Offshoring Best Practices: 10 Effective Strategies for Success

Outsourcing is a major step for business growth, with 66% of U.S. businesses outsourcing at least one department. Offshore outsourcing has its pros and cons so its better to research more about it before deciding whether you should go for it or not. After deciding to outsource, you’ll need to define the project, find a reliable partner, address legalities, and maintain clear communication. This article shares ten key tips for outsourcing customer service.

Key Takeaways

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The latest GBS World Competitiveness Index is changing the game in outsourcing! Countries like the Philippines, India, Malaysia, Mexico, and Poland are getting recognition for their strengths in customer service and back-office work. The Philippines took the top spot from India for back-office services, while Mexico and Poland impressed in customer support and digital chats. Africa is also becoming a popular choice, thanks to its young, talented workforce and affordable costs. With both familiar and new players stepping up, the outsourcing world is evolving in exciting ways.

In June, Outsource Accelerator received 639 inquiries for 1,935 outsourced roles, reflecting a $58 million market. That’s a 2.5% increase from May and a huge 602% jump from last year, showing how the pandemic has pushed businesses to find smarter, more affordable ways to work. Over the past year, the platform helped 3,600 businesses connect with global talent, proving the growing demand for remote work. CEO Derek Gallimore says the pandemic has reshaped how we work, and outsourcing is thriving as companies look to cut costs and expand globally.

1. Clearly Define Service Requirements

When discussing with offshore partners, clearly communicate your customer service needs, expectations, and standards. This ensures they understand your goals and can offer tailored solutions, saving you from working with a team that can’t meet your service requirements.

If you’re looking for a partner to handle online chats, calls, or multi-channel support, ensure they provide these services. If needed, put extra time into establishing expectations and asking questions. Doing this helps prevent issues and eliminates performance standard issues down the line.

2. Choose the Best Outsourcing Match

Choosing the right offshore partner is crucial since you’re entrusting them with part of your business. Look for dependability, skills, and dedication.

When outsourcing, review customer feedback, case studies, and talk to current clients. Find a partner experienced in businesses like yours, and consider using an agency for a well-communicating support team.

Your network can also help; friends or colleagues may recommend a trusted company. Lastly, while not the top priority, finding a partner that fits your company culture is a smart move.

3. Establish Strong Communication Channels 

Maintain regular communication after starting an outsourcing partnership with weekly or monthly meetings. Quick communication helps resolve issues early and prevents small problems from becoming bigger ones.

4. Set Clear Service-Level Agreements (SLAs)

Setting clear SLAs is key when partnering with customer service providers. Define goals for resolution rates, response times, and customer satisfaction, as your company’s success depends on it.

However, be fair and avoid unrealistic expectations. Perfection isn’t possible, so ensure the SLAs are achievable for both sides to maintain a happy partnership.

5. Prioritize Data Security and Privacy 

Outsourcing, especially to other countries, can raise security and privacy issues. Different countries have different data protection laws, making it tricky to share customer information.

Ensure your outsourcing partner puts data security and privacy first. What are their internal practices around security and privacy? Are they able to adapt to the measures you’ll put in place to secure your customers’ private information? The customer service team handles a lot of personal data. No one wants to tell their customers about a data breach.

If you’re working with a call-center, check they use secure software and train their staff in protecting customer data.

6. Invest in Comprehensive Training

Some of the most popular departments to outsource include IT and customer support operations. These departments need to know your company and what it offers inside out. Plan on thorough training to bring your outsourcing partner up to par. You can expect them to do internal training as well, but providing training yourself is the quickest way to ensure quality customer service.

As you’re monitoring calls, interactions, and metrics, don’t hesitate to provide training to correct any issues with poor customer service as you see them. You might ask your outsourcing partner to provide training for specific call center agents and new agents, assuming you’re confident in their level of knowledge.

An outsourcing partner needs to know your company’s mission, products, services, and brand values if they want to represent your business well.

7. Implement Quality-Assurance Measures

Outsourcing needs ongoing attention, just like managing an in-house team. Set up quality checks to maintain standards. These might include listening to recorded customer interactions or live customer service calls, reviewing customer feedback after an interaction, reviewing chat support records, and reviewing all recent metrics to make sure quality standards are being met. 

You should never assume or hope that your customers will receive quality service. You can best do this through quality-assurance measures. This doesn’t mean you’re listening to every call and checking every email thread. Keep checking in to make sure the service quality stays up to standard.

8.Promote Feedback and Continuous Growth

Your outsourced team might be helping other companies with similar needs. Because of their experience, they may have feedback that could streamline your customer service strategy. Be open to hearing from them and listening to their suggestions.

Listen to the feedback of your customer base as well. See how they are responding to your new service team. Note any commonalities that indicate a problem in the service, if they exist. Keep a close eye on customer feedback, especially at the beginning. You may need to refine your new approach to customer support.

9. Create a Seamless Handover Process

Transitioning from in-house to outsourced customer service can be complex, with tickets at different stages. Planning the timing and method for handing over tasks is essential. Without a clear plan, customers may be overlooked, leading to frustration and potential loss of customer retention.

10. Regularly Review and Improve the Partnership

As your business grows, your outsourcing partnership should grow too. Regularly check in to see if the relationship can be improved.

If your business changes or adds new products, make sure your partner can still meet your needs. If not, talk to them about adjustments, or consider finding a better fit.

Outsourcing customer service can save money and offer big benefits, but it comes with challenges. By following best practices, you can avoid common problems, find a great partner, and succeed with outsourced support.

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Conclusion

Offshore outsourcing can eventually boost business growth, but it’s not straightforward. It demands careful planning, choosing the right partner, ensuring solid communication, setting realistic agreements, and prioritizing data security. Each decision is crucial for the success of your outsourcing journey.

Keeping up with thorough training, quality checks, feedback, and smooth transitions is key to boosting customer service. Regularly evaluating the partnership and being open to changes can enhance its value. Properly managed, outsourcing customer service can be a win, driving customer happiness and business growth.