WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF OUTSOURCING MY CUSTOMER SUPPORT?

There are a number of benefits to outsourcing customer and contact center support. Here are the ones we hear most about from our clients:

• Cost savings – Not only does an outsourced support team cost less, but you also don't have to worry about other additional costs such as office equipment, suitable work location, insurance and benefits, etc.
• More emphasis on core operations – Let's face it. Customer service is not glamorous, and it's probably not why you started your company or business. But it is for us. By letting us take care of your customers, you can focus on what you do best.
• Flexibility – A business is a growing, living thing. There may be promotions or growth periods that require extra customer support, or slow seasons that don't need a large staff. Outsourcing allows you to scale your workforce month-to-month for whatever your business needs.
• Greater customer satisfaction – Outsourcing makes it easy to have your phone lines, chat requests, and email inquiries answered 24/7. And since customer service is what we specialize in, we are always evaluating ourselves and looking at how we can improve the customer experience.

WHAT ARE THE DRAWBACKS OF OUTSOURCING CUSTOMER SUPPORT?

Yes, there may be drawbacks. As a company that provides outsourced support, we try to be aware of these things so that we can find solutions for our clients.

• Increased time to circulate new information – With an outsourced team, the expectation is that new information such as product updates and current promotions will take longer to distribute to the support team. However, with current technology, this is something that is more of an imagined concern rather than a reality. We are easily accessible for calls, chats, emails, etc.
• Less loyalty among support staff – Because the support team is not directly employed by your company, there is a risk that they may not have the mentality of actually being on your team. Furthermore, many outsourced agents are cross-trained and have to split their focus between two or more companies. In order to avoid this, we assign one company to one agent so that they become fluent in your company's knowledge and messaging.

THERE ARE COUNTLESS OTHER OUTSOURCED CUSTOMER SUPPORT SERVICES. WHY TELE-NET?

A quick Google search will bring up many companies in this industry. They may have similar pricing, have contact centers in the same parts of the world, provide similar services...it all can be quite overwhelming. What makes tele-net unique is our dedication to the concept of omotenashi. We offer competitive pricing, stay up-to-date with our software and tech, and provide a wide range of services. But in the end, our highest priority is making sure your customer is taken care of. And we don't just say that—we've been practicing that for over two decades.

WHERE ARE YOUR CONTACT CENTERS LOCATED?

We have several locations throughout the world. For western companies, our operations are based in Cebu, Philippines.

WHY THE PHILIPPINES?

The Philippines have become a desired location for outsourced customer service. Here are a few reasons why:

• Filipinos have a strong, customer service-centered, mentality. (It pairs quite well with tele-net's culture of omotenashi).
• Education system is done in English.
• High quality universities foster a educated and skilled workforce.
• Cebu is heavily influenced by Western education and culture.
• Low-cost, higher-quality living means outsourcing costs can be kept at a competitive level.
• Modern infrastructure allows implementation of modern tech and services.
• Access to Japanese, Korean, and Chinese speakers.

DO YOUR AGENTS HAVE ACCENTS?

Yes. This isn't usually asked upfront. But we're pretty sure everyone is thinking about it. You're concerned about your customer and making sure that they are understood. Please rest assured that this is also a priority for us. Here are two points that should help ease your concerns.

• The education system in Cebu, from textbooks to instructions, is done in English. From an early age, the population is inclined to speak largely in English.
• Out of this workforce that is more than competent communicating in English, we still make it a point to bring on board those with exceptional language ability.

I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE LETTING SOMEONE ELSE HANDLE MY CUSTOMERS...

This is a common concern that is brought up in one way or another by prospective clients. As it should be. Allowing someone else to take care of your customers can be a daunting commitment, especially when providing great customer service is a priority for you. We don't have a quick solution to this, but we wanted to let you know that we are aware of this concern and understand where you are coming from.

HOW MUCH DO YOUR SERVICES COST?

Please contact us for pricing. As each business needs are different, we would be glad to discuss what services you are interested in and provide a quote.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE QUALITY OF SERVICE?

Our first step is to hire the best people we can find. They then go through an in-house training to make sure that the concept of omotenashi is cultivated. The final, and on-going step, is training for the specific client. Once the support team is fully integrated, regular quality checks are conducted to make sure we are meeting and exceeding expectations.

CAN I USE TELE-NET FOR ONE-TIME PROJECTS?

Definitely! One-time promotions, large data-entry projects, the holiday season, etc. We've handled many situations like these.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A SUPPORT TEAM READY TO GO?

On average, you will have a support team ready for you in about two weeks from the time that we start the conversation about training and expectations. But this will largely be influenced by the size and scope of your business needs. We'll be happy to discuss with you the process of setting up a team for you and your customers.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE TRAINING?

Training that is specific to your company can be handled in a number of ways. The most common is to send us reference material, coupled with a few conference calls with either the team or the team manager. We also have clients that opt to send a training representative for a few days to our contact center to work directly with the team. Throughout the training period, and beyond, we stay in regular contact with the proper personnel at your company to make sure we are all on the same page.