As companies study their operations for opportunities to improve efficiency, lower costs, and allow staff to focus more of their time on what’s most important, many are discovering the advantages of identifying and engaging the top Business Process Outsourcing Companies or BPO companies. These organizations can significantly impact a business’s business strategy, enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The BPO Provider’s Role
Tailored BPO solutions that are customized to a company’s unique needs can transform business operations. When companies use BPO solutions, such as field services or IT help desk, they contract some or all of their processes or outsourcing services to specialized external service providers that function as transparent extensions of their company. This is particularly valuable in enhancing customer support functions, streamlining operations.
A growing number of companies offer business process outsourcing companies at a wide range of quality and cost levels. While reducing costs is frequently the drive for seeking a business process outsourcing partner, it’s important to remember that a BPO will become an integral part of your company’s operations. When sales and your reputation are at stake, making vendor decisions on price alone can be a dangerous call. Here’s how you can both professionalize and simplify the process of choosing your BPO provider:
Know Your Objectives
It may seem obvious, but before you can find the right Business Process Outsourcing provider for your company, you need to begin with a solid understanding of exactly what you hope to accomplish. It’s not a time for vague goals like “let’s reduce expenses.”
You should be able to document what it currently costs your business to deliver those roles internally. That gives you an accurate basis of comparison with what business process outsourcing companies provide. Ensuring that the chosen provider aligns with your business strategy is crucial for long-term success.
It’s also important to take an honest look at whether the function you’d like to outsource is suited for that kind of arrangement. Whether you want to reduce operational costs, improve service quality, scale quickly, or access specialized expertise, your goal should inform the selection of the business process outsourcing company. Outsourcing: Three Factors to Consider discusses this in further detail.
Evaluate the Provider
Now that you’ve clearly defined your objectives, assess the expertise of your potential BPO partners to ensure they have the experience and capabilities to deliver what you need. Look closely at their people and technology to see how they’ll provide the outsourcing services you need. Talk to their existing clients to get a sense of the working relationship and real-world performance.
Don’t neglect cultural considerations, especially if customer support is one of the functions you hope to outsource. If your goal is truly to provide service that delights your customers, a budget-priced offshore provider won’t be your best option. Agents who sound like our neighbors typically rate higher satisfaction scores. Make sure the provider’s locations and practices align with your operational needs and your cultural expectations, which are essential components of a strong business strategy.
Study Security & Compliance
Will your BPO provider’s system protect your sensitive data, or will its sub-par security expose your company to cyberthreats? Don’t settle for vague promises. Instead, review their data security policies and protocols to verify they have robust cybersecurity measures in place, such as encryption, access controls, and regular audits. That’s especially important if your organization is expected to comply with industry standards such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), or HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
Are They Flexible & Scalable?
What your business will need a year or two from now is likely to be different than your immediate needs. That’s why it’s important to choose a business process outsourcing company that can ramp up services when you have a need, or scale them back during slower seasons.
It’s also why you’ll benefit from working with a provider that tailors its services around your specific needs, rather than expecting you to adapt to their approach. Flexibility in outsourcing services is key to maintaining alignment with your evolving business strategy.
The right BPO provider isn’t going to be a short-term vendor. Instead, the relationship should become a long-term partnership that grows and evolves along with your company’s needs. That’s why it’s important to know that your provider has the financial stability and operations to ensure they’ll be able to support your business objectives for the foreseeable future.
Develop Specific Goals
You may have a good impression of your BPO provider, but do you know whether they’re actually helping you achieve your important goals? It’s vital to establish both service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) based on the most important factors for success, and then to track the provider’s performance at fulfilling (or exceeding) your expectations.
Depending upon your company’s specific needs, these may include metrics like customer satisfaction scores, turnaround time, and error rates. That way, you should see clear evidence of the benefits of putting the right business process outsourcing company to work for you.
