1. Home Based Agents –
New Possibilities
Christian Hultén, Transcom
Outstanding
Customer
Experience17 April 2013

2. Transcom in brief
• 30,000 employees in 27 countries
• 70 contact centers, onshore, off-shore and near shore
• Services in 33 different languages
• 400+ Clients
• Customer care, technical support, sales and credit management services

3. The number of Home Based Agents is increasing rapidly and is
expected to grow significantly faster than contact center-based agents
in the next few years
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
2011–15 CAGR = 18%
Global outsourced home-based agent growth*,
2011–2015*
* Total agents working exclusively from home for 20 or more hours per week
Source: Ovum
• Well established in USA and
Canada
• Customer care more common but
technical support is increasing
• Support by phone more common
than other contact channels
• BPO companies are increasing
their share of Home Based Agents
• 15% lower cost can be anticipated
• Not considered a threat to off-
shoring

4. Reasons why the use of home based
agents is increasing and will continue to
do so in the future
High quality/customer satisfaction
Cost efficiency
Flexibility
High resilience to disruption
Excellent recruitment potential
Lower absenteeism and better staff retention

5. Transcom’s home-based agents in
Sweden
• Ongoing projects since 2009
• 200 home-based agents (and growing) – all
Nordic languages
• Technical support and sales
• Age between 20 and 60
•Average age higher than in traditional contact
centers
• COPC certification during 2013
• Speech analytics

6. • RECRUITMENT: How do we find,
evaluate and communicate with
potential candidates without actually
meeting them?
• TRAINING: How do we train and
assess agents that are spread across
Sweden?
• MANAGEMENT: How do we follow
up on agents, analyze calls, coach
and motivate?
• Partnership with staffing agencies
• Video interviews
•Personality assessment and focus on working-at-
home profile
• Virtual training tool
• Series of continuous tests
•Group education with the option of a “break-out”
room
•Trainee period with continuous support
• Co-listening on calls and screen capturing
• Coaching via chat and web camera
• Focus on social skills
• Virtual team meetings and activities
Operational challenges and Transcom’s solutions

7. Summary of the home based concept
7
Success factors
• Innovative virtual technical solution
• Clear recruitment profile
• ”Online community” enabling
communication and exchange of
best practice between home-
based agents
• High degree of visual contact and
involvement by management and
coaches
• Hub of Excellence
• Corporate culture open to new
ideas
Conclusions
• Good way of securing talent
regardless of geographical
location
• Drives customer satisfaction
• More cost efficient for both client
and supplier
• No limitation with regards to type
of services supported
• An increasing trend, however
there are limitations
• Good, but not for everyone

8. With regards to working out of my own home,
the experience is positive. It’s more relaxed
and there are no disturbances. On top of that
it’s also nice not having to travel to work,
especially today when there is a snow storm
outside.
Inger Karlsson, Härnösand
Thanks!
christian.hulten@transcom.com
OUTSTANDING
CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE
”
”
”
Saving two hours of travel time every day made a
big change in my personal life. The benefit of
working at home gives me more flexibility and a
better balance between work and time with my
family. Now I’m able to pick the kids up from
kindergarten now and then. It’s also better
financially.
Senad Porobic, Västerås
”