For example, do Google call center reps make $20/hr like Apple reps or close to minimum wage? Hire a little less, and pay a little more to avoid cable company quality.
How to make do with less reps? Use a fantastically convenient online system and drive people to it. Use machine learning to detect when a ticket should be immediately escalated to a real supervisor, or actually to an exec or the product team.
Constant social media scan and preemptively open tickets or escalate based on content.
All reps required to maintain a satisfaction review score of >= x. This rule would require empowering them to make good faith decisions as in case above.