The US "homeshoring" movement (home-based customer service agents) is feeling the recession, too, but Chris and I are still seeing recruiting drives. Convergys, for example, recently announced the expansion of its home-based agent model to more states in the US, and says it wants to hire up to 2,000 agents this year.
The company reportedly expanded recruiting recently to the following nine states: Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
For details, including an interview with Scott Van Stratten, the home agent program's senior director, go here. For Convergys’ website, click here.
To compare Convergys (wages, employee vs. independent contractor status, etc.) to 70+ additional homeshoring employers, see our chart here.
The home agent model continues to make eminent sense. From the employer viewpoint, research consistently shows that at-home agents are more productive, turnover is dramatically reduced, and satisfied agents make for satisfied customers.
On the eco and family side, homeshoring takes cars off roads, reduces pollution and commuter stress, puts people back into "bedroom communities" (which among other effects fosters local living -- a key to greener lifestyles -- and can reduce the isolation that home-based workers often feel), and lets parents spend more time with their children.
We say homeshoring, good on ya.
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