Companies of all sizes outsource aspects of their business to save time and money. The benefits seem obvious: from marketing and human resources to tech services, outsourcing is one way to streamline business processes effectively. And outsourcing is on the rise, with technical support outsourcing being one of the areas experiencing the most growth. In fact, the technical support outsourcing market is expected to grow 6 percent by the year 2020. This includes both call center and helpdesk support. But how can you know whether your company stands to benefit from outsourcing technical support processes? First, it is helpful to understand just what it entails.

According to Udemy, outsourcing is the practice of delegating work to another person or organization, usually a third party that isn’t associated with your business. It requires you to entrust a portion of your business processes to an external resource. The same Udemy article points out that most organizations adopt outsourcing for the following reasons:

• Unavailability of in-house expertise
• Cutting costs in the short or long term
• Better management of in-house workflow

To put it simply, many companies stand to benefit from outsourcing technical support because staffing an in-house team requires more capital investment and infrastructure, along with increased human resources costs. The following is a more in-depth look at why companies like yours should consider transitioning to an outsourced technical support model.

• It’s cost effective. When companies outsource, they eliminate the costs associated with hiring employees. This can include training resources, health insurance, management oversight and more. It can also free up capital funds. Because you are outsourcing processes that aren’t essential to your business, you can better allocate resources on items that are more central. And you’ll have less overhead.
  
  
• Better customer service is available. Outsourcing your technical support team means that services are available around the clock, at a fraction of the cost of hiring full-time employees. In addition, you will have access to services and solutions you may not have considered before. Your support team will be able to monitor your systems 24/7, identifying problems and addressing them before they affect other areas of your business.
  
  
• It improves business focus. When you outsource technical support, your employees can focus on their core responsibilities rather than trying to cover multiple areas at once. Outsourcing vendors are trained in IT specifically, so they are better equipped to deal with challenges as they arise. Trying to keep up with the tech aspects of your business can be expensive and time-consuming, and mistakes are common. Specialized outsourcing partners reduce your risk of making the wrong decision. You’ll increase staff productivity and enable your company to become more flexible, agile and dynamic.
  
  
• You can increase the talent pool. When you choose to outsource technical support, you have the ability to access skilled tech professionals and the collective experience of a dedicated IT team. You can be sure they have the right training and certifications to do the job. This gives you a competitive advantage as well. While you may not know what to look for when hiring for technical positions, outsourcing vendors do. You can also access the right talent without worrying about geographic location.
  
  

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If you decide to migrate your support offshore, it is important to find a vendor that acts as your core strategic partner in order to maintain a good working relationship. The following are some aspects to keep in mind as you begin the process of hiring an outsourcing vendor. To complete the process effectively:

• Be able to communicate the goals and objectives of your project.
• Have a strategic plan for your relationship with the outsourcing partner.
• Consider asking for references and do your research to determine reputation.
• Outline all expectations involved, including finances.
• Ensure that lines of communication are open.
• Get buy-in from stakeholders and other decision-makers.

Feel free to contact us at info@glowtouch.com if you would like to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about outsourcing customer support services.