Should My Company Use a Call Center that Is Offshore or Near-shore for U.S. Hispanic Sales?
Advantages:
-Native Spanish-speaking agents provide for higher quality communication with callers
-Call center labor pools in Spanish-speaking countries are generally more ample than on-shore
-Lower costs per minute and per hour
-Offshore and near-shore centers are oftentimes more flexible in accommodating U.S.- based clients’ requirements compared to traditional U.S. based call centers
-Lower rotation of employees, which allows greater continuity and consistency
-Native Spanish-speaking agents in Spanish-speaking countries are generally more inclined to sell than those that work in U.S.-based centers
Disadvantages:
-Time consuming and more expensive to travel to offshore/near-shore locations for site inspection and training
-Time zone difficulties
-Risk and cost of telecommunications-related infrastructure located outside the U.S. can be higher
-Call centers in other countries don’t always understand U.S. business culture and demands of U.S.-based companies
-Lack of understanding of U.S. addresses and fulfillment requirements
Conclusion:
Most call centers outside the U.S. utilize VoIP telecommunications to reduce the cost of call transmission, which make the cost of long distance inexpensive. Training outside the U.S. can be a little bit more expensive and take more time to travel, but if the marketer has budget, on-site training and site inspection are always worthwhile. Labor costs outside the U.S. are almost always more attractive. Marketers should consider whom the management team is and if it has experience conducting business in the U.S. and is able to communicate effectively with and reports correctly to U.S. marketers. Marketers must consider their level of comfort with each of these items and also take into account their experience or ability in first, managing a call center and second, managing a call center operation outside the U.S.
Do you agree?
Neal Topf is president of Callzilla, LLC, and a member of ERA’s U.S. Hispanic Council
Tags: backend, call centers, callzilla, ERA, hispanic advertising, hispanic marketing, neal topf, offshore call center, teleservices, u.s. hispanic
March 12th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Very good article!!!
It would explain a lot of benefits, however, there is one very important for USA-based companies and is related to the fact that going off-shore, most likely, the provider will offer a cost per seat, allowing these company to move OPEX to CAPEX, which at the end of its financial operation represents Hundred of thousand of dollars which might be benefitial in these HARD-DAYS”.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:24 am
No podria existir una mejor explicacion del negocio de los Call Center. En estos momentos los centros hispanos estan manejando productos y servicios de otros paises, y eso marca un sello de garantia para el reconocimiento de una gestion hecha por hispanos para el resto del mundo, Clientes como EE.UU, México, Europa, Argentina entre otros son beneficiados. no obstante, el reconocimiento debe ser para todos a los que de una u otra manera han puesto su grano de arena en este hermoso trabajo de los Call Center y Contact Center. Neal, mis saludos mas sinceros…
A better explanation of the business of the Call Center could not exist. In these moments the Hispanic centers are managing products and services of other countries, and that mark a guarantee stamp for the recognition of an administration made by Hispanics for the rest of the world, Clients like U.S, Mexico, Europe, Argentina among others is benefitted. nevertheless, the recognition should be for all to those that have put its grain of sand in this beautiful work of the Call Center and Contact Center in an or another way. Neal, my greetings but sincere…
March 21st, 2008 at 11:10 am
It is very important to undersatnd the advantages and disadvantages of going near shore in the case of the Hispanic Market.
Picking a turnkey solution in an appropriate country is the driver to the success. I think out of all the near shore country candidates, Colombia is the most reliable.