New Spin On Call Center Outsourcing

As hundreds of thousands of call center jobs migrate to offshore call centers, the big question becomes how does one manage it? A new approach in the form of seat leasing may just be the answer for control-hungry business owners.

The aging call center industry is booming overseas. With the enormous potential for savings, the reason for its growth is obvious. But the greatest question facing business owners is how to outsource and still manage it effectively.

In the past companies would outsource their operation to a call center that they only had a conversation with over the phone. “It was and still is a reality that small to medium sized companies could outsource a vital piece of their operation to a call center being run out of a basement.” Says James Stinson, CEO of Global Sky, a Philippines based call center.

Horror stories like the one about Mphasis, where three of its Indian call center workers were arrested for allegedly looting $350,000 from the accounts of Citibank customers in the US, are not uncommon. So how does one outsource and still ensure their project is in safe hands? James believes his company has the answer

Unlike traditional call centers that bill by the hour per agent, Global Sky bills by the hour per seat. They leave it up to you to hire and manage your own agents from their Manila office, which is fully setup for inbound and outbound calling to places like the US, Canada, Australia, UK, and many other countries worldwide. “We give you a solid foundation to run your own call center operation. The solution is not for everyone but control hungry entrepreneurs love it.”

“I get to bring on the people I want, manage them the way that I want, and I have full control over the quality of my campaign. James helped me find the right people and I pay only for the hours that I?m calling. It’s the perfect solution for us since we didn’t want to build our own call center in the Philippines,” says Rolly Africa, a client of Global Sky.

Not only do clients benefit from the added control, but seat leasing costs significantly less than a full service solution. The average all-inclusive cost of outsourcing to places like India or the Philippines is $10 ? 12 an hour (assuming agents are calling 40 hours a week). Global Sky leases its seats at $4 an hour. The average salary of a call center agent in Manila is $2 an hour. That means companies using Global Sky can expect to pay just $6 per hour, total.

As for life in the Philippines: “It’s great. The weather is nice year round, the cost of living is 1/4th what it is in the US and Manila is just a short drive to some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world. Work in the call center during the week and go surfing on the weekend.” Says Stinson.