Customer service is just as important as having the ability to produce high-quality products, regardless of what the type of business. It helps differentiate your business from competitors. It promotes brand loyalty through repeat purchase. It attracts new customers through good publicity.
Thus, it’s only right that you invest in a group of skilled individuals who will make up the support team that can perfectly address your business’ needs and expectations. However, what if your company doesn’t have enough resources to accept new hires? The solution is simple: outsource a customer service contact center.
As businesses continue to grow, the number of contact centers have also seen a steady rise in the recent years. Contact centers are not a one size fits all, though. In call center outsourcing, make sure that the center can operate around your customer key processes while also adhering to your company’s expectations and brand positioning. To help you choose the right contact center for your business, here are some tips that you should keep in mind.
Determine what your business needs.
Identify what your business needs the most. For example, if you own an online store, do you need people who can answer emails and do a live chat service? Or are you more in need of voice support and social media representatives? It is vital that you determine first the kind of support that you need.
Identify the strength of operations of the contact center.
Identify how well contact centers can operate around your business. If you’re expected to receive a large volume of calls and inquiries, it is important that you choose a call center that has a reliable uptime & redundancy and a well-crafted disaster recovery plan. Nearly 50% of customers will avoid a brand in the future if they’ve had to wait for more than 5 minutes because of customer service downtime, and you don’t want that happening to your business.
Choose a center that has business tools integration.
Make the most out of your money by choosing a center that has business tools integration. A center that has an available software to integrate with your business’ CRM and social media platforms can save you time and increase productivity.
Determine the KPIs.
Key performance indicators or KPIs drive value to your outsourcing relationship with the contact center. A strategic business partnership should always establish measurable metrics and KPIs early on in the relationship between you and the service provider. Define your vision: do you want to achieve cost control, improved efficiency, and service quality enhancement through outsourcing? If so, make sure that the contact center knows this and promises to have this realized.
Choose a strategic location.
Location is also important in choosing which contact center to outsource. Depending on the nature of your business, you may opt to outsource a contact center that is located near your company or opt for offshore contact centers. Offshore contact centers usually offer lower costs and run a 24-hour service.
Discuss the security measures of the center.
It is imperative that the contact center that you choose implements strict security measures that ensure that your proprietary data is safe and secure from data theft, fraud, and other cyber attacks. Physical security must also be ensured. Look around the center and see if they have password-encrypted doors, CCTV cameras, and security guards around the vicinity.
Know how much you will be charged.
Many call centers usually quote their prices on a per minute basis. Do note that in attaining answering services, live agents can cost more than having automated recordings and voicemail to respond to your customers’ calls. Before signing that contract, make sure to ask the center’s sales representative on the price of each service that they offer: from price per agent to price per call to price of using their software services. You want your business partnership to be as transparent as possible.
Call center outsourcing can be a frustrating task, but you can always come out victorious at the end of the journey once you know what you’re exactly looking for. Ultimately, it is important that your chosen contact center can deliver and help you realize your business goals in the long run.