In recent weeks, the need for call center agents to work remotely has become a necessity. While these contingency plans are put in place to safeguard the agents’ health and wellbeing, it’s only natural to also think about what the impact will be for both your own team and for your customers. There are some advantages to working remotely though, and also ways that InGenius Connector Enterprise can be used that will help address any hesitancies that remain for implementing a remote work policy.
Advantages of working remotely
Improved work-life balance
Removing the need for your agents to commute to a centralized location gives them back their commute time. This time they previously spent in transit can be turned back into time spent with loved ones or hobbies and interests, which goes a long way to improving the morale of your agents. This has been shown to positively impact performance at work.
Comfortable environment
Working from home also allows for a more relaxed environment for the agent to work in. They can dress more casually than when in the office, and have more privacy to complete their tasks without distraction or perceived scrutiny from coworkers or supervisors. Though every agent is unique, some agents will feel more confident in their interactions with your customers, leading to better discussions and overall improved interactions.
Using InGenius to overcome concerns
Call center leaders may not be jumping for joy at the thought of managing a remote workforce for a variety of reasons, including an increase in the difficulty of effectively managing their teams. If you’re not used to remote work, it’s undoubtedly an adjustment for all involved. However, for some call centers, there are ways that InGenius can help negate these concerns.
Ways to measure productivity and efficiency
InGenius software captures real-time data directly into the CRM, so supervisors will still have visibility into their agents’ work performance with the following data metrics captured on most InGenius monitored calls:
Agent call volume
Once an agent logs a completed call, the call task activity or log can be tallied through CRM reporting to give a quick view into how many calls an agent has completed.
Agent talk time
The duration of calls is captured by InGenius and saved in the call log or activity. CRM admins can use their expertise to help supervisors drill down on average talk time and total time for improved monitoring.
CRM reports
With the expertise of your CRM admin, reports can be created so supervisors can cross-reference call counts and call volume by time of day. This enables a better understanding of customer requirements and ensures the contact center is staffed appropriately for any ebb and flow of demand. Right now, it’s important to note that call volume and topics may not be typical, thanks to everyone adjusting their daily regimes to accommodate the current global situation.
Ways to measure quality
Successful call centers don’t rely solely on being able to complete a high volume of calls, but also on the quality – accurately addressing each customer’s needs. InGenius is equipped with various features that can help supervisors understand what calls are coming in, and what resolutions are provided.
Call results
Categorizing why the customer called is imperative to see how the agent resolved the matter, but also to help provide additional insight to customer trends. By giving agents the tools to easily create call results, they are equipped to provide an accurate account of the call that can be used in a CRM-driven report.
Related objects
The ability to categorize any followup actions or created objects to assist in the customers’ inquiry is key. Simply looking at the call task or call log provides the high-level overview of the call, but a deeper dive into created work items, like cases, will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the call driver and the quality of the agent’s response.
Other quality assurance software options
Since becoming part of the broader Upland Software family, Upland InGenius can also provide additional ways to deliver resources and monitor the quality of your agents’ calls.
Knowledge management from RightAnswers
Working remotely can pose some difficulties in accessing available resources. Using RightAnswers, agents are equipped to pull the appropriate knowledge-based articles or support resources directly into the CRM window. With this information at their fingertips, agents are better equipped to answer your customers’ inquiries efficiently and accurately.
Post-call surveys from Rant & Rave
There is no better way to measure quality than through direct customer feedback. Rant & Rave sends out automated post-call surveys, then uses sentiment analysis to provide relevant feedback directly into the CRM for management to review.
How can InGenius help?
We understand that making plans to move to a remote work environment may require some technical resources. Your IT team is likely working hard to get these contingency items in place and you may be experiencing some upheaval. If your team needs clarification on whether your agents can take advantage of InGenius remotely, please reach out to our Customer Care team at ingenius_support@uple25.wpengine.com.
If you’re already using InGenius software through remote environments and wish to learn more about reporting, feel free to reach out to your Customer Success contact or email ingenius_customersuccess@uple25.wpengine.com. Our team would be happy to help your CRM admin develop the reports you need. The efforts of building out a reporting structure now will help manage remote workers, but will still be beneficial once the team returns to the centralized call center.
Working remotely is new for many contact centers and companies, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. The Upland InGenius team is here to help out in every way we can to help you continue to provide efficient and reliable contact center performance.