What is Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)?
What is Business Process Outsourcing BPO?Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is the engagement of services from a third-party provider. BPO uses various technology-enabled services to hasten the delivery of services. The business activities could be back-office such as, but not limited to, payroll, accounting, human resources, or front office jobs like customer service, sales, and marketing, etc. In the case of content providers, these business activities could mean hiring writers, remote editors, or virtual assistants.
BPO speeds up processes and enhances efficiency. Companies that outsource some of their business activities use their time on core services and competencies. With this shift in focus, companies improve their current processes that may result in improved customer satisfaction. BPO helps companies divert their resources to more critical business strategies. Often, companies find it impractical to hire a full-time position in-house because of the cost associated with doing so.
How does Business Process Outsourcing work?When a business engages an external specialist to manage and operate some of its internal processes, it's referred to as business process outsourcing. Such ‘processes’ include customer service, accounting and finance, or sales. It is different from hiring an agency to do specific tasks, as the outsourcing provider (BPO) is more concerned with the ongoing production of labour-intensive tasks, instead of the higher-level strategy and guidance.
Now, business process outsourcing has broadened and is more akin to staff augmentation, or staff leasing.
What are the benefits of business process outsourcing?There are many benefits to outsourcing, as well as some downsides and risks. The common benefits include:
Cost savings: significant savings of up to 70%, leveraging the lower global salaries Global market: access to a bigger employment pool of talent Global presence: having operational across the globe increases trade opportunities Flexible workforce: reduces internal local labour and employment compliance obligations Leverage skill: leveraging the skills of other specialist companies Focus: enables the client company to focus on their core functions
Business process outsourcing examplesThe business process outsourcing sector is a vast industry, generating over $200bn annually, and employing many millions of people worldwide. Some examples include:
Big enterpriseFacebook and Uber outsource many of their operational functions, including content moderation for Facebook, and customer service for Uber
Medium-size businessesA medium business with 50-500 staff might outsource the labour-intensive accounting and finance functions to a team in the Philippines.
Small business and entrepreneurIt is common for small business owners to have a Virtual Assistant (VA) working for hem full time, remotely from the Philippines.
What are the different types of BPO?The type of business process outsourcing can be characterised by their specialisation, location, and size.
Generalist or specialist BPOsBusiness process outsourcing is in the human resources and professional services sector. However, their services extend across all industries. The majority of BPOs are generalist, in that they offer a full range of professional services, although some specialise in certain verticals (ie accounting, or animation).
LocationBusiness process outsourcing typically operates form developing nations such as the Philippines, India, and Colombia. They typically have cheaper cost-of-living and bigger populations. Different locations offer different advantages.
Size of BPOThe bigger BPOs employ more than 250,000 people. They are huge, global operations. Medium-sized BPOs range from 500-5,000 staff and offer a full range of services. The smaller BPOs might have 1-500 people.
Functions of business process outsourcingCollectively, business process outsourcing provides any kind of staffing solution. Common functions of BPO include:
Finance and accounting: operational, technical and specialist functions Healthcare: various functions of the backend of the healthcare and health-insurance industries Creative and content: everything from post-production of Hollywood movies to newspaper and website content Tech, IT and development: network management, web and app development and maintenance Sales & customer support: ongoing sales and customer operational support and delivery Marketing: ongoing marketing, communication and branding activities Talent and HR: externalising the management of company HR, recruitment and compliance Administration: general business administration and operational activities Top BPO companies in the world's top outsourcing hubsA wide range of BPO companies in different parts of the world provide utmost services to their Western and local clients. Many of them have even earned awards and recognitions by award-giving bodies due to their performance on both the roles they take and on their way of taking care of the employees.
Check out the top BPO companies in several outsourcing destinations below:
Top BPO companies in the Philippines Top Indian BPO companies Top South African BPO companies Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) servicesOutsource Accelerator is the most trusted source for independent information & advisory for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). We have over 4,000 articles, 200+ podcast episodes, and a comprehensive directory with 700+ BPOs… all designed to make it easier for clients to learn about, and engage with, business process outsourcing.
What is a Service Level Agreement (SLA)?
What is a service level agreement (SLA)?Service Level Agreements (SLA) are formal or informal documents that outline the expectations between a provider and end-user. Originating from internet service providers, it has become a standard tool, not only in business process outsourcing but even within corporate structures. The key benefit of an SLA is that it provides clear, measurable outcomes that are subject to periodic review by designated representatives.
The hallmarks of a good SLA are as follows:
It describes the services to be provided;
It sets expectations for the reliability, availability, and responsiveness of the service;
A clear metric for measuring and monitoring service levels is articulated and a format for a performance report is agreed to;
A standard reporting procedure is agreed to by both sides to raise issues and concerns with the service;
A timeframe for issue resolution is established;
Penalties are set for failure to meet expectations; and
A timeframe for a periodic review of the service and the service level agreement is established. Service level agreement call centerOutsource Accelerator is the most trusted source for independent information & advisory for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). We have over 3,000 articles, 200+ podcast episodes, and a comprehensive directory with 700+ BPOs… all designed to make it easier for clients to learn about, and engage with outsourcing and having effective service level agreements with companies or call centers.
What is Business to Business (B2B) Call Center?
What is Business to Business in Call Center?A business-to-business or B2B call center helps secure existing customer connections with frequent check-ins and service inquiries. If any difficulties occur with the new buyer, they will be referred to the sales team of the company for timely handling. In this way, a communications partner serves as a buffer for a company.
The B2B call center can also provide an initial point of contact for all the customers. This strategy will improve their level of customer service and receive good impressions from the clients.
Benefits of business to business in call centersCustomer service and loyalty are factors that any company strives to achieve the highest degree. It is essential that programs are built to offer reliable support, and that they often cover a variety of ways for reaching a broader client base.
Here are some of the advantages of business-to-business in call centers:
Create an improved campaign plan to meet goal requirements
Supply future clients with a favorable experience
Use the latest technologies without it having to pay the extra costs.
Successfully transforming leads to business potentialCall center companies catering for B2B communications require powerful software to provide smooth contact between agents and clients.
