Latest outsourced call center pricing and quotation
How much does outsourced call center pricing cost?
Outsourced call center pricing ranges from about $3,000 to $15,000 per agent each year offshore, and roughly $22,000 to $72,000 onshore, based on role, location, and experience.
- Offshore hubs like the Philippines and India offer the lowest rates.
- Onshore options in the US, UK, and Australia cost more but sit closer to home.
- Your final price depends on the role, seniority, and services you need.
A call center is the part of a business that delivers customer service and support to new and existing customers. It can be in-house or outsourced. Mostly, it runs on agents who handle incoming and outgoing calls.
Call center agents answer queries, manage complaints, route callers to the right team, and run market research.
A call center brings many benefits to businesses across sectors. So most companies set aside part of their budget to hire one.
These days, hiring and training agents in-house often falls short. If you want to deliver high-quality service, you need experts in outsourced call centers.
Hiring a call center
Once your company decides to hire a call center, it is time to weigh the factors involved. Ask yourself these questions:
- Why are you hiring a call center?
- What are your expectations?
- What are your goals?
- And most importantly, what is your budget?
You can also list the tasks you are willing to delegate to a third-party provider. In general, call centers split into two types: inbound and outbound. To see what you can hand off, review these call center services you can easily offshore.
Inbound and outbound call center: What’s the difference?
An inbound call center mainly receives incoming calls from customers or prospects. Its agents answer queries and help fix issues. They also process claims, handle complaints, man help desks, and manage bookings.
In short, an inbound call center serves people who reach out to the business. So its agents train to give quality service to anyone on the line.
On the other hand, an outbound call center makes outgoing calls. Its agents do the calling, not just the answering.
They train to build brand awareness by phone and to sell the company’s products and services. In addition, they handle lead generation, telesales, and market research.
Outsourced call center pricing: How much does it cost?
Western companies have outsourced their call center work for years. So it is a proven practice, not a passing trend.
Outsourced call centers bring many advantages. They keep core teams focused, take tedious tasks off in-house staff, and cut employment costs.
Another key choice is onshore versus offshore providers. For a deeper look, compare the trade-offs of offshore vs onshore outsourcing.
Onshore call centers sit in the same country as your headquarters. For example, a New York firm might hire a call center in Chicago or California.
An offshore call center is the opposite. It means hiring a business process outsourcing (BPO) company located on the other side of the world, or “offshore.”
Since mostly Western firms outsource, this often means hiring talent from the East. The Philippines, India, and China are good examples.
Onshore outsourced call center pricing
Onshore outsourced call center pricing sits in the middle. It is cheaper than hiring in-house. Still, it costs much more than offshore outsourcing.
Some companies prefer onshore for its closeness. As a result, they enjoy the same time zone, culture, and native language.
For this article, we treat the countries that outsource the most as the onshore destinations. So the United States, Canada, Australia, and UK count as onshore locations.
The table below gives an idea of the yearly salary cost of hiring a call center in these onshore destinations. Note that these figures are in US Dollars.
| Call center role | US/Canada | Australia | UK |
| Agent (1-3 years exp.) | $29,717 | $35,275 | $22,137 |
| Agent (3-5 years exp.) | $33,004 | $39,860 | $25,014 |
| Team leader | $50,794 | $46,690 | $33,047 |
| Operations manager | $61,393 | $67,173 | $71,950 |
Compared with hiring in-house, onshore outsourcing is fairly cheap. Plus, you skip the time and effort of recruiting, hiring, training, and daily supervision.
Offshore outsourced call center pricing
In the past, offshore providers won mainly on low, flexible pricing. That is still true today. However, offshore firms now feel just as sure about the quality of their talent.
The Philippines, for example, has a very high literacy rate. It also shares a strong cultural affinity with the West, and Filipinos are proficient in English.
In fact, the Philippines ranked 27th on international company Education First’s global English proficiency index. The country also ranked second in Asia, next to Singapore.
Despite upskilled talent and better infrastructure, offshore outsourcing stays cost-effective. The table below shows call center pricing in top offshore destinations.
| Call center role | Philippines | India | Singapore |
| Agent (1-3 years exp.) | $3,337 | $3,389 | $7,458 |
| Agent (3-5 years exp.) | $5,175 | $5,490 | $22,374 |
| Team leader | $7,152 | $4,879 | $32,194 |
| Operations manager | $14,665 | $10,474 | $37,290 |
Paying less does not mean you skimp on quality. For years, the offshore industry has provided an efficient, world-class talent pool. To track how the field keeps changing, see the latest call center statistics.
In the Philippines alone, the IT-BPM sector now employs about 1.9 million people, and it keeps growing.
But why is offshore outsourcing cheaper? Here are a few factors to weigh:
- Eastern hubs have a much lower cost of living. So employees can live well on a modest monthly salary.
- Investors and BPO firms in these locations enjoy strong government support. As a result, they get discounts and tax deductions.
- Because BPO firms hire and train in groups, employment and training costs stay low.
If you want to learn more about call center pricing, take a look at our complete guide for salaries here. You can also compare current call center outsourcing prices to plan your budget.
Ready to hire a call center?
Are you ready to hire a call center? First, take the time to do your research. Different providers offer different packages, so talk to a few outsourcing suppliers to learn more.
We suggest you get quotes from several BPO companies before you commit. Only connect with trusted providers like OP360.
Outsource Accelerator lists over 3,000 outsourcing suppliers that can give you the best terms at the best prices. You can also talk to an outsourcing expert and ask for three free quotes to help you get started.
Frequently asked questions about outsourced call center pricing
What affects outsourced call center pricing the most?
Location has the biggest impact on price. Role and experience matter too. So an offshore agent costs far less than an onshore operations manager.
Is offshore call center pricing always cheaper than onshore?
In most cases, yes. Offshore hubs have lower living costs and strong government support. As a result, the same role often costs a fraction of the onshore rate.
Does lower pricing mean lower quality?
Not usually. Top offshore hubs offer skilled, English-proficient talent. So many firms get strong quality at a much lower cost.
Should I choose an inbound or outbound call center?
It depends on your goals. Choose inbound for support and service. Meanwhile, choose outbound for sales, lead generation, and market research.
How do I get an accurate call center quote?
First, define your goals, budget, and the tasks to delegate. Next, contact several providers. Finally, compare their quotes side by side before you decide.
Key takeaways
- Outsourced call center pricing depends on location, role, and experience.
- Offshore hubs like the Philippines and India offer the lowest rates.
- Onshore options cost more but keep the team in the same time zone and culture.
- Lower offshore pricing still delivers skilled, world-class talent.
- Get several quotes and compare them before you sign with a provider.
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