Choosing to outsource your live chat operators is both convenient and advantageous. There are numerous reasons as to why more businesses choose to outsource technical support. The greatest of the benefit is heightened excellence in customer service.

A live chat agent can attend to a customer’s needs far better than any AI or chatbot would be able to. At the same time, they will be able to convert curious visitors into leads by being at hand to promote a company’s services. And finally, customers feel so much more comfortable knowing that they are talking to a human on the other side of the screen.

Why Outsource?

You might think that this job can be filled by in-house live chat agents. In some ways, you may also feel that you don’t need to outsource from a third-party. After all, you have individuals in your company who can to do the job. However, opting to outsource chat support has numerous advantages.

• A larger pool of talent – In-house hiring is typically restricted by geographical limitations. When a company chooses to outsource, they tap into a pool of professionals from all over the world.
• Highly cost-effective – Your company saves considerable sums in overhead when you outsource your live chat operators. No need to provide a live chat agent with the equipment, desk, or even an internet connection. Most work-from-home professionals provide their own quality equipment and that’s a win for you.
• Address your customers’ needs 24/7 – An outsourced chat agent does not need to stick to standard business hours. Once you outsource live chat support, the service can be provided up to well beyond standard working hours. Round-the-clock service becomes possible as well. For instance, you can outsource two agents–one who will man the morning shift, and the other who will be in charge of the night queries.

How Do You Outsource Chat Support?

It’s the same process that any company would undertake when hiring an in house employee. You post a job ad, filter tons of curriculum vitae, and screen only the top applicants. However, there are a few differences to the process:

Identify the required skills

When you outsource your live chat operators, begin by identifying the skills that the job will require. Start by explaining the purpose of the business and why a live chat agent will be necessary for customer service. In addition, identify the software that they will be expected to use. Finally, make sure to include working hours. It would also be helpful to indicate any required languages.

Select excellent candidates

Select some excellent candidates and begin the interview process. Here, you can describe the kind of experience you want for your customers. The primary reason for your company to outsource your live chat operators is to provide excellent customer service, after all. Essentially, you need to establish clear instructions on how they are expected to address the customers’ needs and issues.

Focus on their level of customer service experience

Ask the live chat operators about their flexibility. What is their level of experience with live chat support? After hearing about the company’s desired customer service experience, are they confident they can provide it? And most importantly, are they able to clock in according to their designated shifts? Timeliness is especially vital for companies looking to offer round-the-clock live chat support.

Establish the customer service standard of your company

Once hired, it’s vital to make things clear about the customer service standard that they need to abide. They have to maintain the company brand during the whole process. Knowing the Frequently Asked Questions shows them what they can expect from customers beforehand. And finally, make sure to remind them that speed is of the essence. Chat support aims to cut out long waiting times. Customers want urgent replies. As much as possible, they have to find ways to resolve their customers’ issues, or at least answer their questions in a snap of a finger.

Where to Find the Best Live Chat Agents?

The idea of having to outsource your live chat operators may be a little daunting. Companies that have never outsourced before might find themselves uncertain as to how to proceed. One of the easier ways to ensure that a company can outsource live chat support easily is through the help of an outsourcing service provider.

Through HOPLA, companies can tap into a vast global network of talents and quality live chat agents. HOPLA can also screen and interview the candidates for you. You get the right agents capable of doing the job and maintaining a high standard of customer support. Visit HOPLA Online and get started today.