1. In-house Mode

Many SMEs have an on-site customer service team that consists of full-time or contract/part-time staff. A full-time team means they are dedicated to their tasks and can devote time to researching your products, services, and business. As a result of the amount of time spent inside the company, full-time employees tend to learn more than contract workers, which translates to more consistent support for your customers. Over time, they become a valuable resource for you as their knowledge grows.

In-house staffs are usually the best choice for SMEs with a complex product or requiring close client collaboration. However, the disadvantage is that permanent full-time employees are more expensive because they also receive benefits and perks. Recruiting, hiring, and retaining talent can also be costly.

2. Outsource Mode

Suppose you own a small business that deals with international clients or works in a highly seasonal industry. In that case, it may not be necessary to hire all of your customer service staff permanently. In these circumstances, outsourcing your customer service work can make a lot of sense. The advantage of an outsourced team is that they do not require additional benefits, which makes them less expensive than permanent staff. You won't need to spend extra time or money hiring since the outsourcing company already has a team in place.

However, there are some potential disadvantages. For instance, if you receive a lot of very technical requests, outsourced staff may not be able to handle the conversation because they are generally less trained. There is also the possibility that your outsourced team will have to support multiple companies (not just yours), so their attention may be split between them. It's not always the case, but it's a critical query to ask if you're thinking of partnering with an outsourcer.

3. Hybrid Mode

When in-house versus outsourced customer service is portrayed as a choice, one or the other must be selected. But it's not true as many SMEs use both of them to achieve an ideal result. If that is the case, SMEs usually work with an outsourced provider to cover the areas not covered by their core staff. You might use an outsourced team to handle basic requests so the core staff can focus on more complex issues.

In other cases, you may be based in one country but wish to offer support in another. You don't need to worry about international hiring laws when working with outsourced staff since you are not employing them directly.

Final thoughts

Customer service should be a priority from the get-go.

There's a lot of emphasis in SMEs on getting customers, but not always on keeping them. The same goes for customer service. It is an essential function for most SMEs owners, but it is not always one they prioritize first. You can see how important customer service is for a business to succeed by looking at the customer data and complaints. A great customer experience can be challenging, but it's a worthwhile goal.

Using all your resources, creating a customer service plan, and executing that plan will ensure a successful business and happy customers. Maintain your diligence, and update your customer experience plan as needed. Customer service is not something you can check off a list. It's a continuous process that will grow and evolve with your company.

Grow better with Zooloo, we are happy to help you get started with digital transformation, please contact us at sales@zooloo.asia.

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