High retention rates bring customer benefits at SITEL Direct : Why call‐center company bucks the trend

Purpose – Explains SITEL Direct's approach to staff retention and how successful strategies to empower, encourage and promote employees provide business benefits to its clients and their customers. Design/methodology/approach – Highlights the main benefits available to agents working in SITEL's bureau and fulfillment programs: varied work, flexible hours, good training and personal development opportunities, and the chance to work in one of England's prettiest towns. Emphasizes the importance of having a settled team. Findings – Shows that SITEL has established a monthly retention target of 95 percent for its bureau agents, but in 2004, there was an average monthly retention rate of 97.2 percent in quarter one, 95.9 percent in quarter two and 94.3 percent in quarter three. Fulfillment has achieved even higher retention rates. With a similar target of 95 percent monthly retention, the program in 2004 achieved an average monthly retention rate of 100 percent in quarter one, 97.2 percent in quarter two and 97.8 percent in quarter three. Practical implications – Demonstrates that high staff turnover need not, in all cases, characterize the call‐centre industry. Originality/value – Emphasizes that the agents working in SITEL's bureau and fulfillment programs are critical to the success of a client's campaign, as they are the first people that consumers interact with either directly or indirectly.