While remote working is nothing new — many companies provide their mid-high level executives the option when it’s required — there’s never been a more crucial time to put this in place for your customer-facing team.

Before I explain why now is the right time, let’s take a look at some of the significant remote working benefits for both the company and employee...

 

Time Savings:
An average commute is just under 30 minutes. This means a remote worker can get extra sleep, spend more time with family, get in a workout, eat a healthy breakfast, or simply start work earlier. Getting that hour each day back, along with avoiding the stress that typically comes with traffic, can truly start their day off on a better note.

Money Savings:
According to Global Workplace Analytics, people who work from home just half the time can save between $2,000 to $6,500 a year. Fuel, car maintenance, parking fees, a professional wardrobe, lunches bought out, and child care can all be reduced or eliminated.

Positive Environmental Impact:
Vastly reduced greenhouse gas emissions, less paper usage and individual control of air conditioning, heating, and lighting for more environmental impact.

Increased Productivity:
Working from home typically leads to fewer distractions, fewer office politics, a quieter noise level, less or more efficient meetings, the ability to dress more casually and comfortably, and a more personalised office environment. Add in the lack of a commute, and remote workers typically have more time and fewer distractions, which leads to increased productivity.

A Happier Work Life:
Remote, flexible workers tend to be happier and more loyal employees. Working from home has been shown to lower stress, improve personal relationships, and provide time for hobbies and interests. Coworker and manager relationships can be more positive as well without the distractions and politics that come along with an in-office job. Global Workplace Analytics reports that 72% of employers say remote work has a high impact on employee retention—plainly put, employees are sticking with their employer when they have remote work options.

Better Health:
Working from home leads to better health in a variety of ways: more time for physical activity, the ability to eat healthier, the ability to recover from illness or surgery at home, less exposure to illnesses (cold, flu, etc.), ease of caring for a health issue or disability, and the option to create a comfortable and ergonomic workspace.

All well and good for certain roles, but what about the company’s customer-facing team?


Step in CyTrack’s omni-channel communication solutions for every business....

Remote Working With CyTrack
For starters, a computer and an internet connection are all that’s needed for CyTrack’s omni-channel software to be installed and operational.

Once up and running, there are numerous features that help companies continue to provide a world-class customer experiences.


Management Visibility
CyTrack provides a plethora of reporting and dashboard options, all of which are highly configurable for different use cases. This means the right visibility for all levels of administrators, from team-level supervisors right up to the CEO. Have your finger on the pulse no matter where your team members are physically located.


Agent-To-Agent IM
Being able to easily communicate with supervisors, fellow agents or experts within the organisation means easy collaboration on issue resolution.


CRM Integration
This means all customer communications are in one place for everyone to see.


Call Notes Forwarding
Adding notes to a call and forwarding to another team member means the customer conversation picks up right where it left off.


Voice Recording & Forwarding For Call Review
Means good record keeping and colleagues can review wherever necessary.


Multi-Channel Live Chat:
Being able to speak with customers on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Live Chat and SMS and being able to collaborate with other agents no matter which channel the customer uses, means seamless communications and record-keeping


A World Of Difference:
Omin-channel enables agents to draw from a broad range of resources – human and otherwise – that are relevant to the situation at hand. It takes customer service to another level beyond multichannel, and that’s when we start talking about customer care instead of the contact center.


Why now?
Besides the employee and employer benefits already mentioned, the coronavirus outbreak is highlighting just how quickly the need for remote working might be required — right now in China (and for the last 8 weeks,) almost half the entire population is under movement limitations and some 150 million people face restrictions on leaving their homes.


CyTrack’s highly-affordable omni-channel solutions are for every business from 3 seats and up — and mean that no matter what future situations may arise, your business will continue to provide your customers with the service they deserve.