We all know the real certainties in life are Taxes, Death and Outsourcing. Here are a few tips to avoid death by outsourcing:
1. Start with a good business model. Be certain you have a well-defined call center business model with reasonable target metrics. You may need to work with outside talent for this. Be prepared to share this with your outsourcer so that they have an opportunity to help the partnership succeed. A good outsourcing partner will need to understand your core business model in order to fully contribute as a partner.
2. Plan well. Be sure to have a written plan with specific dates, deliverables and a set of ‘success milestones’ that escalate from modest results to desired results. It will be just as important to you as it will be to the outsourcer to know what is expected and what is to be achieved. A six to twelve week plan laying out accomplishments, spending, and ROI is reasonable. Parties should clearly understand their respective roles and responsibilities within this timeline. There should also be a plan for expansion after the testing/transition phase.
3. Define your commitment to the project in advance. Don’t lose focus at the first sign of trouble. But don’t get buried in a deep hole either. I suggest that you clearly understand your limits prior to beginning the project. If you are starting a project for the first time, there will be a learning curve. The goal should be that your outsourcer’s thinking and your thinking are aligned and all parties are prepared to respond quickly and adapt within the boundaries of your plan.
4. Choose well. Select a partner with experience, integrity, stability. Close proximity should be the tie-breaker if the first three are a match. In addition, be sure both parties agree that the calling application and business model are realistic and achievable.
5. Develop a good compensation model. I am a big advocate that the best compensation models are in alignment with both client and outsourcer needs. This usually boils down to a modest variable rate and heavy performance-based incentives. Obviously, both parties should understand that the arrangement has to be a win for all… oddly enough, that’s not always the case. See # 4 above.
6. Be there. Get involved with the program you are outsourcing and be prepared to send and receive information with an open mind. At a minimum, be part of the training, do regular remote monitoring, and insist on call calibration sessions with the outsourcer and their agents. The outsourcer will bring many of the tactical and developmental tools, but you should be prepared to contribute domain knowledge and quality specs.
7. Expect the expected. If you have a process problem with your project internally, or have had one in the past, you will likely still have that problem when you outsource if nothing else has changed. Don’t expect that outsourcing will eliminate your challenges. Address them head on with the outsourcer. Staffing problems, legal costs, and other overhead burdens should all be addressed upfront. It’s also a good step toward mutual respect and trust required for long-term success.
8. Don’t suffocate the project. Let the experts handled much of the ‘who’ and ‘how’ while you focus on the ‘when’ and ‘what’. Checkpoint objectives must be achieved, but beyond that, let the Outsourcer do their job.