Smart-sourcing in the contact center industry focuses on selecting qualified personnel and aligning costs with productive outcomes, rather than simply increasing headcount. This approach, highlighted by Liveops, Inc., leverages a remote delivery model that aims to reduce unnecessary spending associated with traditional staffing structures.
According to information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, benefits typically account for about 30 percent of total private-sector compensation. In brick-and-mortar operations, employers pay for fixed labor, facilities overhead, and additional benefits such as paid leave and health insurance—costs that accrue regardless of productivity levels.
Liveops' remote model is designed to concentrate spending on measurable results. Clients avoid idle time and certification expenses by shifting from fixed full-time employee (FTE) costs to a more flexible system tied to actual outcomes. The company states: "Smart-sourcing is not about finding more people, it is about finding the right people and paying only for what delivers value."
In traditional contact centers, companies often pay for non-productive time such as breaks or downtime between calls. By contrast, Liveops offers a system where clients pay solely for productive time spent handling customer interactions. This structure allows leaders to better forecast needs and directly link expenditures to performance.
Training also differs in the remote model. Rather than relying on classroom-based instruction—which can increase ramp-up times and non-productive hours—Liveops utilizes self-paced certification modules. The company claims this can improve speed to proficiency by up to 50 percent, resulting in quicker readiness for agents and reduced overall program costs.
Attrition remains a significant challenge in the sector; industry data indicates that over half of contact centers experience annual attrition rates between 21 and 50 percent. With average hiring costs around $4,700 per new employee (excluding lost productivity), Liveops emphasizes its approach of pre-vetting talent within its network before deployment: "Never pay for attrition. With a flexible, on-demand coverage model, Liveops absorbs the sourcing and certification burden."
Background checks are another area where cost savings are realized. In the remote setup described by Liveops, contractors cover their own background check fees while undergoing third-party verification processes combined with technical assessments.
The shift away from fixed FTE commitments is intended to help organizations avoid carrying excess capacity during periods of lower demand—a concern amplified by rising health plan costs for employers nationwide.
Liveops describes its strategy as a "smart-sourcing playbook," focusing on defining necessary skills first, verifying readiness before start dates, scheduling coverage according to precise forecasts, optimizing training through remote learning tools, and using continuous feedback loops to maintain quality standards.
With this operational model in place, Liveops asserts: "You get verified, remote-ready customer service agents, scheduled exactly to demand, and you only pay for productive handling time."