The worldwide market for customer service outsourcing hit $12.2 billion in 2007, compared with $8.4 billion in 2004, according to Gartner Research.
The main reason it’s so popular? Marketers can save around 40% of their call center bills by outsourcing overnight or overflow calls, says Art Hall, principal with management consulting firm Marsel and Alvarez.
But you need to manage an outsourcing arrangement carefully, says contact center consultant Liz Kislik. First, evaluate "the matrix of quality, control, and cost," she states. Your customers should get "a satisfactory experience that is a reasonable match for your brand promise and image."
