What Are the Benefits of Customer Service Outsourcing?

Introduction

Outsourcing customer service transforms your business by bringing substantial cost savings, scalable support, and augmented customer satisfaction. Companies of all sizes keep delegating specific business processes, a strategy known as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).  Virtual assistants and trained customer service representatives improve client interactions and general operative efficiency, making them more competitive in the ever-changing market.

When it comes to customer service outsourcing, most people tend to think of call center services, but the term is much broader depending on the client’s needs. Some will only outsource inbound call center services to respond to callers' inquiries, while others might want inbound and outbound call center services as well as delegating diverse administrative perks that, ultimately, are closely tied to providing excellent customer service. 

Before elaborating on the specific benefits of customer service outsourcing, we need to put an accent on the importance of customer service for any company. We could state that it’s vital for success. When consumers reach customer service through any channel, they need assistance, to have someone clarify a doubt, or help them with their problem. And they need assistance right away. 

Actually, according to an article published by HubSpot, 90 % of customers think that getting an immediate response is “important or very important” when they have a customer service question. On the other side, the two most irritating or frustrating things about customer help are having to be put on hold or having to repeat the same question to several agents. 

Outsourcing customer service is not a minor decision, and choosing the ideal service provider requires spending some time researching to find the best provider, a reliable one. 

What is Customer Service Outsourcing and What Does it Involve?

Customer service outsourcing means delegating the responsibility of interacting with their clients to external providers - called Business Service Providers. This comprises handling inquiries, solving issues, managing complaints,  processing orders, and many more. Let’s take a look at what customer service covers and how companies of any size can benefit from it.

Although we’ll expand on this, it’s worth taking some time to search the plethora of services you can benefit from through Virtudesk Customer Services and Virtudesk Call Center Services. Some of them include:

• Call center operations
• Email support and management
• Live chat 
• Taking care of complaints and resolving them
• Technical support
• Social media management (interactions and engagement)

Delegating these activities lets companies’ decision-makers and strategists dedicate their time and focus on their primary activities, the ones that generate revenue,  for example, developing new products or focusing on sales plans.

The Benefits of Customer Service Outsourcing Explained 

The Global Outsourcing Survey 2024 by Deloitte showed that third-party outsourcing is not a passing trend: 80% of executives plan to increase their investment in outsourcing. Such a percentage of decision-makers can’t be wrong. Obviously, they are seeing the benefits behind such a decision. Let’s take a look at some of them. 

A study performed at LUT Business School digs into the benefits of outsourcing customer service, today we’ll discuss the most relevant ones. 

1. Cost Efficiency and Savings

One of the most important advantages of customer service outsourcing is cost-effective customer service. Old-style staffing involves salaries,  benefits, training, and setup, to mention just a few. 

By outsourcing, you reduce these fixed costs, only paying for the services you need.

What’s more, virtual assistants and call service agents from Virtudesk are constantly trained, ensuring immediate productivity gains beyond saving costs. According to Deloitte, back in 2022 companies were seeking outsourcing solutions to save up to 70% of their operative costs compared to traditional working models (Deloitte Global Outsourcing Survey).

Another cost-saving advantage of outsourced customer service is that businesses don’t have to spend on expensive technology, equipment, and training their new staff; not to mention the working space needed to allocate a customer service team.  

2. Scalability and Flexibility

Another benefit of customer service outsourcing is its intrinsic scalability and flexibility. With traditional staffing, scaling operations is costly and complex (in 2024, the regular cost of hiring an employee was around $5,000). By contrast, outsourced customer support easily adjusts to meet seasonal fluctuations or sudden growth without you having to spend so much time and money. 

Why is outsourcing a money-wise solution when you need to scale up or down your staff? Simply because business service providers usually outsource to personnel based on regions where labor costs are lower and, besides, they already count on a trained staff ready to integrate your company without the costs and hassle.  

Virtudesk virtual assistants and trained call center representatives offer flexible support solutions without long-term commitments. This approach lets your business handle seasonal peaks, special projects, or unexpected demand efficiently, maintaining seamless service continuity. Take a look at Virtudesk’s pricing page; it might surprise you how easily you can find the staff you need with no long-term commitments. 

3. Better Customer Satisfaction

Delivering consistent, high-quality customer support significantly enhances customer satisfaction. Virtudesk virtual assistants and call center representatives handle customer interactions promptly, professionally, and with empathy. This includes multilingual capabilities, round-the-clock availability, and rapid response times. 

Providing 24/7 customer service is no longer an “add-on” a company provides. I should be the norm to achieve high customer satisfaction and client retention. When a client reaches customer service through any communication channel, they are usually undergoing a stressful situation, or in need of a solution or answer to continue with their activities. Knowing your company provides 24/7 customer service will increase trust and customer satisfaction. Your brand’s reputation will increase and, with it, new clients will feel prone to use your services or buy your products. 

4. Increased Operational Efficiency

Outsourcing customer support notably boosts your operational efficiency. Virtual assistants manage routine tasks and repetitive inquiries, freeing internal resources to concentrate on strategic objectives. This allows your staff to improve innovation, increase productivity, and focus on growth-oriented initiatives.

5. Access to Specialized Expertise

Customer service outsourcing provides access to highly skilled professionals without extensive training and recruitment. Virtudesk virtual assistants undergo rigorous training to handle various customer interactions professionally and efficiently. This specialized expertise ensures high-quality service delivery from day one.

6. Multichannel Customer Support

Today’s customers expect support across multiple channels, including phone, email, live chat, and social media. Outsourcing customer service allows your business to bring consistent, integrated support across all channels, enhancing overall customer experience and ensuring no inquiry goes unanswered. To provide it, the customer service team needs to be specifically trained on how to respond to each one, and have the required software and tools. 

7. Performance Tracking and Constant Improvement

All companies want to grow, and a big component of that growth is counting on highly performing staff. Reputable customer service outsourcing companies have the tools and resources to monitor all their personnel’s activities through complex software and apply strict key performance indicators (KPIs). Through them, they ensure all employees meet the highest standards and also identify key areas for improvement. 

You’ll find more information on the importance of KPIs following this link. 

How Virtudesk Can Help

Virtudesk virtual assistants provide exceptional outsourced customer service tailored to your business needs. 

1. Constant training: All our assistants and call center representatives receive constant training on their hard and soft skills at our unique academy. 
2. Comprehensive expertise: Our wide-ranging training ensures excellence in customer service, administrative tasks, technical support, and multichannel management, offering scalable, flexible, and affordable solutions.
3. Top services round the clock: We grant uninterrupted services, 24/7, with staff located in different areas of the globe. 
4. Monitoring and improvement: We count on tools such as Timedly to monitor and improve employees’ efficiency.  
5. Readiness: If you need to increase your customer service team, we always have prepared agents to onboard your company in the blink of an eye.
6. Top quality services for any budget: Whether you need 24/7, full-time, or part-time assistance, we have you covered with different service packages. 
7. Cost savings: Our staff is exclusively based in the Philippines, allowing us to offer cost-effective services while maintaining high-quality standards.

Conclusion

In summary, outsourcing customer service significantly benefits businesses through cost savings, scalable support, increased customer satisfaction, improved operational efficiency, specialized expertise, and multichannel service delivery. Ready to experience these benefits? Contact Virtudesk today to learn more about the benefits of customer service outsourcing and elevate your customer satisfaction. Call us at +1 (800) 470-8136 or schedule a free discovery now. Don’t waste time, get a competitive edge now.