One of our former editors, Brendan Read, wrote a book called Designing the Best Call Center for Your Business. We ran part of the book as an article called Home Sweet Call Center.

Keeping costs down is important in any business, but cutting corners when it comes to the design of your call center can have lasting, costly affects. In a section called Why Boiler Rooms Don't Work, Read recommends giving employees space: 90 to 140 square feet. He spoke to a couple of consultants who recalled a New Mexico call center that paid well but kept losing agents. Why? Small booths.

"[Consultants] Engel and Picasso also point out that you will lose more money than you've saved because of furniture replacement costs, injured and out-of-work agents, workers' compensation claims and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) complaints under the General Industry Standard. And as word spreads, you'll see staff leave with few others replacing them."

Some of the best consultants may be your own agents. Read suggests asking your staff how you can make the center better: "Bring in different chairs and workstations and study their reaction. Try new lighting and noise-reduction techniques in portions of your call center. If the innovations work out, consider retrofitting your present call centers. As well as providing you with advice, you also empower your staff, making them feel better about working at your call center. The more agents feel valued as employees, and the more empowered they feel about their immediate environment, the more likely they'll be willing to stay and recommend your call center to others."

Read the rest of Brendan Read's excellent article here, or order his book from CMP Books here.

What is your experience? Are you thinking about redesigning your call center? Have you noticed an increase or decrease in productivity after you changed something? Tell us about it.