Before You Outsource: The Critical Role of SLAs in BPO Contracts

My Early Outsourcing Adventure

Picture this: I was working for a company experiencing explosive growth. We were bombarded with a staggering 40,000 emails daily, but our CX team consisted of just 10 dedicated folks. We needed help, and fast. We embarked on one of the fastest BPO campaigns ever, launching within two months, hiring over 100 agents, and creating training from scratch. As you can imagine, we made some early mistakes. In this series, I'll spill the beans on those blunders, so you can steer clear of them. Let's start with a biggie: the importance of integrating your department's SLAs into your agreement before launch.

Outsourcing: A Clever Move, but...

Outsourcing is undoubtedly a smart move for many companies. It lets you tap into specialized expertise, trim costs, and scale up your CX efforts seamlessly. But here's the catch – your customers couldn't care less if their interaction is handled by an in-house team or an outsourced one. They demand exceptional service, plain and simple.

Why SLAs Always Matter

Now, let's talk about SLAs – those magical agreements that detail response times, resolution times, and service quality. They're your golden ticket to keeping customers happy, even when you outsource your CX. Here's why they're indispensable:

1. Consistency Rules

Customers are all about consistency. They want the same top-notch service every time they engage with your brand. By integrating your in-house CX department's SLAs into your BPO contract, you ensure that service quality remains consistent, no matter who's handling the support request.

2. Meeting Customer Expectations

Your customers have unwavering expectations. If your in-house team aims to resolve issues within a certain timeframe, your outsourced team should do the same. Consistency in meeting these expectations builds trust and keeps customers content.

3. Safeguarding Your Brand

Your brand's reputation is precious, like fine porcelain. Once shattered, it's tough to piece together again. When you incorporate SLAs, you're safeguarding your brand's image. Even with a third-party BPO, your service standards stay intact.

4. Creating a Seamless Experience

Imagine a world where customers can't distinguish between your in-house and outsourced teams because both provide equally exceptional service. By including your SLAs, you're crafting a seamless customer experience that bolsters loyalty.

5. Swift Issue Resolution

SLAs set clear expectations for issue resolution times. Be it a billing dispute, technical hiccup, or product query, customers want swift resolutions. Extending your SLAs to your BPO partner ensures that no query lingers unresolved.

6. Enhanced Monitoring and Accountability

With SLAs in your contract, you have a solid framework for monitoring and accountability. You can track performance against these benchmarks and hold your BPO partner to the same high standards as your in-house team.

How to Make It Happen

Now that you see the importance, let's talk about the how:

1. Collaborative Contract Negotiation: Team up with your BPO partner during contract negotiations. Be transparent about your SLAs and their seamless integration.

2. Crystal Clear Metrics: Ensure your SLAs are defined in clear, measurable terms. Leave no room for ambiguity regarding expectations.

3. Regular Performance Reviews: Routinely assess your BPO's performance against SLAs. Promptly address any discrepancies to uphold service quality.

4. Invest in Training and Onboarding: Invest in robust training and onboarding processes to align your BPO team with your SLAs and company values.

5. Flexibility and Scalability: Allow flexibility and scalability in your contract to accommodate changes in SLAs as your business evolves.

6. Define what happens if they can’t hit your SLAs: It’s important that your BPO is held accountable for this agreement. What happens if they don’t hold up their end of the agreement? Make sure that’s clear.

The Recipe for CX Success

In the world of outsourcing, integrating your CX department's SLAs into your BPO contract isn't just a best practice; it's the recipe for CX success. It ensures that your customers consistently receive the top-notch service they expect, whether delivered by your in-house team or your trusted BPO partner.

So, the next time you embark on an outsourcing journey, remember to pack your SLAs. They're the secret ingredient for a seamless, consistent, and customer-centric CX journey.