Challenge

As demand grew, VEOCC needed an operating model that could scale quickly while maintaining consistent service. The contact center expanded from fewer than 50 agents at one location in 2019 to a nationwide operation handling more than 1.7 million calls annually.

The challenge extended beyond staffing. Many interactions involve veterans facing urgent or sensitive circumstances. Employees must respond with empathy, safeguard personal information and follow established escalation procedures.

VEOCC needed a workforce and operating model that could respond to changing demand, absorb surges and maintain uninterrupted service without compromising the veteran experience.

Approach

Bowen developed a scalable workforce and operating model built around three priorities: workforce readiness, operational consistency and responsive support for veterans.

Build and sustain the workforce. Bowen established dedicated recruiting, structured onboarding, training and workforce-management processes that supported growth for more than 350 trained and cleared professionals nationwide.

Strengthen support for complex interactions. As the mission evolved, Bowen introduced senior agents dedicated to crisis, threat and escalated interactions. This structure gave veterans access to experienced support while allowing supervisors to focus on coaching, employee development and operational performance.

Create consistency at scale. Bowen established standard operating procedures, training resources, quality reviews and structured equipment-management processes across the distributed workforce. Dedicated program and training leadership strengthened coordination and workforce readiness.

As work transitioned from two other contractor teams, Bowen integrated its employees into VEOCC operations, preserving institutional knowledge and service continuity while reducing the government’s training and administrative burden. Throughout the effort, Bowen worked with VEOCC leadership to anticipate changing requirements, adjust staffing and adapt operations to emerging mission needs.

Result

Bowen helped VEOCC scale from a small, single-location operation into a resilient national support model with the workforce capacity and structure to respond to changing mission requirements while maintaining reliable, responsive service to veterans nationwide.

The team supports more than 1.7 million calls annually while continuing to meet or exceed contractual service requirements. Strengthened leadership, training and workforce-management processes supported improved performance across measures that included abandonment rate, average speed to answer and call quality.