Although each office doesn't have its own door, agents still appreciate working within their own private spaces. It conveys the message to them that they're important, that we're willing to give them some privacy, she says. It helps when you're on the phone all day. After agents gain experience, they can assist other departments within SmithKline Beecham. We try and create special projects or opportunities to participate in cross-functional teams, she says.
Agents can work with marketing groups or sales teams to learn more about how the business operates.
Garvey says that varying agents' duties by encouraging them to work outside of the center helps her to keep turnover rates low. She adds that only two agents can be off the phone at a given time so as not to affect the call center's average speed of answer and average wait times. Garvey says that since August 1999, SmithKline Beecham has relied on ICT Group, a service bureau based in Langhorne, PA, to answer customers' most basic questions, such as inquiries about where they can purchase specific products. She recalls when SmithKline Beecham first decided to consider working with an outsourcer. Things started to get hairy around 1996, she says.