Customer Service Outsourcing: 10 Questions To Ask Before Making The Decision

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The pool of people mulling over the idea of outsourcing some of their business responsibilities and opportunities have been increasing. As per the latest statistics, around 40% of the helpdesk positions are outsourced in the BFSI industry. You have landed in the right place if you are one of those people because this article answers some of the most influential and necessary questions that you should be knowing about before making decisions relating to customer service outsourcing.

What Is Customer Service Outsourcing?

Outsourced customer service refers to when a corporation hires a third-party service provider to handle inbound and outbound calls, as well as nonverbal contact with consumers. Outsourcing customer service is not about cutting corners for businesses; it is about providing the finest possible level of service to meet your customers’ needs. Positive experiences are what drive loyalty, gain admirers, and enhance the overall perception of the company.

There must be several questions popping in your head regarding customer service outsourcing. Knowing the answers to the same is crucial to make appropriate decisions. The following section of the article does that for you.

10 Questions To Ask Before Outsourcing

1. What Call Centers KPIs Will Be Measured To Track Success?

One of the hardest challenges is choosing the correct call center metrics. The required and appropriate KPIs will change depending on the call center’s functions and their employees. There is no use in choosing a KPI for your company if the data behind it is not accessible, or if gathering those measurements would be prohibitively expensive. When choosing contact center KPIs, think about what data points you will need for those measurements, what processes you will need to develop to get access to the data, and how much everything will cost to the expected returns.

2. What Are Your Operational Hours?

Some call centers function 24 hours a day, which is convenient if your organization provides services around the clock, while others operate hourly and remain closed on weekends and holidays. The nature of your business and work will decide your answer to this question. If you supply items and services all year round, you require a service provider that provides services all year long so that you are in constant touch with your customers.

3. Will My Customers Notice That My Call Center Has Been Outsourced?

Ideally, your customers should not get to know if your call center is outsourced. This is particularly because your customers will want to speak to you and not any third-party officials. Companies performing customer service outsourcing work for you and represent your business.

4. How Do You Prove The Quality Of The Services?

There must be a procedure in place for the organization to demonstrate the quality of its services to prospective consumers. It might be through a monthly audit or a record of the calls they handle daily. Request such information so that you can determine how useful their services will be to you.

5. What Call Volume Can The Outsourcing Company Handle In A Day?

This will be determined by the size of your company. If your company is small and expanding, there is no use in looking for a call center that handles large calls. However, if your firm is large and has a lot of clients, you should employ a provider that can manage a lot of calls in a day. As a result, depending on the size of your organization, this is an important question to ask.

6. What Is The Outsourcing Organization’s Area Of Specialization?

This question allows you to assess the company’s ability to handle your business. Keep in mind that you need a call center with experience and knowledge in the industry you are operating in, so knowing what services they provide can help you choose whether or not they are trustworthy and capable of handling your business. Some service providers provide a variety of customer service outsourcing services, while others specialize in a single industry. As a result, you will be the one to choose a call center firm based on their expertise and the operations of your company.

7. What Language Will The Call Center Agents Speak?

The language you want the call center agents to speak depends on your business and the countries and locations you operate in. Companies that outsource customer service to another country might expand their customer base by offering more than simply English as a language choice. According to your customer base, the customer service outsourcing company would plan and operate with desirable and preferred languages.

8. How Do The Outsourcing Company Plan To Manage Your Account?

A significant component of the outsourcing project is determining how your business account will be managed. Inquire if the service provider follows a well-defined account management procedure. Find out if you will have a dedicated person handling your day–to–day tasks and how often you need to communicate with them.

9. Will The Company Be Flexible Enough To Accommodate The Specific Needs?

Determine whether the provider is simply over-promising to sell you their services or whether they are devoted to personalizing their services to match your specific requirements. You can be sure by asking the provider’s current clients if all of their needs and requirements were met. Examine whether the service provider is willing to clarify your requirements and map them to the offered services. You should not, however, expect the service provider to redesign their business strategy for you.

10. What Privacy And Data Security Has Been Ensured?

When working with an outsourced call center, your company’s security should be your top priority as you will be sharing confidential company information. Request a full account of how the service provider has protected their facility against outside intrusion. Find more about the provider’s firewall and other security measures. Inquire about the service provider’s recovery plan if ever an event of security breach occurs. Finally, check to see if the provider’s data center is staffed by qualified, experienced, and dedicated personnel.

Conclusion

Outsourcing has been a game-changer and has changed the way businesses and organizations function. The above-mentioned questions make up for some of the price factors that play an important role in making decisions relating to customer service outsourcing. Before arriving at your final decision to outsource to a particular customer service outsourcing company, you need to get these questions answered for a win-win proposition.

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