Working with a third-party customer service provider can deliver a massive ROI for your business. By outsourcing support, you can allocate internal resources to tasks such as product sourcing, improving logistics, and marketing. But, there are some pitfalls and roadblocks to avoid on your way to the best possible outcome. In this post, we will provide guidelines to address the essential components of a successful outsourced customer support engagement.
Guidelines for Outsourced Customer Service Success
Choose a Provider That Delivers Value
When looking for an outsourced customer support provider, it is important to find one that delivers value and that you can trust. Outsourced support is not a commodity, and you should never pay for it without clearly understanding how your investment delivers value to your business.
In the early days of a new venture, where every dollar is precious, it can be tempting to try and save money. When it comes to customer support this is a grave mistake. Seeing orders come through your system is certainly gratifying. However, high return rates or poor customer satisfaction means lower bottom-line revenue and fewer return customers. Refunds and one-time buyers are the death knell for many stores and businesses both online and offline.
Take the time to do your research and find a provider that you can trust to deliver quality service. Outsourcing to an unqualified or inexperienced provider can be costly and frustrating for everyone involved. When it comes to outsourced customer support the old adage stays true: “Good is not cheap and cheap is not good.”
Be Direct About Service Levels for Customers
One of the challenges in outsourcing support comes in clearly defining exactly how you would like support handled. Your customers have base expectations of customer service informed by their general experiences. They may also have additional expectations about the service that comes with your industry or even your specific brand. Your outsourced customer service partner is likely to already know and meet basic levels of service expectations. The support specific to your brand of business sector is up to you to dictate.
For example, one of the hallmarks of your brand is that every support ticket receives an acknowledgment within one hour. You need to clearly communicate that detail to your support partner. If you offer a 110% store credit for every returned item, you want to inform your support partner AND make sure your order system can accommodate this action.
Establish clear communication guidelines and expectations
Handle everyday communication with outsourced customer support providers the same way as if they were on your payroll directly – after all, paid or not, they are working for you!
Make sure that your outsourced provider has access to all of the information that they need to assist your customers thoroughly (confirmation emails, screenshots of issues/problems with products or services). Over time, your customer service partner may ask for different information, additional training, or recommend some modifications to improve support. View your relationship with them as dynamic and evolving. Outsourced customer support is rarely a “set it and forget it” venture.
You can always ask questions about how best to handle problematic situations by asking “What would YOU do?” If the outsource partner’s answer is decidedly different than what you would have done, it may be time to evaluate how you are communicating.
Set KPIs, Track Them, and Act Accordingly
Outsourcing customer support does not absolve you from the responsibility of making sure your customers are taken care of appropriately. It is unrealistic to think that there will come a day when you do not have to think about support or service. The best way to set up your partnership for success is to track key performance indicators (KPI).
One KPI might be the average time it takes for agents to respond to or close tickets. Another KPI might center around how many customers exchange instead of return items. KPIs should align with your business goals and serve to strengthen your partnership with your customers and, by extension, with your customer service partner.
Document All Onboarding and Training
No matter how talented and experienced your outsourced customer support provider is, there will be a learning curve. Be sure to document and share information on onboarding processes as well as training materials with your outsourcer.
This documentation should include:
- The method used to send over any required documents, screenshots, or additional information that may be needed.
- Best practices for handling specific types of customer requests and issues.
Outsourced customer support providers cannot read your mind, even if they are experts in your field. Documenting everything you can think of will help to ensure a smooth transition and avoid any potential misunderstandings.
Periodically review the outsourced customer support agreement
Just as your business changes and grows, so too should outsourced customer service agreements. As your outsourcer’s capabilities and services change, make sure that the renegotiate the contract to reflect these changes. Outsourced customer service agreements should always be a living, breathing document that you revisit and renegotiate as needed.
Some businesses are hesitant to talk to their customer service partner about changes to their business. They worry that pricing will change or that training will become more complicated. In some cases, the relationship will change. In most cases, however, your customer service partner will work with you to find the right arrangement to keep working with your business.
Long-term Success Can Be Simple
All too often companies see support as a cost center and not a profit center. In truth, customer support can and should be a growth driver for your business. Happy customers return to buy again, tell others about your business, and often choose an exchange instead of a refund. And the best way to help optimize the number of happy customers you have is to provide awesome customer support!
Outsourcing customer support to a third party is a big decision, but it can often be the RIGHT decision. The benefits of having a team of professionals manage customer interactions while you are building a business are great. Choose the right partner and your business can thrive.
To learn more about setting your business up for success by leveraging a third party for customer support, contact our team at wrrk today. Our American-based support Pros have helped organizations like Bombas and Kin Euphorics achieve class-leading customer satisfaction scores. We would enjoy the chance to learn about your customer service needs and explore how we can help.
