Growing your business brings new, more leveled-up challenges to overcome. Keeping your current customer base happy while attracting and engaging with new prospects can be difficult to manage. Doing so is especially difficult when you don’t have the right people to help you provide excellent customer service that your present and future clients expect.

You need to maintain high standards of customer service to keep the momentum going. However, the growing requirements may become an unmanageable burden on your internal team. That’s when customer service outsourcing gives you a helping hand or two.

Let’s explore the whys and hows of successful customer services outsourcing. We’ll learn how it can help businesses at any stage of their growth. Plus, we’ll share some tips on implementing this strategy effectively, ensuring the best results for your business and clients.

What is customer service outsourcing?

Outsourcing customer services involves enlisting the help of external talents to accomplish customer service tasks. These external customer service agents handle concerns and inquiries through various channels. Here are some channels where you can find outsourced customer service agents:

• Live chat support
• Call center or voice support
• Email
• SMS
• Social media

Client support agents can also provide assistance through new channels, including WhatsApp, Viber, and more. Knowing your business’s specific needs is essential when considering whether you need someone focused on one particular channel or omnichannel agents who can provide support on various platforms.

Why outsource customer service requirements?

Outsourced customer services can benefit your business in more ways than you might think. Aside from becoming more accessible to your customers, you’ll find that outsourcing this part of the business allows for improvements across the board. Below is a quick list of what you can expect with excellent customer service outsourcing.

• Meet customers’ expectations

The top benefit of outsourcing your customer service requirements is that you can meet your customer’s high standards. The modern consumer is more demanding than ever. A 2024 Customer Experience Study states that “more than 80% of customers prefer businesses that offer a personalized experience.” This experience covers every step of the customer journey, including customer service or client support.

Working with skilled customer service agents can help you execute a more customized approach to interacting with your current and prospective clients. An outsourced CS agent’s only priority is your customers. They focus on getting to know your current and prospective clients, making sure they meet or exceed the level of customer service each individual expects to receive.

The main channels where people expect to receive client support are also changing. More customers prefer to use their mobile phones for just about anything, including interacting with brands. This means your business must be accessible through smartphones. Facebook Messenger and in-app live helpdesk are just some of the examples of such platforms. Working with outsourced customer service agents can help you communicate with customers where and how they want. They enable your business to be present in the channels that your customers frequent.

Be accessible and available for your customers by hiring expert virtual customer service assistants. Get started by booking a free consultation call with 20four7VA Sales Executives.

• Manage costs

If you’re looking to cut down costs, you’re not alone. Finding solutions to manage expenses without sacrificing quality is important for just about any business. Outsourcing is one way to help you stay financially healthy while getting the support you need.

Working with an external team of remote customer service experts eliminate the need of renting additional office space. You also won’t have to worry about spending your budget on new equipment and other expenses related to hiring in-office staff.

• Avoid burnout

Taking on customer service tasks while working on your core function is unsustainable. It’s crucial to be strategic about where you spend your valuable time. Of course, keeping customers happy is vital to your business’s overall health, but that doesn’t mean you have to handle this on your own.

Outsourcing this part of the business to skilled professionals will help you have more control of your time and energy. No more spreading yourself too thin and risking burnout. With the right help, you can focus on your core responsibilities while ensuring no customer service task falls through the cracks.

• Get access to experts

Finding the most suitable talents can be difficult, especially when limited to a particular location. With traditional staffing or recruiting in-house employees, you must deal with a small talent pool, which may not have what you’re looking for. And even if you do have a few prospects, you’re now tasked with competing with other employers in your area.

Luckily, outsourcing can help you address these challenges. Choosing outsourcing means you’ll be able to cast a wider net. You can find customer service experts from all over the world, increasing your chances of finding the ones that fit your requirements the best.

• Drive growth

An improved customer service strategy is a powerful driver for business growth. High customer satisfaction leads to customer loyalty, repeat purchases, glowing reviews, and referrals. A boost on these factors helps you expand your client base, generate more revenue, and ultimately, grow your business.

While marketing and other brand-building efforts are vital, social proof and word-of-mouth can help take your brand to the next level. By providing excellent customer service, you’re more likely to receive seals of approval from real people.

Outsourced customer services are crucial in keeping your momentum going. Customer experience experts will help you scale up your operations, covering important, time-consuming CS tasks. This way, you can focus on other parts of the business, enabling a more holistic approach to growth.

How to make outsourcing customer service work for you

The choice seems clear: if you want customer service outsource it to experts. And for best results, it’s important to set yourself up for success. Try out the following tips to help you make the most out of getting customer service outsourcing services:

• Set goals

The goals you’re aiming for can be more feasible with outsourcing. But the first step is to identify them clearly. Understanding what you want to achieve, whether it’s doubling repeat purchases or bumping up your customer satisfaction rate by x%, is key to finding the right outsourced customer service provider you need.

Listing clear and specific goals is also quite practical. Doing so will also make it easier for you to decide the number of customer service agents and the number of hours they need to log for you. Additionally, if one of your goals requires more coverage, it can mean outsourcing to more agents or extending their hours.

• Enumerate the tasks you need help with

Make sure to take the time to evaluate your current customer service operations. You can identify tasks that you can outsource or delegate. You may also be able to find customer service duties that you need but are not included in your current portfolio.

When you’ve enumerated the duties you plan to outsource, you can then identify the experience level of the CS agent you should work with. This step will also be vital in identifying the type of skills your customer service experts must have. It will enable you to streamline the screening process by narrowing down your search much faster.

Want some ideas of what outsourced customer service providers can do for you? Here’s a quick list:

• Answering customer inquiries
• Order processing
• Conducting customer satisfaction surveys
• Upselling or cross-selling
• Email support
• Live chat assistance
• Troubleshooting technical issues
• Resolving customer service tickets
• Escalating customer service issues
• Scheduling appointments
• Multilingual support
• Data entry
• Database management
• CRM management
• And more!

• Prep your communication lines

“One challenge that our clients were initially wary of was the difficulty in maintaining open communication lines,” shares Chin Espiritu, 20four7VA’s Director of Client Experience. “While this can be a potential issue, it usually arises when a business does not have the right tools and practices in place.”

A disconnect between your in-house and outsourced teams can be problematic. It can lead to missed deadlines, misunderstandings, and subpar customer service.

If you want to avoid such pitfalls, make sure to establish clear and strong communication lines that transcend borders and time zones. Choose essential communication tools that will work for both you and your outsource service provider. Easy-to-use and reliable applications like Slack, Skype, and Microsoft Teams enable better coordination, from quick updates to more in-depth video conferences.

Because there are more moving parts to your business, it can be difficult to keep everyone on the same page. But it’s not impossible. Using project management tools like Trello or Asana can be helpful in staying on top of multiple projects at any given moment. Such apps provide a centralized, easily accessible platform where tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities are clearly outlined and updated.

Aside from ensuring seamless collaboration, it also enhances accountability. Every team member, both in-house and outsourced, is encouraged to update the tasks assigned to them and regularly review the status of the big-picture projects.

• Monitor progress

Outsourcing is not a magical solution you can implement and trust to work to your advantage. Just like any strategy, you must regularly monitor progress. Make sure to review the performance of your team and outsourcing partner against the set goals and KPIs. Doing so will help you ensure they meet your service requirements. It also helps identify and address points of improvement.

You can also get qualitative feedback from both your internal team and customers. This will help you make better decisions on maximizing this excellent staffing alternative. By staying highly involved in the implementation, you can ensure that your customer service remains high-quality and aligned with your business objectives.

• Choose the right outsourcing partner

Finding top-tier customer service agents can be stressful, not to mention time-intensive. However, working with a reliable outsourcing partner can help you reap the benefits of outsourcing. And when you’re looking for an outsourcing services provider, you need to consider the following factors in your search:

• Industry experience
• Reputation and customer reviews
• Technology capabilities
• Security protocols
• Training support

“Customer service outsourcing can be a game-changer in keeping customers happy while cutting operational costs,” shares Espiritu. “But it’s more than just saving your valuable dollars.” It can be your business’ superpower, enabling you to focus on your core functions and the bigger picture—your growth.

Outsourcing also opens the door to a larger, more diverse talent pool. This means you can access the support you need to enhance your customer service efforts, ensuring your customers receive the best service possible.

Additionally, working with a leading remote staffing company like 20four7VA makes outsourcing more efficient and effective. Partnering with us will help you scale your operations without the growing pains. Our award-winning end-to-end solutions ensure you find, train, and manage the right customer service experts and ultimately provide the best level of customer service you’ve ever given.

Looking for a trusted remote staffing provider? Book a call with 20four7VA and find out how we can help you provide the best customer service support for your clients.