Outsourcing Call Centers

Call centers can be set up to handle many types of calls:

• Taking orders
• Customer service
• Tech support
• Qualifying inbound leads
• Answering service/messages

There is no magic guideline as to when a business should definitely outsource their incoming call handling. Instead, there are a number of situations when it may be right for your business to pursue outsourcing to a call center, most of which revolve around resource planning.

• Significant growth- A new product launch or other major event can bring a huge volume of calls to even a small business. Outsourcing incoming calls to a service provider can eliminate the hassles of trying to ramp up dozens of new employees or investing in major equipment upgrades.
• Save money- When businesses reach call volumes that demand a significant capital investment, either new phone systems, customer relationship management (CRM) software, dedicated call center space, or many new employees, it can be an easy choice to outsource. Call center service providers are able to keep their costs much lower by spreading the cost of employees and technology over many customers.

Instant Vendor Comparison

Select vendors to compare
• Testing and learning- Smaller companies with little experience dealing with customers may launch their phone operations as an outsourced solution. When they have learned what it takes to run a call center and built up enough capital, they can bring the operation in house. Larger companies interested in testing new technologies or programs may find it easier and cheaper to use a call center for testing than to retrain in-house employees.
• Variable volume- Call volumes that are relatively constant or those that grow at a predictable pace are relatively easy to plan for and budget. Businesses that see significant seasonality or unpredictable changes in volume can really benefit from the extra capacity of an outsourced call center. This can include spot overflow, where the service provider is used to cover sudden surges in phone calls, or seasonal assistance.
• Business model shifts- The decision to outsource incoming call management can be triggered by a major decision, such as making the leap to 24/7 tech support. Switching to a two- or three-shift operation can be a huge problem - or as easy as going to a service provider. Another trigger can be the need to offer support in multiple languages.

Call center outsourcing works best for fairly straightforward sales, service, and support. Products that have complex sales cycles and customer support lines that require in-depth troubleshooting are not as well suited to outsourcing.

To review in-depth company profiles before you purchase, use our free call center company comparison service.