Like many companies, Answering Service for Directors faced a staffing shortage that began to impact operations in early 2021. Last winter’s COVID-19 surge also pushed a number of employees to choose a different career path. Moreover, even though the majority of staff were working remotely, the company still needed to train employees in-house, which limited hiring choices to the scarce number of local applicants.

These unprecedented challenges prompted ASD to invest in new remote solutions, allowing it to cast a wider net to hire in states where jobs were more in demand. ASD first transitioned to an entirely remote hiring/training system, which required all hands on deck, with every department contributing. The technical team, for example, was tasked with sending out computer systems and 37-inch monitors to employees’ homes while managing the logistics of tracking systems and security. ASD transformed its new office breakroom into a computer building and shipping center. The team also worked closely with trainers to establish new remote solutions that enabled instructors to virtually interact with new hires.

With the ability to hire and train employees who work out of their homes, ASD could recruit staff from beyond the local area. Currently, it has employees in seven states, with more than 120 recent hires located in the South. ASD was able to attract these job candidates in the midst of a nationwide labor shortage by making the crucial decision to focus on growing the company’s workforce in such states as South Carolina and Alabama.

“ASD specifically targeted states that ­ended pandemic-related unemployment benefits programs early,” said Kevin Czachor, vice president and co-owner of the family business. “…This was a driving force behind the decision of what states to recruit candidates from and was a very big factor in helping us quickly expand our remote workforce.”

An added bonus for ASD client firms in the South is they now have ASD call specialists answering who sound more local to their area. The company has implemented settings within its answering service system that automatically route calls for Southern funeral homes to operators located in the South.

After this major company-wide shift toward remote work, ASD is now fully staffed, and despite a recent increase in call volume, less than 3% of incoming calls to ASD have been placed on hold. myasd.com