Many startup entrepreneurs often wonder if outsourcing customer support can prove cost-effective.
Good customer support is crucial for online stores and small businesses to stand out from their competitors.
However, the average product life cycle of e-commerce products may make it challenging to justify the need for a large support team.
Moreover, the traditional customer support model has evolved into an on-demand, customer-centric system, driving business outcomes at an affordable cost.
Therefore, outsourcing customer support can actually enhance service quality. However, it is important you assess the Return on Investment (ROI).
In this article, we shall help you figure out the factors that help you assess the ROI for outsourcing your customer support.
Choosing The Best Customer Support Outsourced Partner
Here are some of the major factors that make your outsourced customer support partner the best match for your company—
1. Consider The Size
When looking for a support provider, one of the key factors to consider is their size.
Smaller providers can establish a more personalized relationship with their clients due to their ability to provide dedicated attention.
However, it is important to note that providers with larger teams of 1000 or more can better address a wider range of needs. Moreover, they can offer a higher level of professionalism in their services.
Therefore, you must take your time in choosing a support provider that best aligns with your specific needs and preferences.
2. Decide Your Goals
When looking for a customer support provider, it is important to determine your specific requirements and goals.
Do you need round-the-clock support?
Would you prefer a dedicated team to handle your queries?
Or you may consider outsourcing your customer support to a SaaS provider.
Moreover, you must remember that not all companies claiming to offer top-notch support will necessarily excel in your particular domain.
Therefore, you should partner with a provider specializing in your specific needs. By doing so, you can ensure that your customers receive the best possible support experience.
3. Check The Training
Inadequate training can have a detrimental effect on customer satisfaction.
With efficient service providers like Hugotech, reps get trained with simulated chat sessions to replicate live customer interactions.
This helps assess their comprehension of the client’s value proposition, capacity for customer empathy, and attitude toward service.
Therefore, it guarantees top-notch interactions, real-time analysis, and feedback for quality control.
Moreover, a good service provider should avoid using proprietary tools and systems. Instead, they should choose compatible alternatives unless the client requests otherwise.
4. Check Their Pricing Model
When outsourcing customer support, you must choose a company that prioritizes quality over quantity.
Some BPO companies charge their clients based on the number of tickets or resolved calls. This can incentivize their agents to handle more clients at the expense of resolving issues effectively on the first contact.
Therefore, it creates frustrated customers and a negative impact on your business.
However, to avoid this, you can opt for a customer support outsourcing company that charges per agent per month instead.
This business model encourages the company to focus on providing quality customer service. Therefore, their income is not tied to the number of calls or tickets resolved.
5. Confirm Your Budget
Establishing a well-defined budget before investing in a support service is crucial.
Pay attention to avoid ending up with a service that sounds amazing but doesn’t actually work.
Therefore, evaluating your financial constraints and sensibly prioritizing your expenditures is essential.
However, remember that the most budget-friendly option may not necessarily be the most effective. On the other hand, the priciest one might include features irrelevant to your needs.
Therefore, set your budget and evaluate the service providers according to your budget.
Find Your Best Match!
Selecting an external customer support service provider is a significant decision that can significantly impact your business.
Therefore, it’s essential to take the time to set clear, measurable goals that align with your business objectives.
While making such decisions, businesses must aim towards the following:
- Faster response times.
- Improved customer satisfaction.
- Increased customer retention.
- Reduced workload for your in-house team.
These goals will help you evaluate the provider’s effectiveness and make the necessary adjustments to improve the overall customer experience.
Therefore, find the right provider and only settle once you find the one that fits your business’s unique needs!