White PapersA Call Centre doesn't have to be based on one location these days, although the consequences of having distributed call centres isn't widely understood. This White Paper sets out the way to implement such a way of working.
WHITE PAPERJanuary 2008Implementing a Telecommuting ProgramUntitled Documentavaya.comTable of ContentsAbstract. ...............................................................................................................................1Section 1: Defining Telecommuting in the Contact Center.......................................1Section 2: Telecommuting Implementation Requirements. .......................................1Section 3: Employment Contract.................................................................................2Section 4: Recruiting......................................................................................................2Section 5: Training..........................................................................................................3Section 6: Coaching. .......................................................................................................5Section 7: Work Adherence...........................................................................................6Section 8: Business Process Authentication................................................................7Section 9: Confidentiality of Business Conduct. .........................................................8Section 10: Conclusion.....................................................................................................9Untitled Document1avaya.comAbstractNumerous.recent.articles.have.focused.on.the.advances.that.Internet.Protocol.(IP).and.voice.technologies.have.achieved.to.support.contact.center.telecommuting..However,.there.is.limited.information.on.the.human.resource,.operational,.and.security.aspects.of.the.transition.from.centralized.contact.centers.to.distributed.agents..The.absence.of.this.information.has.impeded.the.adoption.by.many.companies.of.telecommuting.within.their.customer.care.centers.This.paper.examines.the.implementation.of.telecommuting.capabilities,.from.an.operations.management.perspective..Based.on.experience.of.the.Avaya.Business.Communications.Consulting.(BCC).team,.the.paper.addresses.the.human.resource,.business.control,.and.security.components.that.need.to.be.considered.for.a.successful.introduction.of.telecommuting.in.the.contact.center.Section 1: Defining Telecommuting in the Contact CenterTelecommuting. .or.telework. .is.defined.as.the.use.of.computers.and.telecommunications.infrastructure.to.facilitate.work.in.a.location.different.from.a.centralized.contact.center.environment..It.should.be.distinguished.from.highly.mobile.workers.whose.work.requires.that.they.work.at.many.locations.For.the.purposes.of.this.paper,.we.are.focusing.on.the.establishment.of.an.effective.telecommuting.program.for.contact.center.agents.in.which.the.agent s.home.will.be.the.primary.workplace.Section 2: Telecommuting Implementation RequirementsThe.implementation.of.a.telecommuting.program.is.entirely.feasible.but.should.not.be.considered.a.simple.relocation.of.the.workplace.nor.the.implementation.of.virtualization.technologies..For.the.company.interested.in.expanding.current.operations.to.include.telecommuting,.it.requires.(at.a.minimum).verification.that.the.major.dimensions.of.the.contact.center. .technology,.business.processes,.coaching/management,.measurement,.and.scheduling. .all.fit.into.the.new.operational.environment.The.telecommuting.voice.and.technology.components.are.well.documented..Therefore,.this.paper.focuses.on.dimensions.that.are.less.visible,.namely:". The.employment.contract". Recruiting". Training". Coaching". Work.adherence". Business.process.authentication". Confidentiality.of.business.conductUntitled Document2avaya.comSection 3: Employment ContractUnlike.standard.terms.of.employment,.if.the.business.objective.is.to.have.an.employee.work.in.a.home-based.environ-ment,.provisions.of.the.employee.contract.must.be.reviewed.and.may.need.to.be.modified..The.provisions.include:". The.requirement,.if.any,.for.attendance.at.in-office.functions.such.as.training,.performance.coaching,.and.other.formal.functions.required.by.the.employer". The.requirement.that.the.employee.have.a.dedicated.home.workspace.that.is.free.from.disruption.by.household.activities.and.will.be.consistently.reserved.for.work.use". The.identification.of.the.assets.and.technology.to.be.provided.by.the.employer.and.those.that.are.to.be.provided.by.the.employee". Allowable.mechanisms.for.purchase/expense.reimbursement.for.services.such.as.telephone.and.Internet.access.as.well.as.necessary.office.supplies". The.responsibilities.of.the.employee.for.care,.retention,.and.eventual.return.of.any.property.of.the.employer". The.acceptable.practices.for.the.secure.disposal.of.company.and.client.information,.and.any.access.the.company.may.require.to.the.workplace.to.ensure.that.those.required.practices.are.being.followed". The.responsibilities.of.the.employee.for.securing.and.maintaining.confidentiality.of.customer.and.employer.information,.including.locked.storageIn.addition,.the.employment.contract.must.outline.the.responsibilities.that.the.employee.has.with.respect.to.conduct.during.working.hours,.including.ensuring.that.home.obligations.do.not.interfere.with.work.responsibilities..The.contract.must.also.specify.the.company s.right.to.ensure.that.those.obligations.are.being.met.through.tools.such.as.phantom.calling,.monitoring,.or.(under.reasonable.grounds.of.suspicion).direct.monitoring.by.keystroke,.voice.recording,.and.other.electronic.techniques..(In.this.regard,.consideration.needs.to.be.given.to.local.privacy.legislation.)The.intent.is.not.to.paint.the.home.environment.as. big.brother .for.the.employee,.but.rather.to.articulate.clearly.the.obligations.of.both.the.employer.and.the.employee.within.a.successful.working.relationship..This.minimizes.the.risk.to.the.organization.with.respect.to.confidentiality,.security,.and.stewardship.of.company.assets.while.providing.the.employee.with.an.understanding.of.acceptable.minimum.standards.of.behavior..If.both.the.employee.and.the.employer.are.aware.and.agree.to.the.mechanisms.and.controls.that.are.to.be.put.in.place.from.the.onset,.there.is.less.risk.of.a.problem.arising.later.Section 4: RecruitingWorking.from.home.brings.with.it.a.set.of.challenges.that.the.company.must.ensure.its.employees.are.willing.and.capable.of.managing.on.a.daily.basis..These.include:". A.much.more.socially.isolated.environment". A.higher.reliance.on.the.individual s.motivation.and.continuous.focus". The.ability.to.manage.co-worker.interactions.without.the.benefit.of.face-to-face.discussion". Diligence.towards.an.organized.work.environment,.necessitated.by.the.anticipated.clean.desk.policy.and.segregation.of.work.from.the.home.environment". The.ability.to.work.independently.without.continuous.direct.physical.supervisionUntitled Document3avaya.comDuring.the.recruitment.process,.these.social.dimensions.need.to.be.probed..A.number.of.psychometric.tools.that.focus.on.aptitude,.ability,.and.personality.are.available.to.support.the.evaluation.When.recruiting,.it.is.a.good.idea.to.know.the.work.schedule.you.want.applicants.to.staff,.so.that.you.can.ensure.that.the.targeted.work.schedule.will.meet.the.applicant s.availability..While.flexibility.is.required.under.specific.circumstances,.depending.on.the.labor.pool.the.center.is.recruiting.from,.it.is.not.a.good.idea.to.expect.the.home.worker.to.be.wholly.available.over.the.full.range.of.operating.hours.for.the.center..As.the.home.worker.may.be.balancing.personal.obligations,.it.is.in.each.party s.interest.to.understand.any.limitations.the.home.worker.may.have.and.how.those.limitations.will.affect.staffing.Another.important.dimension.of.the.discussion.between.employer.and.employee.is.the.measures.and.methods.implemented.for.assessing.employee.performance..This.should.include.the.employer s.monitoring.of.adherence,.contact.management.effectiveness,.and.ratio.of.non-call.related.time.to.total.logged-in.time..The.employee.needs.to.be.made.aware.that.in.the.telecommuting.environment,.elements.such.as.ring.no-answers,.unexplained.auxiliary.(non-work).time,.and.other.periods.of.non-availability.will.be.treated.as.performance.issues,.not.coaching.issues.Finally,.as.a.best.practice,.these.items.should.be.part.of.the.verbiage.in.the.employment.agreement.as.well.as.be.part.of.the.discussions.that.take.place.during.recruitment..The.more.complete.an.applicant s.understanding.of.the.position.requirements.is.prior.to.employment,.the.more.successful.the.partnership.between.employee.and.employer.is.likely.to.be.Section 5: TrainingOne.of.the.biggest.challenges.that.surfaces.with.the.telecommuter.option.is.building.and.maintaining.an.environment.that.permits.the.new.employee.to:". Absorb.the. communications.face .of.the.company". Feel.a.part.of.a.larger.team". Become.aware.of.interactions.between.the.contact.center.and.associated.departments.and.stakeholders". Integrate.the.company s.values.into.his/her.communications.with.customersWhile.new.employee.training.programs.typically.discuss.each.of.these.elements,.it.is.usually.the.initial.weeks.of.work.in.the.office.environment.that.allow.employees.to.integrate.these.aspects.of.the.work.environment.into.their.work.structure.With.the.home.worker/telecommuter,.this.integration.period.becomes.a.challenge..Three.options.are.available.to.the.organization:1..Implement.an.intern.program.in.which.the.new.employee.works.as.an.in-office.employee.for.an.introductory.period.of.time.2..Expand.the.sections.of.the.introductory.program.that.deal.with.the.cultural.and.desired.customer.experience.issues..3..Engage.a. buddy.system .with.real-time,.live.cooperation.between.an.integrated.resource.and.the.new.hire.until.there.is.a.sense.that.the.new.employee.is.independently.functional.Untitled Document4avaya.comThe.first.option.has.the.advantage.of.providing.the.employee.with.direct.in-office.experience.while.not.losing.initial.productivity.expectations..However,.it.incurs.some.of.the.costs.that.the.telecommuting.program.is.designed.to.offset.and.may.preclude.access.to.some.of.the.labor.markets.previously.identified.While.expanding.the.training.program.is.the.most.obvious.option,.it.is.also.likely.to.be.the.one.with.the.least.success..To.some.degree,.employees.will.still.not.be.integrating.the.formal.and.informal.social.infrastructure,.the.internalization.of.acceptable.styles.of.communication,.and.other.less.tangible.aspects.of.the. real .working.environment.The.third.option,.the.buddy.system,.provides.the.best.opportunity.to.integrate.the.employee.effectively.into.a.telecommuting.work.environment.but.will.result.in.resource.constraints.in.the.short.term.The.obligation.to.communicate.and.transfer.the.company s.vision.of.the.customer.experience.in.the.contact.center.to.the.new.hire.falls.to.the.company..The.initial.training.program.sets.a.long-standing.impression.of.the.value.the.company.places.on.the.customer.experience.as.well.as.on.the.capabilities.and.professionalism.of.its.employees..Curtailing.the.program.in.any.way. .e.g.,.in.quality.of.materials.used,.organization,.training.staff.capabilities,.or.transition.of.the.new.employee.into.the.contact.center.environment. .will.inevitably.backfire.and.affect.the.individual s.ability.to.function.as.an.independent,.often.isolated,.home.worker.Regardless.of.which.of.the.three.options.is.selected,.the.company.will.be.faced.with.the.challenge.of.delivering.training.content.to.a.class.that.is.geographically.distributed..Consideration.should.be.given.to.using.Web-based.multimedia.conferencing.and.direct-to-home.delivery.of.training.materials..The.training.experience.can.also.include.Webcams.until.such.time.as.live,.multi-user.video.over.Internet,.integrated.into.the.Web.conference.environment,.becomes.more.accessible..In.locations.where.new.employees.are.reasonably.co-located,.the.company.might.be.better.served.by.using.a.locally.available.conference.facility.to.conduct.training;.such.facilities.may.be.found.in.hotels,.public.libraries,.and.community.centers..When.training.for.a.new.employee.involves.a.significant.amount.of.remote.instruction,.communication.between.the.trainer.(and.subsequently,.coach).and.the.agent.will.face.the.same.challenges.that.agents.experience.with.their.customers..That.is,.there.will.be.limited.intonation.capability,.and.information.typically.obtained.through.body.language,.facial.expression,.gestures,.and.other.visual.cues.is.not.available..As.effective.communication.in.the.limited.voice-only.channel.is.compromised,.so.too.is.training.effectiveness..To.offset.this,.the.company.can.consider.investment.in.psychometric.tools.that.assess.learning.and.communication.styles.before.training.begins..The.results.can.help.the.trainer.communicate.effectively.with.the.agent,.and.subsequently.enable.the.coach.to.deliver.better.feedback.and.monitoring.quality.To.promote.the.sense.of.integration.among.new.employees,.the.company.should.consider.the.following.additions.to.the.regular.training.materials:". Contact.lists.including.new.employees,.their.buddies,.and.support.and.management.team,.with.pictures.and.personal.profiles". A.limited.number.of.pre-stamped,.pre-addressed.envelopes.to.employee.coaches.or.trainers". Simple.pre-familiarization.quizzes.and.games". Pre-populated.employee.desktops.with.welcome.e-mails,.checklists,.request.forms,.and.user.guides". Initial.requests.to.send.a. hello .e-mail.to.the.trainer,.find.the.contact.center.director.on.the.corporate.directory,.and.other.tasks". Enhanced.hotline.technical.support,.enabling.the.new.employees.to.rapidly.resolve.technology.issuesUntitled Document5avaya.comSome.organizations.believe.the.initial.startup.and.integration.is.so.critical.to.an.employee s.perception.of.the.company.that.they.have.the.whole.desk,.desktop,.and.training.materials.delivered,.installed,.and.tested.by.their.own.contractors.before.the.new.hire.officially.starts.any.training.The.initial.list.of.materials.and.resources.provides.the.new.employee.with.a.mechanism.for. playing .with.their.technical.and.communications.environment.in.a.manner.that.is.non-hostile..This.role-play.activity.increases.a.new.employee s.familiarization.with.the.environment.in.which.he/she.will.be.working.without.the.structure.of.formal.training.or.the.fear.of.doing.something.wrong.in.a.live.environment.As.the.training.program.is.developed,.the.company.should.consider.a.trial.training.program.with.current.employees.in.a.pseudo-telecommuting.environment..The.current.employee s.evaluation.of.the.effectiveness.and.weaknesses.in.the.materials.can.provide.initial.insights.into.any.necessary.refinements.After.initial.training,.the.organization.should.continue.to.build.mechanisms.into.the.training.program.for.periodically.refreshing.the.sense.of.identity.between.telecommuter.and.company..Unlike.the.office.employee.who.works.in.an.environment.that.continuously.reinforces.these.precepts,.the.telecommuter.is.much.more.isolated.and.as.a.consequence,.will.need.regular.refreshing.of.company.values..It.is.important.that.this.training.not.be.presented.as.formal.doctrine..The.intent.is.to.have.the.employee.emulate.and.embody.a.set.of.values.rather.than.simply.conform.to.the.specifications.of.a. customer.experience .policy.The.business.process,.technology.usage,.and.contact.center.procedure.training.components.need.to.be.examined.to.ensure.that.they.work.in.a.home.environment.and.are.modified.to.accommodate.differences.that.the.telecommuter.will.experience..(For.example,.if.supervisors.spend.the.majority.of.their.time.on.the.floor.supporting.staff,.accessing.those.supervisors.in.a.remote.setting.may.require.a.different.process.).Having.the.home.office.setup.completed.early.in.the.employee s.initial.training.program.will.provide.an.opportunity.for.the.employee.to.become.more.familiar.with.the.work.environment..The.training.program.may.need.to.run.several.sessions.remotely.with.the.employee.receiving.direction.while.working.in.the.home.office..As.the.training.progresses,.the.training.should.incorporate.live.calls.to.the.agent,.first.in.simulation.mode,.then.in.a.production.mode.supported.by.more.experienced.staff,.and.finally.in.an.independent,.controlled.production.environment.As.part.of.this.training.and.initiation.program,.the.organization.should.expect.to.provide.extended.technical.support.on.the.setup.and.initial.use.of.the.home.environment..In.keeping.with.the.employment.contract,.best.practice.is.to.have.the.employer.take.responsibility.for.the.delivery.and.installation.of.the.materials,.technologies,.and.connections.that.will.be.required.by.the.home.office..While.it.is.a.reasonable.expectation.that.employees.be.proficient.in.the.using.a.PC,.typing,.and.navigating.a.Windows .environment,.their.principal.skill.is.that.of.communication,.not.PC.connectivity.knowledge..By.adopting.this.method,.the.organization.can.also.verify.that.the.employee.has.an.appropriate.home.office.work.environment.Section 6: CoachingFrom.a.coaching.perspective,.the.greatest.difference.for.a.telecommuter.is.the.absence.of.face-to-face.contact.in.the.discussion.of.outcomes.and.side-by-side.support.of.difficult.calls.As.with.regular.coaching.programs,.the.initial.concurrent.monitoring.and.coaching.of.agents.should.be.more.intense.in.the.early.weeks.of.an.employee s.engagement.in.the.contact.center..At.this.point,.the.monitoring.process.should.be.visible.to.the.new.agent.and.treated.as.part.of.the.initial.training.rather.than.any.incentive.or.performance.rating.process..Of.course,.should.a.new.hire.prove.wholly.incapable.of.providing.customer.service.in.the.required.manner,.corrective.action.should.be.taken.outside.of.the.regular.performance.recognition.cycle.Untitled Document6avaya.comIn.an.office.environment,.this.early.coaching.can.be.supported.by.side-by-side.or.lab-based.monitoring..This.affords.the.coach.the.ability.to.communicate.with.the.employee.visually.and.orally.while.the.agent.is.on.the.phone..With.the.coach.being.remote.from.the.agent,.the.coach.can.use.IM-based.tools.as.an.alternate.informal,.near-concurrent.coaching.aid.Supervisors.will.need.to.deliver.coaching.feedback.by.phone.rather.than.face-to-face..To.do.this.effectively,.they.may.need.to.relearn.the.same.disciplines.they.learned.as.agents.dealing.with.customers. .understanding.communication.techniques,.the.communication.deficit.associated.with.voice-only.interactions,.and.the.communication.style.of.the.employee..To.better.prepare.coaches.for.the.delivery.of.feedback.over.the.phone,.it.is.generally.worthwhile.to.simulate.coaching.in.this.method.with.experienced.agents,.providing.coaching.in-office.but.over.the.phone..The.experienced.agent.can.then.provide.feedback.on.the.effectiveness.of.the.coaching. .ironically,.assuming.the.role.of.coach.in.this.simulated.environment.Background.noise.needs.to.be.added.as.a.specific.addition.to.the.coaching.feedback.evaluation..(In.truth,.ambient.noise.levels.should.be.considered.in.all.coaching.reviews,.not.as.a.characterization.of.the.agent.but.rather.as.a.characterization.of.the.contact.center.and.its.technologies,.facilities,.and.business.practices..However,.it.is.rarely.examined.).In.the.telecommuting.environment,.particular.interest.should.be.paid.to.the.potential.aural.intrusions.of.other.family.members,.pets,.home.appliances,.doorbells,.etc..It.is.reasonable.for.the.company.to.expect.the.home.worker.to.limit.the.potential.for.interruption.Section 7: Work AdherenceOne.of.the.greatest.concerns.to.organizations.as.they.begin.to.explore.the.potential.of.telecommuting.is.ensuring.that.the.remote.agents.are.actually.at.their.desks.when.they.are.scheduled.to.be.working..It.is.worthwhile.to.note.that.most.contact.centers.do.not.have.this.level.of.awareness.of.their.in-house.agents;.being.at.his/her.workstation.does.not.necessarily.mean.that.an.agent.is.involved.in.the.active.management.of.calls.A.more.complete.response,.however,.is.based.on.the.gains.made.in.contact.center.management.technologies..Any.contact.center.technology.deployed.to.support.telecommuting.must.include.the.tools.necessary.to.determine.if.an.agent,.regardless.of.location,.is.logged.in.or.logged.out,.and.whether.the.agent.is.busy.working..The.login.information.must.provide.a.comprehensive.understanding.of.the.agent.state. .i.e.,.is.the.agent.engaged.in.a.call,.is.it.an.ACD.(Automatic.Call.Distributor).queued.or.direct.call,.is.the.agent.available,.or.is.he/she.in.an.after-call.work.or.defined.non-call.related.state..Alarming,.built.into.threshold.settings,.must.provide.the.ability.for.operational.leadership.to.determine.if.the.agent.has.been.in.any.state.for.too.long.a.period.of.time..In.short,.the.agent.state.monitoring.and.reporting.capabilities.need.to.be.rich,.providing.a.full.view.of.the.agent s.activities..This.oversight.capability.must.be.location.independent.and.available.in.real.time.as.well.as.historical.When.coupled.with.the.adherence.capabilities.available.through.the.market.leaders.in.workforce.management.systems,.monitoring.an.agent s.real-time.and.historical.adherence.to.schedule.is.no.longer.an.issue..Reporting.systems.associated.with.the.ACD.provide.real-time.data.on.agent.activities.and.historical.information.on.interval.time.in.each.call.state..These.reporting.systems.feed.the.targeted.workforce.management.systems.with.information.used.to.determine.a.remote.agent s.adherence.to.schedules,.providing.the.contact.center.with.the.same.data.as.that.provided.for.in-house.agents..If.the.contact.center.is.particularly.concerned.by.agent.activity.in.a.remote.setting,.the.automated.monitoring.tools.above.can.be.supplemented.by.phantom.calling..In.this.context,.the.contact.center.launches.calls.to.Untitled Document7avaya.coman.agent.when.availability.passes.a.particular.threshold,.to.ensure.that.the.agent.is.able.to.take.a.call..The.phantom.call.should.be.treated.overtly.when.the.agent.does.pick.up..As.long.as.the.practice.is.disclosed.in.the.recruitment.process.and.reinforced.during.training,.the.response.of.the.phantom.caller.( Hi,.Sue,.just.a.random.phantom.call ).when.the.agent.picks.up.should.not.incite.a.negative.response.from.the.agent..Phantom.call.skills.can.be.provided.to.all.at-home.agents,.so.the.presence.of.these.calls.does.not.skew.actual.skill.counts..The.calling.program.should.be.statistically.defined.to.ensure.that.no.inherent.attention.is.being.paid.to.a.single.individual.and.any.conclusion.drawn,.based.on.outcomes,.has.a.high.degree.of.confidence..However,.if.an.agent.does.fail.a.phantom.call,.sampling.for.that.individual.can.be.legitimately.increased.to.further.validate.any.finding.In.the.recruitment.discussion,.it.is.suggested.that.ring.no-answers.not.be.treated.as.a.coaching.issue,.but.rather.as.a.performance.issue..Best-of-breed.contact.center.reporting.systems.can.provide.immediate.identification.of.these.events,.which.can.be.directed.to.the.offending.agent s.coach..Given.the. trust .imbued.in.the.home.worker.model,.it.is.suggested.that.such.events.be.treated.immediately.and.(as.permitted).publicly,.to.reinforce.the.importance.that.the.company.places.on.the.transgression.Section 8: Business Process AuthenticationWith.a.qualified.agent.and.the.inherent.infrastructure.necessary.to.conduct.business.on.your.behalf,.the.next.challenge.is.ensuring.that.transactions.conducted.at.the.home.office.are.those.sanctioned.by.the.customer.interaction..In.the.in-house.setting,.there.are.three.levels.of.security:1..Active.controlled.physical.access.to.the.facility2..Passive.visible.verification.of.a.contact.center.agent3..Active.login.control.of.the.desktop,.telephony,.and.business.applications.The.distinction.between.passive.and.active.control.lies.in.the.nature.of.the.validation..An.active.validation.requires.the.individual.to.do.something.particular.to.prove.that.he/she.is.entitled.to.perform.a.function..In.a.passive.control,.the.individual.does.not.have.to.do.something.to.prove.he/she.has.a.right.to.perform.the.action;.rather,.it.is.hoped.that.there.is.enough.awareness.in.the.work.environment.that.any.anomaly.would.be.noticed.(e.g.,. I ve.never.seen.you.here.before. .can.you.show.me.some.ID? ).Physical Access:.It.can.be.argued.whether.the.contact.center.provides.a.more.secure.physical.environment.than.the.home..People.are.usually.aware.of.those.who.are.in.their.homes. .and.presumably,.no.cohabitant.would.have.an.interest.in.jeopardizing.someone s.income.by.illegally.conducting.a.business.transaction.on.a.home-based.workstation..Comparatively,.while.the.contact.center.may.be.access-controlled,.there.are.often.cases.where.non-center.employees.are.found.in.the.center..So,.while.physical.access.controls.limit.those.who.can.enter.the.center,.so.does.the.front.door.of.a.home.Visible Verification:.This.type.of.verification.should.not.be.relied.on.in.any.contact.center.environment.and.is.especially.irrelevant.for.home.agents..It.is.common.to.see.non-agent.personnel.in.the.contact.center.area.and.unlikely.that.a.colleague.would.challenge.an.employee.using.a.contact.center.workstation..Worse.still,.there.is.often.an.assumption.that.a.familiar.face.is.a.legitimate.person..So.the.assumption.that.this.is.an.effective.deterrent.is.generally.without.merit.Login Control:.Active.control.of.the.desktop,.telephony,.and.business.applications.is.equally.available.to.the.telecommuter.and.the.contact.center-based.agent..All.agents.can.be.required.to.log.into.their.PC,.the.ACD,.and.business.systems..The.same.password.control.procedures.can.be.invoked.and.idle.time.lockout.available..In.Untitled Document8avaya.comaddition,.given.the.agent s.awareness.of.potentially.more.rigorous.adherence.monitoring,.the.likelihood.of.a.home.agent.leaving.a.desk.unattended.is.much.more.limited.than.in.the.typical.center..As.an.added.measure.of.security.compliance.testing,.it.is.possible.to.build.adherence.controls.into.application.login.and.logout.time.stamps.However,.the.challenge.has.been.asserted.that.the.home.worker.environment.must.be.more.secure.than.that.of.the.contact.center..To.that.end,.technologies.are.now.available.that.permit.the.organization.to.authenticate.technology.access,.as.well.as.specific.sensitive.transactions,.using.biometric.technologies..One.particular.model.initiates.a.challenge.and.key.exchange.between.a.Web.server.and.the.client.desktop,.via.an.identified.thumbprint..The.client.device.is.no.larger.than.a.memory.stick.and.uses.the.workstation.USB.port,.so.it.can.be.added.easily.to.a.standard.PC..The.use.of.these.technologies.provides.the.following.benefits:". The.authentication.process.is.faster.and.easier.to.use.than.password.controls..As.a.consequence,.they.can.be.used.in.business.transaction.controls.without.being.perceived.as.obstructive.to.business.conduct.". Ease.of.use.makes.them.more.likely.to.be.used.". Authentication.capabilities.cannot.be.passed.to.another.individual.or.stolen..Consequently,.the.only.person.who.can.conduct.the.transaction.is.the.person.authenticated.to.do.so,.and.his/her.biometric.authentication.can.be.logged.". If.it.is.lost.or.stolen,.the.authentication.is.useless.to.anyone.else.To.the.degree.that.an.organization.would.like.to.ensure.that.business.transactions.are.fully.authenticated,.biometric.validation.provides.a.mechanism.to.insert.authentication.controls.into.business.processes.without.significant.disruption.to.process.efficiency..This.level.of.control.far.exceeds.that.enabled.by.password.entry.In.short,.when.the.appropriate.measures.are.taken.and.the.necessary.controls.put.in.place,.effective.operational.practices.and.current.technologies.can.make.the.telecommuter.environment.as.secure.as.the.contact.center.environment.Section 9: Confidentiality of Business ConductThe.telecommuter.environment.can.be.a.location.where.information.about.clients.and.the.transactions.conducted.on.their.behalf.is.more.open.to.inadvertent.disclosure.than.in.a.security.controlled.office.environment..The.following.measures.are.suggested.to.limit.this.impact.". Specify.the.requirements.of.a.clean.desk.policy.". Provide.side-view.limiting.screen.filters.to.prevent.non-authorized.users.from.viewing.screen.contents.". Use.biometric.validation.to.lock-down.the.desktop.after.short.idle.intervals.and.to.authenticate.transactions.". Ensure.agent.adherence.to.desk.presence.requirements.through.phantom.calling.". Focus.on.active.desktop.and.desk.security.in.training,.and.then.reinforce.it.appropriately.". Implement.a.records.retention.management.policy.with.equivalent.or.more.stringent.controls.for.home.workers.". Include.a.small.paper.shredder.as.part.of.the.home.office.configuration.". Include.a.small.office.white.noise.generator.to.limit.voice.transmission.within.the.home.". Review.contact.center.business.processes.to.remove.as.much.paper-based.processing.as.possible..(In.general,.this.is.an.appropriate.action.for.contact.center.optimization.as.a.whole.)Untitled Document9avaya.comIt.should.be.noted.again.that.the.controls.suggested.here.are.more.stringent.than.those.applied.to.any.number.of.contact.center.employees.who.take.home.work.that.may.be.even.more.sensitive.than.those.carried.out.within.the.contact.center.Section 10: ConclusionThis.paper.discussed.a.number.of.the.issues.related.to.the.implementation.of.a.telecommuting.home.worker.program.for.contact.center.agents..Certainly,.the.particular.requirements.of.each.company.will.dictate.the.extent.to.which.these.and.other.concepts.are.implemented..The.use.of.telecommuting.is.sufficiently.prevalent.that.no.industry.sector.should.have.the.notion.that.its.contact.center.needs.cannot.be.met.through.telecommuting..What.is.important.is.that.any.company.considering.the.introduction.of.a.home.agent.program.should.think.of.telecommuting.as.a.business.initiative,.not.just.a.technology.extension..As.a.business.system,.the.successful.implementation.of.telecommuting.requires.the.collaboration.of.business.process.design,.human.resource.practices,.technology,.and.management.considerations.Untitled Document .2008.Avaya.Inc..All.Rights.Reserved...Avaya.and.the.Avaya.Logo.are.trademarks.of.Avaya.Inc..and.may.be.registered.in.certain.jurisdictions...All.trademarks.identified.by. ,.TM.or.SM.are.registered.marks,.trademarks,.and.service.marks,..respectively,.of.Avaya.Inc.,.with.the.exception.of.FORTUNE.500.which.is.a.registered.trademark.of..Time.Inc..All.other.trademarks.are.the.property.of.their.respective.owners.01/08.".GCC3209-01About AvayaAvaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies transform their businesses to achieve market-place advantage. More than 1 million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500 , use Avaya solutions for IP Telephony, Unified Communications, Contact Centers and Communications Enabled Business Processes. Avaya Global Services provides comprehensive service and support for companies, small to large. For more information visit the Avaya Web site: http:/ /www.avaya.com.avaya.com
