Many companies use call center outsourcing for either some or all of their Telemarketing Services.
The reason that many companies employ this outsourcing option is:
- They don’t need to Recruit, Train or Motivate staff
- An outsourced center can get started on a campaign very quickly as they already have staff in place.
- Many Businesses see this is a simplified way of doing business.
- Outsourcing overseas can be very cost effective
So what are the reasons to set up your own internal Call center, rather than use Call center Outsourcing?
- You have much more control over the whole process.
- You can keep your finger on the pulse of your business.
- Having staff who do not work exclusively for you and on your premises (or even who work overseas) may mean that they have less company pride and belief in your product. This often shines through to your clients.
- It is usually cheaper to set up your own team if you know how(unless you outsource offshore)
- You will normally get a better and more consistent result when telemarketing is done internally.
Offshore Call center Outsourcing
Deciding on whether or not to use an offshore company for your outsourcing is a hard decision for most. There are pro’s and con’s, so let’s explore that ….
Pro’s
There are those who say that for the right type of work, offshore outsourcing is great. It is very cheap, often only 1/4 of the local price per hour. So, even if the result per person is not as good as your local staff, you are in effect getting 4 telemarketers for the price of one!
For instance, if you were doing customer surveys, an offshore company would deliver good value. You would then have the option to use local staff to call those “leads” to convert them to appointments or even to sales.
Con’s
The con’s are that an offshore telemarketer may not have the same ability to build rapport with local customers. If we refer to our page on consumer behavior we are reminded that people like people like themselves. So a telemarketers location and culture may make it harder to relate to your customers.
I’m sure you yourself have heard many complaints from consumers about offshore telemarketers calling from India, the Phillipines and South Africa. Their inability to relate to local clients may alienate the client, which is not necessarily good for your business.
So, why do people outsource overseas….because it is cheap. In Australia you would pay a Call center professional anywhere from $20-$30 per hour. In the Phillipines you pay $5 – $6 per hour.
So yes, it is cheaper. But in the long run, is it really cheaper?
Ultimately, that is up to you to decide. All I suggest is that you really consider your market, the type of calls you want made and the costs involved. If for instance you are doing a lead generation campaign, then outsourcing either locally or overseas may work for you. However if you are running a telesales campaign, then personally I would always recommend doing this internally.
At the end of the day, it is up to individual businesses to decide if offshore or local outsourcing is for them.
There are plenty of reputable local companies who can provide outsourcing services and many of these are reasonably priced. You will need to be prepared to work closely with the outsourcing company to get the right result for you.
Internal Call center…A viable alternative?
I’ll admit that I am biased. I love Telemarketing. I find it to be a very simple and easy way to get more business for your company. I also believe that with the right staff, you can get amazing results.
If given the choice, I would always choose internal telemarketing. No-one knows my business better than me, therefore no-one else will give it more energy and attention than I can. I know that I can hire well, put in place great systems and end up with a profitable result. That’s the way I like it!
If you need help in setting up your Call center or in getting better results from your Telemarketers or Telemarketing Manger, you might like to consider Call center Consulting.
For more on Call center Consulting …
