Customer Service
Small Business Customer Service Outsourcing: 4 Pitfalls to Avoid
In the competitive landscape of small businesses, providing exceptional customer service is crucial for success. However, with limited resources and manpower, many small businesses struggle to meet the growing demands of their customers. This is where outsourcing customer service can be a game-changer, allowing small businesses to access professional support without hefty investments. Today there are outsourcing services that offer small customer service teams for small businesses.
While outsourcing can offer numerous benefits, there are pitfalls that need to be avoided. The right environment can be created by planning correctly and adapting or avoiding certain crucial elements.
Here are some key pitfalls to avoid in the customer service outsourcing process:
- Lack of understanding of the business
- Not setting clear expectations
- Poor communication and absence of effective management personnel
- Not establishing onboarding and training plans
- Ignoring feedback and quality assurance
- Not choosing the right outsourcing partner
- Overlooking data security and privacy
Outsourcing customer service requires the outsourcing partner to have a deep understanding of the business, its values and its customers. Without this understanding, the outsourced customer service team may struggle to provide the level of service that customers expect. To avoid this pitfall, ensure that the outsourcing partner takes the time to learn about the business and its unique requirements.
Setting clear expectations is key to a successful customer service outsourcing relationship. This includes defining key performance indicators (KPIs), service level agreements (SLAs) and other metrics that can be used to measure the success of the outsourcing arrangement. Failure to set clear expectations can lead to misunderstandings and unmet expectations.
It is also essential to know the average number of tickets raised each day and the time required to handle them. Having this information can help businesses build the right team from the start and avoid being understaffed or overstaffed, both of which can affect costs and quality. It is important to revisit trends at regular intervals so that the quality goals, SLA and cost estimates are all met.
Effective communication is essential for successful customer service outsourcing. A lack of communication between the business and the outsourcing partner can lead to misunderstandings, delays and ultimately, poor customer service. To prevent this, establish clear lines of communication and regular updates between the concerned team and the outsourced customer service team.
The business should have a person or team who can manage the customer service agents. The absence of such a layer can sometimes lead to confusion and mismanagement of support requests. Someone from the business, or customer service provider, needs to ensure that the right agent is servicing the right department, knows how to tackle complicated queries and can navigate all the processes efficiently.
The success of a customer service outsourcing program depends on the initial training provided to the first agents of the team. It is critical to train the first set of agents effectively so that they can help new agents along the way and set up a sturdy support service. To set up a successful training program, it is essential to document workflows for the conversation types that have the highest volume and to set up plans on how new agents would receive that information. Sometimes the outsourcing partner may have training specialists who could manage the onboarding process efficiently. The bottom line is that businesses must have clear thoughts about how to train agents working in different time zones, how to ensure they have access to the latest information and how the agents can get their queries answered.
Feedback and quality assurance (QA) are essential components of any customer service operation. Ignoring feedback from customers and failing to regularly assess the quality of the outsourced customer service can lead to a decline in service quality over time. Ensure that the outsourcing partner has processes in place for collecting feedback and continuously improving the quality of service.
As the volume of tickets increases, it is important to monitor the quality of service to ensure there is no drop in customer satisfaction. The business or outsourcing partner must have a scalable plan so that QA and the team size can grow in parallel. Even the most skilful agents can make mistakes so it is prudent to set up a robust QA program that identifies errors enabling corrective measures to be taken quickly and filling any gaps in training. On the other hand, such a program enables businesses to identify the best performers too.
Not all outsourcing partners are created equal, and choosing the wrong partner can lead to poor customer service and damage to a business's reputation. When selecting an outsourcing partner, consider factors such as their experience, reputation and ability to meet the business's specific needs. Conduct thorough research and due diligence before making a decision.
Customer data security and privacy are paramount, especially in today's digital age. When outsourcing customer service, ensure that the outsourcing partner has robust data security measures in place to protect sensitive customer information. Failure to do so can lead to data breaches and damage to the business's reputation.
In conclusion, outsourcing customer service can be a valuable strategy for small businesses looking to improve their customer service capabilities. However, it is essential to be aware of the pitfalls and take steps to avoid them. By implementing strategies to mitigate the possible pitfalls, small businesses can maximise the benefits of outsourcing customer service and provide exceptional service to their customers.
How can Infosys BPM help?
Infosys BPM’s customer service practice redefines the end-to-end customer experience with analytics, streamlined technologies, enhanced self-service and transparency. We have in-depth experience across all kinds of support requirements. We understand our clients’ expectations and address them in a sustainable and comprehensive manner.
