{"id":76967,"date":"2021-03-15T09:52:18","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T09:52:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/?p=76967"},"modified":"2024-01-05T19:49:18","modified_gmt":"2024-01-05T19:49:18","slug":"customer-service-outsourcing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/customer-service-outsourcing\/","title":{"rendered":"Customer Service Outsourcing"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customer service is one of the least enjoyable tasks of running a business. However, it\u2019s also one of the most crucial\u2014turning an upset client into a happy one is a fine art that people skilled in customer service can achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of its delicate nature, you might be hesitant to outsource your customer service tasks. In this article, we\u2019ll cover the pros and cons of outsourcing, tips on pricing, and how to choose a quality provider.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/customer-service-outsourcing\/#What_is_Customer_Service_Outsourcing\" title=\"What is Customer Service Outsourcing?\">What is Customer Service Outsourcing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/customer-service-outsourcing\/#When_to_Use_Customer_Service_Outsourcing\" title=\"When to Use Customer Service Outsourcing\">When to Use Customer Service Outsourcing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/customer-service-outsourcing\/#Pros_of_Customer_Service_Outsourcing\" title=\"Pros of Customer Service Outsourcing\u00a0\">Pros of Customer Service Outsourcing\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/customer-service-outsourcing\/#Cons_of_Customer_Service_Outsourcing\" title=\"Cons of Customer Service Outsourcing\">Cons of Customer Service Outsourcing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/customer-service-outsourcing\/#Pricing_Models\" title=\"Pricing Models\">Pricing Models<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/customer-service-outsourcing\/#How_to_Choose_a_Service_Provider\" title=\"How to Choose a Service Provider\">How to Choose a Service Provider<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Customer_Service_Outsourcing\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is Customer Service Outsourcing?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customer service outsourcing is the transfer of a business\u2019 customer service tasks to a third-party service provider. Traditionally, customer service outsourcing involved a call center. Thanks to the boom with Amazon and other drop shipping companies, many outsource customer service agents also specialize in responding to customers in writing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_to_Use_Customer_Service_Outsourcing\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When to Use <a href=\"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/outsourced-customer-support\">Customer Service Outsourcing<\/a><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customer service outsourcing isn\u2019t for every business, but it can be immensely beneficial. Below are some scenarios when seeking such support could be a good fit for you:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want to cut back on employee costs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019d like to use your employee\u2019s energy for more intensive tasks than the often repetitive nature of customer service.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your company is undergoing rapid growth, and you can\u2019t keep up with your customers\u2019 service needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019d like your clients to have access to 24\/7 support but are having trouble finding people locally to work off-hours.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pros_of_Customer_Service_Outsourcing\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pros of Customer Service Outsourcing\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time-saving benefits have likely attracted you to researching customer service outsourcing. Saving you and your employees time dealing with client questions and complaints is undoubtedly one of the most significant benefits of outsourcing your customer service. However, there are several other advantages, as shown below.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Save Money<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re currently using your full-time employees to manage your company\u2019s customer service needs, you\u2019ll be happy to know that you won\u2019t need to pay outsourced customer service representatives a fixed salary or benefits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Furthermore, you don\u2019t have to provide (and maintain) a laptop, headset, and customer service software. Simply pay your outsourced customer service representative by the job or by the hour and delegate larger tasks to your full-time employees.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multilingual Support<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you offer services to clients who speak a different language than you, then customer service outsourcing using someone who speaks that language is a huge advantage. Fewer things will calm an upset customer or convince a potential buyer to purchase your product than connecting with someone who speaks their native language.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24\/7 Coverage<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customers view having 24\/7 access to customer service as a big plus when considering which business they want to choose. By outsourcing your customer service, your clients will have their questions answered and complaints managed at any time of day or night.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cons_of_Customer_Service_Outsourcing\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cons of Customer Service Outsourcing<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may have heard stories of big banks like JP Morgan Chase closing all their U.S. call centers despite receiving a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cwa-union.org\/pages\/a_sampling_of_companies_that_send_call_center_work_offshore\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$25 billion bailout<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> after the 2008 financial crisis. Some people frown upon moving jobs from their home country to overseas. Besides the social pressure you may experience, below are some other factors to consider before jumping on the outsourcing bandwagon.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unhappy Customers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your customers may have access to 24\/7 support, but if that support is in the form of people without in-depth knowledge of your product, are challenging to understand, or are unfriendly, you could risk pushing customers away.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019re Not the Top Priority<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outsourced customer service representatives often work for multiple clients. For this reason, they may be juggling supporting your clients between supporting another company\u2019s customers. They may not show as much passion as you do towards your business, and they might not take the time to learn your business inside out.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Security Issues<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your outsourced customer service agent may need access to your client\u2019s personal information to support customers properly. They may even have direct access to their credit card information. The good news is that many call centers have security protections in place to reduce the risk.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pricing_Models\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pricing Models<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically, pricing models for outsourcing customer service has one of two forms:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pay per minute<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pay per hour<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pay per minute is most common for customer service phone calls and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.business.com\/articles\/outsourced-customer-service\/#:~:text=Outsourced%20customer%20service%20is%20when,handle%20a%20business%27s%20incoming%20calls.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">typically ranges<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from 70 cents to $1 per minute, while people on an hourly rate average of up to $25 per hour. Professional customer service agents are those who typically receive an hourly rate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several factors impact pricing for outsourcing your customer service needs. Experience, the agent\u2019s expenses (whether they operate from home or in an office), and the quality of their IT infrastructure all impact the price they charge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another item to consider is whether or not you need live messaging or phone answering services. These live services, especially if you want a dedicated agent instead of a rotating team of agents, are more expensive.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Choose_a_Service_Provider\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Choose a Service Provider<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many customer service outsourcing providers available to you. But you might be wondering: what are signs to look for to know they\u2019re a good fit?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are some of our top recommendations for picking out the best possible customer service outsourcing provider for your needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understand Their Specialty<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some call centers may be experts in managing upset clients over the phone, while others might have loads of experience dealing with Amazon customer complaints. Make sure to check if the customer service center has experience working in your industry and the type of support you need.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask About Quality Control<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your customers may contact you about quality control, so first, you should understand the customer care center&#8217;s quality control standards. Ask about the outsourced center\u2019s strategy for managing upset clients and request examples so you can see them firsthand.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Security<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding the security software they use (and confirming that they have security software) is crucial before hiring an outsourced customer service company. They\u2019ll likely be handling sensitive client information, so it\u2019s essential you know that their inbound and outbound networks are secure.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Training Process<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t want someone working with your clients who only has a day of experience. Understanding how rigorous a training process customer service agents go through will help demonstrate the company\u2019s quality of customer care.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/outsourced-customer-support\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IntelligentBee<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, we specialize in offering outsourced customer service with our experienced team based in Eastern Europe. We provide both email and chat support services with 24\/7 coverage, full transparency, a flexible pricing model, and no hidden costs\u2014you pay for results and nothing more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Customer service is one of the least enjoyable tasks of running a business. However, it\u2019s also one of the most [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2121],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[309,1298,1503,1618,1800,2180,2248,2250,2353,2354,2467,2476,2483],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76967"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76967"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":132083,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76967\/revisions\/132083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76967"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/intelligentbee.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=76967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}