Creating Business Value With Call Center Outsourcing

Successfully navigating customer support demands precision and expertise, as each interaction molds customers’ perceptions of a brand. Companies that prioritize customer experience witness a profit increase of 4–8% and cultivate loyal brand ambassadors. Yet, the question remains: can an existing in-house team achieve these goals, or is outsourcing the solution?

As a Support-as-a-Service provider with over 13 years of experience, SupportYourApp has perfected every puzzle piece necessary for delivering exceptional customer support. We are delighted to share our perspective on support outsourcing and help businesses prosper by making informed decisions.

Why Consider Call Center Outsourcing?

A company attains peak performance when each aspect of its operations is managed by top-notch specialists in their respective fields. For this reason, employing an outsourced customer support company to mediate between a business and its customers may be a tangible contribution to maximizing resources and efforts. But to assess all the call center outsourcing advantages and disadvantages, businesses can begin by asking themselves: 

What if Customer Support-as-a-Service never existed or ceased to exist?

6 Call Center Outsourcing Advantages

Enhanced Cost Efficiency

In a world without Support-as-a-Service, businesses would face the challenge of allocating resources strategically to maintain financial efficiency. The absence of outsourcing could lead to increased operational costs as in-house teams would need to handle the entire customer support burden. Outsourcing emerges as a cost-effective solution, empowering businesses to achieve unparalleled financial efficiency by leveraging external expertise. 70% of businesses sought the assistance of outsourcing partners with the aim of cutting costs. This trend indicates a potential reduction of labor costs by a significant 70%.

Access to Specialized Expertise

Top-tier support companies offer invaluable expertise, a resource that becomes even more critical in the absence of Support-as-a-Service. Navigating complex support challenges, such as choosing between phone and email support or selecting suitable CRM systems, requires specialized knowledge. Customer support experts can analyze and manage call center performance metrics properly, offering appropriate omnichannel or multichannel support based on the type of business. Outsourcing provides access to this expertise, ensuring that businesses can effectively address intricate questions and provide optimal solutions to their customers.

Scalability, Flexibility, and Access to Top Talents

What do statistics say about the IT talent landscape?

• 54% of global companies, including those in the tech industry, have documented a scarcity of technical experts.

• 75% of business executives consider the availability of talent as the primary risk factor in IT and tech enterprises.

• Looking into the future, projections suggest a deficit of over 85 million technology workers by 2030.

Outsourcing grants access to cross-cultural teams and diverse support talents, ensuring companies can scale their support operations based on demand. It facilitates the implementation of omnichannel support, guaranteeing a seamless and holistic customer experience that might be challenging to achieve without external support.

By outsourcing their call center, businesses can significantly reduce costs associated with support agent training and team building, crucial elements in ensuring a high level of customer support.

SupportYourApp’s experience: when it comes to building our awesome support teams, we’re all about picking the cream of the crop. We believe in nurturing skills and consistently invest in our team’s development. That’s why we give our team members a deep dive into empathy training — making sure they’re top-notch at understanding and connecting with people. We’re big on the cozy factor too, our office spaces are modern and comfortable, creating a feel-good vibe.

We’re not just a team during work hours but buddies outside of them too. SupportYourApp’s approach is all about boosting team spirit through effective communication and bonding sessions after the daily grind. Lots of open chats, laughs, and connections — it’s not just fun, it also amps up our communication, making our whole process highly effective.

Cybersecurity and Data Handling

The Cybersecurity Report highlighted serious cyberattacks, especially on governments, emphasizing the need for strong cybersecurity measures. The growing trend is leaning towards outsourcing cybersecurity, in line with the ongoing digital transformation.

Reputable Support-as-a-Service providers prioritize the secure handling of customer data, leveraging cutting-edge cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information. In a scenario without Support-as-a-Service, businesses would need to invest heavily in building and maintaining robust cybersecurity infrastructure to ensure data security. The absence of specialized support could expose businesses to potential vulnerabilities, making secure handling of customer data a major concern.

SupportYourApp’s experience: in a landscape where 96% of American consumers demand heightened security, SupportYourApp safeguards the sensitive information of our clients and their customers. As a PCI DSS Level 1 Service Provider, ISO 27001 certified, and GDPR-, CCPA-, and HIPAA-compliant entity, our team undergoes regular security training. This commitment ensures the delivery of secure support services, epitomizing SupportYourApp’s dedication to customer data security.

Human Empathy and AI Trends

Without Support-as-a-Service, businesses might struggle to strike the perfect balance between human touch and technological efficiency, potentially impacting the overall quality of customer interactions and not being able to withstand competition in a modern, fast-changing, tech-driven era.

By leveraging every aspect that technology offers, customer support professionals can break through every limit and become true heroes for customers around the globe. They can use it to:

• Expand their answers
• Analyze vast amounts of data faster
• Create standard content for the knowledge base
• Study and develop
• Develop multilingual support

The main advantage is that professional Support-as-a-Service companies know how to make support agents and AI become friends, bringing their synergy to enhance customer experience. True customer support wizards excel in harmonizing human empathy with AI trends, utilizing both to achieve top-notch customer service.

Going the Extra Mile to Enhance a Brand Image

As we continue to weigh outsourcing call center pros and cons, it’s time to consider a factor that can be delicate at times: brand reputation.

Brands that consistently represent themselves well see a significant 33% boost in revenue, underlining the crucial role of customer support in this process.

It’s not just about delivering a great product or service; having a set of values that resonates with the core customer base is equally important. The support team, often the primary point of contact, shapes brand perception by consistently embodying company values.

During crises, the speed, convenience, and knowledge of support teams become critical. Maintaining quality service in challenging situations is a testament to professionalism. Handling crises with calmness, active listening, and using feedback for improvement positions a support team as a reliable guardian of brand reputation.

Exceptional customer service, marked by going the extra mile, can significantly influence brand choice. A support team’s proactive approach in addressing negative reviews and rectifying issues not only retains customers but turns mistakes into brand victories. This personalized touch creates a positive narrative, fostering customer loyalty and positively influencing brand perception.

SupportYourApp’s experience: we don’t just believe in customer support, we’re passionate about creating experiences that go beyond expectations. Every challenging situation is an opportunity for us to shine. We thrive on turning challenges into victories, and our proactive approach isn’t just about fixing issues but building stronger connections.

Measuring the pros and cons of outsourcing a call center would not be complete without acknowledging the disadvantages of call center outsourcing.

7 Disadvantages of Call Center Outsourcing

Quality Control Challenges

Outsourcing call centers raises concerns about potential compromises in customer service quality. Managing consistent service standards becomes complex when an outsourcing partner operates in a different location with varying cultural nuances. Ensuring outsourced agents align with the brand’s values can be an ongoing challenge.

How to Protect a Business?

Choose a Support-as-a-Service provider with a proven track record in maintaining high-quality service standards. Assess their training programs and cultural alignment strategies to ensure seamless customer experiences.

Communication Barriers

Effective communication is essential for successful customer support. When call center operations are outsourced to distant locations, language barriers and cultural differences may hinder clear communication, leading to customer dissatisfaction.

How to Protect a Business?

Opt for a Support-as-a-Service provider with multilingual capabilities and a commitment to overcoming communication challenges. Establish clear communication protocols and regular feedback mechanisms.

Lack of Company Knowledge

Outsourced call center agents may lack comprehensive knowledge about products, services, and internal workings, potentially resulting in incomplete or inaccurate information provided to customers.

How to Protect a Business?

Choose a Support-as-a-Service provider that invests in thorough training programs, ensuring outsourced agents have in-depth knowledge of your company’s offerings. Regular knowledge updates and assessments can mitigate information gaps.

Security Concerns

Handling sensitive customer data is crucial for customer support. Outsourcing introduces security risks if a third-party call center lacks robust data protection measures, potentially leading to data breaches and damaging the brand’s reputation.

How to Protect a Business?

Select a Support-as-a-Service provider with a strong commitment to data security. Ensure they follow industry-standard encryption protocols, conduct regular security audits, and provide transparent data protection policies.

Limited Flexibility and Customization

Outsourced call centers often operate based on predefined scripts, limiting flexibility for businesses requiring tailored customer interactions. Meeting unique customer needs may prove challenging within the constraints of an outsourced, standardized system.

How to Protect a Business?

Prioritize Support-as-a-Service providers that offer customizable solutions, allowing for dynamic approaches to customer interactions. Ensure the provider adapts to your business’s unique requirements.

Customer Perception and Loyalty

Customers may perceive outsourced interactions as less genuine, impacting brand perception and potentially leading to higher churn rates.

How to Protect a Business?

Collaborate with a Support-as-a-Service provider that emphasizes a personalized approach in their training programs. Incorporate brand values into the training process to ensure genuine connections with customers.

Turnover and Training Costs

Outsourced call centers may experience higher agent turnover rates, leading to increased training costs and disrupting service continuity.

How to Protect a Business?

Choose a Support-as-a-Service provider with a focus on agent retention strategies. Evaluate their training programs and ongoing professional development initiatives to ensure service continuity and quality.

Outsourcing Call Center Pros and Cons Measured

To strike the right balance, businesses should consider reputable Support-as-a-Service providers that understand the nuances of customer service. These experts have a crisis management plan in place, ensuring stability and customer satisfaction.

Ignoring the nuanced considerations of call center outsourcing advantages and disadvantages can lead to severe consequences, including reputational damage and financial loss.

While call center outsourcing offers numerous benefits, it is crucial for businesses to make informed decisions. Careful consideration of the unique needs of every business, the nature of customer interactions, and the importance of maintaining brand integrity are essential in deciding whether outsourcing is the right fit.

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