Deciding to Outsource Case Study Should you trust your customer contact handling to a third party? Your in-house operations may be facing challenges such as a lack of funding to cover operational costs, a need to increase hours of operations to support customer service, scalability issues to support seasonality, growth, or product recalls. Most companies do not have the capital, resources, or expertise to create a proactive customer care/service center. Other challenges include the lack of skilled resources and technology expertise, as well as tools and processes to drive quality. How do you overcome these challenges with limited budgets and without internal resources to effectively manage your program? Many companies choose to outsource with Telerx, a customer service expert who can provide the processes, technology, integration, innovations and insights to ensure that your program receives the most efficient and effective operations while providing the best service to your customers. Many industry leaders, including Fortune 100 companies such as Kraft Foods, entrust Telerx to manage their customer relationships.
Profile: LEADING CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS COMPANY Background A leading provider of household and personal care products with an in-house customer service center was searching for a way to retain high quality customer service while lowering operating costs. The client had several challenges to overcome including: Operating with a 50% abandonment rate Under-staffed operations to handle increased call volume due to product growth Outdated technology with no CRM and a limited budget for improving technology No quality assurance or formal monitoring process No documented training materials or training program Choosing Telerx The client searched for an outsourcing partner who could provide a higher level of service beyond a simple phone transaction and who offered a full turnkey solution to handle consumer contacts and collect the valuable data associated with each contact. After initial discussions with Telerx the client quickly realized that Telerx is not a transactional vendor but a true partner focused on enhancing the customer experience and building brand loyalty. Nearly 20 years later the client still relies on Telerx to build and protect its brands. Results By partnering with Telerx, the client was able to leverage Telerx s expertise and experienced support teams to achieve the following program successes: Lowered the abandonment rate to under 5% Implemented a robust IVR to provide product where-to-buy support and offset the cost of a live contact while maintaining customer satisfaction Developed and implemented a CRM system to provide valuable data capture which saved the client approximately $23,400 in the technology investment, and $18,000 per agent/per year for licensing fees Developed and implemented program SOPs and a formal training program using Telerx s experienced in-house training experts and learning management system Case Study - DECIDING TO OUTSOURCE page 2
Results (cont.) The client s internal staff was able to shift their focus from the management of day-to-day operations to concentrating on applying the data Telerx provides to conduct analysis for R&D, Marketing, etc. The program has doubled in size since implementation due to additional product launches The client transferred Canadian contact handling to Telerx, adding French bilingual representatives to the team Expanding the Business During the course of this nearly 20-year partnership, the client has come to value the strategic insight that Telerx brings to the relationship to help them meet their business goals. The program has evolved as the client has continued to add product lines. Telerx not only supports the client s customer service needs but also the sales and continuity program for one of the client s leading brands, as well as claims processing and literature fulfillment. Profile: LEADING CONFECTIONER Background One of the country s largest confectioners was seeking to outsource its consumer services function in an effort to lower internal operating costs while maintaining a high quality customer experience with each and every contact. The client was focused on improving specific areas of their internal operation: Internal Challenges High turnover Staffing issues made it difficult to manage call volumes Lack of solid data to drive marketing plans Desired Solutions Find a partner who could staff and retain the right people Choose a partner who could manage the program and decrease the abandonment rate Select a partner with a focus on providing a 360º view of the customer Case Study - DECIDING TO OUTSOURCE page 3
Choosing Telerx The client was focused on finding a partner with the expertise and resources to help move their consumer affairs program to the next level. The client was immediately drawn to Telerx based on the cultural similarities that included a model of pro-active partnership and continuous improvement, as well as experience with industry-leading CRM packages. Telerx s experience transitioning large CPG companies from in-house operations to first-time outsourcing, coupled with its extensive expertise within the CPG marketplace, assured the client that their consumer contacts would be in the right hands. Results Telerx successfully handles complex customer service contacts as well as strategic cross selling, surveys, IVR for product locator and recall support, and coupon fulfillment. Since the partnership began, the most significant results from outsourcing with Telerx include a reduction in costs and gained efficiencies in operational processes. Highlights of the partnership include: Telerx Solutions Telerx successfully reduced high turnover Telerx team tenure 15% over 5 years 37% 2-5 years Telerx successfully reduced call handling time by 30 seconds, allowing the team to handle greater volume. The addition of Telerx s proprietary products, Consumer Expressions and Consumer Insights provide valuable consumer affairs information and business intelligence back to the client s internal marketing department. Robust business intelligence reporting provides valuable marketing data, driving everything from product formulations to packaging improvements. Case Study - DECIDING TO OUTSOURCE page 4
exceeding expectations Not only was Telerx able to solve the client s original challenges, but they also exceeded expectations with program successes including: The client s immediate confidence in Telerx led them to transfer responsibility for escalated issues from their internal staff to Telerx within the first 3 months of implementation Telerx took over hosting of the client s CRM system, bringing the expertise and resources needed to manage and maintain the application The client continually seeks Telerx participation in feedback sessions to provide valuable information ensuring recipes are user-friendly Telerx representatives conduct market-research surveys on new or enhanced products. Telerx has smoothly supported multiple product recalls via the use of an IVR and follow-up phone support Why OutSOurce With telerx? Nearly seventy percent of Telerx s clients represent firsttime outsourcers who have trusted Telerx s expertise to guide them in the transition from in-house operations. Their confidence in Telerx stems from knowing that their programs benefit from best practices utilized across multiple customer-focused companies. Telerx has the expertise, tools, and resources to provide a 360 degree view of the customer, while freeing your internal workforce to focus on your core competencies. Benefits of outsourcing with Telerx Focused on your customers and protecting your brand Customized customer services designed to meet the unique needs of your company A passion to deliver an extraordinary customer experience every day case StuDy - DECIDING TO OUTSOURCE page 5 about telerx Telerx, headquartered in Horsham, PA, is a strategic outsource partner that provides world class customer care services. From its contact centers in Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, and it s global network, Telerx helps companies enhance their customer relationships and build market share. Telerx helps leading Fortune 1000 companies build brand loyalty and achieve bottom line results. For more information visit our website at www.telerx.com or call 1.800.2TELERX. 723 Dresher Road Horsham, PA 19044 1.800.2TELERX www.telerx.com