The practice of outsourcing work processes to external service providers has become increasingly common in recent years. Business process outsourcing (BPO) offers multiple advantages, enabling companies of all sizes to add new capabilities, accommodate global customer needs, and scale rapidly and cost effectively—all without adding headcount.
In this article, we’ll explore six advantages of outsourcing service desk support functions such as IT help desks, customer support, and content management. We’ll also explore some considerations when choosing a service desk partner.
Outsourcing your service desk has six key advantages
1. Expanded support hours
While your business may operate within a traditional five-day, 9-to-5 work week, your customers might not. This is especially true if your customers are outside your time zone. By outsourcing, you can expand your service desk to accommodate customer time zone needs. You can even provide 24×7 support from a live representative and avoid the frustration of sending support calls to voice mail
2. Global support options
If your customers are global, they’ll expect timely support regardless of their location—regardless of where you are. They’ll also want to speak to a representative in their native language. By outsourcing your service desk, you can provide localized assistance your customers will appreciate. Additionally, offshore support can drive cost efficiencies and give you an in-country presence without the costs and headaches opening an in-country office.
3. Streamlined management
Managing a service desk can put a substantial strain on management resources. Outsourcing to a third party enables your management teams to focus on running your business and accelerating profits without adding headcount. A service desk partner will do all the recruiting, hiring, training, and personnel management for you. Plus, you don’t have to worry about securing additional space to accommodate new employees.
4. Increased quality
Your employees excel at what they do. But running a service desk may fall outside their area of proficiency. By outsourcing your service desk to an expert provider, you benefit from their expertise and avoid the stress of hiring and training staff. Plus, a well-trained and experienced service desk helps ensure customer issues are resolved quickly—keeping customers happy while ensuring your employees can focus on business priorities.
5. Rapid implementation
Setting up a service desk can be a major undertaking, taking up time and resources. Outsourcing to an expert provider minimizes set up time and leverages years of expertise, best practice tools and processes, trained personnel, and efficiencies to implement a fully functioning service desk in minimal time.
6. Increased scalability
As your business grows and changes, your teams also need to grow and change. Outsourcing your service desk enables your business to accommodate shifting business demands without straining on existing resources.
What to look for when choosing a service desk partner
Customizable offerings
Your business is unique and has its own unique needs. Choose a service desk partner that has a wide range of flexible offerings that can be customized for your business. Work with them to create a custom service level agreement (SLA) that promotes continuous process improvement and can scale cost effectively as your business needs evolve.
Proven tools and processes
The best providers use proven tools and models such as Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Help Desk Institute (HDI) that are customizable and repeatable to streamline support. Make sure that there are processes in place to measure KPIs, resolve issues quickly, and drive efficiencies.
Quality
You want your service desk to reflect the high standards you set for your own business. As part of your evaluation, examine their hiring practices to ensure they are recruiting and retaining customer-focused personnel with relevant skillsets and certifications. Ask about their employee retention metrics and seek out references and feedback from other businesses.
Privacy and security
Your service desk partner may be handling sensitive data. Make sure your partner has tools and processes in place to protect customer privacy and sensitive data.
Communications and reporting
Be sure that communications with your partner are timely. Ask potential partners about their communications and status update policies and practices, which should also be included in your SLA. Look for a responsive partner that keeps you informed, responds quickly and professionally, and has a clear escalation policy.
Whether you’re expanding globally or refocusing staff on core capabilities, outsourcing your service desk can be an excellent and cost-effective solution. EveryIT can help you keep your business running smoothly. Our service desk offerings include quality reviews, contract management, technical support desk, ITIL operations management, business continuity management, and more. To learn more about how we can help, contact us to speak to an expert and view our portfolio of service desk and BPO offerings.
