The Future of Staffing

By Peter DeHaan

November 28, 2007

In the prior issue of eConnections, I expanded upon the second of six observations from the 2007 ATA Convention & Expo.  In this issue, I will cover the third item: the future of staffing.  However, first, let's recap all six points:

1.      Outbound is dead.

2.      Expect additional regulations regarding all contact methods.

3.      Plan for increased agent scarcity.

4.      Offshoring is inevitable.

5.      Computer agents are coming.

6.      There is a tremendous opportunity.

It is no news to anyone in the call center industry that there is an increased scarcity of qualified and willing agents to process calls and perform other communication tasks.  This is primarily because the demographic group that has historically staffed our call centers is shrinking.  In most circumstances, call center agent positions are viewed as entry-level, and, therefore, the most probable workers are those with little work history or practical experience - specifically, recent high school or college graduates.  As birth rates in the United States decline due to couples delaying procreation, desiring fewer children than prior generations, or opting to not have children, the number of people in the U.S. who comprise this 18 to 22 age group has been steadily declining.

Compounding this issue is that those in this group, the Millennial Generation, increasingly do not want to work in call centers.  This was poignantly brought to our attention when one convention keynote asked, "How many of your children want to work in call centers?"  A hush fell over the room and nary a hand was raised.  Decidedly, the hiring pain that we feel now is only going to increase.

In order to address this, we must seek to increase our labor pool - as opposed to lowering our staffing standards.  One such strategy is to open "branch" locations in geographic areas where are qualified people seeking jobs.  This could be a short-term advantage, as economic conditions in this alternate location could change, thereby decreasing the availability of qualified and willing workers.  However, having two labor markets to hire from is preferable to only one, and having multiple labor markets to draw from is ideal.

A second, more flexible, approach is to embrace home-based agents.  There are many advantages to hiring home-based agents, including finding higher qualified staff, benefiting from greater scheduling flexibility, and enjoying increased agent loyalty, hence decreasing turnover.  Both the ancillary location and home-based options are now technically viable using VoIP technology; the only issue is that different management skill-sets are required to manage a dispersed workforce. 

The third idea is to target the opposite end of the demographic spectrum.  As the baby boom generation begins to retire, some (perhaps many) will realize that they can't afford to do so.  They will need part-time employment in order to supplement their social security checks and whatever retirement funds they have amassed.  The call center might be an ideal place for them since it contains few physical expectations and offers flexible hours and schedules.  Although generalizations should be carefully considered and cautiously contemplated, hiring seniors may require changes in management style, agent training, and staff supervision.  While increased training time and decreased productivity may be warranted, the tradeoff might be increased work ethic, greater agent loyalty, improved quality, and the need for less supervisory oversight. 

Now is the time to consider and implement these staffing options - before it is too late.