When is an Outsourced Contact Center Best?

By Kristine Hegglin
Updated: April 01, 2011

It is generally best for small and medium sized businesses, without the resources readily available to build an in-house contact center, to outsource their contact center needs. Not only does outsourcing take the pressure off a business, but enables the business to focus on their products and other services. Outsourcing a contact center may also be a suitable alternative to an in-house contact center for global businesses with customers located in countries all over the world. To truly address all customer needs in all time zones, global businesses need a contact center with 24 / 7 customer support services.

Benefits of an Outsourced Contact Center

Businesses that decide to outsource their contact center don’t give up control. Businesses still get to manage the outsourced operation and decide how they want their customer calls addressed. While businesses who outsource aren’t giving up control, they also don’t have to manage the day-to-day operation, which is usually the case with a newly built in-house contact center. Outsourced contact center employees only have to focus on one job, which is to take care of customer calls. Focusing on one job usually fosters expertise, improves productivity and improves efficiency. If a contact center’s personnel are knowledgeable and efficient, it is likely that the business’s customers will be more satisfied. Building an in-house contact center will take more time than outsourcing a contact center. If businesses are on a timeline and need a more rapid solution, outsourcing is most likely the way to go.

Costs Associated with a Contact Center

Outsourced contact centers may be a good alternative for businesses that don’t have the funding or resources to build an in-house contact center. Building an in-house contact center means that a business will need to invest in an infrastructure. In-house contact centers require hardware, software, facilities, networking, equipment and employees. Outsourcing a contact center alleviates these costs. Outsourcing may not be profitable for all types and sizes of businesses. If a business has the funding and resources to build an in-house contact center, a cost-benefit analysis should be done to examine which option provides the best return on investment (ROI).

Contact Center Outsourcing Vendors

There are many outsourcing options available to businesses. When researching contact center outsourcing vendors, it’s a good idea to ask for references. Every call center outsourcer is different, so take the time to explore as many as possible.