One of the ways companies endeavour to make themselves more efficient is by outsourcing some of their business operations. In this article we’ll look at some of the benefits of outsourcing your customer service.
With the increasing importance of the global marketplace, outsourcing has become a popular way for companies to cut expenses. From manufacturing to customer service, many companies operating internationally are now using outside firms to provide services at a lower cost.
However, cutting expenses is not the only benefit of outsourcing. Here are some more reasons why you may want to outsource your customer support operation entirely.
1. Focus
Many companies that choose customer service outsourcing do so in order to focus on their core competencies. In-house resources can be freed up and reassigned to growth-driving functions such as product development, sales and marketing.
2. Technology
Keeping up with the latest software and technology is time consuming and expensive. Outsourcers who specialize in call center operations invest heavily in this area to give good service and remain competitive. Technology such as IVR systems featuring queueing and rerouting get updated as the market develops. Outsourcers also have partnerships with leading technology providers of CRM, Help Desk and Analytics software which ensures agents representing your brand have accurate, consistent information to provide world class customer service.
3. Expertise
When you partner with an outsourcing company you benefit from many years of experience in providing customer support. A lot of outsourcing companies have a wealth of experience in all areas of service provision including recruitment, people management, training and data management. You will be able to make use of this expertise to provide a higher level of service to your clients.
4. Open 24/7
Outsourced contact centers offer flexible operating hours that can help businesses handle and maintain clients who are situated out of their time zones. They can handle customers outside of their country or continent effectively. Outsourced call centers usually operate 24/7 round the clock.
5. Prestige
Small to medium size enterprises (SME) do not have the budget to match the services that larger companies offer. Outsourcing presents an opportunity for smaller firms to compete by giving them access to the same infrastructure, technology and expertise large corporations enjoy.
6. Scaling Up
As businesses grow, finding enough good front-line employees isn’t easy. In-house customer service departments find recruiting, hiring and training new staff a challenge. This is less of an issue when you outsource, as these companies often have more employees working for them. Agents can be diverted to cover your business with ease.
While it is true every business seeks cost efficiencies, and cost savings are the biggest driver of outsourcing, this should not be the sole motive. A business should place its main emphasis on the quality of service provided to its customers and consider the competencies and track record of any prospective outsourcing company before making the move.
