How many times has your tech company encountered the following?
“I’m having a difficult time logging in to your site.”
“Your device shut down abruptly.”
“I can’t access my files anymore on your platform.”
Perhaps more than you’ve tallied. But how many times have you encountered the more complex technical issues concerning your product? And how many times were you able to promptly resolve the customer’s complaint? Your answer might not be something pleasant to think about.
Whatever that number may be, we can both agree having a good technical support team to service your customers is fundamental to the survival of your business. And if you have a good technical support team by your side, thinking about your customers’ concerns won’t bring about distressing memories.
Technical support services are probably the most complicated type of customer service. While customer service itself is already not intuitive — in that agents have to fully grasp basic and even minor details about a company’s product or service — technical support is an entirely different animal. Apart from having to understand a product or service, you have to understand how the specific technology works as well. This is important because that is how you convert inquiries into sales.
But Why Should You Outsource Your Technical Support Team to the Philippines?
Outsourcing to a Philippines-based company is much like having your cake and eating it, too. You can expect to have a stellar team and reduce your company’s expenses at the same time. This is all the more beneficial when you learn just how expensive building your own technical support team can be or how similarly costly it is to outsource the same in your country.
If you decide to build a team internally, you have to consider factors such as space, technology, and time — all of which will absolutely weigh your company down in one way or another. On the other hand, if you decide to outsource nationally, you run the risk of spending a large sum of money because your living conditions are more or less the same. The expenses involved in building a technical support team tend to be similar to those of your local outsourcing firm. So you have to ask: Are you really maximizing your resources when you outsource to them? Will the costs be significantly reduced?
Conversely, you gain endless benefits from partnering with an outsourcing firm in the Philippines, especially when you’re looking to have a good and reliable technical support team. But exactly what, you ask, are the advantages?
Skills You’ll Find When You Outsource Your Technical Support Team to the Philippines
Hospitable Approach to Others
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Filipinos are generally considered hospitable. You’ve probably heard a thousand times how accommodating Filipinos are toward their guests. Being naturally hospitable, Filipinos eagerly welcome visitors into their abode, with food laid out on the table, instantly giving their guests a sense of home.
What does this have to do with technical support? While hospitality generally pertains to being congenial to and accommodating large groups of people, you have to remember being hospitable is a mindset that bleeds through other activities. And that includes customer support.
Imagine a frustrated customer, in dire need of extra support to understand your technical product or service. A hospitable technical support team will gladly welcome this customer. The team will engage with them and be understanding of their needs. You win more and more customers this way, and you win this way by outsourcing to a company based in the Philippines.
Language Proficiency
The greatest difficulty you will encounter, should you choose to outsource your technical support team offshore,
In the most recent EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) as of writing this article, the Philippines placed second in Asia. The Philippines landed on the 20th spot globally. The EF EPI ranks countries according to their mastery of the English language. It’s also worth noting the educational system in the country resembles that of the US, and the medium of instruction for a lot of schools is, in fact, English.
But why does this heavily factor into building an excellent technical support team? Language barriers between a customer and a technical support agent will slow down business operations. In the case of technical support,
If you partner with an outsourcing company with a technical support team whose members are proficient in English, you wouldn’t need to fret about operations slowing down or think about supervising your team so often. All you have to do is expect a quick, efficient call between your competent agent and a satisfied customer.
Quick Learners
A good number of Filipinos who become qualified for technical support are usually college degree holders who have been screened by their respective outsourcing companies. With their years of training in college, you can look forward to quick and adaptable learners in your team.
But why is the ability to learn quickly a necessary skill in technical support? Your technical support agents will have to familiarize themselves with all the information about your product in a short amount of time. The quicker your team is in learning, the faster you will have agents to carry out business operations.
Important Questions to Ask Yourself When Outsourcing Your Technical Support Team to the Philippines
Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Technical Support Team at a Good Price?
Locally outsourcing your technical support team will probably not reduce the cost as much compared to offshore outsourcing. In the Philippines, the cost of living is much less, making it easier for outsourcing companies to quote you a price that is well within your business means. And the best part is you get a technical support team whose members have all the aforementioned skills.
Does the Outsourcing Company Have Years of Experience?
The BPO industry is not new to the Philippines. Encouraged through the Special Economic Zone Act, the Philippines has been providing outsourcing solutions to foreign companies for over 20 years. Experience is an important consideration because it tells you how well a company knows the business. So if you’re outsourcing your technical support to the Philippines, you can bet you’ll find a good outsourcing company in the country.
Does the Outsourcing Company Offer 24/7 Availability?
When it comes to availability, you have to look into whether your technical support team can serve your customers 24/7. Fortunately, in the Philippines, there is an abundance of technical support teams operating in shifts — from the day shift to the graveyard shift. Make sure you keep an eye out for companies like them. You might just be staring at one.
In Summary
Outsourcing your technical support team to the Philippines has multiple advantages. Skillswise, you get people who are:
- Embody hospitality;
- Proficient in English; and
- Quick learners.
When choosing an outsourcing team in the Philippines, you have to consider:
- The value you have to shell out and receive from partnering with a company should be tantamount to each other, which is pretty common when you’re outsourcing to the Philippines;
- How many years a Philippines-based BPO has been in business; and
- Whether the company has technical support teams who can serve your customers 24/7.
NarraSoft’s outsourcing services range from project development to clerical work execution. You can expect services involving data entry, technical support, 3D art creation, software development, and so many more. If you’re interested in outsourcing to NarraSoft, send an email to sales@narrasoft.com!