“When the customer comes first, the customer will last.”

– Robert Half

Imagine being available to your customers any time of the day—whether outside office hours or over the weekend. In today’s modern marketplace, customers expect quick solutions and top-notch service. However, providing seamless, all-reaching customer support isn’t easy when understaffed. Thankfully, your business can rely on outsourcing.

By reaping the benefits of outsourcing customer service, you can provide the best customer service yet. You’ll have an external team of customer service (CS) experts who can help build customer loyalty without piling up costs or your team’s workload.

Let’s explore the compelling reasons that make customer service outsourcing the next big move of your business journey. Plus, we’ll cover how you can find the right outsourcing services provider for the best outcome possible.

What is customer service outsourcing?

Customer service outsourcing is a strategy businesses employ to expand and even improve their customer service efforts. Companies outsource to an external service provider to take over customer support functions, such as answering customer inquiries, managing complaints, and soliciting customer feedback.

Outsourcing can come in different forms, including the following:

• Onshore: outsourcing to a service provider in the same country
• Offshore: international outsourcing
• Nearshore: working with an outsourced customer service provider in nearby countries

Customer service virtual assistants (VAs) can give your business the support it needs. Book a free consultation call with 20four7VA Sales Executives to get started.

Tasks to outsource to a customer service provider

You can delegate plenty of functions to an external customer service team. Despite the various resources and search engines available to modern consumers, they still prefer to receive answers from a company’s representative. Here are some examples of what you can ask outsourced CS providers to handle for you:

Customer support

Customer support, whether voice or non-voice, is a major function that businesses can outsource to an external team. CS agents can assess customer inquiries, complaints, and requests sent through various platforms. With the right training, they will address low-hanging fruits and quick wins. They will also be able to escalate more complicated tickets to the right department or point person.  

• Email assistance
• Phone support
• Live chat helpdesk
• Social media support
• Database management

Technical support

No matter how well-made a product or service can be, there will be situations wherein your consumers will experience technical issues. Some cases will be easier to troubleshoot than others, but every customer with a concern will still look for prompt attention and a satisfactory resolution.

• Product troubleshooting
• Software support
• IT helpdesk
• Monitoring and closing tickets

Order processing and management

Business growth will require expanding your capacity to accommodate more, from inquiries to orders. External customer service agents can help you manage an increase in orders so you can serve more customers without risking overworking your current team or delays.

• Order-taking
• Order confirmation
• Billing
• Order tracking
• Processing payments
• Return handling
• Refund processing

Customer feedback and surveys

Knowing your customers and listening to what they say will help you improve your operations. Doing so will also give you insights into how to fine-tune your customer service efforts. External customer service agents will help you keep an ear to the ground, ensuring you have the best data to keep your customers happy.

• Collecting customer feedback
• Product reviews and testimonials

Consider hiring a bilingual virtual assistant to help you with your expansion. Schedule a free consultation call with our Sales Executives to start hiring your own VAs!

Key benefits of outsourcing customer service

Outsourcing these tasks enables businesses to provide consistent, reliable support without the logistical challenges of managing an in-house team. It allows companies to scale services, reduce costs, and ensure high-quality customer interactions across all platforms.

Cost-savings

A welcome benefit of outsourcing is the significant reduction in overhead costs. This alternative staffing solution eliminates the need for the additional expenses related to having an in-house customer service unit. You won’t have to worry about allocating funds for infrastructure, extra office space, new equipment, and so on.

Outsourcing customer service offers a significant reduction in overhead costs by eliminating the need for businesses to invest in infrastructure. When handling customer service in-house, companies must allocate funds for office space, equipment, and software tools—all of which add to operational expenses. By outsourcing, these expenses are transferred to the service provider, allowing businesses to operate more leanly. This is especially beneficial for businesses that want to manage costs.

Access to specialized expertise

“Outsourcing opens up your business to a global talent pool,” advises Cath Castro, Director of HR & Recruitment. This can mean you can hire top-tier remote talents at a fraction of the cost of hiring in your home city or country. More importantly, however, this wider, talent-rich labor market also gives access to experts in the field.

You can work with trained customer service professionals who have extensive backgrounds in the field. These CS agents undergo training, ensuring they are well-versed in handling customer inquiries, troubleshooting issues, and delivering top-notch service.

This level of expertise can be challenging to build and maintain with an in-house team, especially if resources are limited. Outsourcing guarantees businesses a group of experienced and diverse professionals who understand how customer service.

Improved scalability and technology

Customer demand can be ever-changing. Providing a steady level of customer service can be difficult with seasonal fluctuations or rapid growth. With outsourcing, you can easily scale your customer service operations up or down based on what you need. It helps you remain flexible and responsive, no matter how unpredictable the demand may be. Whether you’re experiencing a surge during holiday seasons or expanding into new markets, outsourcing allows you to adjust quickly without the hassle of hiring and training new staff or dealing with layoffs during slower periods.

Enhanced customer satisfaction

According to author and customer loyalty expert Chip Bell, “Loyal customers, they don’t just come back, they don’t simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you.” Happy customers are likely to become returning customers and advocates for your brand. Speed is critical to boosting customer satisfaction. Clients will appreciate faster response times. Having a team of customer service agents will allow you to provide quick resolutions and be there for customers when they need you.

Competence is another important factor in keeping customers satisfied with your business. Outsourcing customer support to highly skilled CS agents will create a more seamless and satisfying experience for your customers. They have the proper skillset to handle a variety of inquiries, from simple questions to more complex issues. They assist in establishing a positive brand image that is not only fast but also skilled and supportive.

Increased focus on core business functions

Customer service is essential to business growth. However, handling customer service tickets and addressing client concerns take up valuable time and energy. By outsourcing customer service, you can keep focusing on your core functions. This can mean you can work on driving growth in other parts of the business without letting customer service tasks fall through the cracks.

Choosing the right outsourcing partner

Identifying goals and expectations

Any strategy requires planning. Before you outsource customer service requirements, you must be able to define your business needs and goals. You should identify what you want to achieve with outsourcing. Whether it’s handling simple inquiries, providing specific technical support, multilingual support, or 24/7 coverage, knowing what you need will help you decide on the most suitable outsourcing provider to work with.

Evaluate providers

You need to be meticulous when deciding on a customer service outsourcing provider. Consider various factors, including experience, pricing, and industry expertise. Make sure to also look into a provider’s reputation. Your customer service support partner should have happy customers as well. You can look up client testimonials and reviews on their website as well as top review websites like Trustpilot.

Collaboration

From in-depth discussions about your outsourcing requirements to regular check-ins on KPIs, maintaining open and transparent communication with outsourcing partners is essential for sustainable success. Close collaboration and the right communication platforms should be a shared priority between you and your customer service agency.

It’s crucial to find a partner that is open to collaborating with you. Instead of a one-and-done meeting to kick off your outsourcing journey, the right customer service provider will be there for you every step of the way. They’ll be as invested as you in achieving the CS goals you’ve set and nurturing the best relationship possible with your customer base.

Check off customer service tasks by outsourcing to an expert CS team. Book a free consultation call with our Sales Executives today!

Outsource customer service with 20four7VA

Outsourcing can get you one step closer to your business goals. Providing excellent customer service takes work. And if you want to amp up your operations, working with a top-tier outsourced services provider like 20four7VA is an absolute must.

Our team will review your unique business needs and craft the most suitable solution. We will tap into our global talent pool and build a team of customer service virtual assistants with whom you need to provide client support. Armed with our proven track record and extensive experience, we’ll help you continue to provide the best customer service support to your valued clients.

If you’re ready to boost customer satisfaction, it’s time to look into outsourcing your customer service needs to 20four7VA. Book a free consultation call today!