Call centers for hire: Getting the best call center for your business
Should you hire a call center for your business?
Yes, call centers for hire let you scale customer support quickly and cost-effectively, so most growing businesses benefit from one.
- They handle inbound and outbound calls so your team can focus on core work.
- They offer flexible pricing, from per minute to per hour and commission.
- Top destinations like the Philippines cut costs while keeping quality high.
Should you hire a call center for your business operations? It is a common question among growing businesses that need to scale their customer service. Call centers work with one focus: to engage current and future customers well.
Call centers have improved a lot since the early 2000s. Back then, hiring one meant a huge contract. They also worked only with large firms, such as major telecom and bank institutions. Over time, this changed. Now call centers for hire serve businesses of all sizes across many sectors.
Hiring a call center
Are call centers dying?
The first wave of outsourcing came from large enterprises. Even so, the future looks bright for small businesses and startups too. Rapid digital change now pushes SMEs to outsource many tasks offshore, especially call center services.
Outsourcing can be a great way to hire and run operations offshore. It also gives you the flexibility to scale a support team when needed. Most call centers now use omnichannel services like chat and email. So they can reach customers across many channels with ease.
Types of call center service
A call center can be split into two types: inbound and outbound. Each one suits a different goal, so it helps to know both.
Inbound call center services
An inbound call center mainly handles incoming calls. This is where the agent gives support on products, services, sales, billing, or general questions. Most inbound centers also add email or live chat to serve customers better.
Inbound call center activities | Inbound call center metrics |
| Telephone Answering | First Call Resolution (FCR) |
| Live Chat and Email Support | Net Promoter Score (NPS) |
| Claims Processing | Abandoned Call Rate (ACR) |
| Medical Answering | Average Speed of Answer (ASA) |
| Appointment Management | Average Handle Time (AHT) |
| Help Desk and Dispatch Services | Average Call Transfer Rate |
| Hotline Services | Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) |
| Virtual Receptionist | Customer Churn Rate (CCR) |
| Order Processing | Call Duration |
| Reservations & Booking | Cost Per Contact |
To track results well, learn the main call center metrics you should watch.
Outbound call center services
An outbound call center mainly makes outgoing calls. Here, the agent calls a list of current or potential clients. This work is often sales-driven and tied to telemarketing and lead generation. As a result, these agents often earn more through commissions and bonuses.
Outbound call center activities | Outbound call center metrics |
| Telesales | First Call Close |
| Lead Generation & Qualification | Conversion Rate |
| Appointment Setting | Calls per Agent |
| Cross-selling | Calls per Account |
| Insurance Sales | Hit Rate |
| Warranty & Renewals | Hold Time |
| Market Research | Abandoned Call Ratio |
| Survey Gathering | Average Call Length |
| Billing and Debt Collection | Revenue per Successful Call |
| Event Registration | Occupancy Rate |
If sales calls are your focus, compare the top outbound call centers before you decide.
Do you need an inbound or outbound call center?
Call centers offer many services for customer support. To use them well, you should know the difference between inbound and outbound teams. So think about your main goal first.
Inbound call centers can help with your contact center needs. They support customers with troubleshooting, navigation, and processing applications. For example, telecom firms outsource line applications to handle high volumes that are hard to manage in-house.
Outbound services, meanwhile, can be trickier. Some tasks, such as outbound sales, may work better in-house since they need a personal touch. Other tasks, like appointment reminders and lead generation, can go to a dedicated offshore team. As a result, your in-house sales team gets solid support.
How to find and hire a call center
You can spend a lot of time searching, comparing, and negotiating with call centers. If you are unsure whether to hire one yet, start by reading up on local and offshore options. It also helps to know which call center services you can easily offshore.
It is smart to check reviews on third-party websites. These give you real insight into other clients’ experiences. Other sites, such as Glassdoor, share feedback from past or current staff. So this is a great way to see if a company’s culture fits yours.
Pros and cons of hiring a call center
There are many upsides and downsides to weigh before you hire a call center. It is a match-making process, so you need the right partner to make it work. Price can be one reason to outsource, yet it should not be the only one. Paying too little often gets you weak agents, which hurts your business.
Here are some of the pros and cons of outsourcing a call center.
Top 5 advantages of call centers | Top 5 disadvantages of call centers |
| 1. Cost-efficient and scalable solution | 1. Reduced quality control |
| 2. Experts and process specialists | 2. Confidentiality and security |
| 3. 24/7 customer service | 3. Lack of flexibility |
| 4. Easily manage call volume | 4. Constant management |
| 5. Increase business continuity | 5. Potential hidden costs |
Call center reviews and comparisons
Before hiring a call center, you need to do your homework and check reviews. Their services, terms, and prices vary a lot. Quality and output vary just as much. So there are several websites where you can read call center reviews.
Each call center makes its own website sound the best. In reality, the process is often harder if you go in unprepared. You would not walk into an Apple store and ask how good the iPhone is. Instead, you hear from users who have used it longer. This is generally the same concept before you hire a call center.
Top 5 places for call center reviews |
| 1. Outsource Accelerator |
| 2. Truspilot |
| 3. Clutch.co |
| 4. Glassdoor |
| 5. Call Center Focus |
Outsourcing a call center
Working with an outsourcing provider lets you save up to 70% on salary costs. As a result, you can focus on core business tasks. Meanwhile, the provider handles your customer queries.
Call center pricing
Call centers offer different pricing structures. Some give you a dedicated or shared team charged hourly, monthly, or per commission. So it helps to review each option and get the best deal. For more detail, see this guide to call center outsourcing prices. Common pricing models are as follows:
Per minute
You can pick a per-minute charge if you expect low or on-demand call volume. This also lets you hire a shared team that handles other clients too. For inbound services, low-cost countries like the Philippines and India usually charge US$0.35 to 0.45 per minute.
Per hour
If you expect medium to high call volume, a per-hour charge may suit you. It gives you more savings and control on set volumes. Depending on the company, you may be billed weekly or monthly. For inbound calls, firms charge about US$6 to 15 per hour in the Philippines. For outbound, the range is about US$8 to 20 per hour.
Per call
When you have steady volume but want more control, you can hire dedicated staff. They work only for your account, so they focus on your customers. For this, firms charge on a per-call basis. Either they set a fixed monthly fee with a call quota, or they build a custom plan.
Part-time
Part-time charging suits businesses that need help around the clock, in peak seasons, or after hours. You can hire a shared or dedicated team for set hours. Charging can be per hour or commission-based.
Commission
Lead generation, seasonal accounts, and other outbound work often use commissions. Once a quota is met, you and the provider agree on a full commission. Usually, call centers need to earn about 10 to 20% per hour on top of their normal rates.
Hourly + commission
You get the most from a team when you mix an hourly rate and commission. This works well for both inbound and outbound centers. As a result, agents earn more for strong performance.
Call center salary
The Philippines now employs about 1.9 million people in the BPO sector, and more than half work in call centers. IBPAP even projects further growth, with the workforce set to reach nearly 2 million.
Call center salary varies by company, staff experience, and the client account handled. The table below compares salary costs between outsourcing to the Philippines and hiring in-house. See our complete guide to salaries for more detail.
| Call center role | Philippines | USA | UK | Australia |
| Agent (1-3 years exp.) | $3,337 | $29,717 | $22,137 | $35,275 |
| Agent (3-5 years exp.) | $5,175 | $33,004 | $25,014 | $39,860 |
| Team leader | $7,152 | $50,794 | $33,047 | $46,690 |
| Operations manager | $14,665 | $61,393 | $71,950 | $67,173 |
*per Annum & in USD
Outsourcing to the Philippines
Outsourcing to the Philippines can add rocket fuel to your business. With nearly two decades of call center experience, the country has plenty of skilled agents. Better yet, they cost a fraction of local hires.
Filipinos are also known for strong English skills. In addition, they have a close familiarity with Western culture. As a result, clients find it easy to work with agents to resolve issues.
The best call centers in the Philippines
The very first call center was set up in the Philippines back in 1992. In just over two decades, the outsourcing industry has grown to become the country’s economic lifeblood.
The industry has one of the largest contributions to the country’s economy. It employs millions of people from all walks of life. The Philippines now has over 700 outsourcing companies. Below are 20 notable ones that offer call center services, some from provinces outside Metro Manila.
These are just some of the firms that built world-class operations in the Philippines. See the full list of the top 40 outsourcing suppliers here.
Top 20 call centers
If you want to hire a call center, Outsource Accelerator can give you three free quotes when you browse our BPO directory. It lists over 700 outsourcing suppliers in the Philippines to help you get started.
Hire a call center in other leading outsourcing destinations
Aside from the Philippines, many rising and established countries also offer call center services to the West. They have become preferred choices due to location, cost, and cultural fit. If you serve global customers, you may also want multilingual call centers that support many languages.
India
India is a leading destination alongside the Philippines. It is popular for IT and customer support. The World Bank calls it the largest outsourcing country, and it employs about five million people. India draws Western firms with its UK links, English skills, and a large, skilled workforce.
Top call centers in India
- Genpact Services LLC. It started as a unit of General Electric. Now its clients include Global Fortune 500 companies.
- FirstSource Solutions. It is a leading provider of custom business process solutions, including call center work.
- Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS). A leading BPO firm, HGS offers holistic solutions, above all in contact centers, to businesses worldwide.
For a full list of the Top 30 call centers and providers in India, see here.
Poland
Poland is a rising Eastern European player in outsourcing. It is one of the biggest names in IT outsourcing. The country also offers finance, accounting, and customer support services.
Top call centers in Poland
- Aidey. Aidey offers a range of customer service and back-office solutions for SaaS, e-commerce, hospitality, and service industries.
- Focus Contact Center. In the industry since 2008, it offers cloud-based contact center solutions.
- Conectys. Conectys provides call center and customer experience services in over 35 languages, 24/7.
For a full list of the Top 30 call centers and providers in Poland, see here.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is now a popular nearshore destination for the United States. Through it, global firms enjoy savings without losing cultural fit. It is also easy to travel to the location.
The Commonwealth has adopted US culture and currency. So it stays ideal for firms that want to keep their brand’s local identity.
Top call centers in Puerto Rico
- Atento Puerto Rico. Atento is a CX leader in South America, offering multichannel services to the US and beyond.
- ECONSOL. Set up in 2013, ECONSOL leads in customer experience solutions in Spanish and English.
- DRSI Call Center. In business for 28 years, DRSI offers dedicated staffing in telemarketing, web, and chat support.
For a full list of the leading call centers and providers in Puerto Rico, see here.
Canada
Canada is another close competitor in nearshore outsourcing. Its outsourcing industry follows federal rules across its provinces and territories.
Top call centers in Canada
- 24-7 Intouch. Beyond content moderation, 24-7 Intouch offers live chat services to major brands worldwide.
- Gexel. With a decade of experience, Gexel provides a bilingual omnichannel customer experience.
- Advantage Communications. Advantage Communications of Prince Edward Island takes customer service to the next level.
For a full list of the leading call centers and providers in Canada, see here.
Why you should hire a call center today
Call centers are far from irrelevant. Even today, they are still the best way to reach customers and internal teams. Customer service now goes beyond calls, though. For example, it also spans video calling and conferencing.
Call centers are now heavily regulated too. This adds more protection for both businesses and clients. Most firms must follow rules on scripts and company identity. All in all, hiring a call center is mostly a smart move for businesses today.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to hire a call center?
It means paying a provider to handle your calls. The team can take inbound calls or make outbound ones. So you get support without building an in-house team.
How much does it cost to hire a call center?
Costs vary by model and country. In the Philippines, inbound calls run about US$6 to 15 per hour. Outbound work often runs about US$8 to 20 per hour.
What is the difference between inbound and outbound call centers?
Inbound centers handle incoming calls, like support and billing. Outbound centers make calls, such as sales and lead generation. Many providers offer both.
Why do businesses hire call centers in the Philippines?
The country offers skilled, English-speaking agents at low cost. It also has decades of call center experience. As a result, it stays a top choice for global firms.
Are call centers still worth it?
Yes, call centers remain a key support channel. They now use omnichannel tools like chat and email too. So they help you serve customers across many channels.
Key takeaways
- Call centers for hire let you scale support without building an in-house team.
- Inbound teams handle support, while outbound teams focus on sales.
- Pricing models include per minute, per hour, per call, and commission.
- The Philippines offers skilled agents at a fraction of local costs.
- Other destinations like India, Poland, Puerto Rico, and Canada are strong options too.
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