High-quality customer care is a key contributor to the service sector’s growth. That is why inbound call center outsourcing has increased exponentially in the past decade.
To help you decide if inbound call center outsourcing is the right path for you, this article defines what it is and examines both sides of the coin by looking at the pros and cons, and more.
Table of Contents
- What Is Inbound Call Center Outsourcing?
- When Should You Outsource Inbound Call Center Services?
- Benefits And Challenges of Inbound Call Center Outsourcing
- Inbound Call Center Outsourcing Advantages
- Inbound Call Center Outsourcing Disadvantages
- In a Nutshell: Weighing Whether You Should Outsource Inbound Call Center Services
- Inbound Call Center Outsourcing FAQs
What Is Inbound Call Center Outsourcing?
Inbound call center outsourcing or inbound business process outsourcing (BPO) refers to subcontracting a third-party entity that is entirely outside of a company. It involves delegating a specific process to an external call center service provider instead of creating an internal call center department.
These services can range from technical support, and customer service to promotional marketing and debt collection, among others.
These are the industries that benefit hugely from inbound call center companies:
- IT
- Telecommunications
- Accounting
- Marketing
- Manufacturing
- Travel, hospitality, and tourism
- Banking and Finance
- Insurance
When Should You Outsource Inbound Call Center Services?
These are the indicators that your company may need to outsource the inbound call center:
- Need to increase call volumes
- Inability to run your call center unit
- Budget constraints
- Scarcity of technological facilities
- Need to concentrate on core business areas and competencies
- Staffing concerns
- Business expansion plans in terms of the target market, niche, or location
Inbound Call Center Outsourcing Advantages
Listed here are the benefits of inbound call center outsourcing:
1. Cost-efficiency
You can opt to outsource an inbound call center if you intend to save money and maintain or increase your bottom line. It can be more worthwhile to work with an outsourcing agency than invest in labor, training, and infrastructure.
2. Scalability and Adaptability
Call center services are typically available in multiple languages. This means you can sell your products or services internationally minus the need to continuously hire new customer support employees. For more options, make sure to check out our complete list of the best outsourced customer support companies.
In addition, it is a flexible solution that works effectively in a dynamic business environment.
Fluctuations in the customer database and call volume will require a shifting workload for your client care team to handle. In this case, you can ask to adjust your agreement with your call center contractor—you do not have to lay off staff members or employ new ones.
3. Time-Saving
In-house support specialists will require extensive training on customer service standards and your products or services.
In contrast, external support staff members are well-acquainted with the best practices in client care. They are equipped with encompassing knowledge of problem-solving and case resolution.
When you find the right partner agency, you will enjoy the convenience and hassle-free services. You would not have to worry about recruitment, onboarding, training, and upskilling.
4. 24/7 Support
Inbound call center outsourcing can include a phone answering service that guarantees your customers receive support outside regular office hours.
Regardless of the client’s location and time zone, this on-demand service ensures service delivery.
5. Customer Satisfaction
35% of customers prefer obtaining a resolution to their concerns in one interaction with support agents. Functioning on an around-the-clock basis, your partner outsourcing company can deliver an immediate response to client issues.
Callers do not have to be in the phone line for longer wait times to speak with a customer service representative. This helps lessen frustration and boost client experience.
Moreover, you can raise customer satisfaction further by evaluating your service provider’s performance based on call center reporting.
Inbound Call Center Outsourcing Disadvantages
- Cultural Barriers
- Limited Product and Company Knowledge
- Less Collaborative Work
- Hidden Costs
- Security Concerns
Here are the potential disadvantages of outsourcing inbound call center:
1. Cultural Barriers
While several outsourcing companies hire client service representatives with full proficiency in their specialized language, there is a cultural aspect to consider. Despite an agent’s fluency, cultural barriers can result in miscommunication.
Values, norms, and linguistic expressions vary from one culture to another. For instance, an employee may be focused on problem-solving and unintentionally come across as impolite to the client.
2. Limited Product and Company Knowledge
Outsourced call center representatives may be unfamiliar with your organization's practices, values, and culture. They may only have basic know-how on your product or service offers and end up providing subpar services that are not aligned with your standards.
There is a chance that outsourced agents may have outdated knowledge or miss certain information when performing their tasks.
3. Less Collaborative Work
Not all outsourced staff members work on the same premise. With limited communication means and collaboration, they may not operate on and prioritize the value of teamwork.
4. Hidden Costs
When employing inbound call center outsourcing services, you may overlook undeclared fees that can impact your profits and bottom line significantly.
5. Security Concerns
Outsourced call center agencies may not be subjected to strict background checks. You may suffer the risk of a confidentiality breach.
In a Nutshell: Weighing Whether You Should Outsource Inbound Call Center Services
Ultimately, the decision to outsource inbound call center services is up to you. Do not choose the easy answer. Take the time to analyze how your business can gain from inbound call center outsourcing.
Note all the possibilities, including hiring partial outsourcing functions, and check available alternatives. These tips can bring you closer to an informed decision.
Inbound Call Center Outsourcing FAQs
1. What are examples of inbound call center services?
Inbound call center services offer a range of solutions to support your business needs, such as product or tech support, payment and order processing, and upgrade and renewal inquiries. These can also include appointment setting, lead generation, telemarketing, telesales, and market research.
2. What are the different types of inbound call centers?
The three major types of inbound call centers provide support, assistance, and sales opportunities to clients. These are:
- Customer service to address inquiries
- Technical support
- Inbound sales to market products or services
