Call center outsourcing – when is it worth delegating customer service?

Nowadays, many companies choose to outsource various types of services, including accounting, payroll, IT, and customer service. In this article, we focus on outsourcing call center services. What does it involve, what tools are used, and most importantly, what benefits does it bring? Find out when it’s worth considering contact center outsourcing for your business.

What is call center outsourcing?

Call center outsourcing is a service where customer support is delegated to an external company. In this model, the external provider is responsible for managing your customer hotline and handling comprehensive communication with your clients. This approach helps you reduce costs associated with hiring customer service agents and setting up their workstations, including the purchase of software, electronic equipment, and the maintenance of infrastructure necessary for business communication. Choosing a reliable and trustworthy outsourcing company ensures that customer service is handled by professionals with the utmost care. The growing interest in this type of service is confirmed by a 2024 contact center trends report based on the UK market analysis. Similar trends are also observed in the Polish market.

Why should you consider using an external company for customer service?

There are several reasons why it is worth outsourcing customer service operations — including telemarketing, hotline management, and handling customer complaints — to an external company. Below, we outline the key benefits of this type of outsourcing.

Cost optimization for customer service operations

From a business owner’s perspective, optimizing the costs of maintaining a customer service department is crucial.

Instead of bearing the full expenses of operating an in-house call center, the company pays for the services of an external provider. Generally, these costs can be significantly lower than running an internal team. Additionally, issues such as employee absences due to illnesses, unforeseen events, or vacations are no longer a concern. An external partner guarantees a specified level of consultant availability at all times.

Improved quality of customer service

Partnering with a reputable external provider for customer service is an excellent choice for the most demanding businesses. It ensures top-quality communication — via phone, email, and other channels — thanks to the specialized knowledge and experience of professional firms. These companies are experts in customer interactions and can handle processes more effectively, prioritizing both customer satisfaction and the best interests of the business they represent. This positively impacts your company’s image and helps strengthen its market position.

Access to modern technological solutions

Companies providing call center services have access to the latest technological solutions, including call center software, CRM systems, email automation tools, and efficient, reliable telephony systems. For a business, purchasing or subscribing to these tools can be an additional expense. By outsourcing services, companies gain access to high-performance tools from leading market providers — tools that the external service provider already subscribes to and maintains on a daily basis.

High flexibility in modifying the scope of cooperation

Many businesses operate seasonally, while others experience dynamic changes that affect the number of customer service agents they need. With outsourcing, it is much easier to scale the call center operations up or down as needed. The terms for such adjustments are typically outlined in the agreement with the outsourcing partner.
At the contract stage, it’s important to ensure it includes provisions allowing flexibility in the scale of cooperation, enabling ongoing adjustments and cost optimization.

Easier expansion into new markets

Call center outsourcing providers often offer 24/7 service and support in multiple languages. This makes it easier for your company to enter new markets and handle customer inquiries from abroad. Such capabilities are crucial for businesses already serving international clients, as well as those planning to expand globally. Outsourcing in this area helps reduce the costs associated with hiring multilingual consultants and maintaining a three-shift work system (required for 24/7 operations).