Business Process Outsourcing – Everything You Need To Know

Ruffy Galang | April 3, 2023

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Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) has become increasingly popular in recent years as more companies look to trim back-office costs without compromising on productivity and growth. When you work with BPO managed services, you get access to expertise and high-quality staff—all at a fraction of the cost of an in-house team.

By choosing to outsource business processes, you can focus on the core of your operations while allowing valued offshore talents with specialized skills and knowledge to care for front- and back-office BPO services.

This powerful practice has become the smart choice for many businesses looking to remain competitive in an ever-changing global market. BPO services have become so highly sought after that the Philippines has been known as “The BPO Capital of the World” since 2010.

In this article, we’ll cover the ins and outs of business process outsourcing (BPO), what it can do for your business, and what services you can outsource. By the end, you’ll be able to decide whether BPO managed services are right for your business.

Business Process Outsourcing Definition

BPO is the practice of outsourcing certain business functions to a third-party vendor that provides specialized services at a lower cost than it would take for an in-house team to do the same tasks. This includes anything from customer service, HR processes, financial operations, office support, and more.

Traditionally, outsourcing has meant handing over an entire business function to a BPO–their team, they’re contracted to do the job.

You can also outsource your hiring by working with a trusted BPO partner like Remote Employee. We provide a vetted pool of candidates for you to choose from, and when you hire our team, they do the job. This allows you to benefit from the same payroll savings, but have an employer-employee relationship with Philippines-based employees.

When you outsource your business functions, you gain access to the expertise and resources that third-party vendors have, leading to improved efficiency and productivity. This empowers you and your employees to focus on your business’s core competencies, instead of wasting time and money trying to manage every process in-house.

If you’re learning about BPO services and trying to decide if it’s the right fit for your company, it pays to do some research. Assessing your company’s goals and resources will help you determine what type of BPO client services are best for supporting your business operations.

The Benefits of Business Process Outsourcing

BPO managed services offer a range of business benefits that leaders need to be aware of, from cost savings to better company efficiency. For example:

Cost Savings

BPO as a service allows businesses of all sizes to reduce overhead costs and maximize their profitability by avoiding the costs associated with hiring in-house personnel. Cost savings become even more evident when you add up the costs of full-time, in-house hires, from wages to insurance and benefits.

With outsourcing, you can access the same level of expertise without needing to invest in training or resources, leading to significant savings.

Access to Expertise

BPO companies offer quality office services and resources, ensuring the best output in a timely manner. Traditionally, back office positions are only held by in-house employees for a short time—they’re soon promoted or move jobs in pursuit of better opportunities.

Offshore employees, however, have been dedicated to these roles for years. In areas like the Philippines, they’re highly regarded positions, often sought after and retained for long periods. And that’s something else to consider: Would you rather work with someone brand new or experienced personnel—especially at a fraction of the cost?

With the right skill set and experience, these outsourcing companies can offer expert opinions and solutions to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.

Increased Efficiency

BPO consulting services provide an efficient solution for many companies in need of a specialized touch. Need support in your HR department? Working with a BPO company guarantees a pool of trained, experienced, and vetted HR personnel ready to help, at only a fraction of the cost of on-shore, in-house hires.

BPO services also help free up resources within the business, allowing them to focus on their core competencies and what they do best—grow their business.

Improved Customer Service

Customer problems and inquiries can now be handled quickly and efficiently by offshore customer representatives. This team of personable customer service staff are incredibly approachable and always devoted to providing the best experience.

Your team is also able to provide timely feedback and resolution of customer issues, which are both essential components of excellent customer service.

Business Outsourcing Process Different Types

There are several types of BPO shared services available, depending on where your business needs additional staff support. The most common BPO roles you can outsource include:

Contact Center Outsourcing

Outsourcing customer-facing operations, such as customer service, technical support, and sales operations to a BPO provider can help organizations focus their resources on creating customer value. Contact center outsourcing allows businesses to scale easily and provide a better customer experience at a lower cost.

IT Outsourcing

This involves hiring offshore staff to provide IT services such as software development, data processing, system integration, and other IT-related services. Access solutions created by experienced professionals, with quality often exceeding those of their in-house teams.

HR Outsourcing

Outsourcing BPO services to HR professionals means that you don’t need to worry about taking care of payroll, benefits management, and employee training—your outsourced team has that covered. You’re also guaranteed to remain compliant with labor laws, saving you money and potentially reducing the risk of legal trouble.

Financial Processes Outsourcing

With an external financial services team working on accounts receivable and payable, invoicing, budgeting, and tax preparation, you can free up resources that can be invested elsewhere. Even better, outsourcing can ensure that all financial operations continue seamlessly despite sudden changes in staff or resources.

Source: Outsource Accelerator

Marketing Outsourcing

Outsourcing your marketing needs can give you the dedicated attention and expertise of professionals who understand all the elements of a successful marketing campaign–from website optimization to content creation and management, social media outreach, market research, and more.

Choosing the Right Business Process Outsourcing Providers

When selecting the best BPO services provider, it’s important to take the time to research different companies and find one that provides the services you require, offers experienced staff, and has a positive track record to back it up. Here are some tips to keep in mind while selecting a BPO provider:

Experience

When choosing an outsourcing service provider, it’s important to consider their experience in the industry. Ideally, you want to look for a company that has at least a couple years of experience in business, as well as a proven high customer retention rate. (You should also look up their standing on Outsource Accelerator.) .

Services

It’s also important to determine whether or not the BPO service provider can offer all of the necessary services and handle your workload. Make sure you ask about specific services as well as their capabilities in terms of capacity, flexibility and scalability.

For example, if you need to scale your payroll department to accommodate new business, you shouldn’t sign on with a BPO that offers limited financial services support.

Cost

Cost is always an important factor when selecting a BPO provider. Compare prices from different vendors before making a decision. At the end of the day, you’ll save money thanks to outsourcing, but you need to consider more than the question, “What’s the cheapest option?”

It’s also critical to make sure that you understand exactly what is included in each package. You need to know where your money is going.

Companies With US Offices

It’s also imperative to look for companies with US offices, and not just phone numbers. That way, you know you’re working with a trusted company you can reach if you have questions or concerns.

Reputation

You should also research the reputation of potential BPO providers before signing any contracts or agreements with them.

Look up their reviews online from past clients, check their accreditations, and ask for references from people who have worked with them previously. This will give you peace of mind knowing that you are working with an experienced BPO provider with a good track record.

Company Size

Pay close attention to company size. For companies that have over 3,000, they may have a hard time providing the same high-quality services your own customers have come to expect.

Quality

Lastly, it’s important to make sure that the service provider has quality systems in place to ensure accuracy and reliability when it comes to delivering services. Ask about their office processes for checking work quality and ensuring customer satisfaction before making any commitments. This also helps ensure quality of work stays high.

Final Thoughts

Any business owner wanting to outsource needs to do their research and select a trustworthy partner who can provide high-quality services and meet all of your company’s needs.

As a top 10 BPO on Outsource Accelerators, we’re devoted to providing our clients with the opportunity to interview a wide range of prospective employees, allowing them to bolster their teams with talented individuals who align with their company’s objectives.

Our offshore talent pool is among the most comprehensive and cost-effective options in the industry. Have any questions or looking to get started? Get in touch with us today. Our team is ready and eager to assist you in finding the exact right fit for your roles and business.

Featured Photo Source: DepositPhotos