The world of customer care outsourcing is increasingly popular, especially in modern times since company stakeholders already have plenty on their plate. Customer service outsourcing is also an excellent option for enterprises that want to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.
It’s like having your own team of executive superheroes who can handle all those incessant incoming inquiries and at the same time keep your customers happy, while you get to focus on your business growth.
Outsourcing Can Be Your Key to Good Business
Outsourcing customer care means handing over the responsibility of customer service to a third-party provider who specializes in dealing with your customers’ problems, inquiries, and issues.
But is it really that necessary? Yes, it is because this can be a game-changer for your business as it will free up time and resources and allow you to focus on other areas while still providing top-notch customer care.
But outsourcing customer care is more than just taking a few phone calls and answering a bunch of questions. It’s a strategic decision that requires careful consideration of factors like cost, quality, and cultural fit.
Also, when you go out to find the most fitting partner, you will have a whole list of names out there, and it can be overwhelming to choose the right one.
But things can get easier if you know what to do and what not to do.
In simple words, we can say that knowing the dos and don’ts can go a long way in finding you the right service provider. This post has got you covered on that because whether you’re a business owner looking to save time, or a customer service agent looking to level up, we’ve got some valuable tips.
So, here are some dos and don’ts of customer outsourcing that every SME (small and medium enterprises) should know and follow to ease its customer care services.
DOs:
– Choose the right, reliable partner: This is the foremost and the most obvious thing. You will be giving a huge responsibility to your provider and you need to ensure that they are the right people to trust.
That’s why it is crucial to pick the right partner. Look for a company that has a proven track record in offering customer care services, especially in your business sector. Make sure it has the necessary infrastructure, skilled personnel, and technologies to provide excellent support to your customers.
– Set clear instructions, expectations, and guidelines: It’s important to have clarity between you and your service provider. So lay down clear instructions and guidelines for your partner. Tell them what exactly you expect from them.
Proper instructions and guidelines will help your partner understand your business, brand, and service standards. You must also define SLAs (Service Level Agreements) that summarize the performance parameters like response time, resolution time, and service quality that the partner should meet.
– Monitor performance: Last but not least, do monitor the performance of your outsourcing partner. Regular monitoring will help you with quick and correct evaluation.
It will help you to know whether your partner is able to meet the SLAs. Keep an eye on customer feedback and use tools like quality assurance reports and call recordings for more proper assessment.
– Train your outsourcing partner: Providing comprehensive training to your outsourcing partner is an absolute DO. Proper training followed by mock tests will help you know how much your partner actually understands your business.
It will also ensure that hired teams have the necessary skills and knowledge to provide excellent customer service. You should also equip them with FAQs, customer service scripts, and other resources which will allow them to respond to customer queries quickly and appropriately.
– Watch Out for Hidden Costs: Customer care outsourcing is a great business strategy and can offer several benefits including access to specialized expertise and cost savings.
But you do need to watch out for any hidden costs as that can have an effect on overall financial stability, especially if you are outsourcing to a different country.
Things like currency fluctuations and exchange rate regulations can affect the service cost, making them more expensive than your considered budget.
DON’Ts:
– Ignore cultural differences: Cultural differences can have a significant impact on customer service. Don’t ignore these differences when outsourcing to another country or region.
Since they will be handling customers from your region, you need to train them on cultural norms and values and respond accordingly. This can have a positive impact on customer behavior and avoid any misunderstanding or miscommunication.
– Skimp on quality: One of the primary objectives of outsourcing is cost saving but don’t skimp on quality to save costs. Poor customer service can have a negative impact leading to irreversible damages including brand reputation, customer loyalty, and ultimately business revenues.
– Neglect communication: Good communication is critical to customer care services and the same goes for you and your outsourcing partner. So don’t neglect communication with your outsourcing partner.
Maintain regular communication to ensure a smooth relationship and to address any issues promptly. This will also help you to resolve customer issues quickly.
– Overlook data security: Every business goes big on data. After all, data is the key to monetization, which is why you don’t overlook data security while outsourcing.
Since your chosen company will be dealing with customer data, you need to ensure that your outsourcing partner has robust data security measures to prevent cyber-attacks and data breaches.
Take Away
Outsourcing customer care services can be a wise decision for small and medium enterprises as it allows them to focus on core business activities while ensuring customers receive efficient support.
PeopleTree provides Omni-channel Customer care and Back Office support to multiple SMEs. Our dedicated staff are situated across 2 sites, providing redundancy in service. We work with each customer as partner, advising the correct engagement model, performance expectations and clear communication, making a baseline for a long and successful relationship. Reach out incase you feel PeopleTree can add value to your business operations!
