In today’s fast-paced world, businesses must implement strategies to be more cost-effective, productive, and profitable. One way that companies accomplish this is by outsourcing work to a BPO call center.
Understanding the Basics: What Exactly Is a BPO Call Center?
What’s a BPO call center, you wonder? In simple terms, business process outsourcing (BPO) involves outsourcing one or more aspects of your business operations to a third-party service vendor. A BPO call center will aid in your company’s incoming and outgoing services and calls from other businesses and, most importantly, customers.
A BPO call center consists of a team of professionals who manage the company’s customer service operations. No matter what industry your business is in, enhanced customer communication is one major key to success.
In most cases, the BPO center serves multiple businesses simultaneously, with dedicated agents for each one. They are trained to provide feedback and assistance to customers that imitate the tone and content of direct representatives of the various organizations.
A BPO call center can provide core services for your company in many areas, and two of the most important are inbound and outbound call center tasks.
Inbound Call Center Tasks
This component of a BPO call center will manage all incoming customer service issues. The agents take incoming calls, chats, and sometimes emails from customers.
Outbound Call Center Tasks
An outbound call center component manages the outgoing calls to customers and prospects. In some cases, companies use an outbound call center to help sell their product. Additionally, the agents will work on lead-generation efforts.
Breaking Down the Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Call Centers
Before jumping into connecting your business with a call center, it’s helpful to weigh the pros and cons.
The Benefits of a Well-Managed BPO Call Center
Listed below are some of the benefits of using a BPO call center for your business.
Cost Effectiveness
Even though you must pay a business process outsourcing firm, you save money in the end. A BPO is able to scale processes to make the entire workload more efficient. In return, you don’t have the overhead, recruiting and training costs for an in-house team. Your core team of employees can focus on R&D and other initiatives and projects. Also, labor for these services can be relatively inexpensive if you use a nearshore facility.
Enhanced Customer Service
Your company can rest easy knowing that you’ll have customer support throughout the day and into the off hours. Also, the use of a nearshore BPO business can enhance customer service by providing access to bilingual agents. Nearshore call center agents will be familiar with the cultures of Mexico and the U.S., making the customer experience even better.
Added Leads
When outsourcing to a BPO call center, your business has a steady stream of calls to potential customers. You have more opportunities to get new customers, ultimately increasing your profits.
Provides Expert Support
Agents managing customer support services are trained in the position for which they are hired. You may have several different experts working at the same time to maximize business productivity.
Includes Up-to-Date Technology
Your business may not be able to keep up with all the latest technologies, but when outsourcing your work, you can count on the newest equipment, software, and technology. Data privacy for you and your customers is secure.
Valuable Data and Metrics
Your BPO partner will provide valuable data and analytics about your customers and your products and services. This information can guide your business decisions.
Cons of Working with a BPO Center
Here are some of the pitfalls you might encounter using an outsourcing firm.
Less Quality Control
Since you won’t be on-site, you won’t have as much control over quality. That’s why it’s vital to only work with reputable and experienced BPO call centers.
Offshore Issues
Some people opt for an offshore facility. This can be a problem because of language barriers, as well as time zones. Even though the labor may be cheaper, it’s better to work with nearshore. You’ll still get reduced labor costs and not have language or culture issues. Your team and your BPO can meet without someone having to wake up in the middle of the night to take a business call.
Lack of Industry Knowledge
Some BPOs may not have agents trained in your particular industry. That can make in-depth communication difficult. However, you can find BPOs that have a broad range of agents with industry expertise, as well as ones dedicated to training agents to meet your needs.
Navigating the World of BPO Call Centers: Tips and Tricks for Choosing the Right Partner
If you’ve answered the question, “Should I outsource customer service?” and decided to move forward with a call center, then it’s important to have criteria in finding the best. Consider the following characteristics when selecting an outsourcing center.
Provided Services and Staff
Determine whether the facility has the appropriate services your company needs. Will they be able to provide both incoming and outgoing services? Then, assess the staff capabilities, ensuring that they are trained and knowledgeable about your industry/business. It’s also important to ensure that the facility keeps the staff up to date on new software, methods, and technologies.
Technology and Infrastructure
An adept outsourcing company will be equipped with the technology to maximize efficiency for the best work output. They will have the appropriate infrastructure to handle a large volume of incoming and outgoing call center services. This includes a comfortable environment for the staff to work in. This promotes better work conditions and productivity.
Location
Many businesses are finding it more convenient and cost-effective to work with a nearshore BPO. This provides the company with bilingual agents who understand the culture of the customers. The location of such facilities may be in Mexico. Mexico is a secure, reliable, and safe nearshore outsourcing destination.
Culture
Finally, you want to assess the culture and communication of the BPO vendor. Determine whether their mission, vision, and values align with your company’s. Check to find out if they have robust diversity and inclusion for all types of employees. Diversity brings more varied work experiences to the table. Also, a BPO that is inclusive reflects the character and ethics of the company.
A BPO business that shares your culture will provide stronger branding for your company since they will share your company values.
Contact a Top BPO Call Center
When you’re ready to make the move to outsourcing your business’s needs, contact Confie. We are the largest and most respected personal lines distributor in the United States. We can meet your company’s goals for cost-effective, productive call center services. Our agents are ready to take your call now and give you an estimate of costs for both inbound, outbound, or full services.
