In today’s business environment, more companies seek to outsource work to scale growth, become more competitive, and increase efficiency. In their search, companies are looking for the right talent at the right price, which is why business process outsourcing (BPO), including an outsourced customer contact center, is an attractive option for more and more of them.
BPO firms typically have one or more specialties, such as customer service, claims processing, marketing support, lead generation, and collections, among other disciplines. That means they have already vetted and hired the right talent, invested in the necessary technology, and created successful, repeatable processes.
Here are some decision factors when choosing an outsourced customer contact center for your business.
Important Considerations
Outsourcing communications to a customer contact center can save your business time, money, and frustration. When you’re outlining your BPO plan, three must-have considerations are:
- What customer contact services are you looking to outsource?
- What is your budget for these services?
- Is the contact center’s location important to your goals?
BPO Contact Center Services
What specific services are you looking to improve or supplement? This seems obvious, but having a priority list can help you save time in the selection process. Plus, when you have clear goals and objectives, you can discuss those up front to make sure everyone is on the same page. Here are some typical specialties for contact centers:
Customer Service Support
Exceptional customer service is key to any thriving business. Hiring a BPO contact center can provide efficient and personalized customer support beyond your typical business hours, even 24/7.
The customer support team can answer customer calls, respond to emails, provide account updates, and quickly resolve issues to ensure customer satisfaction and maintain your brand reputation.
Claims Processing
If you work in insurance or employer benefits, you know speed and accuracy are crucial when processing claims. Policyholders and plan participants want a quick turnaround, and employers want to be sure their employees are satisfied.
Hiring a firm that can accurately review and process claims within 1-2 business days and respond to participants with claim updates and notifications can take a considerable load off your back-office team.
Market Research and Related Services
Understanding your audience is crucial to your business strategy. Suppose you’re launching a new product or must evaluate your current service/product offering. You may want to contract with a contact center to conduct outbound surveys and marketing outreach to gain valuable insights.
Lead Generation and Sales Support
BPO contact centers can energize your sales with outbound calling. With the right tools, contact center agents can engage prospects, nurture leads, and close deals effectively for seasonal sales and targeted promotions without additional headcount.
Billing and Collections
Missing and late payments literally cost you money. However, it’s especially challenging for your staff because customers typically dislike discussing being in arrears on a bill. Outsourcing collections to a contact center can save your team from headaches and frustration.
Budget and Pricing
How much can you allocate to outsourcing, and are you flexible on pricing? That could determine which vendor you choose.
Companies can expect to save up to 70 percent by outsourcing work to a contact center. Cost savings can vary; however, nearly every business can save considerably by outsourcing compared to the internal costs of labor, office space, training, equipment, and software.
BPOs may have different pricing structures based on the service agreement.
Some vendors offer a fixed-price model, charging a set monthly fee based on expectation of actual time spent or contact volume. Others provide a time-based plan in which you contract for a set number of hours devoted to your work processes.
Another option is an incentive-based plan, where you pay a base fee for monthly services plus added incentives for exceeding goals. The vendor’s agents may go above and beyond to get the bonus; however, these plans can lead to disagreements about results.
Location: Onshore, Nearshore, or Offshore
Finally, depending on your needs and goals, location may be an important factor when choosing an outsourcing partner.
- Choosing an onshore contact center team (located in the U.S.) typically allows you to build a close working relationship, including frequent site visits where appropriate.
- Nearshore firms are in the same time zones but in other countries (e.g., Mexico or the Caribbean). Similar time zones can also facilitate working relationships.
- Offshore contact center teams are in different time zones (e.g., Europe, Africa, or Asia). Costs are often the most affordable with this option. In return, there may need to be special accommodations for factors such as time differences.
Implementing the Contact Center
You’ve selected a contact center that can help you meet your goals and objectives, is suitably priced, and you’re satisfied with the location. Now, it’s time to implement.
Creating a transition plan for your company can help your business and the contact center onboard the services efficiently. Establishing a clear point of contact and a start date and outlining the monthly deliverables is essential. Then, all that’s left is to monitor and measure results.
Choosing an outsourced customer contact center for your business may seem daunting, but a clear plan with defined objectives can make it go smoothly. Knowing what you want to achieve, how much budget you can spend, and the locations appropriate for your goals are key parts of the decision-making process.
Contact Accelergent Growth Solutions today for a free customer contact center consultation and estimate.