In the competitive realm of teleprospecting, managing a temporary workforce effectively is crucial for maintaining operational excellence and growth. A teleprospecting call center, grappling with high turnover and inefficiencies and looking to improve employee retention, partnered with Impact Workforce Solutions to implement the Core2 program. Let’s explore how strategic workforce management mitigated call center challenges and catalyzed a remarkable operational transformation.
Call center challenges
The call center we worked with in this case faced several critical issues: retaining long-term temporary employees, attracting new workers, and maintaining operational efficiency overall.
Low retention
The call center relied heavily on temporary workers and allocated assignments and goals to them at the same rates as permanent employees. But the call center wasn’t positioned to offer their contingent workforce equitable full-time benefits. This disparity caused widespread dissatisfaction among contingent workers. They were in limbo — integral to the company’s operations yet not fully recognized for their contributions. The inability to improve employee retention disrupted workflow, increasing training costs and lowering productivity.
Slow attraction
The call center also had difficulty attracting new temporary workers. The allure of full-time positions with better benefits elsewhere often inhibited recruiting. Compounded by high turnover rates, slow talent sourcing led to overall workforce instability and problems managing capacity effectively. This instability had far-reaching effects, exacerbating the lags in productivity caused by low employee retention, sapping employee morale, and risking workforce burnout. The increased costs of recruiting also placed additional strain on resources.
Operational inefficiencies
With efforts invested in managing constricted resources, inconsistent skill sets, and employee engagement, achieving operational excellence became a tall order. Processes for managing the temporary workforce were unstructured and varied across teams. Supervisory staff became overwhelmed by the dual challenges of conflict management and maintaining motivation among workers. Without clear guidelines and support, these operational hurdles prevented effective workforce management, improvement in employee retention, and talent development.
The regression in each of these three areas further hindered efforts to resolve the other two. As we’ve observed in similar cases, escalating costs, risks, and workforce dissatisfaction translate to a decline in business outcomes and a difficult cycle to break with internal initiatives alone.
That’s where our Core2 program come in.
Intervention: Impact Workforce Solutions
We began by investigating the depth and breadth of each problem, meeting with the call center’s leadership and asking the right questions to understand the unique dynamics at play. In the end, we applied a two-pronged approach to tackle both the root causes and the symptoms of the issues at hand for a holistic call center transformation.
Our Core2 program
To address the high turnover rates and recruitment blockers hampering the call center’s capacity and morale, we rolled out our Core2 program. Core2 — which merges our employer of record (EOR) services with our employee retention solutions — provided long-term contingent workers with stability and robust benefits at a cost that worked for the call center. This strategic maneuver was a game-changer in the realm of temporary workforce management. It offered the contingent workforce flexibility this call center needed with the security and recognition workers had been missing. The introduction of Core2 represented a significant shift in strategy, moving away from traditional temporary employment models to a more integrated and equitable approach.
Leadership and supervisory development
A cornerstone of the Core2 program’s success was its targeted focus on enhancing the capabilities of leadership and supervisory staff. Recognizing the pivotal role effective operations management plays in business and workforce success, we implemented monthly leadership sessions designed to equip supervisors with the necessary tools to manage their diverse, dynamic, and multitalented temporary workforce. Our strategic placement of an on-site operations manager also significantly bolstered efficiency and time management for the call center’s staff. Deploying an expert in conflict resolution, talent development, and contingent workforce supervision elevated the call center’s operational standards and provide traction for achieving operational excellence.
Extraordinary outcomes
The success of the Core2 program can be measured in both business and experiential outcomes. This holistic impact showcases the program’s effectiveness for resolving the immediate challenges faced by this call center, and it highlights the transformative potential of Core2 for the broader teleprospecting industry.
- Cost savings: The Core2 program was a boon for cost savings, with a reduction in expenses amounting to $108,346 annually.
- Improving Employee Retention: Before Core2, turnover rates were at 100%; after, they stabilized at less than 10%.
Core2 also engendered profound qualitative improvements within the call center. The introduction of an on-site operations manager ensured the call center’s needs were effectively met while empowering temporary workers to grow, connect, and contribute to strategic objectives in meaningful ways.
Supervisory teams also thrived, exhibiting marked improvements in leadership capabilities, accountability, and conflict resolution. This added value contributed to a healthier, more productive work environment and improved the overall morale and effectiveness of the workforce.
Our client’s perspective
Impact’s Core2 program offered us a way to attract qualified temporary workers and increase our retention among our long-term contingent workforce. With Core2, we are able to adjust to our changing production needs while also ensuring the quality of our long-term contingent workforce that now receives stable employment, quality benefits, and paid time off through Impact. I recommend Core2 to any company looking to increase their retention and quality among their contingent workforce. —Matt G., Call Center Partner
Impact Workforce Solutions: Partners in call center optimization
The partnership with Impact Workforce Solutions and the implementation of the Core2 program demonstrated a successful strategic approach to workforce management in the teleprospecting industry. It exemplifies how targeted interventions and support from specialized workforce management partners can lead to substantial cost savings, reduced turnover, and improved operational efficiency.
For organizations facing similar challenges in contingent workforce management, the Core2 program offers a proven solution. Embracing innovative strategies like Core2 can be transformative, laying a foundation for enhanced efficiency and sustainable growth.