How to Make the Work From Home Transition While Maintaining Efficiency

Working from home has become the new norm for many people throughout the entire world. For those who have never done it before, it can be quite a change in the daily schedule and take some getting used to. 

While agents are working remotely, the environment around their office space may change, but the communication and the way they handle clients should remain consistent with how they work while in an office. 

When COVID-19 started its spread throughout the world in 2020, businesses were forced to send their employees to work from home. For organizations already using cloud-based software, moving agents to a work-from-home role was seamless and easy. 

The Future Working Remotely

Call centers and their agents have ended up enjoying the transition so much over the course of the last year that many businesses have already decided that their employees will continue to work from home or in a hybrid role — even after the pandemic is over.

Learning that agent performance and output can remain high while working in the comfort of their own home and the thought of only having to walk across the hall from where you sleep to begin the workday is intriguing. However, it has its list of both pros and cons for agents and businesses:

Pros:

• Enjoy a comfortable working environment.
• Eliminate the commute to work, saving time spent driving.
• Save money on gas and reduce spending on eating out, shopping, etc.

Cons:

• It can be hard to separate work life with personal life.
• Communication between agents and managers is completely virtual.
• Distractions around the house might detract from work.
• Easy to get complacent when no one is around.

Only Possible Thanks to the Cloud

Working remotely is only possible with cloud-based software and technology, which is where TCN comes in! Agents can plug-in and go to work from anywhere they would like as long as they have an internet connection and a device that can support the software. It is important to make sure each agent is equipped with everything they need to succeed in their role while working from home. The days of storing expensive equipment in office closets are over, and it’s all thanks to cloud-based solutions.

TCN’s reporting and other innovative features allow managers and supervisors to track calls, agent productivity and ensure that the company and conversations between agents and clients continue to stay at a professional level — no matter where agents are working.

Seeing that managing remote agents can have its difficulties, it is important to establish expectations with each agent and make sure the communication is natural and frequent. Agents need to take special precautions to make sure there are no distractions in the house while they are working and having conversations with clients. Problems or issues could potentially arise if clients can hear that the agent is working from home. To ensure your agents are ready to transition from an office environment to working from home, check out TCN’s Checklist for Using At-Home Agents In Your Call Center.

Request a demo to learn more about your options and how TCN call center software can help your agents work from home efficiently.