Keep Your Options Open 

If you have broken up with your BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) vendor, it’s now time to take stock of your business and re-evaluate your position and options. Consider whether you want to do an insourcing or outsourcing model, or a combination of both. We explore the outsourcing options further in this article:

In case you missed Part One, check it out here

Pros and Cons of Outsourcing

As part of your evaluation of whether you want to go down the BPO route again, review the following pros and cons of contact center outsourcing:

• You will have access to contact center expertise at reduced overall costs for manpower, staffing and performance management, as well as technology and processes.
• You will be able to outsource many tasks such as generating leads, managing customer care, and technical support. This will leave you and your core team to focus on managing and expanding your business.
• You will have access to critical customer information via reporting and trends analysis that enables you to make the best decisions for your organization at any given point in time.
• You will have the benefit of a 24/7, 365-days-a-year, multifunctional and multilingual contact center operation.
• You will need to keep a tighter watch and maintain strong and open channels of communication to ensure your BPO vendor is meeting your targets.
• Some companies prefer to have their own team member work alongside the outsourced team to ensure quality control and compliance.

Searching for Your BPO Soulmate – RFIs and RFPs

An RFI (Request for Information) is, as the name suggests, a basic information gathering process to set up an initial database of potential vendors. Typically, RFIs are used to gauge whether suppliers have the capability, technology, and set-up to meet your requirements.

Shortlisted potential vendors are then sent an RFP (Request for Proposal) which details what the company wants to achieve and its expectations. Suppliers usually have some flexibility in coming up with unique and tailor-made proposals, including how they will help you to achieve your targets.

RFP Evaluation Best Practices

The RFP process can be a very demanding and exhaustive exercise. It’s wise to keep sight of the basics while wading through the fluff:

• Know what you want.
• Ask the right questions.
• Involve key stakeholders – HR, IT, and more.
• In addition to checking off the right tick boxes, look for value.
• Cover EVERYTHING.
• Meet the team.
• Evaluate the actual site and validate that everything stated in the RFP is true.

Both RFIs and RFPs are critical to ensuring that you find the best possible BPO vendor for your contact center. However, it is advisable that you have expert guidance available while going through this process. This is where a contact center consultant comes in.

The Contact Center Consultant – Your Own Personal Matchmaker

Taking stock of your business can be more fruitful if you make use of a contact center consultant/adviser who has a proven track record. The consultant can do an overall analysis of your business, help you resolve problems, and maximize your returns.

Consultants can help you to understand whether outsourcing is the best model for your business. They can also be your very own personal matchmaker and help you to:

• Navigate the complicated world of RFIs and RFPs.
• Find the right BPO partner for your business.

Seeking outside help from an expert can be very beneficial for meeting your business goals. Give us a call and we can help support you in the vendor selection process. We will get you engaged with our experienced team to help define business requirements and find a vendor that best fits your needs.