What Is a Distributed Call Center?

By Wayne Scaggs

October 2008

What is a distributed call center?  The answer is, it depends.

One definition is a call center with multiple offices.  Or perhaps it is a call center with multiple systems.  An alternate definition could be a call center with distributed agents who are located all around the city, country, or world.  Does outsourcing qualify as a distributed call center, even though the agents are only servicing your local customer base?  When you share a large account with other call centers, it sounds like yet another definition of a distributed environment.  Lastly, distributed can mean multiple locations that look and act like one center.

The label "distributed call center" is beginning to have the same difficulties as answering service, call center, and contact center have had.  Which type of center are you?  Again, it depends.  What works for you?  Many successful businesses have defined themselves with any one of these titles.  You are what you think you are. 

Whatever your definition of a distributed call center, the underlying objective is to bring all available resources together for a common goal.

Wayne Scaggs is president of Alston Tascom, Inc., which offers an end-to-end contact center solution using digital telephony.  Contact Alston Tascom at 909-548-7300 or info@alstontascom.com.