Contact Center Site Visit Guide

THE ESSENTIAL
CONTACT CENTER
SITE VISIT GUIDE
Everything you need
to know to conduct
a productive site visit

The Essential Contact Center Site Visit Guide:
Everything you need to know to conduct a productive site visi
Copyright © 2019 by Transparent BPO
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner
without prior written permission of Transparent BPO except in
the case of brief quotations included in reviews.
TRANSPARENT BPO
P.O. Box 5133
Laytonsville, MD 20882
Phone: 800-276-5140
www.transparentbpo.com

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO CONDUCT A PRODUCTIVE SITE VISIT 3
THE ESSENTIAL CONTACT CENTER SITE VISIT GUIDE
With so many options for outsourcing, it’s more important now than
ever to find a contact center that is compatible with your company,
its culture and philosophy. That’s why you should never overlook a site visit
before making a selection.
There are several steps to considerwhen choosing an outsourced provider:
Carry out some initial research, speak with a member of manage-
ment, review the outsourcer’s website, get a proposal, and send an
RFP.
While taking such steps will give you a basic idea of the
type of contact center you are dealing with and the
services it offers, nothing will provide greater insight
than a visit to the facility.
It’s true, site visits cost time and money, but isn’t it
worth it when you consider that you will be trusting your customers and
their information to that company? Before you sign on the dotted line,
conduct a thorough site visit.
THE PROBLEM WITH SITE VISITS
Of course, the problem with site visits is that you have to sort through the
“dog and pony show” to get a feel for what the contact center actually
delivers.
Contact center company executives and salespeople love selling their
business but what they sell may not be in keeping with the reality of what’s
happening on the floor. You need to spend time with “boots on the ground”
to get an accurate picture.
That’s what this guide is designed to do: Give you the essential information
you need to make an informed decision regarding site selection. Using it,
you will know exactly what to look for to have the most productive visit
possible.
You have to sort through the
“dog and pony show” to get
a feel for what the contact
center actually delivers.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE
You may think the visit begins when you enter the contact center floor, but
that is not the case. It starts before you ever leave home.
You should have already worked out an agenda with the management
team. That experience alone will tell you a lot about the company.
Are they open to collaboration on the agenda? Do they express a willing-
ness to compromise? Or, do they insist on giving you their canned presen-
tation?
ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT
Things begin to get real once your plane lands.
The initial pickup can set the tone for the entire visit. You should know who
is meeting you and the name of the driver.
If you are visiting a large operator, it’s unlikely a member of the c-suite
will be meeting you, but it is vital that the person is at least a member of
the management team (ideally, someone you have been dealing with in
advance of the visit).
HEADING TO THE SITE
Note the condition of the vehicle during the drive. Is it clean? Does it appear
to be well maintained? Does the air-conditioner work?
Also, rather than waiting until you get to the contact center, ask questions
of the driver and management team member, and make a note of their
responses. Both should welcome questions and answer responsibly and
expertly.

ARRIVING AT THE SITE
The fun really begins once you arrive at the site. You want to take four
factors into account: the workforce, facility, security, and technology. These
tips should help.
Schedule Enough Time at the Site
Start by scheduling enough time in the facility. Most professionals in this
industry can get a good read on the culture of a contact
center within the first few hours, but we encourage you
to spend more time than that.
Although the resorts and fancy dinners are tempting,
make the most of your time at the site with the people
who will be working on your account.
Assess the Workforce
When you enter the contact center, get a read on the
workforce’s overall mood. Ask yourself the following
questions as you conduct the walk-through:
• Does someone welcome you right away?
• Is the person friendly?
• Do agents on the floor seem engaged?
• How does management react to your interactions with agents?
• Walk through the break-room. Are employees relaxed, happy?
A somber atmosphere where agents seem disengaged
is a bad sign that could result in higher attrition rates,
which means your program could suffer due to the
need to hire new agents more frequently.
Allocate Time for Focus Groups
Set aside time for private, informal focus groups with agents (and don’t
allow the management team to sit in). This way you can determine the
agents’ job satisfaction, their relationship to management, and their suit-
ability as representatives of your company.
A somber atmosphere where
agents seem disengaged is a
bad sign that could result in
higher attrition rates.
Although the resorts and
fancy dinners are tempting,
make the most of your time
at the site with the people
who will be working on your
account.

Tryyour best to keep things light and casual. Most employees will be uptight
and intimidated at first, but as you start engaging them in conversation,
they will open up about their work, their lives, and their company.
Ask the following questions:
• Why did you choose the contact center industry?
• Why did you choose this particular contact center?
• How long have you worked here?
• How is the contact center job viewed here?
• What do you like most about your job?
• What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
• Do you have a clear career path in mind?
The impromptu conversations you have with agents will tell you a lot about
the center. And if the management team holds their breath every time you
speak to an agent or if the agent appears reluctant to answer your ques-
tions openly and candidly, the center is probably not for you.
Meet with Management
Make time to speak with managers, including front-line management,
to get an understanding of their experience, vision, and leadership style.
These are the people who will supervise your team, so you want to feel
confident they have the skills and aptitude to do so with expertise.
Something else to note regarding management is how visible team leads
are on the floor and their level of engagement with agents. Are theywalking
the floor or sitting at their desk? Do they listen to calls routinely? Are they
interacting with agents, coaching them on ways to improve performance
and meet KPIs? Also, ask them how they manage their day and how they
drive performance and motivate agents.
The impromptu conversations
you have with agents will tell
you a lot about the center.

Ask About Attrition
Attrition is a real problem in contact centers so knowing the rates and
reasons behind them can tell you a lot about the quality and character of
the prospective vendor.
Questions to ask include:
• What is the attrition rate?
• When are employees leaving and why?
• Do you conduct exit and stay interviews?
• Do you use a hiring profile?
• How do you compete with for hiring?
Inquire About Recruiting and Hiring
Speaking of hiring, one of the first stops you want to make is the human
resources department to gain insight into agent recruiting and hiring prac-
tices. It’s necessary to have a clear understanding of the steps they take to
hire qualified applicants.
You will want to know everything you can about how they attract quali-
fied applicants (and where they go to find them), their profiling and testing
procedures, and the interview and selection process.
• Where do they recruit from?
• What sources do they use? What works best?
• How do they screen applicants?
• How quickly can they start hiring agents?
Attrition is a real problem in
contact centers so knowing
the rates and reasons behind
them can tell you a lot about
the quality and character of
the prospective vendor.

Examine Training Processes
Comprehensive agent training is critical to the success of your program, so
you will want to sit down with the training director and staff to understand
the company’s training protocols. Ask the following questions:
Initial training. Is there an initial period of classroom training before
putting employees on the floor? What does it consist of? Ask to see a
training room. How is it set up?
Nesting period. Once employees have completed the initial training, is
there a nesting period where they are closely monitored and coached
while making the transition to the floor? What is the length? What are the
KPI expectations?
Ongoing training and coaching. Does the center have coaches on the floor
working with agents daily to improve their proficiency?
360 feedback. Does a 360-degree communications loop exist between
coaches, trainers, and operations designed to help agents develop their
customer relationship skills and meet KPI goals?
Quality monitoring. How are calls evaluated and scores delivered? Does
the vendor correct errant behavior before it becomes a habit? What meth-
odology does the vendor use to maintain quality assurance?
At Transparent BPO, we train for the long-term
success of our agents, starting from the first day
they enter the classroom and continuing through-
out their career. When you visit, one of the first
things you’ll notice is that our training rooms proudly
display the slogan: “Our Goal Is Your Success.”

Understand Employee Recognition and Advancement
Recognition and rewards. Does the company recognize high-perform-
ing employees and, if so, in what ways? Is there an established rewards
program to incentivize performance and excellence?
Employee Advancement. Ask if the vendor has a clearly-defined promo-
tion pathway, whetherthere are openings forteam leads or other manage-
ment opportunities, and how well the company communicates those with
employees.
Observe the Facility
As important as it is to assess the workforce, it’s just as essential to observe
the physical facility and its layout.
A single scan of the contact center floor can be telling. Does it have wider
workspaces that allow for collaboration or are agents isolated from each
other in tiny cubicles? Are there rooms where staff can meet to huddle up
and share feedback? What are the training rooms like?
Go to the bathroom (not the one used by management). Is it clean and able
to handle demand?
What about break rooms?Are there plenty offood and recreation options?
Note the building itself. Are rooms dim or brightly lit? Are colors drab or
bright and cheery?
How old is the building? Is it in good condition? Is the contact center clean?
What about ventilation? Are the operations areas and offices comfortably
heated and cooled?
Is transportation provided? If so, in what ways? What is the condition of
the vehicles?

Check for Security Protocols
The contact center should take security very seriously and hold everyone
to the highest standards, which is why security proto-
cols should be in place from the moment you arrive.
That should include security guards on site, keycard-
only access to all entrances, being asked to sign in upon
arrival to receive a visitor’s badge, camera monitor-
ing at the doors, and restricted access to production
areas. If you have a cell phone, you should be asked
to leave it in the boardroom. Don’t be shy — test the doors of a secure call
center floor to make sure they are badge access only.
Get the Take on Technology
Of equal importance to security is the technology in use.
Ask to see the server room and note its condition. Is it clean, secure, and
well organized?
Does the company have the capacity and the technology to support your
program’s needs as you grow? Is the infrastructure
sound? Have the IT team demonstrate how they setup
their network and infrastructure to insure uptime. Ask
how they resolve downtime issues. How do they have IT
tickets and update shareholders?
Also, determine whether redundant systems are in
place so that the contact center can continue to meet
your objectives in the event of an emergency or natural
disaster. Do they use battery backup or generators? How long can they
run without power?
Ask to meet with whoever is responsible for reporting. Can they create
reports outside of the standard dashboard? If so, what is the average
turnaround time?
Understanding the culture
within the contact center is
crucial but, sometimes, the
culture of the country is even
more so.
The contact center should
take security very seriously
and hold everyone to the
highest standards.

Spend Time Away from the Contact Center
Not only is it necessary to spend an adequate amount of time at the
contact center but also enough time away to learn about the culture of the
country where it’s located. Understanding the culture within the contact
center is crucial but, sometimes, the culture of the country is even more so.
If the center focuses on customer service, what kind of service do you get in
restaurants, bars, or your hotel? Are the people friendly, empathetic? Do
they make eye contact when you talk to them?
It’s important to know that because you probably won’t have the same
group of agents from day one, and the contact center will need to recruit
from the outside, so know what you’re getting. Ask people you meet if they
have heard of the company you are visiting, and gauge their response. Is it
positive or negative?
Safety is another factor to consider. One of our clients told us that in one
country she visited, a man carrying an AK47 was standing guard outside a
convenience store across the street from her hotel. That definitely did not
leave her feeling safe!
Reflect on Your Overall Impression
Finally, what is your overall impression when you leave? Would you want to
work at this center? Did you enjoy your time with the agents and manage-
ment?
You could be partnering with this company foryears to come so be sure you
are compatible. Successful, long-term engagement can only occur when
culture and values align. Most importantly, make sure you’re comfortable
with them representing your company and its products or services.
Essentially, the decision-making process comes down to a single ques-
tion: Can you work with this company? If a close alignment exists, then the
answer is almost certainly, “yes.”
Ascertaining that alignment is only possible through an in-real-life site
visit, however, so make it a central element of the site selection process.

Experience the Transparent Difference
U.S. companies are looking for outsourcing locations closer to the States,
which makes visiting a proposed site even easier thanks to short flight
times, the prevalence of English-speakers, and close cultural affinity.
We invite you to visit our facilities in Belize where the sun is shining (most
of the time), the climate is warm and inviting, and the people are friendly.
Plus, Belize is easy to get to. Many airlines offer direct flights, and travel
times are only a few hours from most major airports.
We will pick you up at the airport (Philip Goldson International), get you
situated at your hotel or our comfortable corporate apartment, and
transport you to and from each of our three facilities.
While you are onsite, we encourage you to speak with agents and
managers, see them in action on the floor, hold focus group sessions,
and view the facilities and work environment first-hand.
We aren’t called Transparent BPO for nothing. Our doors are open, and
we welcome you anytime.
Call us at 800-276-5140 to schedule your visit or learn more about the
services we offer.
To learn more: TransparentBPO.com • 1-800-276-5140

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