Worth $18.11 billion in 2018, the customer care BPO industry is growing steadily. Forecasts predict that the industry will reach a value of $30.4 billion by 2027.
These are interesting statistics, but what do they mean for your business? In this article, we’ll look at the growing importance of outsourcing, focusing on chat support. We’ll examine why you should outsource chat support and how to find a trusted partner.
The Benefits of Outsourcing
Firms today must run lean operations. They need to find ways to cut expenses to the bare minimum to exact the maximum possible profit margin. Companies that don’t do so soon become less competitive and unable to retain their client base.
Outsourcing, in general, gives companies a chance to downscale their operations without impacting service delivery. Instead of running an expensive in-house department, firms can assign these duties to a third-party service provider.
The company saves money on recruitment, training, and maintaining the infrastructure necessary for an in-house team. At the same time, however, they gain expertise that they may have previously been lacking at a reasonable price.
Why Outsource Chat Support?
When it comes to outsourcing, many companies are eager to hand over tasks like data capture. Some firms are, however, hesitant to loosen the reins when it comes to customer support. That’s understandable — customer support is, after all, a critical business function.
The downside of not letting go is that you’ll never experience the excellent results of partnering with a professional customer service firm. In addition, your clients might never experience the joy of obtaining fast, empathetic, 24/7, multilingual support from highly skilled professionals.
Outsource Live Chat Support as a First Step
For companies that still have qualms about surrendering control of their customer service, it might pay to outsource chat support first. By selecting one area of service to let go of, you’re able to see the real benefits of third-party intervention.
What Does Live Chat Outsourcing Entail?
When you outsource live chat support, you allow a BPO provider to speak to clients using the chat feature on your website or social media. Live chat outsourcing provides your clients with:
- 24/7 support at a time most convenient to them
- The possibility to speak to someone in their home language
- Immediate answers
- The correct advice
- An opportunity to interact with your company
Can Chatbots Replace Live Chat Outsourcing?
Chatbots are a helpful tool in ensuring that the client receives immediate answers to simple questions. They are, however, not sufficient on their own. 29% of clients find it frustrating to deal with scripted responses.
Until chatbots can mimic human interaction 100% accurately, you should view them as a secondary tool. You can take full advantage of that tool when you outsource chat support services to live agents and get the best of both worlds.
By choosing the correct third-party provider and matching them with a well-designed chatbot, you secure your company’s leading position in the future.
How to Find a Trusted Partner
Not all chat support outsourcing services are created equal. While choosing the correct partner sets your business up for success, the wrong company can damage your reputation. Here are some of the things to consider when selecting a third-party provider.
Track Record
A newcomer to the industry may have some exciting ideas on enhancing service. Whether they have the experience to implement their beliefs or to run a successful business, however, is doubtful.
Switching your systems over to a third-party live chat provider is a big undertaking. It’s not something that you wish to repeat in a few months or years. By choosing a player with a good track record, you can rest assured that they have the staying power you’ll require.
Customized Approach
Be wary of firms that provide a generic set of plans and ask you to choose the option that suits you best. There’s technically nothing wrong with this approach, but it does indicate a certain level of disinterest.
Every company has different needs. The right partner for you will acknowledge this and want to learn more about your firm and how you operate. They take an interest in helping you succeed by offering a customized solution because this will also help them grow their business.
Find out what skills your partner brings to the table and how they’ll complement your own. Then, ask them how they’ll train their employees to become an extension of your company culture.
Flexible Solutions
In a live chat center, there are generally two types of consultants:
- Dedicated: Such consultants only work for your company. They spend all of their time on your projects. This is the best way to create a cohesive company image but can be pricey.
- Shared: Shared consultants deal with the work of a few companies at the same time. Several firms share the cost of the consultant. This approach works where you have relatively simple products or services without many technical aspects to them.
Some companies use a combination of both types to optimize the coverage while keeping the exercise affordable. A good partner will be willing to work with you to create the perfect mix for your company.
Final Notes
Outsourcing chat support is a valuable first step in providing better service to your clients. Handing this task over to a third-party frees up valuable time for employees and gives your customers the 24/7 assistance they need.
Outsourcing is not only an intelligent move towards improving the customer experience; it can also help you reign in employee spending.
