What Is the Value of Part-Time Agents in Call Centers?

Call centers need to have as many agents as the budget allows. But how do you attract and hire talented employees without going overboard on customer service staff? The answer is clear: part-time agents.

5 Benefits of Having Part-Time Agents

In the United States, for example, it is common to see a part-time employee work between 20 and 30 hours per week. Although it is not uncommon to see him exercising his functions only 4 to 6 hours a week in a contact center. In this case, this means that any schedule other than full time is considered part time.

Call centers can greatly benefit from part-time employees in multiple ways. Here are some of the benefits of adding part-time agents to your team:

1) Have a Balance of Personnel Fluctuations

One of the main reasons for adding part-time call center agents is directly related to managing anticipated increases or decreases in call volume. These fluctuations require having enough agents available when needed, and contact centers can’t always quickly add new staff to respond to temporary spikes in calls to deliver a good customer experience (CX).

This is especially true with 24/7 call centers. Adding additional agents during peak calling hours or during seasonal peaks is a great support for the contact center and customer interactions.

There are times of the year when call centers can anticipate needing more customer service staff. So the key is to correctly forecast when these peak call volumes will occur so that you can hire enough staff in advance.

Accurately forecasting the peak seasons throughout the year will help leaders plan for the staffing they will need. Hiring, training, and scheduling part-time agents during these peak seasons should be a priority to meet customer expectations.

2) Add a Cost-Benefit Advantage

Not only does part-time call center employees offer additional support, but it’s also more affordable than adding full-time agents. In this sense, part-time workers allow flexibility in costs.

For certain sectors, like retail, you can predict increased need during the holiday season, for example, and budget for that extra help in the short term. Since these are just seasonal surges, it doesn’t make sense for companies to hire an additional 100 full-time employees. Therefore, call centers can greatly benefit from this seasonal support with a more affordable option: part-time employees.

3) Night or Weekend Shift Supplement

Part-time agents also play an important role in supporting full-time team members. By working primarily nights and weekends, part-timers can fill necessary roles while allowing full-timers to have consistent schedules.

Many contact centers often need on-demand staffing during these irregular and hard-to-fill hours. In fact, there are many people who are looking for work only 10 hours or more a week. The key is to find them and retain them.

4) Provide Greater Flexibility to Part-Time Agents

The shift to remote and hybrid work has created a unique opportunity for call centers. Part-time employees often balance their team roles with other tasks or commitments, so they can greatly benefit from the flexibility of remote work.

Greater success occurs when part-time agents have their own leadership and group to bring all their expertise to, as it helps foster greater connections to learn new skills and offer support.

These groups can also help reduce turnover along with the flexibility of remote work. Agents who work split shifts can use the time in between to drop off their kids at daycare, do laundry, or relax at home.

5) Have the Programming Support of a WFM Software

A great asset for managing remote workers is self-scheduling software. Agents can design their own schedule, pick up or swap shifts with ease, and generally feel more in control of their work-life balance. Plus, this software provides additional technical support to easily connect agents to their schedules. It also supports managers by making sure they get the necessary roles.

Therefore, helping workers create their schedules from scratch while meeting the needs of the call center is possible with the right workforce management (WFM) software, as managers can locate the right people in the right place at the right time for higher contact center performance.

By investing in better WFM technologies, part-time agents are empowered with more control over their work-life balance. Happier and more engaged employees can deliver better customer service in contact centers.

Build a Contact Center with Better Support

There are many benefits that part-time call center agents can bring to an organization. From supporting the full-time team, adding a cost-effective advantage, and strengthening contact center systems, these employees are invaluable. To make the most of the benefits they offer, it’s also imperative to find meaningful ways to engage and encourage these team members to prevent agent burnout.