PRO AND CONS OF OUTSOURCING CUSTOMER SERVICE TO CALL CENTER. SHOULD YOU OUTSOURCE CUSTOMER SERVICE OF YOUR BUSINESS?
What is customer service?
Customer service is the support which we offer to our customer before and after there purchase of goods and services. Primary job of customer service provider is to address customer issues and resolve them in timely and efficient manner though variety of channels such as phone, email and social media and ensure all customer concerns are resolved immediately.
Customer service is more than just providing answer, it is a promise your brand makes to it’s customers.
Outsourcing customer service to call center?
Outsourcing is an agreement in which one company hires another company to create goods and perform services. Customer service in a company is typically done through a call center service, Who are trained to handle business calls.
Whether you should reassign your customer service to a third party is complex, and for many business owners, can cause unease. After all, you want to ensure that your business can continue to provide quality customer service to keep up with consumer demand.
Pros of outsourcing customer service
Reduced workload: Many small businesses and startup doesn’t have a delicated customer service department, and responding to to customer phone call and emails, it detract them from more profitable activities, such as sales. Outsourcing customer service can free up your time and your employees' time so that everyone can focus on larger sales drivers.
Cost saving: Unlike in-house customer service employees you don’t have to them fix salary and other employee benefits. Outsourcing also save all the furniture and equipment expenses required to set up your in-house customer service. Most of the small business can’t afford to send this much on customer services
.
Multilingual service: If your customer base is spread out globally, so it is likely that they speak different language too. As call center employees are trained to handle international calls in differnet languages too, as a result your customers will comfortable with some who share common linguistic. Outsourcing will remove communication barrier in your company.
After-hours coverage: Unlike in-house call center operate 24/7, which enable customer experts to be available for your customer during off-hours too.
Cons of outsourcing customer service
Outsourced employees tend to not be as knowledgeable about your company as an in-house team: Outsourced call center are not involved with your business day in and day out, which is concern for the business owners as call center might not have the up to date knowledge about your company’s products and services. To over come this concern a consistent and clear communication between your company and the service provider, to update them about any new product or services or change in the existing one’s.
Low customer satisfaction: Many business owners are worried they will lose customers if they switch to call center or answering service, as the may some time not have the most upto date knowledge about your company. However the business owner won’t be able to examine the call record can ask the service to provide references
.
Your business may not be their top priority: Call center has many clients to handle, they are on continuous call from different customers. They may be handling call of inquiry for a clothing retailer one minute and then a few minutes later answer a consumer's questions about home loans. You want them to be passionate about your company and make your customer calls there priority, hiring more expensive call center would solve the problem but it will cost you more.
Potential risk of security: There could be a breach of sensitive information regarding your company or client, as nature of some business involves exchange of personal details, such as credit card number, name, addresses the information which is need to be secured. Before hiring any one outside your organization all security related concerns should be discuss about there security measures and practices. However many call center make sure that there is no leak of information and data remain private and safe through there layers of protection.
