Leveraging remote call center tools is one of the best strategies to cut costs, boost efficiency, and enhance the customer experience in one fell swoop. However, using digital outsourcing also introduces some major cybersecurity concerns. Working with call centers with high-security best practices is essential if you want to achieve rapid growth without putting your sensitive business information at risk.
Offering remote support is standard for many modern business process outsourcing (BPO) contact centers, but they don’t all have the same security standards. Exploring the landscape of telecommuting and cyber threats can help you select a strategic BPO partner who will proactively safeguard your digital details.
Cybersecurity: The Key to Remote Outsourcing
Work-from-home capabilities completely transformed the call center industry. Instead of having to manage physical call center environments, BPO companies can now build a talented global workforce that’s available around the clock, all while limiting their overhead and passing the savings along to their clients.
However, the telecommuting revolution also made cyber security for remote workers a sudden, pressing concern for BPO providers. Managing internal cybersecurity is challenging enough; work-from-home employees introduced additional challenges, such as unsecured devices, vulnerable networks, and less oversight when it comes to digital scams, viruses, and more.
By taking action and building secure systems for both in-office and telecommuting workers, reputable BPO providers can optimize their workforce and boost productivity for their clients while managing key risks. When searching for call center services for your business, it’s critical to find an industry-leading solution that will prioritize your digital safety through remote solutions.
Understanding Remote Work Cyber Security: Statistics To Know
Working from home is on the rise, and cybersecurity threats are increasing with it. The cost of cybercrime is expected to exceed $10.5 trillion in 2025, making it a major financial barrier for businesses of all kinds. While not all of these losses are related to telecommuters, work-from-home systems are still a major concern based on these remote work cybersecurity statistics:
- 70% of people working from home use their own devices, which may not have the same security measures as company equipment.
- 20% of remote employees didn’t receive any training about online safety and cybersecurity best practices.
- 46% of businesses had a cybersecurity incident in the first two months after introducing remote work.
Current Trends in Remote Work Cybersecurity
In the world of online safety, digital criminals are always evolving and finding new ways to access private information. However, businesses are also constantly combatting these strategies to ensure both customer privacy and internal security. Keeping up with the latest trends is essential for any BPO provider that wants to avoid emerging issues.
There are several types of cyberattacks, but one is becoming much more prevalent. During the rapid expansion of remote work in 2020, phishing — the attempt to steal information through deceptive messages increased by 600%, while ransomware attacks increased by 148%.
Both of these methods can easily target remote workers, which is why strong security measures are also on the rise. Some of the trending best practices include:
- Implementing private, encrypted communication channels for all company communications
- Establishing official data protection policies to comply with new regulations like the GDPR
- Requiring multi-factor authentication for all devices to verify user identities
- Providing VPNs and secure wired networks for work-from-home environments
How To Select a Secure Call Center
It can be challenging to determine if a BPO provider has the strategies and tools to successfully manage a remote call center workforce. During the research, vetting, and onboarding process, you can take several steps to weed out unreliable providers and find a BPO organization that’s dedicated to client security. This guide breaks down the essential strategies for finding the right partner.
Understand Standard Security Measures
Educating yourself on modern security standards will help you understand what to expect from a reputable provider. For example, you can ask about their bring-your-own-device policies for telecommuters, network requirements, and anti-phishing training practices. It’s also important to address their incident response strategies to ensure they know how to handle a breach effectively. If a vendor doesn’t have established policies in place, you’ll want to move on to another provider.
Set Compliance Expectations
When meeting with a potential BPO organization, discuss compliance best practices for your specific industry. Because of GDPR regulations in Europe, many companies across the world are implementing new data privacy and consent rules. Additionally, if you work in the medical field, your provider will need to have an in-depth knowledge of upholding HIPAA while handling remote communications.
Review the Call Center Tech Stack
Experienced remote call centers will use technology such as VPNs, firewalls, and connection monitoring tools to uphold digital privacy. Hackers and cybercriminals have their own digital tools they use to manipulate remote employees and gain access to unsecured networks, so it’s important to work with a provider that uses cutting-edge technology to thwart these attempts.
Focus on Results
When managing a team of work-from-home agents, BPO organizations need to balance security and flexibility. Employees will need to have access to company systems, while still understanding how to protect private information. Ask about how each provider addresses this challenge to maximize your benefits without introducing new risks.
Enhancing Your Business With Secure Call Center Support
Although the shift toward telecommuting exposed many businesses to new cyber threats, knowledgeable BPO companies are evolving to combat and prevent these issues. BPO providers that offer built-in security solutions will help you enjoy the enhanced productivity, cost savings, and convenience of a remote workforce, all while avoiding the major risks. By proactively discussing secure work-from-home practices with your contact center provider, you can modernize your outsourcing without introducing new vulnerabilities.
At Confie BPO, we understand that our call center acts as an extension of your business. That’s why we treat your private business information with the utmost care by implementing thorough, reliable cybersecurity practices for both in-office and remote call center agents.
If you want to see how the power of secure, remote call center support can elevate your operations, call 800-684-2276 or connect with us online.
