What we are likely to see is a strategy that draws upon the strengths of existing distributed customer service operations. The large enterprise will remain, but in the form of multiple locations connected by a backbone of networking technology and customer service and customer routing applications that support smaller and smaller groups of agents. Also, the further an enterprise s intellectual capital is from the central enterprise, the greater the need for networking and other applications to unify, support, manage and improve remote customer service specialists. Better pay will retain smarter agents who accomplish more and enjoy their jobs. For example, consider stockbrokers.
Stockbrokers are, in a sense, call center agents with extraordinary salaries.
The fact is the largest influence on the truly distributed call center will have little to do with technology and everything to do with people. If correctly planned and managed, distributed call centers will combat agent poaching, agent churn and create employee loyalty by lessening commutes and essentially easing the impact of agents work on their personal lives. Contact centers are the proof point for the pragmatic application of technology. As computing power and networks get bigger and faster, the engagements we have with customers will get bigger and more critical. Loyalty is affected by the consistency of the customer s experience.