{"id":40086,"date":"2020-05-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/will-contact-centers-let-agents-work-remotely-post-covid-19\/"},"modified":"2025-03-13T06:12:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T13:12:30","slug":"will-contact-centers-let-agents-work-remotely-post-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/will-contact-centers-let-agents-work-remotely-post-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Will contact centers let agents work remotely post-COVID-19?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remote work skyrocketed in popularity over the last several years. Once a fringe idea, it\u2019s now seen as a viable alternative to old, office-based models of work that are becoming outdated. Predictions show that the growth of remote work is likely to continue with the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerating these changes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Contact centers are no strangers to remote work. According to a<\/span> study<\/span><\/a> by Nemertes Research, 59% of contact centers<\/a> around the world let at least some of their staff work from a home office pre-COVID-19. That figure now rose to 74.1% as coronavirus lockdowns forced companies to close offices and transition into virtual contact centers<\/a>. Once authorities lift these restrictions, 70.7% of businesses are likely to continue allowing agents to work from home (WFH) in some capacity.<\/span><\/p>\n

This decision comes as no surprise as there are many reasons for letting your agents work remotely. There are some challenges on that road as well. But the cloud contact center platforms<\/a> can make the transition to the WFH model seamless and ensure that your business thrives in the post-COVID-19 period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why some agents will continue to work in home offices?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Contact centers are likely to embrace remote work even more is the fact that WFH arrangements improve employees\u2019 quality of life. Agents no longer have to spend time and money on commuting. They can also take care of their family commitments, childcare, and elderly care, and even volunteer in local NGOs. <\/span>And when employees have control over their schedule and don\u2019t have to ignore their life needs because of a job, they are satisfied and will become more loyal to your company.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"More loyalty translates into reduced agent turnover. Frost & Sullivan<\/span> says<\/span><\/a> that the retention rate for at-home agents is 80% versus 25% for in-house. Agents no longer see their jobs as primarily transitory ones and a step toward better roles, but rather as a fulfilling, long-term option. As you get to keep your employees around for longer, you\u2019ll also have to spend less effort on replacing agents and training new hires.<\/span><\/p>\n

A distributed workforce also makes companies more resilient to future disasters. <\/span>Agents are scattered across different locations and can continue helping customers despite lockdowns or travel restrictions.<\/b> They also have their own computers and use cloud platforms and don\u2019t necessarily depend on the company\u2019s IT infrastructure. And even if a contact center isn\u2019t fully remote, knowing how to transition into WFH settings will enable the company to adapt quickly should any adverse event strike again.<\/span><\/p>\n

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