The nature of the business world requires managers to stay ahead of the competition while ensuring high-quality service at all times. In many cases, this means implementing changes that can affect a company’s needs in terms of staffing, such as offering increased customer service or call center support or setting up support for new products and services. Depending on the timeframe involved with putting these changes into practice, as a manager, you can end up with a short amount of time for training staff and performing other project-related tasks. With the assistance of an outsourcing staffing agency, you can make sure that changes are handled on schedule and with minimal disruption to the rest of your company. When you consider customer service outsourcing, keep the following questions in mind. 

Outsourcing Call Centers and Customer Service

1.  What is your project’s timeframe?

Whether you have a lengthy timeframe for your project or a very limited one, being able to smoothly make this transition is crucial. Working with an outsourcing staffing agency can help ensure that you are able to meet deadlines and stay on schedule with a lower risk of potential disruptions, such as delays due to training. A customer service staffing agency can provide you with qualified personnel who are able to get started immediately. Instead of having to take time searching for qualified candidates by posting job ads, setting up interviews and determining which ones are most suitable for your company, you can have the staff you need quickly.

2.  Are you able to provide training internally or do you need assistance?

One of the most time-consuming tasks involved with business decisions that affect staffing needs is making sure that all new staff members are up-to-date on training. If this involves providing training for new initiatives, products or services, your project could end up being pushed back even more. Cutting back on training time or not making training a priority can have a negative impact on your company once your proposed changes have been made. For example, bringing in new call center or customer service staff members to support a new product or service and offering minimal training can result in poor service and fewer customers. When you do take the time to provide this training internally, through, it takes away from time that could be spent on your project or other aspects of your business.

When you outsource by hiring a customer service staffing agency or a call center staffing agency, your company can have fully trained staff in a short amount of time without having to sacrifice valuable company time. Staffing solutions can provide you with the personnel you need for the entire department, including management. New managers can receive comprehensive training and handle the task of bringing new staff member up to speed.

3.  Is your project a short-term one?

If you are introducing a short-term project that only requires staff on a temporary basis, turning to an outsourcing staffing agency offers a reasonable solution. Rather than taking the time to hire staff on your own, getting them trained and having to let them go once the project is finished, you can have staff members who are able to provide work on a temporary basis. This saves you time and trouble when it comes to taking care of human resources tasks required for new employees and for employees who leave the company. When you go through a staffing agency, the agency handles these tasks for temporary workers, reducing the amount of paperwork your company has to deal with.

4.  What does your budget look like?

As you create a budget for your project, consider the overall cost involved. Turning to an outside company for staffing needs might seem like an expensive method of finding new staff members, but it can actually save your company money. Outsourcing customer service or other departments can help reduce turnover, which saves you money on the costs of finding and training new staff members. It can also help you avoid the costs of providing employee benefits and paying overtime as you would with regular employees. Staffing agencies can also save your company money by lowering incidences of employee errors caused by current staff who are overworked from trying to complete their regular job duties while also handling tasks associated with your new project.

5.  How much expertise is required?

Depending on what types of responsibilities new staff members will be expected to have, take a close look at how much expertise they will need. If you will need staff members with special skills or personnel who are experienced with call center duties, for example, staffing agencies can provide you with workers who already have the required skills, education and experience needed for your project. In addition to saving you money in terms of training, this also helps ensure that you are able to keep your project on schedule.

If you choose to work with a North Carolina staffing company, Skyline Personnel is here to help. Our Raleigh-Durham-based agency provides staffing and personnel services for a wide range of companies. Please contact us on our website for more information on our services, and we would be happy to help you find the right staff for your company’s needs.