International Call Center Outsourcing: How to Support Multilingual Customers

International call center outsourcing supports a global customer base and helps your organization provide 24/7 customer care. A strategic partnership with a contact center provider can reduce your costs, allowing your company to scale while offering multi-language services. However, your outsourced call center must be a good fit for your clients and your business objectives. 

In this article, we’ll explore international and multilingual call center services, including why companies outsource customer support and how to choose the right solution for your business.   

Why Consider International and Multilingual Call Center Outsourcing? 

In short, a contact center can be located internationally and support English-only speakers or multiple languages and dialects. Like U.S.-based call centers, international services may cost more when using multilingual or bilingual agents. An overseas call center will typically charge less per hour than domestic services due, in part, to wage differences.  

International call center outsourcing includes offshore (e.g., India or the Philippines) and nearshore (e.g., Central America or Caribbean) locations. Nearshore solutions work well for companies wanting native English-speaking, bilingual agents. You can also outsource multilingual call center services to domestic companies.

So, why are call centers outsourced? Companies use overseas call centers to reduce costs and provide 24-hour service to domestic and international customers. They also deploy contact centers worldwide to support global expansion efforts. For instance, a business with many clients in Europe may open or outsource customer service centers in that region.

Organizations partner with a reputable contact center provider to scale customer support services while focusing on core business tasks. Best-in-class call centers have the latest technologies, allowing them to support your customers during an outage or emergency. 

Outsourced contact center services hire and train customer service representatives. They also maintain various certifications required for their facility and employees, such as Security Industry Association credentials. Outsourced call centers can also provide bilingual agents and partner with an interpreting service to communicate with people in hundreds of languages. 

The Case for Multilingual Call Center Services

Offering multi-language customer service helps domestic and international clients. Furthermore, customer support in different languages improves quality scores, including first contact resolution (FCR) ratings. The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) finds that 60% of customers expect to receive service in their native language. 

According to Translators Without Borders, "there are between 350 and 430 languages spoken in the United States of America." And the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 22% of people in the U.S. speak in languages other than English, with the majority (13.5%) speaking Spanish. 

Notably, only 25.9% of internet users speak English. Therefore, multilingual call center services can improve customer experiences (CX) and help your business reach more customers. CSA Research (formerly known as Common Sense Advisory) found that "76% of online shoppers prefer to buy products with information in their native language," and 75% "say that they're more likely to purchase the same brand again if customer care is in their language."

If you're not convinced yet, consider these findings from a recent ICMI report:

• 52% of contact centers predict the volume of multilingual interactions will increase
• 79% of call centers report having non-native speaking customers
• 19% of contact centers can support customers who speak any language over the phone

Translating your website into multiple languages is one thing. However, providing bilingual call center services across various communication channels can be much more difficult, but it's just as important. 

International Call Center Outsourcing Considerations

The most significant advantage of international call center outsourcing is reduced costs. However, language and cultural barriers pose a risk to your customer experience. That's why it's essential to thoroughly vet your call center and help desk outsourcing options. 

The top outsourced contact center services to consider are:

• Multi-channel communications: According to ICMI, customers want multi-language support across multiple channels. Yet only 16% offer video in non-primary languages, and 26% provide chat in languages other than English. Discuss channel options with contact center companies to ensure your customers can use their preferred platform.
• Call center technology: Your provider's interactive voice response (IVR) system, call routing capabilities, and customer relationship management (CRM) integrations affect CX. Select a contact center that uses conversational artificial intelligence (AI) and integrated ticket management solutions. 
• Security and redundancy: Customers don't have patience for gaps in service due to local infrastructure problems at an offshore call center. And companies can't afford to risk non-compliance with data protection regulations. Carefully look over the redundant systems offered and how the outsourced contact center handles hardware and data security.
• Customer experience: It's critical to test the call center services yourself to see how agents manage cultural and language barriers. Inadequate technologies and language differences frustrate consumers and reflect poorly on your brand.

Explore Call Center and Help Desk Outsourcing Solutions

International call center outsourcing and bilingual call center services help your business scale to meet customer needs. But it's not without risk. That's why it's crucial to choose a strategic partner that can deliver excellent customer experiences to your clients. Evaluate your options, including in-house domestic and international teams, before choosing outsourced contact center services. 

Ready to learn more about international or multilingual business process outsourcing (BPO)? Book a demo to learn how partnering with UJET supports your clients across multiple communications channels.