Every business must balance two competing demands. On the one hand, customers want the best possible prices and the best possible service.
On the other hand, investors, even if you are just the owner, will want good returns. Balancing these demands is not always easy. There is a close relationship between prices, level of service and benefits. So anything that can keep profits and service high while lowering prices will be popular.
“Call centers have gained most of their popularity due to the fact that they can reduce costs. Outsourcing the call center in the UK can achieve cost savings of around 10-15% compared to an in-house operation. Less attention has been paid to outsourcing’s ability to increase customer service levels, but when outsourcing this business function, customer experience should be the key consideration when looking at options, ”says Ralf Ellspermann, CEO of PITON-Global, an award-winning contact center outsourcing provider.
In practice, there is no reason why call center outsourcing shouldn’t lead to a better customer experience. In fact, when done right, whether in the UK or elsewhere, outsourcing often results in better customer satisfaction and net promoter scores. Although the reasons why call center outsourcing may be less expensive may be more obvious, how can you produce more satisfied customers?
In practice, many of the same reasons that call center service providers offer savings also contribute to improved customer satisfaction. As specialists, the scale of their operations means that they can better use their resources effectively. Their size means they can attract high-quality staff and, once in office, staff can benefit from better and more opportunities for professional development and training.
In addition, call center operators in the UK typically have between 20 and 50 clients and will develop deep experience in the field, learning from each contract and from the industry in general. An individual business trying to operate a call center simply cannot afford the required capacity, as their primary focus must remain on the product and the core purpose of the business.
Call center outsourcing provider experience is likely produce better service everything. Regardless of the sector in which they work, the contact centers will have highly trained and trained agents and equipped with the infrastructure and technologies necessary to provide exceptional service. Customers may not even realize that the feature has been outsourced, simply noting the improved service they receive.
“There are also collateral benefits that will extend to your business. Call centers will collect a significant amount of customer data. You can use this data to inform and improve the delivery of products and services, identifying common problems so that solutions can be developed. Analyzing this data is a source of deeper customer insight that can drive innovation, ”says Ellspermann.
The combined benefits of lower costs and better levels of customer service should be almost irresistible. The decision not to use a call center outsourcing provider is often due to uncertainty after a previous bad experience. Many companies suffered during the first wave of outsourcing when cheap providers, often from the Indian subcontinent, one of the pioneers of call centers, resulted in poor customer experiences.
In fact, the quality of customer service should be the first thing to consider when Outsourcing, either domestically or abroad. “Call center outsourcing failures stem from a bad customer experience. When customers are dissatisfied, it hurts the bottom line, ”says Ellspermann.
“Our success comes from having staff with excellent English and neutral accents, who can effortlessly communicate with UK customers. If your call agents can’t make that connection, no cost savings in the world will match what you lose to frustrated customers, ”he adds.
So whether you’re looking for the 15% you can save in the UK, or even 40-50% abroad, customer experience should remain your top priority when selecting a call center outsourcing provider.