Customer Service is an integral part of any business strategy, as it contributes directly to brand loyalty and profitability. However, many businesses find it challenging to provide the customer service needed for success when they need the right resources or budget for hiring in-house staff. Outsourcing your customer support team can be a valuable solution for many businesses because it allows companies to focus on their core competencies while outsourcing non-essential tasks such as answering customer calls or emails.
1. South Africa has an abundance of available well-qualified talent
As customer service is a highly specialized function, you must ensure that your team has the skills and experience needed to deal with your specific customer base. South Africa offers an abundance of available talent that is well-qualified for the job.
South Africa also has a large pool of available talent due in part to its excellent education system and good work ethic. South Africans tend to be highly educated and have experience in dealing with customers from all walks of life, making them ideal candidates for your customer support outsourcing needs.
2. Lower Labor and Office Costs
You will also see a significant reduction in labor costs. For example, companies that outsource customer service jobs to South Africa can benefit from cost savings of up to 70% compared to hiring in Western economies.
The lower cost of living in South Africa and the weak currency have meant that hiring South Africans has become significantly cheaper for US companies.
3. A large population of English-speaking people
The third benefit of outsourcing your customer support team to South Africa is the large population of English-speaking people.
South Africa has a rich history in education and learning, which means that many citizens are proficient in English. This also makes it easier for you to hire someone who can answer questions and resolve issues with customers worldwide. The South African accent is also very soft, making it easy for English speakers worldwide to understand.
4. Highly Educated Workforce
South Africa is home to some of the top Universities in the world. However, with unemployment rampant across the country, many top university graduates still need help finding quality jobs. This means it is currently easier for US companies to attract top-tier talent in South Africa than back home.
5. Industry experience and familiarity with different business processes
South Africa boasts a large number of customer service agents, and many companies move their customer support teams here because of the sizeable English-speaking talent pool. South African agents have worked on many support teams throughout the years, so there are many experienced professionals in the local talent pool. They are familiar with all types of software platforms, allowing them to better understand how your customers work with them and what issues they might face when using them.
6. Time Zone Considerations
Time zone differences are not a problem for you. While South Africa is four hours behind the United States, employees in the country are typically flexible about working outside of office hours (Monday through Friday, 9 to 5).
This means your business can choose the hours they want their team to work, whether during US hours or have the South African team covering the US teams out of office hours.
7. Positive Change in the Local Economy
Outsourcing your customer support team to South Africa makes a huge difference in the local economy. By hiring an outsourced CSR, you create new employment opportunities and reduce unemployment, which means that more people have the money to buy the goods and services they need.
By hiring in South Africa, you are helping address global inequality in job market opportunities and improving living standards for those who cannot afford to work elsewhere.
Conclusion
The benefits of outsourcing customer support to South Africa are many. You can reach a wide range of talent already familiar with your industry and business processes while saving money on labor costs and office space. Outsourcing to South Africa is a good idea for companies who want to save money and those who want their customers to feel supported by someone who understands them.
