West Launches First Remote Locked-Down Desktop Security Environment for Home-Based Agents

West at Home, LLC, one of the largest and most respected providers of home-based customer contact solutions in the world, today launches the West at Home Locked-Down Desktop Security Environment. The West at Home Locked-Down Desktop is the industry’s first known comprehensive solution for successfully managing security within home-based agent workforces through the agent’s existing computer.

"Security breaches involving home agents have been a concern for companies unfamiliar with the success of this agent model," notes Strategic Analyst, Michael DeSalles with Frost & Sullivan. "We believe that West is the first player in the customer care industry to ‘crack the code’ in offering a new, robust security program that remotely controls 100% of the applications on a home-based agent’s existing desktop — effectively eliminating agent intrusion when it comes to security breaches."

According to Peter Ryan, lead analyst — contact centers and BPO for Datamonitor, "Today’s announcement demonstrates West’s initiative to provide leadership in the home agent industry as well as their commitment to protecting the confidentiality, security and integrity of personal data handled through home-based agent programs."

"The West at Home Locked-Down Desktop prevents the home-based agents, who are working on their own computers, from performing non-approved operations, such as launching applications, viewing drives or unauthorized websites and accessing folders; or simply downloading and printing off valuable, personal customer information," said Mark Frei, senior vice president of sales with West at Home. "As the only known Home-Based Agent solution that remotely protects data down to the process level, West at Home has reached a milestone to help its Fortune 1000 clients reduce security-related concerns surrounding home-based agent programs, align security activities with business priorities, and increase customer/client trust and satisfaction."

How West at Home Locked-Down Desktop Works

The patent-pending West at Home Locked-Down Desktop transforms the agent’s existing desktop into a West proprietary environment when the agent begins work and it only runs applications or processes explicitly permitted to be run — essentially locking down the desktop. After the agent has completed work, the desktop is restored to its former state. The West at Home Locked-Down Desktop works equally well on both Vista (32bit) and Windows XP (32bit).

"Security-conscious and heavily regulated sectors such as the financial services and healthcare industries are finding comfort in home-based agent programs with advanced security measures to protect the desktop and the sensitive data it contains," said Skip Hanson, president of West Telemarketing Corporation. "Combining the West at Home Locked-Down Desktop with our 100% employee-based model shows our continual commitment in addressing our clients’ heightened security concerns regardless of their industry."

About West at Home
West at Home is one of the world’s leading and most respected providers of home-based customer contact solutions. West at Home helps Fortune 1000 companies deliver unparalleled results through a combination of higher quality, better educated agents and a highly scalable, reliable infrastructure. Featuring multi-layered security protection and employing the industry’s most comprehensive agent training, management and monitoring processes, West at Home helps companies achieve a higher level of quality service, improve staffing flexibility and realize a greater return on investment.

West at Home, LLC is a subsidiary of West Corporation, the nation’s leading provider of outsourced communication solutions.

About West Corporation
West Corporation is a leading provider of outsourced communication solutions to many of the world’s largest companies, organizations and government agencies. West helps its clients communicate effectively, maximize the value of their customer relationships and drive greater profitability from every interaction. The company’s integrated suite of customized solutions includes customer acquisition, customer care, automated customer contact solutions, business-to-business sales and account management solutions, emergency communications, conferencing and accounts receivable management services.

Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, West has a team of 42,000 employees based in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information on West Corporation, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.west.com.