| Many companies can benefit from outsourcing their | | | | too little or too much work, or require support for |
| technical support services. But how do you know if | | | | international customers then your company is a great |
| your company is one of them? Here are some | | | | candidate for outsourcing your technical support |
| questions you can ask yourself to see if outsourcing | | | | services. But how do you choose an outsource |
| can benefit you and what to look for in an outsource | | | | company? |
| company. | | | | Do they provide you with transparent services? |
| Do you want to provide a high level of satisfaction for | | | | Ask how they will report the processes that they are |
| your customers and have a large number of repeat | | | | providing for you. An important part of outsourcing |
| customers? | | | | technical support is overseeing how the project |
| Outsourcing your technical support services adds | | | | evolves – you need to be informed of the progress |
| value to your services and keeps customer retention | | | | at all times. What information will the reports include? |
| rates high. After-sales service is one of the most | | | | How many customers are being served per day or |
| important features that your company can offer to | | | | per hour? How long do they stay on the phone? Will |
| create a good rapport with your clients. It reinforces | | | | they be recording the calls? If the company will not |
| your brand image as a provider of quality products or | | | | provide all the information, it’s a safe bet they |
| services that your customers can trust. Ensuring that | | | | aren’t doing what they say they are. |
| your customers are happy as long as they are buying, | | | | Do they have a definite strategy in mind? |
| owning, and using your products or services can put | | | | Can they give you a quick summary of their company |
| you ahead of your competitors as well. Remember: | | | | strategy? What are the company’s goals, values |
| You are not just selling a product; you are selling a | | | | and mission? Without a solid vision you may be dealing |
| business relationship. | | | | with an unorganized and inexperienced company that |
| Do you want to reduce your overhead costs? | | | | lacks hierarchy and communication processes. |
| One of the most enticing features of outsourcing and | | | | How solid is their technological infrastructure? |
| usually what ultimately drives companies to outsource | | | | Ask what software and technologies they are using. |
| is reducing costs. Outsourcing technical support can be | | | | Do a little investigation into how the software works |
| done at a more efficient and cost effective level than | | | | and how reliable they are. If you are paying for |
| keeping it in-house. As your business grows, you have | | | | customer support, you need to make sure that the |
| to hire more employees. They require resources and | | | | company can provide it with little technical difficulties. |
| training. When you outsource, you reduce those | | | | Does the company provide your customer’s |
| overhead costs. | | | | language(s)? |
| Does your company have too much, too little or | | | | Outsourcing can turn disastrous if you don’t have |
| inconsistent technical support demand? | | | | native speaking representatives. How many |
| If you have too much demand for customer support | | | | representatives do they have that speak your |
| you have to make the decision as to whether you | | | | language? If your company is multilingual, do they |
| want to invest in hiring in-house employees or | | | | provide multilingual services? When a customer calls |
| outsource the extra work to an external technical | | | | and the contact care representative does not speak |
| support company. If you choose to keep it in-house | | | | the language well or with a strong accent, you can be |
| you are forced to hire, train and create space and | | | | assured they feel less secure about their purchase or |
| provide resources within your offices. If you choose to | | | | relationship with you. Customer support is supposed to |
| outsource technical support, these problems are | | | | bring trustworthiness to your company, not distrust. |
| virtually eliminated (save for training employees). In | | | | Ask to speak to a representative that speaks your |
| short, you are paying for only a part of these costs | | | | language so that you can gauge how well they can |
| while still receiving the services you require to keep | | | | serve your customers. |
| your customers happy. | | | | How does the training process work? |
| If you have too little or inconsistent technical support | | | | Another important piece of the puzzle is the training |
| demand, you run the risk of employees sitting around | | | | methods of the representatives. How will they handle |
| waiting to help customers while using valuable | | | | training to best serve your customers? What do you |
| resources and increasing overhead costs without | | | | have to provide to ensure training goes smoothly? The |
| creating a sufficient return. If you keep inconsistent | | | | first step to successful outsourced technical support is |
| work in-house, you may be in the difficult position of | | | | quality training processes. |
| hiring less qualified employees short term. Outsourcing | | | | What happens if there are problems? |
| your technical support will allow you to have access to | | | | What problem solving measures are in place? Can |
| an ample supply of employees when you need them. | | | | they mention a problem that they were able to |
| Do you have/ want to have international customers? | | | | successfully resolve? What will happen to customers |
| International customers require customer service | | | | that are trying to call? Ask the company about a |
| representatives that speak their language during | | | | problem that occurred with another client and what |
| varying times of the day. Are you willing to hire | | | | solutions they provided. |
| representatives that work during the night or on | | | | How have things gone with other clients? |
| weekends and also speak the languages native to | | | | Of course, current or previous clients can provide a lot |
| your customers? Outsourcing to a technical support | | | | of information about the company. Ask for contact |
| company that specialize in 24/7 support and multilingual | | | | information of a client and try to speak to them |
| support is a great alternative to having employees in | | | | directly. If this is not possible, perhaps they have written |
| house. | | | | references that you can read. |
| If you need to keep customers happy, cut costs, have | | | | |