5 Tips for Hiring Remote Customer Support Agents

5 Tips for Hiring Remote Customer Support Agents

Today, remote work is on the rise. In fact there’s research out there that makes some pretty compelling points about the benefits of it. According to a Stanford study, remote employees work, on an average, 9.5% longer than those who work in an office, and are also 13% more productive.

Access to better talents, a reduction on the costs, and improved productivity, makes developing a remote workforce appealing to the employers. And employees, on the other hand, love the flexibility, autonomy, and the better work-life balance that comes with remote working.

But hiring remote employees can be quite challenging and thus, it needs a different approach. Remember that you are not just looking for the right job skills, but also for the overall suitability in a remote working environment.

“So, if you are recruiting Customer Support Agents for your remote call center, here are some tips on how to find the best agents”

• Do not assume that agents on premise will also be star performers when working remotely. Therefore, you must hire agents who can work without much supervision for a longer time and manage his/ her own time effectively. Also, have a sound knowledge about how to use cloud-based software and programs and, maintain their own equipment.
• Since you will be fielding a large number of candidates, you need to make sure you have a good screening program in place so that you can select only the top candidates for the assessments and interviews such as simulation programs, personality tests, in-depth interviews, and problem-solving tests.
• Time management and self-discipline are crucial for successful remote work positions. So, you need to develop assessment tools to determine if your candidates possess these critical traits and, thereafter proceed ahead with the hiring, keeping these key considerations in mind.
• We know that customer service skills are essential regardless of the type of job. In fact, for many companies, support calls are the first point of contact with their customers after the sale. This is why the agents who are customer-focused and eager to assist must be able to create numerous upsell and cross-sell opportunities for the company.
• If you already have remote customer support agents working at your company, you can ask them for referrals. You may even develop referral programs to reward the best recruiters amongst your staff.

Conclusion:-

Working remotely is not preferable for everyone, but under the right circumstances and good management, a virtual team can be capable of running itself, and may also be the answer to an organization’s customer support challenges. This suggests that remote workers can also contribute to the success of an organization.

If you wish to recruit quality remote customer support staff for your contact center services, you must follow all the essential tips mentioned above. And, try to look for potential agents who see the position as a professional career and not just something to be involved in between “real” jobs. Instead, the agents should view their job as an end in itself, and seek to improve their performance in it by regular self-assessments.