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What Call Center Services Should SMEs Outsource?

Author: Ryan Sagabaen
by Ryan Sagabaen
Posted: Dec 07, 2016

Small to medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, are generally understood to be smaller-sized privately owned businesses, though what precisely counts as "smaller-sized" varies by continental region and country. By the European Commission’s standards, a small company typically employs 10 to 50, while a medium-sized business employs anywhere between 50 to 250.

The United States government is on the same page, defining a medium-sized business as one with about 500 employees, while in Australia, a small business is generally expected to have less than 15 workers and a medium-sized business is presumed to have less than 200.

Despite those numbers, SMEs face stiff competition from larger and more established corporations, and are expected to perform at more or less the same level. A growing customer base also pressures them to take productivity to a degree where it far outstrips the company’s size.

Needless to say, SMEs face numerous difficulties in this regard. A small in-house staff and limited resources matched up againts incredible competition and the growing demands of customers can easily drive a company to the ground.

So it isn’t a matter of whether or not small business outsourcing is for you - it’s a must if your company is to survive. It’s more a question of which services you should outsource.

Administrative tasks

These consist of backoffice tasks like data entry, typing, and email. A virtual assistant can competently handle these tasks with quick precision on your behalf so you and your in-house team can focus on core competencies, high-level decision making, and tasks that require specialized knowledge.

Accounting and other financial functions

These include accounting, payroll, invoicing, financial reporting, and accounts payable and receivable. Such tasks are essential to business operations and your company’s financial well-being. You may entrust these with a service provider that handles such functions so that you can keep your in-house team small without neglecting the financia management of your company.

IT operations and maintenance

IT involves specialized skill, as well as sophisticated infrastructure and systems. It’s best to outsource IT functions like cybersecurity, tech support, cloud hosting and such to service providers that are updated on the latest IT trends and practices. Doing so not only gives you the tech support you need; it also adds value to your business operations. Moreover, cybersecurity is a major concern for all business, so it’s always a great idea to get a competent IT vendor on your side.

Lead generation

Lead generation is often a tedious and time-consuming function where you stay in touch with a lead at various points of the buyer journey, and it must be handled with a light hand. Even so, it is indipesable to businesses that want to remain profitable. A team dedicated to making sales calls on your behalf is a must if you intend to grow your bottom line. A service provider can identify, capture, and nurture leads to ensure that business stays strong.

Customer support

Customer support plays a critical role in customer satisfaction and loyalty, so it’s best to let a seasoned contact center take over this function. It’s the kind of function that has to be fulfilled 24/7 throughout the year, especially if you have a large customer base scattered across different time zones. To make sure that customers get an adequate response whenever they reach out to your brand, outsource customer support.

Marketing

Marketing covers a diverse range of functions, from content development and press release writing to web design and social media management. Leave it to a team of experts who can write great content on the fly and make sure that all your social media accounts are regularly updated.

It’s also recommended to outsource projects that generally fall outside of your scope and area of expertise.This helps you achieve the outcome you want without having to risk it with half-baked attempts of your own.

Finding the Right Service Provider

The results of small business outsourcing are only as good as the service provider’s performance, so look for a vendor who’s at the top of their game. Offshore destinations like the Philippines are home to some of the world’s leading service providers that specialize in voice and non-voice functions. The country also has a vast pool of university-educated talent, most of which have considerable experience in sales, IT, search engine optimization, and customer support.

You can begin by getting referrals from trusted business contacts who have had success with SME outsourcing. You can always do some research of your own, as well as on-site visit to a prospective partner’s location to see if the infrastructure and business culture are to your liking.

A bidding process, wherein several interested service providers make offers on your project, will also help you get the most competitive rates and service bundles in the market.

To find the best service provider, you must also be in tune with your business requirements and how they might change over time. Knowing what you need will give you a better idea of which service provider to hire.

The Benefits of SME Outsourcing

SME outsourcing lets you cast a wider net and find talent that you may not easily find within your professional network, and often at a competitive rate. It lets you take advantage of the service provider’s business infrastructure so that you won’t have to make hefty and premature investments in technology. It also augments your business operations so that you can focus on what you do best.

While all service providers require a certain degree of autonomy, they are generally open to collaboration. They can get your employees involved in outsourced functions and projects. This gives exposure to new technology and best practices, which leads to intellectual gain.

As a win-win situation, SME outsourcing does more than keep your company afloat; it strengthens your business and adds value to it. So lead your company to growth and success by working with the right service provider.

About the Author

Visit their website at http://www.magellan-solutions.com Magellan Solutions US Toll-Free: +1 800 371 6224 Direct: +1 650 204 3191 UK Toll-Free: +44 8082 803 175 AU Toll-Free: +61 1800 247 724

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Author: Ryan Sagabaen

Ryan Sagabaen

Member since: Dec 05, 2016
Published articles: 1

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