t is predicted and assumed by the industry experts that the trend of outsourcing contact centers will see a push in 2018. So, if you are thinking to outsource or consolidate call centers, now is the time to initiate and plan about how to utilize results and evidence to enhance the overall performance.
Outcomes are quite crucial in business, specifically while leveraging the outsourced call center services. Remember, each customer conversation has the potential to add or subtract from your business’ hope for results. Although, a remarkable outsourcer should provide unparalleled results for your KPIs, still, there is much more to exhibiting proof of outcomes than simply matching KPIs.
As companies rethink their call center strategies for 2018, we want to discuss few keys to successful call center outsourcing – with focus on evidence.
To have hassle-free and effective outsourced call center services, mutual trust and transparency are needed. Your outsourcing partner requires knowing your business requirements and strategies. Then they have to find ways to align their actions to reach the business objectives. Past performance of your outsourcing partner should display their expertise and willingness to contribute to your success.
1. Do you want to mix different lines of business in this center?
Collateral proof should incorporate a cost/benefit analysis and a stringent check of the employees’ skill overlap, needed for the projects associated with each line of business.
2. Quality improvement approach
It is quite evident that if the outsourcer has an off-shelf CRM system, the project implementation can be extremely difficult due to the complex and multilayered nature of a call center. However, the call centers can certainly behave as a smokescreen to cover a less-than-effective process or an overly budgeted approach.
You can prevent this by conducting a cost/benefit comparison of the many CRM attributes versus a common sense way using other approaches to handle your program. Keep your eyes open to avoid any purchase of bolt-on CRM solutions or simply the systems that add cost and complexity.
3. What language is going to be used? Do you need interpreters?
Take a close look at how many foreign language calls are you going to get, including the call volume and number of languages. Have you fielded enough calls in other languages to sanction the hiring of bilingual experts? If not, then you should go for an on-demand interpreter line.
4. Vendor supply chain/cost management strategies
A blueprint or a rough sketch of your potential outsourcers’ vendor management routine and related costs would be extremely helpful. This will reveal multiple ways to adjust services and professionals to meet the budget. Vendors might become a means for new ways to manage conventional issues and lower the cost.
5. Discuss the type of access to service your program
Keeping a schedule for access in the time of staff shortage is wise and necessary for your business. Remote technology allows you to offer service when weather or influenza outbreaks happen and improves your ability to include employees with disability. Remote access generally reduces the cost of after-hours service or overflow.
6. Assess the call monitoring and live work process
It is important to know that is your outsourcer recording all the calls and conversations to protect you and the client. Do they possess a diligent QA team and sample plan for adequate review of each employee? Your outsourcer should possess a past record of commitment and continuous enhancement via training and analysis of live calls. This process should offer regular feedback to each agent.
7. Tech compliance
The first step is to find out the requirements for your business and see what software you are using. The company you are outsourcing from should be in conformation with the current technology and what is most suitable for your operations. The outsourcer should propose what to add or replace realistically, keeping cost-effectiveness in mind.
8. Balancing queue capacity and staffing
As a business owner, you should have an extensive knowledge of the process management of the queue. Details such as IVR, routing, call flow and callbacks of your outsourcer should be identified for business interest. Try to find out what are the team handling methods used by your outsourcer.
9. Managing callbacks
A good call center should assess the advantages of callbacks for ensuring low hold times, but a prominent one will put its focus on eliminating different issues of hold such as staffing problems, routing issues or some other cause.
Conclusion
These are 9 keys to what you can expect from a call center outsourcer driven by customer service. Go get a top-notch outsourcing firm today. We would be happy to spare few moments and talk about how these strategies might work for your business.
