TeleTech Offers Crowdsourcing, Simulations For Training

Business process outsourcing developer TeleTech Holdings on Tuesday unveiled two new learning tools that use crowdsourcing and simulations to train workers for positions in customer service, on a help desk, in a call center, and in other locations within large companies.

During the International Association for Outsourcing Professionals' (IAOP) Outsourcing World Summit in Indian Wells, Calif., the Englewood, Colo.-based developer introduced TeleTech Social Learning and TeleTech Simulated Learning, both of which have been put through their paces by a group of existing TeleTech clients.

TeleTech Social Learning uses a private crowdsourcing approach to learning, giving trainees access to critical information via real-time knowledge transfer throughout an operation's lifecycle, according to TeleTech. Client corporations can test employees, a process shown to improve development timelines by 40% or more, TeleTech said.

Because it taps a company's knowledge base and employees' on-the-job experiences, TeleTech Social Learning helps enterprises prevent data-loss due to employee attrition, the developer said. The educational tool is based on Iris, TeleTech's social collaboration platform, which integrates training, support resources, and other tools to train employees on software, company policies, methodologies, and other tasks.

TeleTech Simulated Learning gives users private access to the developer's GigaPop cloud contact center, providing these client employees with the ability to learn in a real operating environment -- without potentially losing or damaging corporate data or client relations. In this pseudo-real world, employees are involved in real interactions, using the same tools and applications they will be using in their jobs. As a result, workers get the most out of the tools 30% faster, according to TeleTech.

People being trained interact with other companies' trainees via TeleTech's live, centralized global network, giving each firm's employees experience dealing with the public while using corporate software and databases. In addition, TeleTech and its client can track employees' progress using performance metrics, the developer said.

"In line with changing employee demographics and market needs, TeleTech's newest Learning Innovation products use the principles of collaborative learning, and social information exchange to enhance customer satisfaction at every stage of the customer lifecycle," said Mike Jossi, TeleTech executive vice president of human capital.

Business process outsourcing will continue to gather momentum this year, many analysts predict. Government, for example, is more open to outsourcing as a way to further cut costs and cope with smaller staffs, said Jessica Hawkins, Ovum analyst, in a January report.

“Alongside this, for those economies most severely affected by the crippling deficits we expect to see an increase in outsourcing, particularly in back-office processes, in a bid to find cost savings and fast," she said. “Many will look to their IT vendor to guide them through the new technologies that can help them achieve this and vendors should be ready to do this.”

TeleTech, which earlier this week was named to the 2011 Global Outsourcing 100 list of the world's best outsourcing service providers by the IAOP -- provides an array of BPO services to more than 42,000 clients worldwide.

"Our strategic consulting and delivery execution capabilities position us to be a full service provider for leading brands interested in creating unique customer experiences," said Ken Tuchman, chairman and CEO of TeleTech, in a statement.