Why live chat outsourcing is a viable option for your business

What is live chat outsourcing and why does it work?

Live chat outsourcing hands your website chat support to a trained third-party team, so customers get fast answers around the clock while you save on cost.

• It gives quick, direct help that buyers now expect.
• It runs 24/7 through skilled offshore agents.
• It lifts conversions, CSAT, and your online reputation.

Today, businesses must be present on many channels. Customers reach out with questions about products and services. However, they do not want to wait long for an email reply. They also hate being put on hold. This is where live chat outsourcing comes in.

The fundamentals of live chat outsourcing

Live chat outsourcing means contracting out your chat function to a provider. It is a simple, strategic move. In short, an outside team handles chats for you.

Live chat also improves your odds of closing a sale. The latest statistics by Kayako back this up. In fact, 79% of businesses report positive effects from live chat.

You can hire an in-house chat team. However, outsourcing often works better through SixEleven BPO. This is true when you want to raise your customer satisfaction and conversion rates.

Your outsourced team answers customer questions and handles many chats at once. It is also their job to solve problems and concerns. Skilled live chat agents know how to keep each chat smooth and helpful.

It is vital to pick a provider that truly gets your business. Outsourcing with reputable firms like SixEleven lets you use skilled agents while you save on costs. Aside from support, SixEleven also offers many outsourcing services for global firms across industries.

4 exceptional perks of live chat outsourcing

The main goal of live chat outsourcing is a fast, fitting reply for each customer. More importantly, it ensures a smooth experience. Apart from that, it brings other great perks.

Allows 24/7 live chat support services

People browse your website at all hours, even late at night. Of course, these shoppers still need answers and help. Some may just need a hand with a transaction.

Outsourcing lets you run for longer hours, and often 24/7. This works when you offshore to a country in a different time zone. As a result, you build trust and loyalty. In turn, you close more sales and earn more.

Optimizes conversion rate opportunities

Live chat outsourcing means working with certified chat experts. These agents stay professional even with tough customers. So they handle each case with a steady hand.

They know how to address issues and offer the right fix. As a result, they drive a higher conversion rate. After all, it is better when buyers leave with a sale, not with confusion or annoyance.

Builds up CSAT with live chat support experts

Customers who chat openly with your brand feel happier with the whole customer experience. Still, not every person has the same issue. Some face quality problems, account concerns, or order questions.

Outsourced agents have the skills to tackle a wide range of issues. When you handle every concern well, you see a big lift in customer satisfaction or CSAT score. Your retention rate climbs too. Strong customer service skills make the difference here.

Boosts online reputation

Today, a brand’s reputation rests on reviews and social media. Confusion and helplessness are the main triggers for a bad review. To fight this, live chat outsourcing helps you reach out first. So customers stay informed about your brand. As a result, they feel in control of the situation.

4 signs that you need live chat outsourcing to support your brand

Deciding whether to outsource can feel hard, especially if it is new to you. To help, here are four signs that your business needs live chat outsourcing.

Providing 24-hour support is unachievable

A typical shift runs from 8 am to 5 pm. However, shoppers visit your site at any hour, even after hours. Outsourcing firms have chat teams for day, night, and weekend shifts.

So no team for round-the-clock support is a strong reason to outsource. Live chat outsourcing gives you experts even during odd hours. As a result, no customer is left hanging and no question goes unanswered.

You lack funds to train live chat support teams

In-house agents need constant training to handle tricky cases. Without that budget, your service will suffer. As a result, agents may not know how to handle hard situations.

Providers like SPLACE BPO ease this worry. Their agents come trained and keep training over time. They also go through regular checks and monitoring.

Having a stable infrastructure is a challenge

Many startups and small firms lack infrastructure. Too little office space and equipment can hurt your performance. You may also lack funds for live chat software.

So weak infrastructure is a clear sign to invest in outsourcing. It helps you save on cost without losing quality. In addition, chat vendors always keep their tools and software up to date. Reviewing the best chat tools for customer support can help you compare options.

Your marketing and support teams can’t work collaboratively

If marketing and support are out of sync, growth gets hard. Your chat team may not know your brand well enough. When you outsource, agents learn your brand voice. In addition, they can work with marketing to give a smooth experience from top to bottom of the funnel.

What you should look for in a live chat outsourcing provider

Now you are ready to outsource. So the next step is to find a provider that fits your needs. Here are a few pointers to guide your choice.

Identify your infrastructure needs

Your needs vary with the size of your company. If you run a large firm, check whether the provider has enough agents for many chats at once.

On the other hand, small firms should ask how many agents the vendor can assign. Also check whether they offer only chat agents or sales specialists too. So you can gauge whether the provider fits your needs.

Check the industry experience

Experience shows what a provider can really do for you. It gives a clear picture of how they manage chat and hard cases. Their track record also reveals their client base and how many happy clients they have served.

Determine the provider’s live chat tools

The right tool ensures a positive customer journey. When you review a vendor’s software, ask the following:

• Will the live chat tool be included in your base package?
• What is the data capacity of the live chat tool?
• Does the tool include a chatbot? Or will the service focus on human chat?

You may also ask about the metrics used to track your performance. If you plan to add automation, review some chatbot best practices first.

Check the scope of data security

Of course, you must protect customer and company data. So review your legal duties first. Check for any clauses on data security. What happens if data leaks? What steps prevent serious harm? Once you answer these, create a contract that binds your chosen provider.

Explore your live chat outsourcing options

Still looking for the right provider? You can browse our Guides page. There, we list the top BPO companies from around the world to help your search. You can also compare the wider field of customer service outsourcing before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

What is live chat outsourcing?

It is the practice of hiring a third-party team to run your website chat. So trained agents answer questions and solve problems for you. In turn, you free your own staff for other work.

Does outsourced live chat run 24/7?

Yes, in most cases it can. Providers use day, night, and weekend shifts. So your customers get help at any hour, even after hours.

How does live chat outsourcing cut costs?

You skip the cost of hiring, training, tools, and office space. So you pay for a ready team instead. As a result, you save while keeping quality high.

Will outsourcing hurt my customer experience?

No, not with the right partner. Skilled agents learn your brand voice and handle each case with care. So the experience often gets better, not worse.

How do I choose a live chat provider?

Check their capacity, experience, tools, and data security. Ask what is in the base package. So you can match the provider to your real needs.

Key takeaways

• Live chat outsourcing gives fast, expert help around the clock.
• It lifts conversions, CSAT, and your online reputation.
• Offshore teams enable 24/7 support across time zones.
• It saves on staff, training, tools, and infrastructure.
• Choose a provider by capacity, experience, tools, and data security.