In the realm of the call center industry, standard brick and mortar call centers are no longer the only option when implementing a strategy for customer interactions. With the proliferation of cloud computing and virtual technologies, a number of companies are turning to a virtual call center environment. While both traditional and virtual call centers have the same end goal in mind, here you will find four measureable benefits of the virtual call center solution.

Cost Savings

One of the biggest costs to any organization is the call center. When the center is hosted on-site, the organization must provide the real estate, equipment and facilities to support the desired number of call center agents to drive key initiatives. The overhead alone can ensure you cannot compete in a number of markets. On-premise facilities also tend to demand on-premise software solutions, which require significant capital investments up-front.

The virtual call center solution allows for the implementation of virtual platforms to support agents located around the world. Agents can work from home or in low-cost branches established according to geographic requirements. With the available hosted software solutions, you can select only those tools needed to support a virtual staff, saving considerable cost in software licensing.

Labor Pool

The traditional call center for years has relied on the available labor talent within a specific geographic area around the center. This limited the center and required significant training to take place in order to meet the skills and capabilities demanded within the call center. When agents are hired according to availability and background instead of capability and desire, attrition tends to be higher. As turnover costs eat into profits, the call center can become a bleeding resource.

The virtual call center solution allows the hiring supervisor to span across wide geographies to find the right candidates with the right background, skill and education to fulfill roles within the center. As the virtual call center solution does not need the substantial overhead demanded within the brick and mortar environment, the agent can be compensated according to experience and supported at all hours through virtual networks. Such an approach drives employee satisfaction to keep attrition low and cost of hiring at a manageable figure.

Competitive Advantage

Traditional, on-site call centers are easily limited in their ability to serve customers based on the established operating hours. A center operating on a 9-5 schedule on the East Coast cannot easily accommodate customer issues for those on the West Coast. The limited hours hinders the call center’s ability to extend its reach and meet specific key performance initiatives.

The virtual call center solution allows for agents to be available literally around the clock. The inherent design of the virtual center allows agents to work anywhere in the world, while serving the end customer with the same service initiatives. In today’s market, customers are easily discouraged with poor customer service. When a company or one of its representatives is not easily available, the customer perceives this as poor service and will quickly make the switch to the provider that is available when he needs them.

Improved Productivity

One of the reasons the virtual call center solution has rapidly increased in adoption rates is the simple fact that this type of environment has been proven to be more productive. In a 2007 Aberdeen study, Best in Class companies that moved to a virtual call center solution experienced increases in efficiency in overall operations. When agents are allowed to work in a more comfortable environment – such as their home office – and are allowed to work independently, they take a professional approach to the job and deliver on expectations.

The move to a virtual call center can deliver significant benefits to the organization and its customer base, including cost savings, access to a more qualified labor pool, competitive advantage, and improved productivity. And, while the end goal is the same, the method of achieving this goal is greatly enhanced with the virtual call center solution.