A decade or so ago was the scene of a great exodus, that of call centres being relocated off shore. Driven by the need to control costs, it provided companies with cheaper labour, although it was sometimes to the detriment of quality. However, there have recently been cases of high-profile corporations, such as British Telecoms, one of the biggest players in telephony in the UK, deciding to bring their contact centres home after customer complaints.

Even a house move needs some planning, so what should a company consider before taking such a step?

  • What their customer service needs to do

Even if a business relocated their call centres only a decade ago, the landscape has changed so much since then that re-evaluating what requirements it needs to meet is a good idea. Call centres are now rarely called so, but have been renamed ‘contact centres’ to reflect the array of roles and communication channels those departments handle.

Social media platforms have been an important promotion tool for businesses for a while, but they have now become an essential method for companies and customers to engage. Customers will routinely vent their dissatisfaction online and a contact centre needs to have workforce dedicated to managing those communications.

Technology has changed dramatically too, with the move from analogue to digital, giving contact centres greater flexibility in handling changes in call volumes.

  • Address process issues

It is true of any department in any company: issues are often patched up for a long time to postpone a disruptive overhaul, no matter how dearly it is needed. But for companies considering repatriating their contact centres, it is the perfect opportunity to turn a critical eye on their processes.

The availability of cheaper labour in an offshore location may have meant that you hired more people than necessary to compensate for system inefficiencies here and there. However, this may not be financially viable in New Zealand with higher salaries. It may hurt to tear the band aid, but trust us, you will feel so much better in the long run!

You may also have lost internal skills and knowledge when you outsourced your contact centres and you will need to train or re-train existing staff, which will require time and resources.

If you are considering outsourcing your contact centre, get in touch with us on 0800 230 000.