How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Call Centre?

So, are you an enterprise considering moving from in-house to external sales or customer service? How do you start comparing your in-house apples to those outsourced oranges? What math should go into the business case around call centre outsourcing costs India and the World? (And if math isn’t your cup of tea, contact us today for a cost analysis of your centre!)

Let’s break it down to the basics for you.

1) Inbound Call Centre Cost Model

Inbound call centres accept calls from your customer, answering questions or providing information or technical support. If callers need to speak directly to you or one of your employees, the inbound call centre transfers them to your location.

Inbound call centre services tend to be priced in three main ways:

• Shared – In the age of Sharing Economy companies seeking an economical option related to call centre outsourcing. In this process, the company pays only for the number of minutes for which an Advisors remains on a call with a Customer. These rates range from $0.27-$0.45/minute at low cost International agencies to $0.75-$1.25/minute in the US/Canada. Shared 24×7 Customer Services are ideal for StartUps or SMEs with wild volume swings or low overall activity.
• Dedicated – This is suitable for businesses that receive a high volume of calls or require expert agents due to the complexity of the process. In this process, agents or a team of agents work specifically for a particular client. The call centers typically price this service on a per hour basis. These rates range from $8-$15 internationally to $20-$30 in the US/Canada for normal Advisors.
• Monthly – This type of call center pricing is basically a subset of “dedicated”, simply compiled into a monthly rate instead of an hourly rate. Many low-cost International call centres like India offers this type of pricing. However, it is rare to find it in North America or Europe.

You may also interested in “Solve multiple business challenges by outsourcing your customer care activities”

2) Outbound Call Centre Cost Model

Outbound call centres place calls rather than answering them, typically for surveys and data gathering, or for generating sales leads or cold calling. They may also call customers after they complete surveys or lodge complaints.

Outbound call center services are typically priced as follows:

• Hourly Rates – This is the normal call centre price structure for outbound sales, lead generation, and appointment setting. In general, rates vary based on the location of the agency. Call centre outsourcing in India normally cost you around $6-$10 per hour. Furthermore, the call centres in Eastern Europe or Latin America normally feature rates from $8-$15/hour. Finally, call centres in mature western countries (like the US, UK, Germany & Canada) typically charge $20-$30. Very specialized, high-level agencies in these countries can occasionally be hired for $35-$50 per hour.
• Commission – On certain sales or lead generation applications, a full commission structure makes sense for both parties involved. The amount of commission is completely dependent on the process. However, the amount earned per hour by the call centre should provide at least a 10% to 20% premium over their normal hourly rates to account for the additional risk to the call center.
• Hourly Rates + Commission – This might actually be our favourite call center pricing structure for sales programs. Just like you pay an internal insidesales person in this manner, a combination structure provides that both parties have “skin in the game” and often works quite well to maximize performance.

3) Location

Location plays a very important role in determining outsourcing costs. Call centre outsourcing costs in India are around 60%-75% which is less expensive than agencies in Europe or the US. Therefore, call centre outsourcing in India might be the perfect solution. Here is an insight into outsourcing costs by geographic location:

• United States/Canada: $20 – $30 per hour
• Western Europe: $40+ per hour
• Eastern Europe: $12 – $25 per hour
• Australia: $35 – $55 per hour
• Africa/Middle East: $15 – $20 per hour
• Latin America: $8 – $18 per hour
• Asia/Philippines: $8 – $14 per hour
• India: $6 – $10 per hour

You may also interested in “Why India is Still a Top Outsourcing Destination?”

The Bottom Line

Finding an outsourced contact centre partner is complex. It’s a decision that must make sense for your company both today and for the future. Internal assessments, requirements gathering, smart questions, collaboration, and site visits are all part of the framework that will lead you to success.

Looking for a strategic outsourced contact center partner? Let Syrow do it for you. We offer a complete suite of Customer Care Services for you to take the first step towards excellence. Contact us today to get a customized call centre proposal for your business, at www.syrow.com or call +91 80 46113 000 / +1 415 813 6373 or email biz@syrow.com. Our teams are waiting to hear from you!