PEO Services, An Efficient Way Of Doing Business

BPOs and COVID-19; Keeping Business as Usual in Pandemic

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As of this writing, many areas in the Philippines will be under five months of quarantine. Quarantine protocols may be different here than in other countries, but the purpose is the same – to minimize public mobility, in effort to slow down and stop the spread of COVID-19.

Quarantine affected all the industries, and businesses are faced with sudden challenges. COVID-19 is spread in close contact, which makes group and mass gatherings unsafe and impractical. Among those affected are BPO companies, with workspace in offices that require employees sitting next and across each other.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology issued guidelines for the Business Process Outsourcing sector: how to respond to the urgent situation and still maintain business operations.

Adapting to Change

Work-from-Home (Telework) setups were arranged, so employees can continue working out of office. Equipment and connectivity were setup at homes, since the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine prohibited all public transport. Private transport was regulated and monitored.

Skeletal workforce were allowed to operate as needed in essential establishments, and including BPO offices. Employees who reported to work were required to follow safety protocols like social distancing, basic sanitation and hygiene, and the wearing of personal protection equipment like facemasks and face shields.

Offices were routinely sanitized, all employees required to provide proper identification. Personnel were also monitored for symptoms indicative of COVID-19, guidelines were set to ensure the health and safety of every employee.

Quarantine levels have changed since implementation, and public transport is resumed and restricted accordingly. Many companies maintained Work-from-Home arrangements as status quo, adopting new ways of monitoring and maintaining productivity.

Infrastructural Challenges

One of the challenges faced by BPO companies is the change in workplace infrastructure. Office productivity is manageable when there’s reliable internet service and equipment, maintained by in-house IT. With the work-from-home setup, localized internet and power outages are challenges, but are compensated for with workforce management.

There’s no doubt COVID-19 is a curve ball to the way work is done, in the Philippines and the rest of the world. Companies are forced to adjust and adapt to the changes; sooner or later a vaccine will be developed, but the lesson learned from this should be useful in resolving related problems.

Employee Leasing Services: Billing Enquiry

Employee Leasing Services: Billing Enquiry

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Problems are part of good business. Without issues to resolve, business development plateaus and suffers. Many technical mishaps or delays can’t be solved through simple troubleshooting, however. Sometimes, FAQs can’t fully satisfy or solve the problem. But that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be other ways to get around fixing the problem. Employee leasing services can be delegated essential tasks, especially with regards to important matters like billing statements.

It would only be natural for customers to want to know everything regarding their statements. Explanations are necessary for certain terms and features, the full 411 on the whys and hows. It’s the job of customer services representative teams to pay close attention. Issues are resolved with offer step by step solutions to all inquiries, effectively mitigating customer issues.

Methods of Addressing Billing Enquiries

Through online forms found on the company’s website or a direct call to the CSR team, billing enquiries can be systematically addressed and handled. Each method provides a standard step by step process that would help both parties come to an understanding regarding the problem faced. Employee leasing services help in coordinating work. Possible solutions are narrowed down until the correct solution is found, and the customer’s enquiry has been answered.

Whether it’s to assist with terminating specific subscriptions, an inquiry to upgrade the account, or finding out why there was an added charge for something unsolicited, the CSR team would have the know-how and access to information that would help the customer.

Due Diligence from Employee Leasing Services

Finding the solution and going through the lengths to properly explain to a customer why this problem occurred or what this certain terminology means can take a certain amount of time and effort before the case can be closed. CSR teams should keep in mind that one cannot operate through simple deduction and quick fixes; it’s important that employee leasing services make sure in-process that the customer thoroughly understands the due process and answers in order to make way for a better customer experience.

As with any delivery of customer service, communication and good listening skills are important in order to fully accommodate and provide support for the customer. Customer service is an essential part of good business, especially if it involves products or services. However, costs can be mitigated by outsourcing the process to employee leasing services. You can hire customer service from leased staff, ensuring an efficient, streamlined process.

Delegate Data Management: Hire Companies That Outsource The Process

Delegate Data Management: Hire Companies That Outsource The Process

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Facing problems as a small business is difficult; you can always hire companies that outsource service to ease the process. Understanding the problem well and executing the solution is the key. Yet, there are times when the problem is out of reach, and there’s need for someone knowledgeable to solve it. Data Management is one of those ever-urgent problems that can be resolved with outsourcing.

Data Management is the process of protecting, analyzing, protecting and obtaining data from users, guaranteeing the safety of data for future use. Specialists  handle this task; it’s challenging but manageable. One of the main goals is to use data to detect problems and opportunities, in effort to improve business.

Not all businesses have in-house data scientists solving and managing information. Here are some tips that can help your company face the challenges ahead.

1. Data Collection

In collecting the users’ data, there are some questions you need to ask; what kinds and sources of information are beneficial? More importantly, how do you gather these pieces of information from the viable sources?

Collecting data can be a challenge because it is stored in a database that is out of reach, and obtaining this also requires compliance with standard industry practices. Consider companies that outsource staff to simplify and streamline the process. The use of secured third-party website can be viable because it guarantees the safety of the info.

2. Data Storage

There are dozens of websites that offer cloud services and storage. It is common to use it nowadays, especially for big businesses. The convenience it offers is easy enough, from sharing files to setting accessibility. Google Drive and Dropbox are great examples of cloud storage services. Once registered, you’ll receive a free amount of space, and can buy more if necessary.

Regardless of option you choose, the main goal here is to store the data where you can ensure its safety.

3. Data Usage

Understanding what to collect and how to collect data will help you know when to use it. Keep in mind, though; you need to respect the owner’s data privacy, make sure you always have authorization to use it.

Data management can save your business time and money; it’s an essential aspect of routine operations. If you’ve considered you can benefit from outside help, you can always hire companies that outsource the process to specialists. Problem solved.

Four Staple Solutions In Offshore Sourcing

Four Staple Solutions In Offshore Sourcing

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It’s no secret that offshore sourcing is fast becoming the new trend in business development. There’s an increasing number of outsourcing companies, offering various staff leasing services to businesses. Big and small outfits, more entrepreneurs are deciding to adopt into this new platform. Outsourcing has proven essential in a technology-driven, technology-dependent business world.

To give further tips for businesses wishing to jump on the bandwagon, here are some of the most common outsourcing services you can avail:

Customer Support

Customer support is probably the most common outsourced service in the industry as of now. The rise of call centers has continued over the years and is still growing ever so rapidly. Countries like America, Canada, and the UK have been partnering with offshore sourcing companies all over the world. This growth boosts economies and creates countless jobs.

Computer Programming

Standard computer programming is also one good example of outsourced service, where a company depends on the skills and creativity of leased employees to monitor the company’s database and other related projects. Outsourcing a computer programmer is definitely much less expensive than hiring an in-house employee, in which case the company needs to expand its offices and delegate other resources.

Data Entry, Writing, & SEO

Data entry, writing, and SEO are preferable jobs for offshore sourcing. These jobs can be done without requiring full supervision from the company, as long as the instructions are clear. Technical writing, blogs, articles and web content are some examples of tasks which can be easily filled by leased employees. Again, a great way to cut company expenses.

Creative Services

Creative services such as animation, graphic designs, logos, and print design can also be simply passed to a group of leased employees. A lot of expenses can be spared through outsourcing, compared to hiring in-house employees. The PEO will be the one providing the workplace and all necessary equipment and software.

Big, small, and start-up companies find offshore sourcing a great convenience, and it’s not just about the financial advantages. The productivity and flexibility of the business also improves from the services rendered by PEOs, which offer excellent performance at a fraction of the cost.

Employee Leasing Solutions: Competitive Intelligence from Third-Party Media Monitoring Companies

Employee Leasing Solutions: Competitive Intelligence from Third-Party Media Monitoring Companies

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Competition is staple fare in healthy business; it comes with the territory, and many cope with employee leasing solutions. There’s drive to be the first to present something new or innovative, and when the others have followed suit, the game steps up with innovations, adjustments, improvements. It’s an endless cycle of catch-up, and it helps that every competitor knows what they’re up against.

To gather the competitive intelligence that they need, businesses turn to media monitoring services provided by third-party companies. These companies have teams of skilled professionals and experts combing through the variety of media platforms, to get the latest on their clients’ competition. They have the resources and the reach to provide their clients with solid material, which can be used in strategies and business development.

Inside Knowledge Give You The Advantage

Information on product releases is often inside knowledge, which is coveted and crucial to the competition. Businesses need to know what their competitors are offering ahead of time, so they can match or exceed the anticipated release with a product of their own. In employee leasing solutions, media monitoring companies effectively gather information for this purpose; but they can also do more than that. They can trace how their competitors’ efforts evolve over time, spotting trends and windows of opportunities. This is an incredible advantage to businesses: with the information gleaned, there’s opportunity to tweak a successful formula, or fix faults previously unnoticed.

Another thing that businesses can obtain using media monitoring is data on the competitors’ promotional strategies. Whether the others are offering price cuts, bundled deals, limited-time offers, or promos in response to special events, it is important for the clients to get a hold of them. With this on hand, they can go over their own pricing tables and promotional plans, modify the same to stay ahead.

One more information that employee leasing solutions offer is insight on the competition’s activities. Media monitoring services can gather data on where their money is being spent on, whether it’s acquiring new branches or improving facilities. They can even take note of the kinds of corporate positions that these rivals are hiring. These sets of information can help businesses determine how to allocate their own funds and what untapped corporate activities they can try out.

Employee Leasing Solutions: Let Specialists Do The Legwork

Competitive intelligence, when gathered by a dedicated company, is sure to be detailed, extensive, and usable. Businesses may opt to have their divisions of their own to carry this out, but there’s a chance that they’ll be limited in reach and access. Media monitoring companies are rarely in trouble with this thanks to their wide network and formidable skill sets.

Still, it’s the businesses who will be calling the shots, once they know what they’re up against. They can play catch-up, or they can carve their own lane. Whatever the decision will be, there’s the assurance the decision is well-informed by the competitive intelligence provided through employee leasing solutions.

Feasible Solutions In BPO: Employee Leasing

Feasible Solutions In BPO: Employee Leasing

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Among the outsourcing solutions available in the BPO industry, employee leasing is one of the more cost-efficient options your business should consider. Our drive at iStaff.ph is to extend services to clients, find alternative, feasible ways of doing business. With iStaff, staff leasing means a highly professional operation that delivers quality results.

Employee is a business model where an organization’s resources are leased to a client; the latter benefits with direct oversight over an autonomous provider. With this results-driven setup, chargebacks are computed based on the actual services rendered. This translates to efficient operations and optimal return on investment.

Employee Leasing Vs. Centralization

iStaff assist clients in streamlining the routine procedures of centralization. Under centralization, the operation is still overarching, making supervision quite vague due to the wide delegation of tasks and varying policies. In an employee leasing setup, a supervisor oversees operations in behalf of client; each leased party may operate under different procedures. With this setup, performance assessments are consolidated faster, and are also accurate.

On the other hand, a staff leasing model has a strong and structured work flow, with reporting and evaluation readily available. This affords the team leader a more hands-on approach to gauging the efficiency of the operation. This holistic method of doing business is not just cost-effective, it’s also results-driven. Centralization’s focus is on how to improve the bureaucracy of the organization, while staff leasing service focuses on how to deliver quality work.

Flexible, Customizable Services

With years of experience in the business process outsourcing industry, iStaff can readily extend topnotch employee leasing service to clients. This includes voice campaigns (customer service and outbound/inbound sales) and technical support/help desk operations. These are billed per hour, per performance, with a fixed pay, or based on service level. Rigorous candidate selection also ensures the success of campaigns. We also offer high-quality equipment within conducive workspace, as required.

iStaff leverages the best strategies to deliver services that meet the goals of clients. With expert management, innovative solutions, and a world-class workforce, they can make any business work as efficiently and effectively as possible. We are capable and more than ready to extend competitive, holistic, and professional employee leasing service, customized to your requirements.

The Building Block Of Outsourced Call Center Services: What Makes a Good Contact Center Agent?

The Building Block Of Outsourced Call Center Services: What Makes a Good Contact Center Agent?

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In this technology-dependent BPO industry, outsourced call center services have instrumental role in business marketing strategy. This is especially true in expanding and progressing businesses. With today’s highly competitive business set-up, it’s safe to say having an effective, profit-generating contact center is a sure way companies stay on track.

Outsourced Call Center Services, In A Nutshell

Contact centers are part of company operations, dealing with customer relations or communications. It is essentially a branch of the overall customer relationship management (CRM), with specialized, dedicated agents. Contact centers handle all forms of communication—call centers, e-mails, faxes, phone calls, text and web chats.

Nuts And Bolts

However, operating a contact center is one thing, but running it efficiently is another. As the phrase goes, “What use is a sword if it’s lost its sharpness?” The same goes for contact centers. In order for a business to continue converting customers to their side, it must have great customer relations operation. A functional contact center that is reliable and efficient is a must-have in business. Which brings us to the question, “What makes outsourced call center services any good?”

Agents At The Core

In order to have a profit-making contact center, a company ensures they have the right employees. What makes a good contact agent, then? Well, first off is having the experience required of the job. In order to engage customers, agents must be a great communicators, knowing how and when to conversation cards. Inexperienced agents lack the ability to communicate confidently and persuasively, which in many ways could affect the overall operation of the company. To avoid such problems, sufficient training is required.

A good agent, of course, doesn’t stop in being an experienced communicator. Attracting and maintaining customers is easier if a company portrays a good reputation, and the contact center’s performance can either make or break that. Hence, it is crucial to keep good relationship with clients.

One way to do that is by creating a more personal connection with the clients. It is easier to confide to a friend than to a stranger, and the relationship must be emulated in correspondence between customers and companies. Customers are more likely to engage with sincere, instead of passive agents. Clients receive great service, agents receive great customer feedback, and companies profit with improved revenue and reputation – the definition of a win-win-win scenario.

Custom Offshore Sourcing Service For Best Returns

Customize Your Offshore Sourcing Service For Best Returns

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Businesses turn to offshore sourcing because of the variety of specializations available. Companies have different goals, and outsourcing companies various approaches to help clients achieve goals. With numerous outsourcing companies competing for market share, businesses would want a partner that could share their visions. There’s also the need to seamlessly work together to deliver high-quality products and/or services.

Sourcing Processes To Service Providers

With the progress of the Internet and technology, any company would want to be at the top of everything. Anything that ensures transactions and operations are effective and efficient is important. Sometimes, though, they don’t have the time or the manpower that’s up to par with tasks to be completed. This is where offshore sourcing comes in. Professional outsourcing companies are expected to be well-versed with newer systems and applications, covering back-office services to customer support.

Customized Offshore Sourcing Is Crucial

Company executives would want to maximize those benefits, so they can focus on aspects of business crucial to company growth. Unfortunately, when the company turns to some outsourcing companies for help, they run the risk of limiting themselves instead. Companies should consider outsourced companies that adjust to the company’s needs and wants, not the other way around.

Does the outsourced company have specialized and professional pool of talents that meets the standards? Can these talents dedicate the time and effort that will make the project/campaign successful? Will offshore sourcing contribute to the overall growth of the company? Outsourcing companies should build a solid team that gets the job done within the specified time.

The company should also account for the facilities these outsourcing companies have to offer. Are they properly outfitted and updated with the means to deliver the required results? Proper equipment and resources are prerequisites that aid talents accomplish their given project assignments.

Final Considerations

The cost of offshore sourcing shouldn’t outweigh the benefits of what an outsourced team can offer. Outsourcing companies understand full well how important efficiency is, so by being able to provide a customized solutions service for the company, both parties can reach a point of agreement that would be advantageous for everyone involved. Offshore sourcing is a comprehensive solution for many business dilemmas, but only if you have the right team in place, sourced by a reliable provider.

Three Traits Of Good Telemarketing Services

Three Traits Of Good Telemarketing Services

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Choosing a telemarketing services company to boost your business isn’t a cakewalk. The actual campaign can feel like a potshot; telemarketers are your front-line representatives. Bad telemarketers leave impression of bad business.

Unfortunately, some companies in this industry often settle with scripts too obvious or annoying, persistence prospects with repeated, routine calls. Some even employ automated outreach, using a robot with the voice of a well-mannered woman to take calls, expertly dodging attempts to deviate from the spiel. What a business needs in telemarketing services is one that values conversation over structure and formality.

Exclusivity

A good telemarketing company provides an exclusive team of agents to source and follow-up on prospects. By exclusive, it means that for the entire duration of the campaign, these agents are dedicated to one campaign. An agent that can juggle two or more companies is commendable, but this also hinders the growth of the relationship with the prospect and its goals.

Good Telemarketing Services Can Be Spontaneous

Good telemarketing services are also able to stray off scripts while staying within the process. The script is part and parcel of this industry, but outright reading words on paper lends a distant, impersonal tone to the calls. Prospects prefer agents able to carry free-flowing conversations with their contacts. An outline of general topics may be needed, but it is the caller who still does the heavy lifting. Spontaneity is firm proof of a professional who knows what he’s talking about.

Good Brand Representation

A good telemarketing company also owns up to the brand they represent. A great many telemarketers open with “calling on behalf of”, and they almost always lose the person on the other end of the line. Telemarketing is direct marketing – the producer always initiates outreach. A good agent speaks as if he is part of the business itself, and is an able representative.

Telemarketers are extensions of the business’s marketing and sales department, often expected to know the business inside out. Companies who practice this as policy act as the bridge to smooth working relationship between all involved parties.

Telemarketing services make the most out of outreach campaigns, and it can be as hectic as they come. Focus on traits like exclusivity, spontaneity, and intimate representation, and the right partner becomes easier to hone in and more worthwhile to keep.

Tell-Tale Signs You Need To Outsource Customer Service, ASAP

Tell-Tale Signs You Need To Outsource Customer Service, ASAP

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Time is seldom an ally to small business; it’s often the exact opposite! There are always deadlines and deliverables to meet. Effective time management is crucial, whether you’re part of a start-up or multinational company. If you’ve yet to outsource customer service as means to streamline your business, then it’s likely you’re missing out.

Your business has the advantage by outsourcing tasks, whether menial or essential. There’s only so much time to spare in a day. Are you willing to spend it on things you can just as effectively delegate? If you want added incentive to outsource customer service, then you’re probably aware the largest corporations already implement this as a matter of practice.

Feasibility remains a significant factor, though. How do you know if you’re in dire need of outsourcing? Here are four tell-tale signs it’s time to delegate to a dedicated, outsourced staff:

1. You want results. Right now, if possible.

Developing staff in-house has its rewards, but the process takes time to percolate. New hires need time to manage the learning curve, and this may take a few months to navigate. This is great if you’re willing to wait; unfortunately, this is rarely the case.

Isn’t it more efficient to have staff who are already trained and equipped to handle the tasks at hand? You’ll save time and money with plug-and-play teams. If you’re racing to meet a critical point in deliverables or timelines, a leased staff is exactly what you need.

2. You outsource customer service to compensate for a lack of expertise.

There’s always someone able and willing to take on any task, someone more efficient and cost-effective. You’ll burn out if you try to do everything on your own, especially the menial tasks. Routine is often the biggest roadblock to progress! If you’re admittedly unable to perform tasks for lack of knowledge or experience, it’s in your best interest to hire people who can fill the gap.

Partner with teams who are experts in areas you’re lacking, and make sure they share your company’s goals and vision. You’ll immediately realize you made the right decision, when your business runs like clockwork from the get-go.

3. You can’t spare time/you’re too busy.

This is a desperation to keep up with tasks you simply don’t have time for. It’s true time is your most valuable commodity, and an investment in the right team ensures you have spare time to focus on bigger priorities. Entrusting multiple tasks to one person doesn’t help either; this is risking a burnout. You’re in danger of losing top talent just because you piled one task too many.

The efficient solution is to outsource customer service, hire a team with all the skills and experience you need. If you barely have time to develop in-house, then you’d best hire ready and capable staff, always on-hand and for lease.