5 Signs You Need to Outsource Customer Service

You’ve probably had an inkling for a while now:

Your current customer care process isn’t working.

Calls keep coming in but your current team is either too busy, insufficiently skilled, or simply held back by old technology. Whatever the reason, poorly handled inbound customer calls pose a risk to your business.

But how can you really know, with certainty, that it’s time to stop pouring all of that effort, time, money, and worry into your own, internal customer service operation? Here are the 5 telltale signs that it’s time to move on, and find a qualified customer care vendor who can help you take your business to the next level.

  1. You’re Understaffed
    Who isn’t understaffed in this market? Highly qualified customer care employees are in demand and extremely difficult to recruit, let alone retain. Here’s an even tougher job to fill: customer service supervisors. If you’re struggling to keep chairs filled and queues short, an outsource partner can help. Because our sole focus is on performing high quality customer care, outsource customer service providers are experts, capable of taking on your call volumes and treating every caller like the highly valued customer they are.
  2. Customer Care Skill Levels are Inconsistent
    Establishing a high level of customer service skills is not a one-time exercise.  It’s a never-ending onboarding, training, recognizing, rewarding and retention effort. Every time someone leaves, their replacement needs immediate, intensive training. Every time. The truth is, large scale outsource vendors are better equipped to retain their top performers. We know how to build high performing teams within welcoming, rewarding environments. When we do hire, we know how to scale that training, depending on the scope of the need. We customize training to each client’s needs and build performance expectations based on industry proven best practices.
  3. Your Business is Outgrowing Your Call Capacity
    First of all, allow me to say: nice problem to have. Congratulations. It’s that very challenge that often sends new clients our way. And one of the biggest regrets we hear from these clients is that they waited too long before seeking outsource help. Rapid growth often leads to unpredictable call spikes. Each of those calls is one of your customers, waiting in queue, with high expectations. Yet most in-house customer care operations simply don’t possess the scalability to handle these volumes. Keep your customers waiting – or treat them carelessly – and they’re unlikely to return. Mistakes like this are costly and so avoidable.  
  4. Tech Innovations are Rapid, Complex and Expensive
    Today, technology innovations occur with dizzying frequency. An outsource partner has the expertise to evaluate new tech, hardware, software and operational trends. We’re able make informed decisions about which solutions are the best investments. And because this is our industry, we make those investments. Unless you’re in the enviable position of being able to pass these costs along to your customer base, it’s impractical to take this on.
  5. In-House Headaches Are Keeping You From Focusing on Future Growth
    How many hours each week are you putting out fires in your inbound call operation? How many hours of sleep are you losing because you know you don’t have a sustainable plan or process in place? If you’re serious about growing your business, it’s time to do the math on what your current system is costing you in terms of new business. A highly qualified outsource vendor can help you determine and achieve the returns you need on an outsource investment. Talk to us.

 

by Bobby Matthews
Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Skybridge Americas

bmatthews@skybridgeamericas.com

 


Find out how Skybridge Americas can help you delight your customers and grow your business.

We seamlessly integrate our superior customer care skills with your brand messaging. For more information, contact us at 763-299-4570 or submit our contact form.