Elevate Your Customer Experience with Outsourcing

The new year is here, and with it will come changes that we haven’t even thought of yet. What we do know is that the labor shortage is not going away, especially for those of us in the contact center world.

Elevating your customer experience while reducing labor costs may seem like a contradiction, however, there are several ways to accomplish exactly that: AI, automation, and outsourcing, or BPO (Business Process Outsourcing).?

At InflowCX, we tend to think of these as interconnected versus siloed solutions as they can work in harmony to overcome the labor challenges facing your contact center. AI and automation have improved many outsourced and in-house operations for contact centers. Today, We will take a deep dive into the world of outsourcing and how it can help relieve the pressure for your business contact center operations.

The Misconceptions of Outsourcing

Outsourcing is often misunderstood as a one-size-fits-all solution, primarily geared toward cost-cutting. However, modern outsourcing extends far beyond this narrow view. Companies now have the flexibility to outsource specific functions like email and chat support, or even opt for nearshore services aligning with their time zones.

Often when you mention outsourcing, a worst-case scenario comes to mind:? broken English, no resolution, language barriers, and more. The reality is that most people have experienced their best-case scenario without even realizing it. The majority of contacts handled by outsourcing partners go so well that customers don’t even think of “who”, they are delighted that their issue was resolved effectively.

There are partners who specialize in phone calls, emails, chat, programming, coding, efficiency, all the above, and so much more. Outsourcing has come a long way and can be an asset to your company when done right.? One of the quotes that our our VP of CX Transformation & Outsourcing John Glantz hears often is “why didn’t we do this sooner?”

Your Business Is Not Too Complex to Outsource, Just Ask NASA

The biggest hurdle to outsourcing is customers having a false belief that no one else can understand the complexities of their business. We say false belief because if you can train a new hire to understand your business, then outsourcing is no different. Finance, Healthcare, and even NASA outsource some of their tier 1 and tier 2 issues.

NASA does this for the same reason your company should and that is to free up your valuable resources to do what they do best. Outsourcing enables the team at NASA to focus on their expertise. This model has had a lot of success in all industries. BPO is not an all-or-nothing equation, it can be a little, some, or most of the traffic you receive.??

Benefits of Outsourcing for Contact Centers

Certainly, outsourcing can have cost-effective benefits, however, that is just one of the many benefits that companies gain. Here are some of the direct and indirect benefits:

• Predictability: Snowstorm in the Midwest where your largest contact center is located, yet you have customers nationwide? When you leverage outsourcing you have a service level standard that is maintained with continuity built in. While you can’t control things like weather or holidays, you can control what happens when those occur.
• Peak Time Performers: Need to handle 75% more inquiries at a certain time of the year, day of the week or hour of the day? Having an outsourcing partner makes peak time manageable and you can maintain your customer experience.
• Renewed Sense Of Purpose For Tenured Employees: A heightened company morale for those tenured employees who have been taking on the additional workload is an unexpected benefit that we have heard many of our clients talk about. Don’t underestimate the affect that giving people back their time can have for your team.
• Best Practice Sharing: Working with outsourcing companies that make a living by identifying efficiencies and decreasing AHT while increasing productivity is a benefit in itself. Sharing those best practices elevates the service level for all employees.

Yes, There Is a Partner That Specializes In (Fill In The Blank)

Whatever the specialty or nuance that your company requires, chances are good that there is a partner who can deliver. Some of the many specialty requirements are:

• CRM
• Industry
• Language/Dialect
• Special Licensing
• Industry Standards
• Cybersecurity
• Geographical Location
• Company Culture Fit

One that some customers are pleasantly surprised with is company culture fit. That is one of the most important factors when selecting the right company for your outsourcing needs. Do they have the same customer-centric approach? What about community involvement or career advancement? Making sure there is alignment goes deeper than just the X’s and O’s,

If you are looking for a company that specializes in healthcare appointments and speaks French, Spanish, and English, there is a partner for that. John Glantz and our team at InflowCX have a long list of vetted, trustworthy BPO partners. Like the commercial says, “We know a thing or two because we have seen a thing or two.”

Bigger Is Not Always Better for Contact Center Outsourcing

The majority of horror stories we have heard from customers usually start and end the same way.

1. The company was understaffed
2. They googled “Outsourcing Contact Center”
3. Called the first company out of desperation
4. Neither side went through the proper onboarding process
5. Poor Communication
6. Frustration

The best time to have that conversation is well before the breaking point has been reached. Even if things are relatively smooth in your contact center now, we know how quickly that can change.

Instead of an “all things for all customers” type of approach, taking time to understand your needs both now and in the future as you expand is critical. Define expectations and hold each other accountable. That is the foundation for a successful relationship in business or life.

Your Outsourcing Journey Starts Here

Our team at InflowCX starts every conversation focusing on the most important part of the equation with outsourcing your contact center: your business. Contact us today to see how outsourcing can elevate the customer experience, increase productivity and so much more for your business.?