Why Offshore Call Center Outsourcing Often Fails
Call center outsourcing is an old practice but thanks to advancements in communications technology call centers can now be located almost anywhere including locations with less expensive labor. Call centers in India, the Philippines, Caribbean, Ireland and other locations in the English speaking world are common. The lure is reduced cost.
But many overseas outsourcing programs have failed and returned to the United States. Customer Solutions Group assisted one client to relocate its internal help desk after abundant complaints flooded the department that was responsible. This pilot program was less demanding than most because the customers were the firm’s employees proved that outsourcing is not that easy to pull off. Reducing costs but failing to satisfy customers is not a good deal even though it costs less.
One obstacle that must be overcome is language and accent. English is not a single universal tongue. Another is cultural differences that sometimes inhibit good communication. Overcoming these issues requires excellent training, coaching, and call monitoring.
Customer Solutions Group uses a unique call center training method named “Call Blueprinting” that improves all three of these important aspects of call center operations. As the name implies, a Call Blueprint is a set of instructions to follow for a particular call type. Its creation forces organized thought around a particular call type. Documenting the best thoughts in a blue print facilitates good monitoring and coaching. A written guide is an excellent objective manner to ensure consistent understanding and follow up between the agent, her supervisor, and the call monitoring department. When everyone is on the same page, good service results.
How do you train your call center agents?