When Should You Outsource Your Inbound Call Center?

Are you still managing your inbound call center in-house?

At some point, you’ll need to let go of administrative tasks and allot most of your energy and resources to your core business. This is not an act of neglect but rather an innovative and efficient way to streamline processes and management within your company. It’s a part of growth, which means letting go when things become too heavy.

In this article, you’ll find out when exactly you should outsource your inbound call center and how to do it right.

When to outsource your inbound call center

The primary role of an inbound call center is to provide quality customer service. It connects companies to customers and builds long-lasting business relationships. While it’s a crucial element of market growth and repeat business, it is not a prime focus when attaining success. It can even snatch your attention from attending to more important tasks.

Does this mean you have to outsource your inbound call center? Your answers to the questions below will help you decide.

Is it your leading service?

If yes, don’t take the risk of outsourcing all of it. Outsource only if you need support handling calls from your growing client base.

But if not, don’t waste too much effort on managing it. Let those who specialize in call center services take care of this function. They’ll do well — and even better — since this is their core expertise. If you entrust your call center to the experts, you’ll get better customer satisfaction ratings.

Focus on what you do best.

Do you have enough resources to keep it in-house?

Is your budget enough to sustain your call center’s day-to-day operations? Do you have enough talent to keep all calls covered? Do you have enough time to oversee it?

How much are you going to spend if you keep it in-house?

Calculate the cost of maintaining a call center, including your employees’ salary and benefits, equipment and office space maintenance, recruitment, training, and IT needs.

How much can you save if you send it to another location?

Once you’ve determined the amount an in-house call center costs you, compare it with the amount you spend with outsourcing. Look for service providers in offshore locations. Compared with Western countries, places like the Philippines have lower labor market rates yet are brimming with skilled call center agents who can provide top-notch service to your customers.

Does doing it in-house strengthen your competitive advantage?

If you belong to a healthcare or banking institution, you might think twice about keeping a call center. Find a service provider with a proven track record in serving other clients from your industry.

Do you have the expertise to manage this?

A call center isn’t only a place for answering calls. It is a place to connect with customers to keep them returning for more. Thus, it requires expertise and leadership to give your customers satisfactory service.

How long will you need this service?

The duration of service also plays a crucial role in determining whether you should keep it in-house.

For short-term projects, outsourcing is the smartest choice. It keeps you free from any attachments without overspending on recruitment, training, and management.

For long-term projects, it depends on your capability and focus.

Signs that you need to outsource

Meanwhile, below are the common signs you should look out for to find out if it’s time to outsource your inbound call center.

Increasing operating costs

Operating costs increase as your business grows. As more customers avail of your products and services, you must add more workforce to meet those demands. Growth also calls for more raw materials, equipment, and office space.

Outsourcing your inbound call center to a third party can help you maintain undisrupted cash flow. Doing so can reallocate your resources to other areas, such as business development and production, while a new company takes care of your customers’ concerns.

Nothing to worry about the quality of service your customers will receive. Outsourcing companies provide regular training and quality monitoring to improve the performance of their call center agents. Just make sure to choose a reliable service provider. Check out this guide to learn more.

Ineffective customer service strategy

Is your customer service strategy not working despite your efforts to improve it? There are several possible reasons why this happens. It could be mismanagement, outdated systems, mediocre talents, or inefficient processes. Either way, seeking the help of an expert can help you resolve this predicament.

Lack of quality candidates

Hiring top talents can be challenging, especially when you don’t have enough budget to meet their asking salary. Outsourcing to offshore locations is one of the best ways to find quality candidates without straining your resources.

Employees are experiencing burnout.

Take the time to ask your call center agents how they are doing in their job. Do they accept more calls than they can handle regularly or daily? Do they have the tools they need to perform their task well, or are the tools that enable them to do the work efficiently?

Remember, an increasing number of calls can leave your employees drained. Burnout reduces empathy, a significant element in creating meaningful conversations.

To achieve high CSAT scores, call center agents should be in their best shape when answering inquiries and resolving problems.

If you want to retain your control over your call center, you can opt to outsource overflow or after-hours services to reduce the workload of your in-house staff.

An increasing number of customer complaints

Getting your customers’ feedback will help you see the bigger picture and make an intelligent solution. Has there been more than one instance where a customer waited too long before their call was answered? Has a customer lost interest in your business after conversing with your call center agents?

Why outsourcing works

Because call center providers have years of experience in the customer service industry, their customer service representatives are equipped with the right talent and skills, call center technology, infrastructure, and the right work environment to deliver excellent work. Outsourcing an inbound call center service can help your business cover work overflow and utilize your in-house staff in other core tasks. Outsourcing lets you access the best call center technology without investing much.

Can’t your in-house contact center keep up with the demands and challenges of customer service? Contact us now using the form below and get a free 60-minute consultation to learn how we can serve your business.