Many U.S. businesses have decided to outsource their call centers overseas in the past few years. One of the main reasons is to save money.A call center employee costs a company $20 per hour on average in the United States versus only $12 per hour in India, according to The Balance. Studies showed that businesses outsourced more than 250,000 call center jobs to India and the Philippines from 2001 to 2003. Other countries that saw significant outsourcing from the United States include Ireland and Canada.
In spite of these statistics, many overseas call centers are now returning to the U.S. in response to increased customer complaints and concerns about outsourcing. In addition, the costs of outsourcing to overseas call centers versus entrusting a call center in the United States have evened out, making it more cost-effective for companies to choose U.S.-based call centers instead. While this is a major incentive, there are a variety of reasons for choosing a call center in the USA.
5 Benefits of a U.S.-based Call Center
A call center based in the United States offers several advantages over call centers located overseas. Some of the most notable benefits of domestic call centers include:
1. Better communication
Both U.S. and foreign call centers need to be able to communicate effectively with both customers and the company they serve. Overseas call centers are often staffed by individuals who speak English as a second language, which means they may have a harder time understanding people from the United States. In addition, the added distance can create problems with the connection, making distortions and/or technical difficulties more likely.
2. Legal knowledge
When partnering with any call center, you want to be sure the people answering the phone have an accurate, in-depth understanding of relevant legal processes and terminology. Unfortunately, many foreign call centers do not specialize in the legal industry or provide specialized training for their reps. This lack of understanding can foster distrust in prospective clients and cause them to move on to a different firm.
3. Professionalism
Your law firm needs to know that it has partnered with a call center that will treat every client with respect and courtesy. When clients do not receive this type of treatment during intake or when calling your firm for another purpose, they are more likely to look for alternative legal representation. Call centers based in the United States are much more likely to understand the level of professionalism expected by U.S. clients.
4. Responsiveness
When someone calls your law firm, having someone available to answer the phone at any hour is essential. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing potential clients. U.S.-based call centers like Alert can offer 24/7 coverage to your law firm, ensuring that someone is always available to field your calls.
5. Security
Although they may be less expensive in some cases, overseas call centers often lack security. Not only are these call centers more likely to be vulnerable to cyber crimes, they are also less likely to be HIPAA compliant. This is a key concern, as there is cause for legality with someone’s personal information being sent overseas. Foreign call centers don’t generally follow HIPAA compliance, which can lead to legal ramifications for your firm.
Alert is a U.S.-based legal services call center that can meet all of your needs. Every representative we employ completes an in-depth training process designed to ensure that he or she is equipped to speak knowledgeably with anyone who calls your firm. Learn more about our services and how we can help your firm grow.