OUTSOURCING CALL CENTER SERVICES

The Complete Guide To Finding The Right Call Center Partner

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What is Call Center Outsourcing?

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Call center outsourcing is a business strategy deploying an expert third-party team to handle your customer service and/or customer experience (CX). Call center programs can transform a company’s business growth, with call centers providing a strategic range of CX services and solutions to boost customer satisfaction, sales, and success.

The catch is that’s often tough to know which of those solutions will have the biggest impact on your business goals! When choosing a call center partner, you have to think through questions like:

  • How many full-time agents do you need?
  • Where do you want them located?
  • What’s your all-in monthly budget?
  • What type of work will the agents be handling?
  • And so much more

We know that outsourcing can feel daunting. So we’ve put together this in-depth guide to cover everything you need to know about call center outsourcing, using infographics, data, research, and industry expertise.

Scroll down to learn more, or…
Skip ahead and connect with a call center outsourcing consultant right away.

call center outsourcing agents working at their computers

Contents

CHAPTER 1
Call Center Outsourcing Services
CHAPTER 2
Benefits Of Outsourcing
CHAPTER 3
Channels & Solutions
CHAPTER 4
5 Steps To Call Center Outsourcing
[INFOGRAPHIC]
CHAPTER 5
Call Center Definitions & KPIs
BONUS CHAPTER
Turn Costly Customer Support Into A Profit Center
CHAPTER 1

Call Center Outsourcing Services

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a call center outsourcing agent adjusting their headset.

Our goal here is to navigate you through all the different services, options, and benefits of outsourcing customer service – as well as a step-by-step guide to finding the right call center for your brand.

We hope that after reading this, you’ll be well-equipped to start or continue your call center outsourcing journey. You’ll be able to engage with contact center outsourcing partners knowing what their language is and how they can help you achieve your customer experience goals.

In today’s digital marketplace and changing economy, call centers should never be a drain on a company’s budget. Rather, call centers should be a valuable support channel that drives sales and helps boost revenue. We encourage you from the start: Don’t think outsourcing is always a cost. Outsourcing can often be a profitable solution and help lift the bottom line for businesses that are aiming to cut costs and improve customer service.

With that in mind, let’s learn about some services call centers offer.

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Analytics
A call center should have state-of-the-art data and analytics that can help managers optimize CX and customer satisfaction so you can get more out of your customer service for less. That means saving money and increasing KPIs. Is your data helping you make impactful decisions and adjustments?
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Help Desk

You want your staff to be able to focus on high-impact strategies rather than Tier 1 support issues. Through a call center solution, you can free up your personnel with outsourced help desk support that fulfills Tier-1 issues all in a centralized program.

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Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction (CSAT) is one of the most important metrics to drive business growth and customer loyalty. An outsourced call center will apply advanced customer satisfaction analytics to understand your customers, make informed decisions, and boost business results. This process helps increase CSAT scores and create higher customer lifetime value (CLV).
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Loyalty Programs

A well-designed loyalty program can directly impact sales and revenue. Loyalty program support will help increase customer lifetime value, increase retention, and keep a steady and consistent flow of sales. A BPO call center is usually the missing link to help make the most of custom loyalty programs.

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Customer Support

When your customers need help, do they have a positive experience, or do they wait for a long time to get lackluster support? When customers need to talk to someone about a product or service, that exchange should be seen as an opportunity to win that customer’s brand loyalty all over again. The benefits of providing a positive CX can last for decades.

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Multilingual Customer Support

Does your company serve customers in other countries with many different languages? If so, multilingual support is a must in creating a positive customer experience. Speak to your customers in their language, and ensure they feel seen, heard, and valued.

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Field Support

Field support is a unique need that requires expertise in situations that aren’t as common in call center programs like a help desk. A call center focuses on improving CSAT and building new efficiencies in your workflows.

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Sales

Customer calls with support needs are the perfect opportunity to cross- or upsell. Sales-trained call center partners can also make outbound calls to your current customers with offers that they want or need. An effective sales call center program can help turn the cost of the call center into a profitable addition to support revenue.

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Omnichannel Support

Omnichannel support has increased a lot in the last few years due to the increase in channels customers want to communicate on. Whether it’s on chat, phone, SMS, email, or in-store, an Omnichannel solution will merge all the channels into one central back-and-forth solution so agents can interact with customers however they prefer.

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Smartshoring

Onshore, nearshore, or offshore solutions all come with pros and cons. Look for a call center that offers a Smartshoring solution. Smartshoring is the practice where call centers can design the best of all location options based on a company’s needs and goals.

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Store Support

Using call center services in addition to in-store support creates an optimum customer experience. Stores might be in locations across the country or even the globe. Having a central support team to help in-store staff when they need it is the best track to happy in-store customers.

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Tier 2 Tech Support

When things get technical, a trained team of call center agents can help customers work through it. Following instructions on certain products or software might not be sufficient. When customers want to talk to someone, a call center provides human, empathetic support with technical expertise.

Find out which Call Center Service will have the biggest impact on elevating your customer experiences.

CHAPTER 2

The Benefits of Outsourcing Call Centers

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There are many benefits to all the services a call center can offer. Here are a few of the most impactful benefits that come with outsourcing.

What Is Smartshoring

Smartshoring Benefits

Smartshoring leverages technology to take customer engagement global so you can get the best customer service representatives from around the world – or right at home. It means you get service wherever you want it, whether it’s domestic, international, or virtual. Smartshoring allows you to control costs and quality with a hybrid of onshore, offshore, and nearshore. Here’s how each of those work:

PROS OF
Onshore Contact Centers
  • Familiarity with your audience
  • Closer for in-person training and collaboration
  • Alignment of time zone, language, and culture
  • Greater flexibility and control
PROS OF
Offshore Contact Centers
  • Low cost of operations
  • 24/7 service
  • Easily scalable
PROS OF
Nearshore Contact Centers
  • More cultural and linguistic connections to US audiences
  • Similar time zones
  • Similar flexibility to onshore
  • Lower cost of operations than onshore

What Is A
BPO Call Center?

How To Select The
Right BPO Call Center

BPO Call Center Benefits

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More cost-effective than hiring in-house
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Opportunity to provide 24/7 customer support
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Provides access to the best technology and processes
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Offers flexibility and scalable teams
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Multichannel inbound & outbound support

Inbound & Outbound
Sales Support Benefits

Statistics show that existing customers are more likely to buy more of your products, refer new customers, and adopt subscriptions – all at a lower cost than new customer acquisition.
a call center outsourcing agent reading a script
CONSIDER THESE STATS:
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A 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25% to 95%.

(Source: Bain & Co)
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Almost 65% of a company’s business comes from repeat customers.

(Source: SmallBizGenius)
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82% of companies agree that retention is cheaper than acquisition.

(Source: SmallBizGenius)
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Companies that provide a great experience have a 16% price premium on products and services.

(Source: Emplifi)
business partners meeting about the benefits of hiring a call center outsourcing company

Call Center Partner Benefits

By partnering with a call center firm with proven expertise, businesses benefit from their expertise, experience, technology, leading processes, personnel, and resources – without having to build and bankroll their own customer experience department.

Call center partners work with you as a consultant to create the best call center program. To achieve all this in-house is often more expensive and takes a lot more time and resources, which could otherwise be used to focus on your business.

Omnichannel Benefits

Omnichannel contact centers meet your customers wherever they are – from in-person to social media, websites, email, search, phone calls, chat, and more. We use technology and robust customer data to ensure they feel known and cared for across each touchpoint. Omnichannel is all about seamless, convenient customer success. 

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Improved brand consistency and messaging across all customer communication
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Increased sales and growth
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Superior customer service that gives you a competitive advantage
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Improved customer retention, loyalty, and satisfaction
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Cost savings for your team as well as improved KPIs and metrics

How FILA increased online sales with Global Response

FILA is an internationally renowned brand known as a pillar of excellence in the athleticwear industry – but in early 2020, they were losing customers due to negative customer service experiences. Their brand and reputation were taking a hit. FILA needed a solution – and they found it with Global Response.

In 2021 alone, online sales went up 25%, and customer queries for orders and refunds decreased by 28%, thanks to the Global Response difference.

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Why Should I Outsource my Call Center?

You’ve worked hard to create a reputable brand with a loyal base of customers. You need a partner that will work just as hard to deliver the experiences your customers are looking for. Global Response knows how to immerse ourselves in the culture of the brands we represent. From staffing and training to fielding the most complex inquiries, Global Response is committed to providing omnichannel experiences that build customer loyalty in every interaction.

CHAPTER 3

Call Center Channels And Solutions

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Call Center Channels And Solutions | Chat Support ICON
Chat
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Social
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Email
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SMS
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Voice

By implementing an Omnichannel approach to support programs, companies can increase positive customer experiences that support growth. Channels include:

Call Center Outsourcing Solutions

(Inbound & Outbound)

Inbound Call Centers

Inbound handles calls coming in from customers or other interested in your services

Outbound Call Centers

Outbound functions with more of a focus on sales and marketing than on customer service, with calls going out from highly trained representatives to help drive growth and product adoption.

Differences between
inbound & outbound call centers

Inbound Call Centers

Receive inbound calls from customers, often focusing on technical support or customer service

Focus on brand alignment, relationship building, empathy, and support

Can take orders and generate sales

Outbound Call Centers

Make outbound calls to current or prospective customers, often focusing on sales or upgrades

Focus on sales, lead generation, and market research

Can take orders and generate sales

CHAPTER 4

5 Steps To Call Center Outsourcing

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5 Steps To Call Center Outsourcing | INFOGRAPHIC
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STEP 1

Research

Questions to ask when conducting research:

  • Who do my competitors work with?
  • Do I care about the Contact Center’s location?
  • What is my budget?
  • Do I want a contact center that has worked in my industry or verticals or both?
  • What company size am I looking for?
    • Will I be a big fish in a small pond?
    • Will I be a small fish in a big pond?
    • (Hint. Neither is ideal!)
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STEP 2

Contact/Qualify

Important questions to ask during the second step:

  • How long have they been in business?
  • Do they service your Industry and have expertise?
  • Are they scalable, and can they handle your expected growth?
  • Do they meet your security requirements?
  • Do their locations meet your needs?
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STEP 3

The Process

FAQs you can expect from the call center firm to ask:

  • When are you looking to make a change?
  • What is your training timeline?
  • What is the anticipated volume?
  • What channels do you need help with (Calls, chat, email)?
  • Is there any historical data we can use for reference?
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STEP 4

Business Engagement

During this step, your potential partner will detail the following:

  • Pricing and proposals
  • Available services for your needs, such as:
    • Customer support
    • Sales
    • Omnichannel support
    • Tech support
  • Support channels available, such as:
    • SMS
    • Voice
    • Email
    • Chat
    • Social
  • Systems and integration
  • Sample contract and work order
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STEP 5

Implementation

Some of the key elements in this step include:

  • Finalized contract
  • A systems due diligence meeting
  • A comprehensive implementation plan
  • Training development
  • Successful production launch
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COMMON QUESTIONS

When Outsourcing Your Call Center

  • How many full-time agents do you need?
  • Where do you want them located?
  • What’s your all-in monthly budget?
  • What primary role will the agents fulfill?
  • What type of work will the agents be handling?
  • What languages do you need to support?
  • What industry are you in?
  • What is your projected start date?
CHAPTER 5

Call Center Definitions And KPIs

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Impactful KPIs that can be improved by outsourcing include:

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

Customer satisfaction is one of the most important goals for a call center and an important metric to track. A good contact center will have a strategy to boost CSAT.

First Contact Resolution (FCR)

First contact resolution (sometimes called first call resolution) is a KPI that measures how frequently a customer’s question or concern is resolved the very first time they contact you. Your contact center should have a track record of excellent FCR and improvement for their customers.

Average Speed of Answer (ASA)

Average speed of answer (ASA) is critical to customer satisfaction and retention. Did you know that 56% of customers won’t wait on hold for more than two minutes? A contact center should have a plan for continually controlling for a low ASA.

Average Handle Time (AHT)

Average handle time measures the amount of time from when the agent picks up a customer’s call to the end of the call—how long it took to handle the concern or issue that was called about.

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

NPS (or net promoter score) is another critical call center KPI. This measures customer satisfaction alongside how likely your customers are to promote your business either online or via word-of-mouth to others. Your contact center should have a track record of improving NPS.

Average Abandonment Rate

Average abandonment rate measures the number of customers who hung up or disconnected the call before their call was answered by a call center associate. It can also include things like abandoning a cart before purchase. A contact center should be able to show you how they reduce abandonment rates across channels.

Agent Turnover Rate

Agent turnover rate measures the rate at which your call center agents leave for other forms of employment. This metric, while not directly tied to customer experience, is a critical one to track for your call center. Lower turnover rate often means higher job satisfaction and higher quality work from the call center representatives, as well as a deeper understanding of your customers and brand due to length of experience.

Average Call Transfer Rate

Average transfer rate – or call transfer rate – measures the percentage of calls an agent had to transfer to someone else for a resolution. More transfers can eventually lead to lower customer satisfaction.

Quality Assurance (QA) or Phone Etiquette

An important advanced call center KPI involves the quality of an agent’s assistance and etiquette during a call. Ask your call center partner what they do to ensure high quality calls and excellent people skills among representatives. Ask how they track and maintain it.

Average After-Call Work Time

The average after-call work time, also sometimes called average idle time, measures the amount of time after a call has ended that an agent spends doing follow-up tasks related to the call.

How To Use KPIs To Improve Call Center Performance

Now that you’re tracking KPIs and gathering useful data from your call center, what should you do with it? 

Of course, call center KPIs and contact center metrics are only helpful once they are used to implement meaningful change. When you choose your KPIs to track, make sure you understand what data to gather and that the data can be shared with stakeholders and analyzed properly to implement change.

By creating a baseline of your overall call center performance based on KPIs, you’ll understand which functions to optimize and deploy solutions for.

For each KPI, you should ask your outsourcing partner how they track it, and how they have performed over time. Ask them what strategies they have in place to improve KPIs for their clients and what successes they have had. Ask them what KPIs they believe are the most critical to overall customer retention and growth.

Want To Learn The Language Of A Call Center?

CHECK OUT THE CALL CENTER GLOSSARY AND DEFINITIONS
BONUS

How To Turn Costly Call Centers Into Profitable Solutions To Fuel Growth

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The right call center outsourced firm will create a call center program for a businesses specific goals and needs. By selecting the right services and solutions, utilizing impactful KPIs, data, and analytics, using access to technology tools and passionate people, a call center can be profitable.

Easier said then done, right?

That’s what we’re here for.

Don’t settle for less

You don’t have to choose between affordable labor and excellent service. Learn more about how nearshoring can solve your customer support headaches.
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a call center outsourcing team member presenting to a group

The Outsourcing Process

Our collaborative, four-pronged approach to implementing your call center solution maps out every aspect of integration. Global Response will walk you step-by-step to a successful and on-time launch. Our process is standardized, but our solutions are all customized to provide you with the systems and workflow that are best suited to your business needs.

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Strategy & Development

Our experts and stakeholders meet to understand the objectives of your business and create a roadmap to success.

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Processes & Procedures

Each client receives a customized training program that fits their needs and budget.

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Omnichannel Technology

We are prepared to help you leverage our tools or support your existing systems for a seamless customer experience.

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Talent & Training

Your talent profiles and operations procedures are combined with our specialized hiring and training practices.

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Reporting & Analysis

Quality assurance, KPIs, and customer feedback drive actionable insights for your team’s improvement.

The People

Your brand will be in the best care. Certified Project Management Professionals (PMPs) will lead your integration, while a dedicated high quality management team trains Brand Specialists to be immersed in your culture.

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The Right Fit

A Project Manager will be hand-selected to ensure optimal operations for your Brand.

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Brand Specialists

Your team will be invested in representing your Brand and delivering an exceptional customer experience.

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Collaborative Training

Implementation and Training will meet with you to learn the ins-and-outs of your business and create custom materials just for your onboarding.

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Executive Access

Our executive leadership is engaged, aligned, and dedicated to your business interests and goals. Your success is our success—we’re on your team! Whenever you need us, we’re just a phone call away.

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