Outsourcing customer service can pay surprising benefits
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Considering the importance customer satisfaction can have upon a company’s reputation and success, it may seem strange to outsource customer service operations to someone else. However, a specialized business process outsourcer (BPO) provider may be able to deliver a higher level of service than the company can achieve on its own.
In fact, if your company’s ultimate goal is happier customers (or whoever your target audience may be), outsourcing is astoundingly effective at addressing potential customer pain points while enhancing their impression of your company.
Availability is one key reason. Customer problems don’t always crop up during regular business hours, so companies want to ensure skilled help is available whether it’s 3:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m. Your budget may not allow you to staff that kind of availability, but the best BPO customer service providers are available without delay 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They can absorb the higher costs by working with multiple clients whose needs peak at different times. That way, customers are more likely to receive timely responses, reducing frustration and improving satisfaction.
Outsourced providers have the capability to connect with your customers, no matter where they are. Some people are most comfortable finding resolution through a phone call, while others would prefer to find what they need through texting or online chat. Having ready support for customers who don’t speak your language is also critically important.
Market-leading customer service can’t be delivered by people in low-pay, low-skill, and high-turnover environments, which is often an accurate assessment of internal customer service operations. Professional customer service providers are experienced at handling interactions with customers in a wide range of situations. They know how to handle customers who are angry or simply confused.
Beyond hiring well, industry-leading BPO providers support their customer service agents with technology that helps them respond to customer needs more quickly. For example, our outsourced customer service is built upon an extensive knowledge library. When a customer calls to say the red LED won’t stop blinking or they can’t figure out how to insert the batteries, the agent has instant access to step-by-step instructions, so they come across as knowledgeable and helpful. We’re even using an AI-fueled system to monitor changes in callers’ voices and reactions so the agents can spot irritation or frustration.
Cost efficiency is nearly always a goal for companies that consider outsourced customer service. Working with a BPO provider means not having to invest in and manage your own staffing, training, and technology. Instead, you can have access to state-of-the-art systems and skilled agents for a small fraction of what it would cost you to establish a lesser-quality in-house operation. Nor will you and your team have to devote time and budget dollars to keeping customer service positions filled and staff adequately trained in one of the toughest job markets anyone can remember.
If there’s a sudden jump in call volume or a new software update that’s likely to cause confusion among customers, it’s hard to add and train in-house staff in a hurry. That means callers may have to wait uncomfortably long – and we all know that people have a point when they’ll stop waiting and simply hang up, viewing your company as uncooperative. When you work with a BPO, they maintain sufficient staff to handle wide swings in call volume. If there’s a spike in calls, they can accommodate it more quickly, so your customers won’t notice any reduction in responsiveness or quality of care.
Most important, when you outsource the customer service function, your team can instead focus on your company’s core competencies. If your staff isn’t constantly being interrupted with customers reaching out about the same half-dozen things, they can focus on things like product development, process improvement, and even sales and marketing. When you’re not forced to devote your time to the complexities of managing customer service, you can redirect your resources and attention to areas that directly drive your company’s growth and competitive advantages.
One last benefit is that industry-leading BPO providers have a solid understanding of the importance of cybersecurity and compliance. By working with them, you can mitigate the business risks associated with data breaches, legal liabilities, and customer dissatisfaction. Stringent security measures such as data encryption, access controls, and regular security audits protect your data and your reputation. If you do business within a regulatory framework, a top-quality BPO will steer you clear of costly missteps and mistakes. That’s just one more reason to give serious thought to outsourcing your company’s customer service operations.
Jeff Medley is the CEO and founder of Netfor. https://www.netfor.com/