mini Call center but not really

[Big_SAL]

I have been flirting with having a few trained phone people work from their homes. Travel in a big city is costly and time consuming. I am not going to have someone spend money on a metro ride to work only 2 hours…not fair

with my pos system I can add computer at my store…but someone could control it from their computer at home…I could also talk with the state to hire a few handicapped people…who are great on the phone but are not ambulatory enough to work long hours.I think also I could get a wage credit or some sort of benefit…

I could then forward the phones during peak times… ie 5-9 pm and 11-2 am then the employee does not have to spend money on train fare…and of course there is no commute…

Thought…suggestions…random Musings???
THis would be local only people in my delivery area…and of course must pass the muster…

Big SAl

 

[Scott_Hack]

How are they going to be controlling it from home? Is your software setup specifically for that? Or you talking about using something like www.logmein.com to control the pc?

The only problem I see is lag. I’ve played with this idea over and over, but right now I can’t afford a large enough “pipe” to upload out of my server to my house. Forwarding the calls is easy enough. My POS system even has remote functions built right into it. Right now I get 6meg download, but my upload pipe is supposed to be 384kbps I think. I just tested it and I got a little over 400… in order to use any kind of VPN or even my system which is basically a web server, you would need something that could push 1.5 meg.

At least that is how I see it.

 

[Big_SAL]

Logmein is an option…however I am working with the programmer of my POS…the orders can go in just like an internet order does without any problem…it goes right into my POS>…

My issue would be cost of fowarding each call…and screening potential employees…it would take some special people…
I have enough bandwidth etc…

Big SAl

 

[royster13]

I believe Pizza Hut in Canada does that via a contractor…Might have been LiveXChange or ContractXChange…Also our telphone company has operators working from home when call volumes are high…They simply log on to the system from home when they are needed…And my web host has work at home agents…

 

[Scott_Hack]

Why is there a cost to forward each call? Using the online ordering interface might work for placing orders, but what if someone calls up and wants to add to their order? Or they want to change it to pick-up? Shouldn’t they be able to see how many orders the kitchen has so they know the correct time to quote for delivery? I’m not saying it won’t work, I’m just bringing up potential problems that you will need to address.

I’d love to do this on Friday nights. If nothing else to get rid of the hum of the oven off my phone line!!!

 

[Big_SAL]

If I used logmein…which I use to check my store daily etc…sometimes too much…

they can do everything they would do if standing at the computer…except put a label on the boxes…etc…

but If i could get 3-4 good people trained it would be great…upsell…nice image on the phone…but close enough to what is going
on that we could solve all problems easily…

I am also working on a spanish version of my website…that will then convert the order to english…for us …

Big Sal

 

[Scott_Hack]

Test your internet connection Sal. I know you say it is big enough, but it would be very frustrating to see your call times go up because your order takers are sitting there waiting on the computers to refresh. I know when I use logmein on ONE pc the thing slows down pretty good. I can’t imagine trying to squeeze 2 or 3 people onto that pipe.

 

[Big_SAL]

ok my system has 4 computers…each is capable of being a server on its own…but I designate one the server and 3 workstations… i can add as many stations as I want…so I can have 3 computers set=up for 3 differnet phone people…

I can do all kinds of things from home here without slowing the computer…and the order entry is so quick…I doulbt it would be a problem…but its worth testing of course…

My store is in the city…its not like a suburb store…meaning…I am steadier all week long without the huge spikes on FRi and sat…
I still get a good rush…but not like a suvburban store…where you can get 50-90 calls each hour from 6-8pm…I know that my online ordering could handle 100 orders an hour without flinching…I can only hope to see that happen…

i AM IN THE mENTAL exercise of this project…upselling is huge and hard to do if your trying to get off the phone so you don;t miss another call…but there is no panacea…but better ideas than what I have now…