Go Big and Go Home (Work-at-Home Case Study)

UNPRECEDENTED TIMEFRAMES. UNREAL CIRCUMSTANCES. UNMATCHED RESULTS.

Alorica has provided work-at-home (WAH) solutions for more than 17 years. So when COVID-19 struck, and a leading telecommunications provider made the decision to shift 100% of their workforce to a virtual model, this wasn’t our first WAH rodeo. Far from it. In this instance, we were already overseeing a small but highly-capable work-at-home team for the client. The programs we had established and the practices already implemented would prove enormously valuable, as we worked to migrate the client’s entire program (thousands of agents) to a work-at-home environment—in only a few weeks. The outcome was transformative—and has positioned us for greater flexibility in the future. But we’ll get to all that.

THE RESULTS

• Attrition for work-at-home agents was 15% lower than brick-and-mortar (B&M) agents in the same program
• Customers rated their experiences 7% higher with WAH agents as compared to B&M employees
• AHT was an average 34 points lower for WAH agents than B&M
• Contact Resolution was rated 3% higher in WAH agents

THE CHALLENGE

Experience when it mattered most.  

Prior to COVID-19, all agents were required to meet rigorous requirements for the program—including working in a brick-and-mortar setting for at least 90 days and meeting or exceeding Key Performance Indicator (KPI) metrics; this helped ensure that agents working at home would be able to handle the rigors of the role and adapt to 100% virtual onboarding, training and production support. When federal and state mandates necessitated a total migration to a work-at-home customer experience outsourcing model, the client already had a strong blueprint in place. With documented success in the existing WAH agent group, our client was well-positioned when the decision was made to shift all employees to work-at-home. Still, moving that many agents in such a short timeframe—and against the backdrop of COVID-19—was no small order

THE SOLUTION

Best practices for a best-in-class result.  

Time was of the essence, and we had none to lose. Fortunately, our experienced work-at-home workforce helped the brick-and-mortar team get up and running quickly and efficiently.  

Existing best practices were deployed to the newly-transitioned agents, and as they adjusted to their new at-home environment, we closed the performance gap and established effective routines for both agents and leadership. These routines were grounded in a continued commitment to rigorous security and compliance standards, two-way virtual agent communication, collaboration and top-notch leadership support—and were a vital component of previous and ongoing success.

THE OUTCOME

Leveraging the past and looking to the future.  

Several months into the new normal, the client’s work-at-home teams consistently outperform their legacy B&M counterparts in key metrics. Today, as regulations slowly allow employees to return on-site, a hub-and-spoke model is being used; agents are acquiring skills in a B&M environment, before ‘graduating’ to WAH when and if circumstances dictate In fact, our success with the program has earned us a best-in-class reputation—against which now benchmark agent performance.  

It’s an unpredictable world out there—and preparedness and confidence in a solution goes a long way.

ABOUT ALORICA

Alorica is a global leader in customer experience solutions. We are made up of 100,000 passionate problem solvers who make lives better through positive customer interactions—at every touchpoint—across voice, chat and social. Leveraging innovative technologies—including intelligent automation and a comprehensive analytics suite— we support the world’s most respected brands with the best talent and resources necessary to create insanely great experiences. Alorica provides a host of world-class services—from customer care to financial solutions and digital services—to clients across industries of all kinds, many of whom are on the Fortune 500. Alorica contact centers and operation hubs span the globe with locations in 14 countries. To learn more, visit www.alorica.com.