It’s one of those business stories that needs to be documented.

As the year 2000 approached, then Microsoft CEO Bill Gates -- who at the time enjoyed near-Nostradamus status --  was asked about the most important technology developments to anticipate in the new century. One thing Gates described seemed highly improbable at the time: the idea that as internet bandwidth approached computer processing speeds, actual data computation and storage would take place farther and farther from the user.

As the novelty wears off, the realities that come with remote working are sinking in. The pandemic has forced people to adapt their daily routines and change their habits to accommodate a new way of working. 

Businesses have to adapt to cyclical changes and prepare themselves for a changing world. When operations are being disrupted, a solid business continuity plan (BCP) is essential to ensuring that systems and workflows remain intact. 

After having to completely transform overnight, the BPO industry now finds itself poised at its next impasse. Is work-at-home simply a business continuity plan, or is it the new table stakes for the industry. It's at these moments it's good to take a measured review of how ready the industry was and what it's doing to prepare for the future.  

Everise provides premium customer support for many vital industries, but our sector of deepest domain expertise is undoubtedly healthcare, where our primary specialty is member and provider support for health insurance companies. Within the insurance space, we specialize in serving Medicare patients – precisely the group at highest risk for complications caused by COVID-19.

Everise first started our home-based CX solution in 2018, when we offered the opportunity to our first champion to work from her home to be with her daughter. Since then, we have learned a few things about what makes it successful and sustainable.

With quarantines and lockdowns still in effect, Everisers are now working from home. This herculean transition was so swift and successful that our champions and leaders around the world decided to celebrate it with a song. We hope this makes you smile.

With US unemployment projected to reach up to 20%, work-at-home jobs will be the new normal for many people. For those who have never worked from home before, especially in a customer support role, it's important to know what you need in order to land a job.