The contact centre has not yet begun to tap in to the potential operational benefits of using home-based staff, one expert has asserted.

Working from home is becoming increasingly popular with staff and employers, but so far the contact centre industry has been slow to respond and make the most of home-based staff, according to Cormac Twomey, UK managing director of TeleTech@Home.

Mr Twomey’s organisation has recently launched a recruitment drive focusing on finding home-based staff and he told onrec.com that the new ways of working allow employees to balances their lives more easily.

"Flexible working is a trend that is certainly on the increase. Yet to date it has completely bypassed the contact centre market, one of the UK’s fastest growing industries," he said.

"Many people have preconceptions about home working, but we’re confident that we can successfully challenge these and change the way Britain works."

TeleTech operates as a business process outsourcing company in a total of 18 countries worldwide and aims to lower costs and increase revenues for its clients.