Not everyone can excel by working from home. Analyze an employee’s strengths and weaknesses before deciding if a remote environment will benefit you both.
  • Maintain excellent, regular communication with remote employees and hold them accountable to their schedules, goals, and performance.

We hope this is helpful, and wish you tremendous success as you consider using a mobile workforce. For more tips and insight into remote business tools, check out our Remote Worker Toolkit.

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