Whenever a contact center announces that is hiring, it has meant that the employees will report to and work out of a bricks-and-mortar facility.

 

No more. Slowly and increasingly, those workplaces are in the agents' homes. And in some and gradually more cases these home offices are displacing or being set up instead of the traditional employer-provided facilities. Home working, argues advocates, saves money for employers and employees, boosts productivity and provides flexibility and business continuity.

 

Convergys
The latest such home agent expansion has been occurring in Texas at the same time the firm has been reportedly reduced its bricks-and-mortar employment in that state. The Waco Tribune-Herald reported June 4 that Convergys (News - Alert) hosted a job fair to fill 60 positions for at-home employees. The paper, citing spokesperson Amy Williams said the company the already has another 80 people working from their residences in Central Texas.

"Employment at the Convergys call center in McGregor has plummeted from more than 400 to about 120," said the newspaper. "But that does not mean the company has quit hiring. "

"Williams told the newspapers said turnout for the fair was lighter than the company expected, but she did not have exact figures. She said those interested in applying for the open spots can visit the company website. The new people Convergys is hiring will serve as customer service representatives for a client of Convergys in the telecommunications industry "[Convergys] operates more than 80 centers worldwide but reportedly is putting more emphasis on working at home. Its website has a section devoted to its work-at-home program," said the paper.

"Tara Hurt, Convergys' recruiting manager"At-home employees receive a base salary of $9 an hour and can earn incentive pay, added Williams They also qualify for health, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) program, and paid and unpaid leaves.

"Convergys moved into a 52,000-square-foot building in McGregor's industrial district more than two years ago. It filled the vacancy left when computer"Shortly afterward, it began a hiring binge that put hundreds in the facility. But employment has declined, and Convergys' three-year lease on the building expires Oct. 31, said Joe Paschall, a McGregor real estate agent who negotiated the city's lease with the company. Convergys pays the city $324,000 a year.

"Paschall called Convergys an excellent tenant that McGregor would hate to lose. The company has made no formal announcement of what it plans to do once its lease expires.

"Williams said the company would not comment on any speculation it might not renew its lease.'

"Meanwhile, Convergys continues to pursue at-home employees.'

The Texas home agent hiring follows on a new home agent program in rural southwest Virginia. State Governor Bob McDonnell announced March 30 that Convergys and its client DIRECTV plan to set up a "virtual call center" with 100 home-based agents in that region.

"A virtual call center that will employ people from three regions of Southwest Virginia is truly an innovative approach," said Governor McDonnell. "This project is unique in that these 100 new employees will complete online training and telework from home, saving transportation dollars and ensuring that the creation of the call center will have a positive economic impact on a broad area. All three regions worked together to make this virtual call center a reality and Southwest Virginia's community colleges have played a crucial role in ensuring that DIRECTV found the well-trained and professional workforce critical to the success of their operation."

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Congressman Rick Boucher to secure the project for Virginia. The New River Valley Economic Development Alliance, Virginia's aCorridor and the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority assisted with the project. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide job training assistance through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

"I am pleased that DIRECTV has chosen to operate a virtual call center in Southwest Virginia, hiring 100 of our region's residents to serve as remote agents," said Congressman Rick Boucher.  "This announcement marks another major success not only for my Showcasing Southwest Virginia Program in its effort to create new jobs for our region's residents by attracting top-tier companies to the area, but also for my longstanding work to expand our region's broadband infrastructure with the goal of creating new technology jobs. Southwest Virginia's widespread availability of high-speed Internet services, as well as the area's excellent workforce and outstanding training resources, make the region ideal for DIRECTV's expansion of its Remote Agent Program." giant Dell (News - Alert) closed its call center there.

in McGregor, told the paper that home-agent positions provide an option for people seeking a second income, retirees and those looking to work full time from home.

. They will field calls from home. 

is one of the world's largest business process outsourcers (BPOs). Since 2000 it has deliberatively tested, rolled out, refined and expanded its home agent program. It uses proven, efficiency-gaining technologies. For example while most contact centers only allow PSTN at home offices, Convergys permits lower-cost and more flexible VoIP, provided that candidate agents meet bandwidth requirements, verified by passing an online PC quality test.