A few years back I needed a plumber, and I didn’t necessarily have the time to spend weeks uncovering and vetting out my options. So I did what a lot of people do: I turned to Google, and hired a large company with an enormous marketing budget that helped to place them prominently in the search results. They showed up a day late with no apology. While they technically completed the job, they didn’t do it in the way they had originally promised. They charged me a fortune. And years later I had to have their work corrected because as it turned out, their shoddy effort and poor quality of work was the cause of countless subsequent problems.
The company that undid the damage was a boutique one-person operation. He had years of experience and was fully qualified. He was flexible and worked with my schedule, completed the job quickly, charged a fraction of the cost, and followed up multiple times to make sure my customer experience was top notch and that I was fully satisfied. He doesn’t spend a lot of money on marketing, so I never would have found him if I hadn’t gotten lucky with a recommendation from a trusted friend.
This story is no outlier. In nearly every industry there are countless examples of how small to mid-sized providers outperform their larger counterparts in every way imaginable, but finding the right one feels like stumbling upon a winning lottery ticket.
The middle market outsource call center is that elusive jackpot for organizations focused on business process outsourcing (BPO) services. And even though middle-market partners tackle the same challenges and employ the same tactics, many customer care leaders still think “bigger is better” and this is not always the case. While very large BPOs have benefits of scale if your organization is outsourcing thousands of agents and needs a large geographical footprint, they are not a fit for everyone. We are seeing a trend in the industry where many large global companies are diversifying away or supplementing their outsourcing footprint with middle-market BPO providers to drive improved performance and quality.
Here are three things to remember when considering utilizing a middle-market outsource call center:
Middle Market Call Centers Are More Flexible
Growth is great for businesses (call centers included) — but it seldom makes an organization more flexible. That’s why so many clients with unique BPO performance challenges turn to the nimble, responsive services of middle-market providers.
Bigger call center players are certainly happy to work with small- to midsize-organizations, but if your needs fall outside their offering or the number of agents don’t meet their minimum requirements or promised growth, their interest declines along with overall performance.
Middle market BPO providers don’t have a one-size-fits-all mentality; they’ll work with clients of all shapes and sizes to maximize a long-lasting relationship.
If flexibility is a priority, consider a middle-market provider if you:
- Need to rapidly scale BPO services up or down.
- Hope to implement new technologies fast.
- Want to avoid cookie-cutter call center technology.
- Access to top BPO leadership.
Better Customer Experience from Middle Market Call Centers
Can you think of a business that offers exceptional service?
No matter their business model, it’s likely they personalize service to your needs, prioritize fast response, and treat you like you’re the only customer in the world.
Middle market call centers share this ethos.
Because mid-market BPO providers are more hands-on and reliant on client loyalty than large vendors, new clients tend to see rapid KPI, CSAT and agent performance improvements. Just last month, a leading global gaming client of ours launched with a new nearshore middle-market BPO provider. In less than 30 days after training, the middle market BPO provider was #1 in customer sentiment – beating out the scores of their current BPO providers (nearshore & USA) as well as the client’s internal contact center.
Why?
This is due in part to the fact that middle-market agents tend to stick around longer due to the focus on agent happiness ratings.
While it’s hard to quantify the impact from one agent to another, middle-market vendors generally have lower agent attrition rates. That’s good news for you because call center agents that are skilled and experienced:
- Earn higher CSAT scores from customers.
- Require less ongoing training and monitoring.
- Perform tasks more effectively and more efficiently.
- Handle workload with a lower headcount.
- Help train and mentor new agents.
- Earn overall higher quality scores.
Every client truly matters to middle-market call centers, so you won’t have to worry about being overshadowed by larger clients, as middle-market providers consistently go the extra mile to foster long-lasting relationships.
Top Security & Technology in the Middle Market
With a huge shift toward 100% remote workforces and increasingly sophisticated technologies requiring complex security protocols, the call center industry is focused on two (often conflicting) priorities:
- Delivering amazing call center experiences with modern technologies.
- Satisfying increasingly high security standards.
For large call center vendors, this juggling act typically results in either lagging technology adoption or tedious security integrations that deteriorate customer service — sometimes both.
Here are a few reasons why middle-market call centers can do it better:
- Fewer problems of scale: The “distance” technology must travel, and the complexity of infrastructure, is generally broader for large call centers. That’s why middle-market vendors typically have less ground to cover when adopting new technology or security solutions, with fewer clients on average and smaller niches to serve.
- Competition: Despite thinner margins, middle-market BPO providers are constantly being judged against large competitors, so they are heavily invested in new technologies that help them (and their clients) surpass the status quo.
- Retention: Many larger call centers rely on the fact that once you’re in the door, you’re less likely to leave. For middle-market BPOs, client retention is essential. If your business demands the latest and greatest tools and security features, middle-market vendors aim to please.
Finding the Perfect Middle Market Call Center
There are hundreds of top-performing middle-market call centers located all over the world, and they’re ready to be your organization’s ticket to success. But, of course, they’re not always easy to find without that coveted introduction from a friend.
Outsource Consultants is that friend who will introduce you to that middle-market outsource call center provider that will provide phenomenal service at considerable cost savings.
With decades of experience working with middle-market call centers and their clients, we have a simple, risk-free approach to connect you with a partner that can elevate your BPO success.
Interested? Let’s chat during a no-risk, no-cost consultation.
