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Press Releases

Today's Best Known Brands Move to Homeshoring Customer Service Model

VIPdesk Leads the Charge in this Shifting Value Chain

Alexandria, VA - December 7, 2006 - IDC, provider of market intelligence and advisory services for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets, has released a study on the expanded scope of the use of 'homeshoring,' a home-based customer service model.

The study reveals a significant migration of the types of contact services companies are willing and ready to outsource. To date, outsourced home-based providers have focused on delivering support for basic customer care, infomercials, and direct response television. IDC's findings indicate that brand-conscious companies across numerous industries, including financial services, retail, travel, insurance, healthcare, and government, are turning to home-based agent service providers for high-touch customer care and expertise that can have a positive impact on their brand and customer experience.

'Homeshoring,' a model which is changing customer management outsourcing, is the use of home-based agents to field various types of customer care inquiries. With an estimated 4 million people working in call centers in the U.S., companies are turning to a home-based model to address challenges such as the need for better agent quality, high turnover and the addressing the seasonal nature of many industries. There are an estimated 139,000 home-based phone representatives in the U.S., and IDC predicts that number could exceed 300,000 by 2010. The new emphasis in customer care, IDC further predicts, will be on meeting specific metrics while still providing high customer satisfaction.

In particular, IDC finds that VIPdesk, a provider of virtual contact center and loyalty solutions for national and international companies, breaks from the pack by offering a highly customized, innovative and cost-effective model for customer service.

"More and more companies are harnessing the advantages of homeshoring, and that trend is only going to continue," said Stephen Loynd, program manager for contact center services research at IDC. "VIPdesk is a company at the forefront of premium home-based customer care, a company whose services can increase the power of a brand." By deploying homeshore agents, VIPdesk helps clients like MasterCard, Citigroup, Land Rover and ATX Group lower costs by eliminating traditional call centers. VIPdesk also benefits its clients through:

• Access to an almost unlimited labor pool. Because there are no geographic restrictions, VIPdesk has greater access to candidates and, as a result, can tap knowledgeable and communicative employees to handle complex service issues.
• A superior workforce. The average age of VIPdesk representatives is 38 with more than 15 years experience. Approximately 95 percent of VIPdesk's Brand Ambassadors are college educated. When these superior Brand Ambassadors are provided the ability to save on commuting costs and are exposed to industry-leading screening and certification processes, VIPdesk's clients recognize real results from higher productivity.
• Talent retention. IDC finds that VIPdesk has an 85 percent retention rate of representatives, as opposed to the 10-20 percent retention rate in traditional call centers.

"Companies have much to gain by utilizing a home-based customer care model," said Mary Naylor, CEO and founder of VIPdesk. "We have proprietary agent screening processes and technology to deliver a higher caliber of service in the home-based agent market. At VIPdesk, we strive for superlative customer service. Our clients require a high-quality customer interaction, and we hire only the best 'Brand Ambassadors' to provide that."

IDC concludes that homeshoring can be effective for any industry that requires significant direct consumer interaction, and that VIPdesk's 20 years of experience in delivering "top-notch" customer service puts them at the front of the line.

About VIPdesk
VIPdesk is the leading provider of virtual contact center and loyalty solutions for national brand leaders, providing premium customer experiences through our home-based Brand Ambassadors.

VIPdesk specializes in delivering premium Contact Center Solutions and Concierge Services for brand-conscious companies in the retail, travel, luxury automotive and financial services industries. A proven premium service provider with almost 20 years of experience, VIPdesk develops and delivers loyalty solutions that create value for clients by providing high-touch, high-tech branded service platforms that deliver real results and real return on investment. For more information, visit www.vipdesk.com.

Media Contact:
Erin Shannon
SheaHedgesGroup
Telephone: 703-287-7806
Email:

You may also visit our website at www.vipdesk.com.

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