At its best, Swedes’ expertise and understanding of customer service is of an excellent international standard. The importance of customer service has been internalized in all kinds of companies, and the level of customer demands has increased in line with the professionalism of those who work with customer service. In Sweden, there is professional competence in customer service and service management that is worthy of praise.
But excellence is rarely a coincidence. Development does not happen by itself, but is based on measurement and analysis, which changes and improvements are planned and of course, on actual work so that the plans can come true.
Companies that serve customers often notice that customer service and its development are not easy things to manage. Work can be accompanied by a wide variety of problems that hinder the achievement of a good final result:
- It is not known what should be measured or what to do with the results of the measurements
- It is not possible to resource the work so that the customer receives service in a timely manner
- Not getting up-sell in line with the objectives
- No suitable means of cost control can be found
These are all reasons that trigger customer service development projects in companies. And they are also the reason why companies end up outsourcing their customer service.
Outsourcing is a way to acquire the best possible professional customer service expertise in a way where the company itself gets into the role of a customer, and will be able to enjoy the result delivered by the partner.
More results and less headaches
While companies are starting to consider outsourcing customer service for a variety of reasons, there is often one common fear behind the consideration: How could a partner understand our business? How could such a visible and audible part of the service be entrusted to others, while waiting for the results to improve?
The fear is understandable but, fortunately, unnecessary: one industry and company after another has outsourced parts or all of its customer service while getting more results and fewer headaches. Here’s how outsourcing helps in organizing customer service:
Measurement and development
Based on the needs and wishes of the outsourcing company, an experienced customer service partner can determine such indicators that accurately indicate the progress of work and the fulfillment of goals. Based on the information, the partner is also able to identify development needs and put the necessary measures into practice. The experience of an experienced partner has been gained precisely by identifying and solving customers’ problems.
Resourcing
For example; workforce planning, employee turnover, sick leave and estimating the volume of future contacts are matters that require professional skills and efforts. In customer service outsourcing, they are transferred entirely to the partner, and changes in customer service opening hours, for example, can be easily achieved.
Additional sales
The customer service situation is an opportune moment to check whether the customer’s services meet their needs and whether they might be interested in ordering additional services. Sales-oriented customer service is one of the cornerstones of modern customer service, and with an experienced outsourcing partner, the skill can be harnessed for the use of your own company without additional investments.
Cost savings
Outsourcing seeks and also generates cost savings, but savings are not only generated in Excel by reducing budget figures. Savings are generated when professionals organize customer service work into a goal-oriented and rewarding one, so that a healthy employee is motivated to do their best and leave the customer feeling good about the service situation. Investing in people is part of the quality of service. A smile has great power even over the phone.
Thoughts on savings for management
When outsourcing customer service, it is worth focusing above all on management, as it results in outsourcing being bought.
When comparing potential partners, it is worth looking at the price tag and the organization of work, indicators, development methods, and the final result. Instead of saving as much money as possible, the driving force behind outsourcing can be the realization of another goal, such as the most selling customer service in the industry. Savings above in outsourcing may not meet the company’s other business goals.
If outsourced customer service is well managed, it is an integral part of the company’s service in terms of customer experience—exactly what the customer wants and looks like. Its efficiency metrics tell you all the essentials about the operation in real time, and its operation can be changed quickly as needed. It is a flexible route for the company to meet the end customer, whose work includes not only service but also sales and marketing.
