What to Look for in Call Center Outsourcing Vendors

Posted by Ahmed Macklai on June, 13 2019 7:29 pm

It’s easy to say you need to partner with another agency for your call center needs, but how do you choose which one? Here, we’ll help you decide - and give you some guidance on finding the right outsourced provider!

Why Partner with Call Center Outsourcing Vendors?

You might be wondering why a company would want to partner with a call center outsourcing vendor in the first place. After all - wouldn’t you be better suited by performing these task in-house? The truth is, not every company has the capacity or even the desire to do this. If you need call center capability without the commitment of housing it yourself, consider partnering with an outsourced vendor - and consider it taken care of!

Industry Experience and Track Record

Everyone wants to pair their efforts with an experienced professional when creating a partnership. After all, what business owner would volunteer to do the “heavy lifting” of being the more experienced, more knowledgeable member of the pair when they could opt to work with someone more seasoned?

Look for a contact center service provider that offers a lengthy track record of excellent service. It will mean less work for you - and more payoff for your business and consumers alike.

Staff Training and Qualification

Just because a company offering contact center services has an extensive track record in the industry doesn’t mean their staff does. It’s an unfortunate fact that there is a high rate of turnover in the contact center industry. Because of this, it can be difficult to ensure that the call center agents you’re trusting your business to in an outsourced facility are well-trained and experienced.

Before agreeing to work with a center, be sure to evaluate the experience levels, training, and overall work quality of their agents. Ask for agent metrics, recent evaluations, and other standards which can be used to better understand the efficiency of these professionals. You would want the most qualified professionals handling your company’s business in-house, so be sure to insist on this same level of quality in your outsourced partners. Your customers and clients deserve it!

Expense

When comparing costs for potential providers, be sure to compare “apples to apples”, so to speak. With so many terms and so much industry-specific technical speak, it can be easy to get confused and misunderstand what you’re getting for the cost. Compare the services being offered for the prices quoted directly to similar or identical services or products from other providers to get the best idea of costs and who is saving you the most money. What might look like a bargain with one provider might actually be a waste of funds!

Quality

Saving money on your services should be a priority, but not at the expense of quality.

Always be sure to evaluate the quality of services offered by a call center outsourcing vendor. How? Look at prior services and the satisfaction other partners have had with those jobs. Look at the consumers served by those companies. How happy have these people been with their interactions with this provider? This is a solid indicator of how well you and your customers will be served - and the level of quality you will receive for your money.

Technology

Evaluating the technology of your potential call center outsourcing vendors may seem unnecessary, but for those who want to stay ahead of their competition, it’s an important step.

Does your prospective provider have the tools you need to compete effectively? Will you be responsible for facilitating upgrades, or simply financing them? Will upgrades and other expenses be factored into your regular costs, or will this incur extra, potentially unforeseen expenses? All of this should be weighed before committing to a provider.

Remember, not all contact centers are created equal. Look for partners that offer the best technology - while meeting your budget and other needs - to find the fit that works for your business.

Size and Scaling

How large should the contact center you partner with be? This answer will vary dramatically, depending on the size of your own business. Larger companies may require the services of a larger partner, while those that are smaller or newer may need something more their size to pair correctly with.

It’s also important to look at how easy your potential call center outsourcing vendors make it to scale their services. If your business sees tremendous growth or unexpectedly needs to scale back operations, will they be equipped to handle the change? This is another important factor to consider when choosing the right provider!

On-Premise vs. Cloud-Based Services

Today’s contact centers are increasingly using cloud-based computing to simplify and speed up their services and increase flexibility for their consumers. However, there are some challenges that cloud-based computing presents. One of these is customization; full customization comes from on-premise server access, which is still available in many outsourcing vendors. Others offer a blended approach, which combines both on-premise and cloud-based computing and processing, so be sure to inquire with your prospective providers as to which type or types they offer.

Security

When considering on-premise vs cloud-based provision of services in call center outsourcing vendors, it is important to also think about security. There are pros and cons when it comes to both types of service, especially in regard to security concerns. Even opting for a blended server solution can present problems, so be sure to evaluate your business’s needs carefully before committing to the type of service you’ll pay for.

When you’re looking for information on who to partner with and where to find the best call center outsourcing vendors in the industry, turn to the contact center experts at ChaseData. We can offer you the tips you need to create a perfect partnership - and the outsourced call center your business needs to succeed.

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