BPO (business process outsourcing) customer support is an act of outsourcing your customer support needs to a third-party instead of hiring an in-house team.
When it comes to executing a task (i.e, marketing, sales, support), a business owner has two choices – hire an in-house team or outsource it to a third-party. And that’s what the BPO (business process outsourcing) is – you outsource your business needs to a third-party vendor.
BPO customer service allows businesses to provide round-the-clock customer service at a fraction of the cost.
In the coming article, we have explored what BPO customer service is, its trends, how much business owners can save with it and much more!
Difference Between BPO and Customer Service
Most of the time, people understand both the BPO and the customer service as one thing. However, both of them are significantly different.
BPO is related to outsourcing any of your business’ operations that includes marketing, admin, IT, sales or any other process. In contrast, customer service ONLY involves tasks related to addressing the queries of the customers.
People often use both of them interchangeably because there’s a very high trend of outsourcing the customer service department to a third party vendor (BPO).
However, BPO entails outsourcing every process of your business, not just the customer support.
Let’s take it this way – BPO is the main branch, customer service BPO is the sub-branch of it, and customer support is an independent department on it own.
What is a BPO Job?
A BPO job involves handling the outsourced work, on boarding the clients, and managing the clients’ expectations.
Its responsibilities depend upon the nature of work and the outsourced processes. For example, if you are working in a company that works on customer support outsourcing then most of your responsibilities will be:
- Handling customers’ queries
- Managing complaints
- Providing technical support
And much more!
However, if you are working in a BPO company that works on the marketing outsourcing, then your nature of work and responsibilities will be a lot different.
Benefits of Outsourcing Customer Service Call Center
Saves Cost
I work at HiredSupport, and we routinely provide estimates to the clients about much they can save while outsourcing their customer support needs.
My estimations show that an average business owner, operating in the US. saves around 81.65% while outsourcing if they compare with the in-house cost of hiring employees.
Saves Time
As a business owner, I always believe in focusing on important tasks. And outsourcing customer service call centers give you this flexibility.
You can set the following equation by outsourcing your customer support needs:
- Let the BPO company take care of customer support.
- Your in-house team focuses on the better tasks i.e, finding business growth opportunities.
- You avoid the extra hassle of management (of customer support) and focusing on your important things.
Fewer Legal Compliances
Yes!
When you hire an in-house team, you tend to face a lot of legal compliance issues because they are classified as full-time employees and you need to provide them medical, leaves, benefits and much more!
However, outsourcing customer service call centers saves you from this headache where you are bound by a simple contract.
They don’t meet your expectations, cancel anytime! No worries and no extra cost for the souvenir period.
Better Performance
You can definitely expect better performances from outsourcing.
Check the following comparison:
- Situation A: you hired the resource, trained them, corrected their mistakes and then smoothing the process for the results.
- Situations: You outsourced it. No need to train them as they have years of experience and expect the performance from day one.
If you run the cost and benefit analysis of both the situations, I’m pretty sure you’ll find situation A to be more productive and cost effective.
The Future of Customer Service
Real-World Examples of Businesses Benefiting from BPO Customer Service
Many businesses worldwide have reaped the benefits of outsourcing their customer service.
Let’s look at two real-world examples.
Example 1: Uber
The famous ride-sharing company Uber is known for its seamless app interface and efficient service.
Behind the scenes, however, is a robust BPO infrastructure that handles customer inquiries and queries.
Uber partners with several BPO service providers worldwide, ensuring 24/7 support for its millions of users across the globe.
This customer service model allows Uber to focus on core operations and tech development while still maintaining high customer satisfaction levels.
Example 2: Zappos
Zappos, an online shoe and clothing retailer, is another brand that outsources its customer support to provide excellent customer support.
Zappos is renowned for its customer service, which has become a significant part of its brand image.
Outsourcing enables the company to provide 24-hour support and quick resolution times, significantly enhancing customer loyalty and satisfaction.
HiredSupport – Best Customer Service Outsourcing Company
If you are a business owner, and are little bit familiar with the outsourcing, there are two things you must be going through:
- You want to reduce customer support costs.
- You are a little doubtful to outsource given you have never done it before.
If you are facing the first one, just outsource. Trust me, there’s no brainer on it.
And you are facing the second one, I’d suggest choosing HiredSupport. They have been operating in the customer service niche for a decade, and this should make your mind a little peaceful.
I call HiredSupport the best company for the following reasons:
1. Agents Operating in Diverse Niches
It’s possible that you might be looking for ecommerce, saas or some other specific niche.
The good news is that HiredSupport has agents from diversified backgrounds and have a history of dealing with a diverse niche of clients.
For the reference, I’m mentioning a link to their case studies, so you’ll be able to see how they have a history of managing diverse niches.
Moreover, they provide excellent services that you can ask for! You can measure it by looking at the history of clients – none of their clients left because of poor performance.
2. Free Trial
Like I said before, you can be doubtful about outsourcing, and HiredSupport totally understands you.
They give a chance to run a free trial with them for 7 days. You like it, cool! You don’t like it, you won’t lose a penny!
But at least, you can let go of your fears of outsourcing because you are running a real-time test.
3. Low Cost – Starts from Just $7/h
An agent in the US. costs you around $25/h, however, the same agent with the HiredSupport costs you an amount that starts from $7/h.
Outsource Your Customer Support Call Centers
Future of BPO Customer Service: Trends and Predictions
The BPO customer service sector is set to undergo several transformative changes:
Greater Use of Technology
Technological advancements will continue to shape the BPO industry.
AI and ML will be used increasingly for predictive customer analytics, allowing businesses to anticipate customer needs and provide personalized service.
Similarly, chatbots are transforming customer service as well.
Likewise, RPA will automate repetitive tasks, enabling customer service representatives to focus on complex queries and enhancing the overall customer experience.
Recommended: 50 Latest Chatbot Statistics and Facts in 2023
Omnichannel Support
As customers continue to use multiple platforms for communication, BPOs will need to provide seamless omnichannel experiences.
Omnichannel support means that all channels of communication are interconnected and context is not lost when a customer switches from one channel to another (such as from live chats to emails).
This will involve integrating various communication channels and providing consistent, high-quality service across all of them.
Focus on Customer Experience
The BPO industry will move beyond transactional support and focus more on delivering superior customer experiences.
This involves understanding customer journeys, personalizing interactions, and using feedback to improve products and services.
Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) Call Center Replace Human Agents?
Conclusion
The transformative role of BPO Customer Service in the business outsourcing landscape is clear.
It has moved beyond being just a cost-saving strategy to becoming a crucial contributor to customer satisfaction, business growth, and even innovation.
As businesses continue to recognize the myriad outsourcing benefits, we can expect substantial BPO industry growth in the coming years.
By partnering with the right BPO service provider, businesses can enhance their customer service, keep up with customer service trends, and navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape.
Ultimately, in a world where customer experience is king, BPO customer service could be the queen that changes the game.
