How to find a call center for your B2B business

It’s a busy day at your growing business, and the phones are ringing off the hook. The emails are streaming in, customer questions are piling up, and you’re thinking, “We need help, and we need it now.”

You’re not alone. Many businesses face the same dilemma: how to handle customer queries while focusing on growth.

Outsourced call center services can take the pressure off your shoulders, but it’s not about grabbing the first one you come across. The wrong choice can lead to frustrated customers, a damaged brand reputation, and even a decline in sales.

We’re here to provide the insights you need to make an informed decision. From understanding your needs to identifying a call center’s expertise and evaluating its performance metrics — we’ll walk you through every step of the process.

What to look for in a call center service

Finding the right call center service is like shopping for a new car. Just as you wouldn’t buy the first car you see on the lot, you don’t want to select a call center service without considering your needs and researching your options. Here’s what you should look out for:

Understanding your business needs

Understanding your business needs sets a solid foundation for identifying a call center service that ticks all your boxes. 

Start by identifying the type and volume of customer interaction your business handles. Do your clients prefer direct phone calls, email correspondences, or communicating through a business platform? 

Next, consider the key performance indicators (KPIs) you’ll use to assess the call center’s work quality. These could include:

• average handling time
• first-call resolution rate
• net promoter scores
• customer churn rates

An IT consultancy, for example, may prioritize a first-call resolution rate to quickly address and resolve technical issues, thereby minimizing downtime for their clients.

Also, as your business grows, your call center should scale with it. If you develop a new service or penetrate a new market, the call center must be equipped to accommodate an increased volume of inquiries or support services in additional languages.

Technology and infrastructure

A service with advanced tools can enhance efficiency, customer satisfaction, and overall business growth.

Advanced tools such as computer telephony integration streamline communication by linking phones and computers, allowing agents to manage calls directly from their desktops. Universal queuing, meanwhile, ensures agents manage and prioritize all customer interactions, regardless of the channel used. 

Also, look for predictive dialers. These automate dialing and boost agent productivity by eliminating the wait time between calls. Lastly, intelligent call-back options improve customer experience by offering callers the choice to be contacted later instead of waiting in a queue. These innovative technologies, when combined, offer a more efficient and customer-centric service.

Ensure the call center also uses customer relationship management (CRM) software, such as HubSpot. These tools provide a unified view of each customer’s history, enabling agents to provide personalized and efficient service. Check that they also use cloud-based solutions for scalability and reliability and workforce management software for optimal staffing and productivity.

Pricing structure

Making an informed choice on pricing can ensure you receive great service without breaking the bank. Pricing models for B2B outsourcing can vary significantly, with some charging per minute per call or offering package deals. For a business with high call volumes, a package deal may be more cost-effective, while a pay-per-call model could suit businesses with lower call volumes.

Hidden costs are another factor to watch out for. Ask about potential extra fees, like charges for training, setup, or software licensing. Always aim for a transparent pricing structure that aligns with your business’s budget and predicted growth. 

Security and compliance measures

Stringent security and compliance measures are non-negotiables when choosing a call center service. They ensure your customer data is safe and shield your business from potential security breaches.

Check that the call center is compliant with privacy regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS, depending on your industry and location. This ensures they adhere to global standards in handling and protecting customer data.

A key part is data encryption and secure data transmission protocols to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. Regular audits, both internal and external, can help verify these measures are up to standard.

Apart from this, the call center should have a strong disaster recovery plan to ensure uninterrupted services in the event of unforeseen circumstances, like a power outage or natural disaster. Check for contingency plans such as backup power supplies, redundant servers, and emergency routing to other centers. This resilience ensures customer support isn’t interrupted and maintains your company’s reputation for reliability and trustworthiness.

How to find and hire a call center

Here, we guide you through finding and hiring a call center that aligns with your specific business needs and establishes a partnership that’s both efficient and productive.

Define your requirements

Take some time to define your requirements. Do you need inbound or outbound services, or perhaps both? What specific services do you require—customer service, technical support, or sales assistance? 

Also, consider the volume and nature of calls your business handles and the channels of communication your customers prefer. Do you need 24/7 support or coverage during specific business hours? 

Lastly, determine if you require services in multiple languages. This is especially crucial for international businesses. By clearly outlining your needs, you’ll be better equipped to select a call center that can support your business’s unique requirements.

Research and short-list potential call centers

Start by searching online, looking at industry-specific directories, and asking for recommendations from your business network.

Pay close attention to review sites, such as Clutch or G2, which provide valuable insights into the experiences of other businesses with specific call center services. Look for call centers with positive reviews, especially from businesses similar to yours in size or industry.

Also, visit each call center’s website to get a sense of their expertise and the range of services they offer. Are they well versed in handling businesses of your scale? Do they provide the specific services you require?

After conducting this research, create a short list of potential call centers. Aim for a diverse mix that includes different types, sizes, and locations, giving you a broad base to make your final selection.

Request proposals and compare services

Reach out to these call centers and request proposals by outlining your requirements and asking each call center to propose a tailored solution, including a detailed breakdown of services and costs.

Compare the proposals against your defined requirements. Beyond just the services they offer and their pricing, proposals will usually include details on their technological infrastructure. They’ll detail the specific systems they employ for call routing, data management, and customer interaction tracking. 

Training and quality assurance practices also form a key part of these proposals. Call centers should outline their agent training programs and ongoing development initiatives. They should detail their approach to quality assurance, including monitoring and feedback systems for agents, and how they track and aim to improve key performance indicators.

A section on client communication is also important. How will they update you on their performance and any issues? What’s their protocol for escalating concerns or complaints?

Understanding these details from the proposals gives you a more in-depth look at how each call center operates and how well they align with your business’s requirements.

Conduct interviews or site visits

Interviews and site visits allow you to get a deeper understanding of the call center’s operation and assess its compatibility with your business. They also allow you to directly observe the working conditions and culture of the call center. Look for signs of a professional, well-managed environment. Are the agents engaged and motivated? Is there a sense of team spirit? These factors can influence the quality of service provided.

A key aspect to focus on is the empathy level of customer service agents. Empathetic agents connect better with customers, understand their issues, and provide more effective solutions. Tools like sentiment analysis, which uses AI to analyze customer interactions and identify their emotional tone, help assess the empathy level of agents.

Interviews also give you a chance to ask about their methods for handling complex customer issues, their training programs, and the measures they take to ensure high-quality service.

Negotiate terms and sign contracts

Careful negotiation and scrutiny ensure a successful partnership with your chosen call center service. 

Check the scripts call center agents use when they interact with customers. These scripts should align with your brand’s voice and values, and you should have the opportunity to review and approve them.

Defining key performance indicators (KPIs) is also essential. What metrics will the center use to measure their agents’ performance? These might include average call handling time, customer satisfaction scores, first-call resolution rates, and more. Agree on these KPIs and ensure they’re included in the contract to maintain performance accountability.

Contract length and terms of termination are other factors to negotiate. While a long-term contract might offer cost savings, a short-term contract could provide more flexibility.

Also, scrutinize the service-level agreement (SLA) to understand what services are guaranteed and what compensation is available if these standards are not met.

Finally, before signing any contract, have it reviewed by a legal expert to ensure you’re fully aware of all the terms and conditions. This careful negotiation and scrutiny will help ensure a successful partnership with your chosen call center service.

Best companies to outsource call center operations

We did the research, and here are our top picks for companies you can outsource your call center operations to. Note that all these options have custom pricing plans so you should get in touch with their sales teams for quotes.

Helpware

G2: 4.9/5 (28 reviews)

Clutch: 4.8/5 (41 reviews)

Glassdoor: 4.7/5 (1.1k reviews)

Helpware offers comprehensive call center services, integrating AI operations for dynamic adaptability across various platforms. They provide robust back office support, including virtual assistant, marketing support, accounting support, and order processing. 

Helpware is adept at adding a human touch to tasks and has a specific focus on supporting startups. Their custom team setup is 100% dedicated to each client, and they maintain a strong commitment to continuous improvement, sourcing, and curating teams tailored specifically to your needs.

Pros:

• Seamless AI integration
• Versatile back-office support
• Tailored team selection

Cons:

• Pricing not publicly available
• High-tech offerings may require a learning curve

Peak Support

G2: 4.9/5 (29 reviews)

Clutch: 4.8/5 (6 reviews)

Glassdoor: 4.6/5 (138 reviews)

Peak Support delivers high-quality call center services led by experienced account managers. Team members average 8 years of experience working with large outsourcers and multinational corporations, bringing knowledge to their roles. They pride themselves on quick and efficient onboarding, aiming to have your foundational team operational in just a few weeks, with new team members typically integrated swiftly.

Pros:

• Experienced leadership
• Fast onboarding process
• Provide service from the Philippines, U.S., and Latin America 

Cons:

• Lack of AI solutions
• Global workforce may not be suitable for local businesses

TeleDirect

Trustpilot: 4.4/5 (14 reviews)

TeleDirect is a U.S.-based call center that provides around-the-clock support with a multichannel approach. Their agents undergo specialized training to deliver superior inbound and outbound call center services. They offer multiple services, including lead response management, reservation services, and lead verification. TeleDirect functions as an extension of your in-house team, seamlessly integrating with your operations to provide optimal customer service.

Pros:

• Broad service offerings
• Provides both inbound and outbound services
• Expertise in lead management

Cons:

• Might be less affordable due to U.S. location
• Multifaceted services might require more coordination

What call center activities to outsource (and what to avoid outsourcing)

When integrating a call center into your business operations, it’s crucial to strike a balance between outsourcing sales tasks and retaining control over key processes. Here are some insights into which call center activities are typically outsourced and which might be better kept in-house for optimal business operations.

Activities to outsource

Customer service calls

Assigning customer service calls to an external call center can expand your support hours without stretching your in-house team thin. For example, a customer might need assistance outside your typical business hours — a 24/7 call center ensures such customers aren’t left in the lurch. Leveraging a call center’s breadth of experience handling customer issues can also boost customers’ overall satisfaction and loyalty to your brand.

Sales calls

Outsourcing sales activities like cold calls and appointment setting calls to professional vendors allows your team to concentrate on core business operations like product development or marketing strategy.

For instance, during a product launch, your in-house team can focus on addressing technical issues or gathering customer feedback while the call center handles the influx of sales calls and sets appointments. Call centers possess strategies honed over many campaigns, which can drive higher conversion rates.

Technical support

Even when your in-house team possesses strong product knowledge, the depth and breadth of technical queries can be overwhelming and highly specialized. By outsourcing technical support to a call center with expertise in handling such complex inquiries, you can ensure that customers receive a high level of assistance without delay. 

Take, for example, a business offering multiple software solutions: Maintaining deep technical knowledge for each one in-house could stretch resources thin. In this case, a call center’s dedicated technical support team can effectively handle these queries, allowing your in-house department to focus on its core roles while ensuring customers receive the thorough technical assistance they need.

📚 Relevant reading: How to choose the right company to outsource lead generation

Activities to keep in-house

Training and quality control

While call centers typically have their own training programs, keeping some aspects of training in-house allows you to ensure the customer service aligns perfectly with your brand values and specific business model. Regular quality control checks can also help maintain this alignment. For instance, weekly or monthly evaluations of call center interactions can provide valuable insights for ongoing training and development, upholding the quality of service your customers receive.

High-level complaint resolution

While routine complaints can be effectively handled by outsourced call centers, more complex or high-level issues often require the attention of in-house team members. This is primarily because these complaints may involve intricate knowledge of your business operations or sensitive issues that need a detailed understanding of the company. By managing these internally, you can provide a more personalized and thorough resolution process.

Customer relationship management (CRM) strategy

Your CRM strategy is a vital part of your business, shaping the entire customer experience. Keeping it in-house ensures that it’s tailored to your specific business goals and customer needs. Plus, it allows for real-time adjustments based on immediate feedback. For example, your in-house team may notice a surge in a specific customer query. With direct control over the CRM strategy, you can immediately adapt to this trend and ensure it’s addressed proactively in customer interactions.

FAQ

How do call center contracts work?

Call center contracts outline the terms of the agreement between a business and the call center service provider. They typically include details about the services to be provided, key performance indicators (KPIs), pricing structure, contract length, terms of termination, and data security protocols. The contract ensures that both parties understand their responsibilities and sets the expectations for the partnership.

Why are call centers foreign?

Many call centers are based in foreign countries due to cost efficiencies. These countries often have lower labor costs, allowing call centers to provide services at a more affordable rate. Additionally, foreign call centers can provide multilingual support and operate in different time zones, ensuring around-the-clock customer service.

What is the average cost of a call center?

The cost of a call center varies greatly depending on the services required, the volume of calls, and the location of the call center. On average, outsourcing to a call center can cost between $20 to $50 per hour per agent for a U.S.-based center. Offshore centers can offer rates as low as $8 to $20 per hour per agent. These costs include the agent’s salary, overhead, training, and technology costs.

Finding your perfect call center match

Finding the right call center for your business boils down to understanding your unique needs, doing thorough research, and making informed comparisons. Remember, the ideal call center is not just a service provider but an extension of your own team. It should align with your business goals, culture, and customer service expectations.

If you’re still unsure about making this critical decision, consider reaching out to an expert B2B sales agency like Belkins. We offer complex, multichannel cold outreach services for B2B companies since 2017. Our strategic approach ensures we identify and reach out to your ideal customers and save you the time and resources involved in this intricate process.

Get in touch with Belkins today and start your journey toward impeccable customer service.