Everything You Need to Know About Call Center Outsourcing

Functional support on which customers can rely upon is an essential part of every business.

But delivering such service mandates time, training, and constant maintenance, not to mention appropriate software and technical assets that must also be integrated into the whole operation. To provide all listed above, you need significant investment. 

However, for companies that prefer to be cost-effective, outsourcing is definitely a smart option to consider.

1. What is call center outsourcing?

To put it simply, call center outsourcing is the contracting of a third-party team of care agents that are based outside of your company, and in some cases, outside your country of residence, too.

  • Onshore – or located within your company’s establishment.

  • Offshore – or situated in far distant countries and regions.

  • Nearshore – or located closer than offshore, but not quite close to be onshore.

2. What to expect when working with a call center outsourcing?

Planning and research are key when choosing to outsource your call center needs to a third-party vendor. It is a broad market with many options to choose from, but realistically, here is what you should require from your call center partner.

  • Clear communication – your company’s mission statement, objectives, and purposes need to be comprehended and respected at all times.

  • No language barriers – the call center team must be fluent in English and other regarded languages for your business needs. 

  • Transparency – monthly or weekly reports based on actionable data need to be presented to you. If necessary, vendors must also deliver recommendations for improvement.  

  • Security and reliability – data security and a backup system must be provided without exception.

  • Quality service – the third-party must guarantee that the call quality scores meet your standards and expectations.

3. Key stages

Once you decide on a call center vendor that can offer your required coverage hours, delivery performance, and language support, and you have finalized your contract, negotiating your MSA (Master Services Agreement) and SOW (Statement of Work), the following stages need to be completed:

  • Onboarding – in this stage, you introduce your company to the vendor and prepare it for duties ahead. 

  • Product knowledge training – if you have chosen an offshore or nearshore call center company, it will be beneficial for you to invite the agents to your location, so they can be introduced to your product or service at firsthand.   

  • Launching – After the two stages above, your business will be ready to transition customer service and call center operations to the vendor. Monitoring and collaboration are crucial for pinpointing any service interludes that may occur.

4. How to choose an outsourcing destination?

Time zones and strategic locations are crucial when choosing an outsourcing destination. 

According to a recent analysis, India, Ukraine, The Philippines, Brazil, Thailand, Poland, and Argentina are the top-notch countries. Bulgaria, situated between Europe and Asia, makes it up to the list, too.  

5. Benefits of call center outsourcing

Truly, each destination has many benefits to offer. 

Overall, outsourcing your call center services can significantly eliminate internal costs, spearing expenses on various processes, such as hiring your own customer care team and establishing them a workspace. Outsourced call centers have experienced agents and a structured workflow, which is successful in managing changes during peak times.

Your customer will be dealt with employing the latest technology, which implements advanced communication tools, ensuring excellent experience and maximal satisfaction.

The process of outsourcing, whether onshore, offshore, or nearshore, might take time, but each effort, guaranteed, returns the time and funds invested.

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