Shared vs Dedicated Contact Center Agents: What’s Right For You?

Shared vs Dedicated Contact Center Agents

Regardless of what industry you’re in, customer service is paramount to your success. If you don’t provide first-class client support and contact services, you will see dissatisfied customers, lost leads and bad press thanks to word-of-mouth and online reviews. Nobody wants that—that’s why modern successful businesses invest in business process outsourcing (BPO) services to ensure the best possible contact and support services. BPO services benefit both your customers and your brand.

Once you have decided to incorporate an outsourced call center to your business plan, you will have a few other choices to make. One of these decisions is between shared vs dedicated service. Confused by what this means? We’re here to break it down for you—at TeleDirect, we’ve been in the customer support business for over twenty years—we’re experts!

What Is a Dedicated Agent?

Dedicated agents are outsourced customer service representatives. When you hire them, your business will be their only client/account. That means a couple of things.

1. You can guarantee that you will have their full professional attention: as you are their only client, you can expect focused service and full availability, wherever you need them.
2. Another result of this particular customer service model is that your dedicated agent functions as an extension of your in-house team: They will be extensively trained in your business ethos, branding and all the product or service information you need them to know.

Who Needs Dedicated Agents?

Truth be told, it’s hard to think of a business that would not benefit from the focus and attention that a dedicated service provides. We recommend that companies with multiple communication needs (such as reservation booking or 24/7 support centers) work with a dedicated agent team. It will provide the coverage and expertise necessary to deliver great customer support to your whole client base, whatever your individual needs may be.

We’re also advocates for using dedicated services if your in-house team is overstretched. After all, you hired your staff for specific skills unrelated to customer service. Give them more space to properly perform their roles and let your dedicated agent handle the support needs!

What Is a Shared Agent?

A shared agent has just as much expertise, brand training and availability as a dedicated agent. There are only a couple of notable differences:

1. The shared agents won’t only be working for your company; instead, they have a small collection of clients at any given time.
2. Shared agents won’t always be working in your call center; instead, they function as a swing or floater. However, as soon as you need them, whether it’s a peak volume period or you’re experiencing staff shortages, they’ll be ready to jump in and help.

Who Needs Shared Agents?

For some businesses, certain months or seasons are much busier than others. Shared agents are great for these circumstances, especially if you already have an in-house customer service team. During high-volume periods, outsourced shared agents will join your existing team to ensure that all your service needs are met.

How to Choose Between a Dedicated and Shared Business Model

Can’t choose between a dedicated and shared business model? We have a secret for you—you don’t need to decide on just one! If both options seem like good fits for your company, you aren’t in the minority. Plenty of businesses work with their BPO call center agency to develop a combination of both shared and dedicated services. By doing this, they are able to enjoy focused, comprehensive customer contact services all year, with the option of additional support from your shared agent(s) during peak periods. The business model covers all the bases!

If you still aren’t sure about shared vs dedicated service, our best suggestion is to talk it out. Get in touch with us about the unique needs and circumstances of your business. We’ll help you determine which customer service model is best for your company.

TeleDirect: America’s First Choice for ALL Contact Center Agents

At TeleDirect, we’ve been helping companies across America optimize their customer service and contact centers for over two decades, and we’re just getting started! If you’re ready to streamline your communication and client support, see bigger returns and increase your bottom line, get in touch with our team today. We’ll provide you with a free service quote and answer your questions. We’re here to help your business succeed—wherever you are, however big your company is and whatever the industry. Call (800) 776-1081 today!