Boost Customer Satisfaction with Ecommerce Call Center Outsourcing

Clarissa du Plessis
10 months

If you’re in the eCommerce industry, we don’t need to tell you how competitive the online space can be.

And a lot of the time, customer satisfaction can make or break your business.

With customers expecting prompt assistance and seamless experiences, companies must ensure their customer service is of a high quality.

One way companies achieve this is using eCommerce call center outsourcing services.

This enables businesses to focus on their core functions such as the product development, while ensuring customers receive the ongoing support they need.

But how can outsourcing eCommerce call center services, maximize customer satisfaction and drive business growth?

Here’s why.

The Advantages of eCommerce Call Center Outsourcing

eCommerce businesses have the potential to reap multiple advantages from outsourcing their call center services.

This includes benefits such as;

Improved customer satisfaction – Faster order processing and a dedicated expert customer support team through outsourcing services contribute to an increase in customer satisfaction.
Cost reductions – Cost savings resulting from outsourcing customer service include lower overhead costs, and a heightened efficiency from streamlined processes.
Increase in upselling of products – Outsourcing eCommerce customer service allows businesses to have a dedicated call center team proficient in effective upselling techniques, leading to a boost in product sales.

Expertise in Customer Support

Outsourced inbound call center services provide eCommerce businesses with access to seasoned professionals capable of effectively addressing customer inquiries, leading to improved conversion rates and superior customer experiences.

But how do outsourcing call centers ensure they have experienced professionals? Here’s how.

Outsourcing providers have on-site management within the call center, that equip agents with the required expertise and skills to handle customer inquiries and support requests effectively.

If you have chosen one of the best customer service outsourcing companies, they will be providing you with ready-to-go call agents who have experienced many similar campaigns as yours.

This training and management platform is extremely beneficial for your eCommerce customer service needs, as it allows agents to excel in your business from the very start.

24/7 Support Availability

Offshore call center companies can usually offer 24/7 support availability for your e Commerce customer service. This is sometimes called ‘follow the sun’ services.

This can make eCommerce call center outsourcing a massive game changer for your business, especially if you cater to several countries on different timezones.

In a world where response times are demanded to be less and less, outsourcing can enhance customer satisfaction by providing more prompt responses.

This allows customers to receive assistance and have their queries addressed at any time, improving their overall experience and fostering their loyalty to the brand.

Scalability and Adaptability

A call center outsourcing company provide flexibility that helps retail and eCommerce companies effortlessly scale their services to meet the evolving needs that they require, especially during peak seasons or growth periods.

Such adaptability is particularly beneficial for businesses in the dynamic e-commerce sector, where customer demand and call volume can significantly fluctuate.

Outsourced call centers can cater to varying requirements by adjusting their services and handling non-voice communication channels like emails, live web chats, and social media platforms. Such adaptability ensures that eCommerce businesses can keep pace with customer demand and sustain high customer satisfaction during growth periods or call volume fluctuations.

eCommerce call centers tackle language barriers in 24/7 support availability by offering multilingual support, allowing them to cater to customers in various languages and extend their reach.

Collaborating with a credible outsourcing company ensures effective tackling of language barriers, further enriching the customer experience.

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Choosing the Right eCommerce Call Center Outsourcing Partner

Selecting the optimal outsourcing partner for your online business entails evaluating various elements such as the proposed partners;

Service offerings
Costs
Cultural Intelligence
Technological capabilities

Researching potential partners is necessary to understand their customer support expertise, their experience with managing complaints and returns, and their approach to omnichannel support. Also, assessing the cost of outsourcing call center services and confirming its value for money is imperative.

An eCommerce call center outsourcing partner should have the following technological capabilities:

Advanced call center software
CRM systems
Omnichannel communication capabilities
Integration with eCommerce platforms

These capabilities facilitate efficient data management, analytics, and reporting, which are necessary for performance monitoring and data-driven decision-making.

Assessing Service Offerings

When researching potential call center vendors, factors to consider should be:

Services provided
Customer reviews
Pricing
Customer Service approaches

Conducting online research and requesting case studies from current contacts and partners are recommended approaches for verifying the viable compatibility of the call center to your business needs.

Your potential eCommerce call center outsourcing partners should also be well versed in;

Customer support
Order processing
Returns and exchanges
Product information and troubleshooting
Multichannel support.

It’s necessary to assess the skills and expertise of call center agents and specialists.

The team should have exceptional interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, technical, and empathic skills to handle even the most difficult customer call.

Evaluating Cost and Value

As in the eCommerce sector, when evaluating the cost of call center outsourcing, not all business propositions are equal.

Although two proposals may offer cost savings, things such as quality and control, data security, industry experience and reputation may differ between an outsourcing partner.

Sometimes, the initial urge to save money can end up costing you both new and current customers over a longer period. If customers experience difficulty with your brand during their touchpoints, it could make them decide to take their business elsewhere.

Ensure that when comparing companies, cost is one of many factors you take into consideration.

Potential hidden costs to consider when outsourcing a call center include:

Outdated SLAs
Ramp-up time
Service fees per agent
Management and coordination costs
Subpar inventory performance
Unanticipated changes
Poor performance
Morale concerns
Outdated strategies

To make a knowledgeable decision and ensure the best value for their investment, businesses should request cost estimates from potential partners and compare their value propositions.

Assessing Cultural Intelligence

Cultural intelligence, or CQ, is a critical factor in the success of an outsourced call center, especially one customer support services.

It refers to the ability of the call center agents to understand, relate to, and effectively interact with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

A high level of CQ allows agents to deliver exceptional customer service to a diverse customer base.

It’s important to assess the cultural intelligence of a potential outsourcing partner to ensure they can effectively communicate with your customers, respect their cultural norms, and create a positive customer experience.

This can be done through direct questioning, reviewing previous client feedback, and observing their interaction with different cultures during the selection process.

Analyzing Technological Capabilities

Inquiring about a call center’s software, infrastructure, and data security measures will be essential for seamless integration with your business.

Key technological capabilities an eCommerce call center should have include:

Phone system features
Omnichannel customer engagement
Intelligent skills-based routing
Integration with your CRM
Click-to-call functionality
Call tracking and analysis

These technologies enable a more effective and satisfying customer experience by equipping agents with the ability to resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently.

It allow allows the agent to personalize each call, utilize interactive voice response (IVR) and improve your first call resolution.

Not only does it provide the above direct benefits, technology such as call recording allows your chosen contact center outsourcing company to provide consistent training to agents, thus increasing the volume of happy customers.

Enhancing Customer Experience Through Omnichannel Support

eCommerce call center outsourcing can provide a seamless customer experience across multiple channels, including;

Phone
Email
Social media
Live Chat

Outsourcing e Commerce customer service provides a seamless experience across all channels, allowing customers to communicate with the brand through their preferred channel, whether that be phone, email, chat, or social media.

Omnichannel customer care also gives customers self-service options yet ensures consistent and personalized support throughout their interaction.

eCommerce companies offering an omnichannel experience realise higher customer retention rates compared to those that don’t.

Handling Complaints and Returns Efficiently

We don’t need to tell you it’s not just the front end sales orders you need to manage effectively. In fact, it’s equally as important for customer loyalty that returns and refunds are handled swiftly.

Outsourced call center services include;

Managing customer complaints
Order returns
Customer refunds leading to improved customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

They handle returns and refunds for eCommerce businesses by:

Addressing customer inquiries
Verifying refund requests
Processing payments
Managing returns logistics
Using online Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) systems to optimize the process.

To ensure that they can address customer concerns as quickly and efficient as possible, outsourced call centers use various technologies to complete the tasks, including:

Customer relationship management (CRM) tools
Call routing systems
Artificial intelligence (AI) assistance
Advanced QA technology and software solutions for efficient complaint and return management

Through professional and prompt handling of issues during customer interactions, outsourced call centers can help foster long-term customer loyalty to your brand.

Boosting Sales with Cross-Selling and Upselling Techniques

Experienced call centers can boost revenue by using cross-selling and upselling strategies during customer interactions.

Cross-selling involves suggesting related products or services to customers, while upselling involves persuading customers to purchase an upgraded or premium version of the product or service they initially agreed to.

Maximizing value, timing and context, establishing credibility, remaining relevant, and leveraging customer data are key strategies for successful cross-selling and upselling in eCommerce call centers.

Implementing these techniques can:

Increase revenue
Optimize customer lifetime value
Reduce customer acquisition costs
Enhance customer satisfaction
Utilize data tagging and automated systems.

Monitoring Performance and Ensuring Continuous Improvement

To ensure the success of your outsourced call center, regular performance evaluation and collaborative implementation of improvements for better customer service are vital.

Performance of an outsourced eCommerce call center is best monitored by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like:

Call resolution time
Average response time
Customer satisfaction ratings
Agent productivity

To achieve continuous improvement in an outsourced call center, it is advisable to implement the following strategies:

Smart call routing
Utilize customer relationship management (CRM) software
Enhance agent training and development programs
Fine-tune call scripts and procedures
Regularly review and analyze call center metrics and performance data

These customer service strategies can assist in optimizing operations, enhancing customer satisfaction, and driving continuous improvement.

eCommerce Call Center Outsourcing - Summary

By now, you should have a clear idea on how much of a game changer that outsourced eCommerce call center services could be.

eCommerce call centers can help you deliver a better service offering by offering 24/7 availability to serve customers across every region.

This can result in increased customer satisfaction, brand recognition and customer loyalty. And with increased customer loyalty follows increased online sales.

All whilst allowing you to focus your in-house team on your core competencies.

In addition to this, outsourcing

In summary, outsourced e-commerce call center solutions can help your business maintain a competitive edge in a crowded market, setting solid foundations for your business growth.

If you’re looking for e-commerce call center solutions for your firm, contact our business advisory team today.

Consumer Links are experienced in the e-commerce industry and have provided call center solutions to well-known e-commerce companies and online retailers such as;

Arcadia Group (TopMan, River Island)
Toys ‘R’ Us
City Chic Collective

If you’re looking for a trusted and proven outsourcing company with a track record in eCommerce customer service, then you’re in the right place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is eCommerce outsourcing?

eCommerce outsourcing is the process of delegating to a third-party company aspects of an eCommerce business, such as customer service.

Outsourcing helps businesses save time and resources while still achieving desired results.

What is an eCommerce call center?

An eCommerce call center is used to increase sales, answer customer queries and resolve problems, helping to enhance the customer experience and strengthen brand loyalty.

eCommerce companies often require call center operations for inbound services such as customer queries, returns and refunds.

Can you outsource a call center?

Yes, you can outsource a call center. Outsourcing a call center involves hiring an external customer service organization to another company who manage your call center services from a separate location.

How much does it cost to outsource a call center?

Outsourcing a call center depends on the level services you are outsourcing, the amount of well trained agents you require, and the amount of hours your business needs.

What are the benefits of outsourcing eCommerce call center services?

Outsourcing eCommerce call center services can help reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction, providing numerous beneficial outcomes for your business.

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