Few call centers like to admit to offshoring, or outsourcing functions to a company based in another country. While the cost savings are there, many businesses—and consumers–have a negative perception of the practice.
But those perceptions may be changing, according to a survey conducted in June by a HyperQuality, a provider of contact center monitoring and call center evaluation outsourcing services. When asked if they had analyzed the effects of its brand associated with offshoring contact center functions, nearly 42% of the respondents said they could deliver the same quality support offshore as onshore.
What’s more, nearly 31% said a slight decline in quality from offshore contact center functions was worth the cost savings offshoring delivers.
Sarah Schwitters, vice president of marketing for HyperQuality, says the firm conducted the survey to find out the current trends. And what did she see from the results? “It highlighted what we already know: That offshoring and outsourcing are becoming more common,” she says. “There are still concerns about the quality of offshoring, but we’re helping contact center managers work through that.”
Operational costs offshore are much lower compared with a U.S-based facility, Schwitters says. But that doesn’t have to mean that the quality of the service will be reduced as well. “Companies are putting an effort into improving the quality experience, no matter the location of the call center,” she says. “They treat offshore locations like any other investment, monitoring it regularly and reviewing it regularly.”