4 Main Reasons to Outsource eCommerce Customer Service

Today's eCommerce landscape is a real competition. With many similar online businesses on the market, companies can sustain their position through positive customer experience and relationships. Brands aiming to boost their customer support often weigh several options:

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• expanding their in-house team
• hiring freelancers
• or opting for eCommerce customer support outsourcing.

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Many eCommerce businesses, however, are increasingly recognizing the advantages of outsourcing eCommerce customer support.

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At EverHelp, we specialize in providing top-notch support services tailored for eCommerce, and we understand the critical reasons driving this choice. For businesses on the brink of deciding how to best optimize their customer service, this article will be particularly helpful, as it aims to illustrate the compelling benefits of eCommerce customer service outsourcing. Hopefully, when you are done reading, you will have the knowledge to make an informed decision that can transform your operations and elevate your customer satisfaction.

Cost-Effectiveness

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Did you know that 70% of companies cite reducing costs as their primary reason for outsourcing customer service?

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Outsourcing eCommerce customer service is a strategic move that can significantly reduce operational costs while still maintaining high-quality support. And we can name at least five ways how:

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1. Lower labor cost
   Hiring an in-house customer service team involves expenses such as salaries, benefits, and training. Outsourcing transfers these costs to the service provider, allowing eCommerce businesses to access skilled support at a fraction of the price.

💡Expert insight
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Salary, benefits, and other employee-related expenses can be significantly reduced by outsourcing to regions with cheaper labor prices. For instance, in nations where living expenses are lower, recruiting and training support agents is frequently less expensive.

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2. Reduced overhead expenses
   Maintaining an in-house team requires physical space, equipment, and utilities. By outsourcing, eCommerce businesses eliminate these maintenance costs, leading to substantial savings. This allows companies to invest more in core areas like marketing, product development, and inventory management.
   
   
3. Scalable staffing
   eCommerce businesses often experience fluctuating demand, especially during peak shopping seasons. Partnering with outsourcing companies provides the flexibility to scale support teams up or down based on demand, avoiding the costs associated with over- or under-staffing. This ensures customer inquiries are handled efficiently, maintaining high levels of service during busy periods without the financial burden of permanent hires.
   
   
4. Access to global talent
   Outsourcing opens up a global talent pool, often at lower rates compared to local hires. This access to diverse skill sets can improve service quality, offering multilingual support and round-the-clock availability, enhancing customer satisfaction and experience without inflating budgets.
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5. Advanced technology at no extra cost
   Outsourcing providers often use the latest customer service technologies, such as AI-driven chatbots and advanced CRM systems, included in their service packages. This takes away the need for eCommerce businesses to invest in expensive software and infrastructure, driving efficiency and enhancing levels of customer service without significant internal investment.

Access to Expertise and Advanced Technology‍

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We already touched on how outsourcing can provide access to advanced technology without overrunning your budget. Now, let's look further into how outsourcing eCommerce customer service can give your business a competitive edge through specialized expertise and cutting-edge technology.

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1. Specialized Skills and Knowledge
   Outsourcing firms specialize in customer service, bringing extensive experience and training to their teams. This expertise ensures your customers receive necessary support, with agents well-versed in working with various eCommerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce.
   
   
2. Advanced Technology Integration
   Third-party service providers invest more in the latest technologies, such as AI-driven chatbots and advanced CRM systems. These tools streamline customer interactions, improve response times, and provide personalized support ultimately driving your customer retention. AI chatbots can be used to handle routine customer issues, while advanced CRMs track client interactions for consistent, high-quality service.

💡Expert insight
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Outsourcing allows eCommerce businesses to work with CRM systems like HubSpot and Zendesk, which are essential for managing and analyzing customer data and facilitating business growth. These systems automate processes, give a complete picture of customer data, and provide analytics to boost customer service.

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3. Enhanced Data Security and Compliance
   If you outsource your eCommerce to reputable external service providers, it means that your data security and regulatory compliance are going to be prioritized. These companies usually implement advanced security measures to protect customer data, guaranteeing adherence to regulations like GDPR and CCPA, which builds trust with your customers.
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4. Continuous Improvement and Training
   Outsourcing providers regularly update their training programs to keep teams current with the latest trends and technologies. This commitment to ongoing education ensures that agents are knowledgeable and skilled enough to provide the best possible support to your customer base.
   
   

Improved Response Rate

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Outsourcing eCommerce customer support can significantly improve response rates and enhance customer satisfaction. By partnering with specialized service providers, businesses can ensure faster, more efficient customer care and maintain high-quality interactions. Here are some key reasons why outsourcing is so helpful when it comes to improving response rates:

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• Scale Responsiveness
  Partnering with outsourced providers allows businesses to effectively manage fluctuating customer service demands. eCommerce outsourcing companies usually include possibilities for scaling the selected support team up and down depending on the incoming support tasks and tickets. This scalability ensures that customer inquiries receive timely responses, even during peak periods.
  
  
• 24/7 Support Availability
  Outsourcing providers also offer round-the-clock support, catering to global customer bases across different time zones. Such continuous availability gives brands the opportunity to meet their customer expectations for responsiveness and strengthen reliability, customer loyalty and trust.

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A great example of how effectively eCommerce customer support outsourcing works can be seen in our collaboration with Title 👇

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Facing initial challenges of extended response times and low customer satisfaction rates, Title partnered with EverHelp to transform its customer support operations.
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Previously, Title struggled with response times averaging several hours, resulting in a customer satisfaction rate of 69%. After implementing outsourcing strategies with EverHelp:

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• Response times were dramatically reduced to just 20 seconds, raising the overall customer experience.
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• The refund rates dropped from 12% to 4%, reflecting the success of the new approach towards customer service activities.

Enhanced Customer Experience

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Quite logically, as demonstrated by our numerous successful partnerships, outsourcing inevitably improves the customer experience. Mainly, because apart from the previously mentioned enhancements in availability and response rate, outsourcing customer support offers a few more benefits:

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1. Personalized Support Strategies
   Knowledgeable outsourcing providers excel in crafting personalized support strategies tailored to meet not only business but also individual customer needs. By understanding and addressing specific client requirements, businesses can ensure more effective issue resolution and higher overall satisfaction with the product or service provided.
   
   
2. Multilingual & Omnichannel Support
   Outsourcing eCommerce support allows businesses to offer customer support in multiple languages and across different communication channels. This way, your brand can quickly accommodate diverse global audiences, no matter their preferred language or contact medium. Such capability optimizes accessibility and assures that language barriers do not hinder service effectiveness, no matter whether the issues are being resolved through email support, customer call center, or a live chat support.
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3. Continuous Quality Assurance
   More often than not, outsourcing partners implement rigorous quality control measures and maintain high levels of customer service through ongoing training programs for support agents. This commitment to quality contributes to consistent delivery of exceptional customer service and enhances your clients' overall experience.
   

Benefits of Outsourcing eCommerce Customer Service: Conclusion

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As we've explored, outsourcing eCommerce customer support brings numerous advantages, including cost savings, access to expertise and advanced technology, improved response rates, and an enhanced overall customer experience. By leveraging specialized skills and cutting-edge solutions, you can focus on core business operations and still deliver high-quality customer service to your audience, attracting more new customers every day.

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If you're ready to transform your customer service operations and reap these benefits, or if you want to learn more about how outsourcing can work for your business, don't hesitate to contact us at EverHelp. We're here to help you bring your customer support to new heights and drive your eCommerce success.