Do you know the total number of contact centers in the US? Nearly sixty thousand! So, how do you narrow them down to find the best fit for your business needs? Remarkably, finding the right contact center partner is not as challenging as it sounds. 

When you understand what to look for in your contact center partner, you will find the best fit for your needs to enhance customer support and promote operational efficiency. And, you will quickly find ways to decrease your overhead and increase your profits. Do you need help now? Contact us here. 

Before you go further, ask yourself, what does your business need from a contact center:

  • Will you require 24-hour service? 
  • Do you need help-desk support?
  • When are the busy times of year for your business?

Always get referrals and talk with other customers. Take time to talk about protocol and procedures as well as security and privacy measures. Ask for demos related to messages and reporting to understand the customizations for you or formats you specifically need. Understand what account management is like after you go live and where you will go if you have questions about your support. 

In today’s world, technology is essential. Make sure that you understand the technology your partner uses to maximize efficiency and minimize your overhead.

More and more, companies are looking to outsourcing to third-party contact centers as a solution for their customer care. However, before working with another person to manage your client service and assistance, please take a look at these ten-pointers we’ve gathered.

Here are is a top ten list of things to consider to help you understand how to choose a contact center partner:

1. International Reach

Where do you operate? Will the contact center be dealing with calls just from the United States? From around the world? This is something to think about, as selecting a contact center that focuses on English will do you no good if you have clients who speak Spanish.

2. Size

The size of your organization has a direct effect on the size of the call center you need to go for. Picking a minor partner could take more time for responses, while selecting too big of a supplier could lead to unneeded expenses and an absence of customized attention. Make sure the size of the contact center fits the size of your organization.

3. Future Growth

Is your organization planning to grow? Do you have seasonal growth and need flexibility? If so, simply matching the supplier’s size to the size of your service will not suffice. Ensure that the supplier you pick can accommodate your anticipated development, provide flexible contracting, and grow with you.

4. Experience

Suppose you are a plumber or electrician looking for a contact center for after-hours call forwarding. In that case, you will want a contact center that has experience with home service companies. They most likely would be the very best fit. Not only can an experienced provider save you time in setup, but it also can make dealing with an emergency turnkey.  

5. Training Program

How extensive is the supplier’s training program? How effective are they? Possibly go to and observe a training session. Trained staff members are essential to a call center’s efficiency, and without a robust training program, they may not have the training to know how to deal with the intricacies of your customer journey.

6. Technology

Does the contact center partner currently have the technology required to connect with your company seamlessly? If so, that is a plus, however certainly not a deal-breaker. Does your partner offer automated solutions? Automated greetings with call tree options can save your callers time and your company money.

Make sure contact center data can integrate with your CRM solution. And don’t forget about ERM, time tracking, and scheduling integrations.

7. Price

It is a no-brainer. You want the contact center that provides the most efficiency at the most affordable cost. You must contact multiple potential partners and compare prices, but also understand what you are getting. Remember, just because something is cheap does not mean that you will get excellent service. Make sure to pay attention to all ten facts on this list when making a decision. Also, always keep in mind distinctions in taxes and currency if working with an international supplier.

8. Performance history

Does the contact center have a history of enhancing the bottom line? If a partner has a history of success in high-pressure circumstances, you know they are a quality supplier. Efficient customer care gets rid of unneeded actions associated with dealing with the consumers’ concerns. Experts will have the ability to provide an experience that is pleasing to your consumers 24/7/365. 

9. Security and the Cloud

There are many reasons that it might be good to think about a call center that works within the Cloud. Setup over the Cloud is much faster and less expensive than an in-person setup. With today’s innovation, contact center suppliers provide their services both on-premises and cloud-based. Make sure to examine the security steps around catastrophes and data redundancy and security. 

10. Worker Fit

One of the essential aspects to think about is the strength of the contact center’s management, executives, and representatives. Do their strengths line up with your requirements? Do you feel you can form a strong collaboration with them? Make sure to learn more about a prospective call center partner’s agents, give them a call and act as if you are a customer, and test the partner’s resources before making your choice.

Summary.

A contact center is the best fit for your business if you seek support with your help desk, virtual assistance, on-call scheduling, secure messaging, and customer experience management. Ensure that your partner has the experience required for success and the technology, training, and worker fit. Understand what you want and what you need from your partner before you get started. Flexibility and the ability to manage a situation with a lot of pressure are essential. Always know what and how you will be charged before you sign on the dotted line.

Call Experts has nearly 40 years of experience helping organizations. Call Experts technology, agent training, and 24-7-365 service ensure that your team is ready for the unexpected and your customers and employees are never left waiting. To see how we can support your business, contact us today.