Shifting to call center outsourcing is a big decision because it represents a major change in how your business engages with its customers. Agents from a different business will become your brand’s new first touch point — it can be scary giving up that level of control, but it’s worth it if you need the extra help.

In this article, you’ll get a roadmap to help you navigate the complexities of outsourcing call center activities to a third party without sacrificing your brand.

How to assess call center outsourcing options

The first choice you’ll need to make is whether to go with a U.S.-based call center or an offshore call center. If your priority is cultural alignment and native English communication, a U.S.-based call center will help ensure your customer service experience is coherent and closely connected to your brand identity. If cost savings and service availability are your main priorities, an offshore call center is your best bet. Located in countries like the Philippines or India, offshore call centers are more affordable and offer round-the-clock service due to time zone variations.

Another choice to consider is whether to use a dedicated call center or a shared call center; this decision depends on whether you prioritize personalization or cost efficiency. Dedicated call centers serve a single client, so they can offer a deep understanding of your products, services, and brand culture. Shared call centers cater to multiple clients. They provide a more economical solution while addressing fundamental customer service needs but generally offer a lower-quality customer experience than a dedicated call center.

Another option is a call center Business Process Outsourcing. A BPO is a comprehensive service that lets businesses outsource all their call center operations to an external company specializing in managing customer interactions. This kind of service goes beyond just handling phone calls; it includes many customer service functions, including email, live chat, social media, and even outbound services like sales calls and market research.

Choosing a BPO lets you access the expertise of a company dedicated to customer engagement, which can adapt and scale with you as you grow. The cost of a BPO depends on which services you need but generally tends to be lower per interaction than building an in-house team.

What services can a call center outsource?

Now that we’ve explored some options for outsourcing partners let’s look at the services they can take off your plate.

• Sales outreach: Engaging potential customers through various channels to introduce products or services, generate leads, and close sales.
• Customer support: Providing assistance and answers to customer inquiries and issues, ensuring a positive experience and resolution.
• Technical support: Offering specialized assistance to customers facing technical problems with products or services that requires specific knowledge and skills.
• Appointment setting: Scheduling appointments for sales representatives or service providers with prospective or existing customers.
• Market research: Conducting surveys and gathering customer feedback to inform business strategies, product development, and marketing efforts.
• Debt collection: Managing overdue payments by contacting customers, negotiating payment plans, and ensuring compliance with legal requirements.
• Social media management: Engaging with customers on social media platforms, monitoring brand mentions, and providing support or promotional content.
• Live chat support: Offering real-time assistance and support to website visitors through chat interfaces, enhancing customer service and engagement.

What should you look for in an outsourcing partner?

Choosing a call center outsourcing partner is not a decision to be taken lightly, as these folks will engage with your valuable customers daily. Here are positive indicators to find when reviewing your options for outsourcing partners.

• Proven track record: Look for providers with a solid history of success and positive testimonials from previous or current clients.
• Industry expertise: Choose a provider with experience in your industry. They have already invested in training agents to be familiar with issues similar to your callers.
• Technology and infrastructure: Ensure the provider uses up-to-date technology that can integrate with your CRM software, omnichannel capabilities, and data security measures.
• Flexibility and scalability: The provider should be able to scale operations up or down based on your business needs. Flexibility in handling peak seasons or unexpected demand is critical.
• Training and quality assurance programs: Good call centers invest in thorough training for agents, with continuous education, that consistently follows call center quality assurance best practices.
• Language and cultural compatibility: The agents’ ability to communicate effectively and empathetically with your customers is essential when choosing offshore options.
• Compliance and security: The call center should comply with relevant types of business communication regulations and industry standards, especially concerning privacy and customer data protection.

Here are some important red flags you should look for while reviewing and assessing your call center outsourcing options:

• Vague or generic Service Level Agreements (SLAs): A major red flag is a lack of specific, measurable goals and outcomes in the SLA.
• Poor communication: If a provider doesn’t communicate promptly and clearly from the start, it’s likely a sign of how they’ll handle your business.
• Hidden costs: Be wary of providers failing to be upfront about their pricing structure. Unexpected fees for additional services can add up quickly.
• High staff turnover rates: A high agent turnover rate can indicate poor working conditions or lack of training, which can affect the quality of service.
• Overpromising: Providers who promise unrealistically high outcomes or say yes to every request may lack the necessary expertise or resources.

What to look for in a call center outsourcing partner also depends on whether you need help with inbound or outbound calling.

For inbound call center services, focus on providers that offer excellent customer service and problem-solving skills. Agents should be trained to handle various inquiries and issues so they can provide effective, efficient customer inquiry resolution. Technology that supports quick access to customer history and data is also crucial for personalizing interactions and solving issues promptly.

For outbound call center services, look for providers with a strong sales and lead generation track record. Effective outbound services require persuasive agents who are respectful and mindful of potential customers’ time and preferences. Outbound efforts should also be supported by solid data analytics capabilities to target the right individuals and measure campaign success.

How to protect your brand during call center outsourcing

While outsourcing your call center operations can be more cost effective and offer better customer service in the long run, it may initially present some challenges when it comes to brand identity and service quality.

One primary concern is that outsourced agents may not have a full understanding of your products or services, especially if they’re handling multiple accounts. Without that deep product knowledge, the quality of customer support can suffer, leading to unsatisfactory customer experiences.

Language barriers and cultural differences are additional hurdles. Even when agents are proficient in a language, they may miss certain nuances and details of regional dialects that can lead to misunderstandings or a service experience that feels impersonal or disconnected from the brand.

Another significant challenge is maintaining brand voice and ethos through an external team. Your brand’s unique voice — professional, friendly, quirky, or authoritative — must be consistent across all customer touchpoints, including interactions with outsourced call center agents.

Help your outsourcing partner help your brand

Taking a collaborative approach with your call center outsourcing partner is the key to overcoming these challenges and ensuring they deliver brand-aligned service.

Here’s how you can work together to maintain brand integrity:

• Develop a comprehensive training program: Work with your provider to create detailed training materials that cover both the technical aspects of your products or services and your brand’s values, voice, and the customer experience you aim to deliver. This training should be an ongoing process, with regular updates as your products and services evolve.
• Create detailed scripts and guidelines: While effective calling scripts shouldn’t be so rigid to stifle personal interactions, they can give a framework to ensure consistency. Guidelines on handling various customer scenarios can also help agents make decisions that align with your brand’s approach to service.
• Implement quality assurance processes: Establish regular checks and feedback loops to ensure that the service provided meets your standards. This can include call center quality monitoring, assessing interactions for quality, sticking to scripts, and the overall customer experience.
• Use survey data to monitor and adjust: Collect feedback directly from your customers about their experiences with the call center. This data is invaluable for identifying areas for improvement, adjusting training, and refining scripts.
• Build a partnership: View your call center provider as a partner in delivering exceptional customer service. Open, frequent communication between your team and the provider can help swiftly resolve misalignments and ensure both parties work towards the same goals.

Call center outsourcing cost comparisons

Dedicated vs. shared call centers

Dedicated call centers offer tailored services, with agents focused solely on your brand; this exclusive attention ensures a higher brand consistency and customer experience as agents develop a deeper understanding of your products and culture. However, this comes at a premium due to the specialized focus and resources allocated solely to your business.

A dedicated call center agent typically costs at least $20 per hour, and can easily get into the $40-50 per hour range. The cost for an agent can run from $6,000 to $15,000 per month.

It’s worth investing in a dedicated call center when your business requires a high level of brand protection, deals with complex products or services, or aims to provide a highly personalized customer experience.

Shared call centers are more cost-effective, as the operational costs are distributed across multiple clients. While this can save money, it may not offer the same level of brand immersion and customer service quality.

Shared call center costs are typically billed per minute that the agent is on call, with costs of $0.75 to $1.50 per minute. The total cost will depend on the call volume, but $500 to $2,500 per month is typical.

Shared services are best for businesses with more straightforward customer service needs or when prioritizing budget constraints and the risk to brand perception is lower.

U.S.-based vs. offshore call centers

U.S.-based call centers cost more due to higher wages and operational expenses in the United States. These centers are the best option if your priority is customer service quality, cultural alignment, and language proficiency.

They’re particularly effective if your brand is strongly tied to a specific cultural identity or requires agents that have in-depth or nuanced understanding of customer needs.

A U.S.-based call center agent typically costs $25 to $45 per hour in a dedicated call center. In a shared call center, a US-based agent typically costs $0.80 per minute on the low end, with $2 per minute on the higher end.

Offshore call centers tend to cost less and are a good option if you’re looking to stretch your customer service budget. Located in countries with lower labor costs, these centers can also provide around-the-clock service. But potential challenges include language barriers and cultural mismatches.

Offshore agent pricing at a dedicated call center is $8 to $15 per hour, and $0.30 to $0.75 per minute for shared call centers.

Offshore outsourcing is a viable option when cost reduction is a primary goal, and the services required are relatively straightforward, with minimal risk to the brand’s reputation.