Key Areas to Consider in Evaluating an Outsourced Call Center

If you’re considering outsourcing your call center, there are a few factors you’ll need to take into account before making the final decision. There are many things to consider; but it can be boiled down to the following key areas.

Specialization

This is probably the most obvious factor to consider when looking for a call center to outsource your services to. Not all contact centers offer specialized services that are related to your industry.

It’s also strongly recommended that you look at the general services they provide. Do they provide inbound or outbound services, or a combination of the two? Are they focussed on sales or providing customer service? Finally, where are they located? Are you looking for an offshore call center or do you want to keep your operations in North America? If it’s an overseas organization, what are their language capabilities? These are all questions to consider.

Technology

Next, you should consider the call center’s technical capabilities and whether they meet your organization’s needs in an optimal and efficient manner. When you’re researching potential call centers to outsource to, ask if they offer interactive voice response, e-mail support, live chat capabilities, social media services, and real-time reporting dashboards.
Most organizations will prominently list their technical capabilities on their website.

Compliance and Certifications

You many need to follow certain compliance regulations depending on your industry. Always check to make sure that the call center you are considering for outsourcing has the necessary certifications in place to meet these regulations.

Again, most reputable call centers will have their certifications listed prominently on their website and other marketing materials.

Company Culture

Making sure that your culture matches the call center you’re looking to outsource your services to is another vital part in determining a candidate. Look at how long they have been in business and whether or not they are financially stable. Be sure to speak to any references they provide so you can ensure that their corporate culture is in line with yours.

Capacity

If you’re outsourcing your call center to handle overflow during busy periods, you want to be sure you partner with an organization that can handle a high volume of calls. And it should be year-round, not just during busy periods.

Performance and Quality Metrics

This is yet another feature that most call centers list prominently. Ask about the practices they use to meet and exceed your key performance indicators (KPIs). Also look at the ratio of managers to staff as well as trainers to agents and staff who monitor quality.

Finally, this list of questions should also include how they motivate their agents to meet and exceed client expectations.

3C Contact Services brings expertise in outsourcing call centers to partners. Whether you’re looking to outsource within North America or overseas, we help you find the solution that is best suited to you and your budget. For more information, please visit our website.