Over the past few decades there has been continuous ebb and flow in the movement toward locating call center resources outside the United States.

When the economy falters and companies have to cut back on resources, they are more likely to shift their call center operations to India or the Philippines. Do customers receive the same level of service? That’s another story. There are also privacy and security issues that should make a company CEO think twice before making this decision.

And now, as more call center jobs continue to move overseas despite improving economic numbers, Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania has introduced the U.S. Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act, a bill designed to limit this practice. The bill would require that U.S. callers be told the location of the call center to which they’re speaking, and give them the right to request a transfer to a U.S. based call center.

In addition, the bill would also make U.S. companies that offshore call center jobs ineligible for certain federal grants and taxpayer-funded loans.

Thus far there appears to be some bipartisan support for the bill, but whether it ultimately passes in this heated political climate is anybody’s guess.

Is it a good idea? Ask any customer who has been frustrated by a difficult experience with an offshore call center, and they’ll tell you the bill can’t pass fast enough.

But for some call centers, passage would force some challenging economic decisions.

Welcoming Call Centers Home With Workforce Optimization

If the U.S. Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act becomes law, it will likely motivate several companies to return their call center operations to the U.S. after years, perhaps even decades, of being away. 

And when they return, they may realize that the spreadsheets they used before are no longer sufficient for scheduling, or analyzing statistics on call volume. This rudimentary system has now been surpassed by workforce optimization (WFO) software. 

From tracking call history, adherence and performance, to call recording capabilities, WFO makes almost every aspect of the supervisor’s job more efficient. WFO addresses quality management and performance management as well, regardless of the size of the call center or the number of agents employed. 

Find out more about Monet’s Workforce Optimization solution