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by Lauren Gibbons Paul, Contributing Editor Posted on Monday, November 28, 2005 10:03:00 AM   | Abstract: | More manufacturers are handing off their contact centers to third-party service providers, but beware: A lack of training and high turnover could torpedo your customers' experience.
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Outsourcing is anything but a foreign concept to U.S. manufacturers. Production and design went offshore to leverage lower labor costs many years ago, and they aren't coming back any time soon. But what about front-office functions like customer support? Following the lead of high-tech companies such as Dell Inc., manufacturers of all stripes are outsourcing activities of all types, such as call center operations, to overseas specialists. "Cost is the leading driver," says Forrester Research Inc. analyst Elizabeth Herrell. "[Manufacturers] believe the outsourcer can manage their business processes more effectively than they can." In addition, outsourcers may be able to offer a richer array of support options for customers than manufacturers can, including online knowledgebases, chat capability, click-to-call and other cutting-edge techniques. Outsourcers can spread investment in these tools across a wide array of accounts, making the outlay much more cost-effective and justifiable than it would be for an individual manufacturer. [Click to continue] |