Business process outsourcing company DATAMARK recently released an infographic which explains the benefits call centers can receive when they consolidate and bring multiple centers into single locations.
The infographic targets large businesses that have a number of call centers already spread across geographical areas and which may find it hard to keep up with various costs and travel associated with maintenance of those operations. Perhaps the biggest drawback to that sort of expansion is the spread of customer service agents: small teams now make up the bulk of centers. As businesses create more centers and spread their agents thin, “this can make it difficult for headquarters to manage teams and deliver consistent communication and technical support to ensure world-class customer service,” states the infographic's corresponding news release.
There are at least seven basic benefits to consolidation listed in the infographic. First, it notes that businesses are able to gain economies of scale. Costs for their facilities can go down because there are more agents packed into similar-size buildings. There is no wasted space, so then, large teams replace small teams and many agents make use of the same core hardware and software.
The use of select geographical locations also makes it easier for businesses to save costs based on where they set up shop. They can choose areas with low real estate costs and low costs of living. With fewer centers across the U.S., for instance, managers from headquarters will also need to travel less to see a large portion of their centers. Similarly, fewer directors will be needed overall to manage call centers because there will be fewer centers which need oversight.
Like this article hinted at previously, costs for training and equipment can go down because more agents are taking advantage of the same core set of materials. The use of one software platform can spread a single software license to all agents in a center. With a multi-site setup, this may not have been possible and could have led to multiple licenses and therefore higher costs. Training and quality assurance teams can also consolidate because agents will be found in fewer locations.
Finally, consistency within organizations should improve as consolidation increases. The number of managers within a company should go down, and because of that, headquarters will witness fewer managerial styles spread across the company. A more cohesive culture should emerge among the company as a whole.
DATAMARK suggests that businesses can get started by analyzing the risks associated with closing some of their disparate contact centers to make the move toward consolidation. Business may want to complete this sort of operation with existing staff; however, they can also turn to specialist third parties whose job it is to make such drastic changes. There is a lot of opportunity here for companies that do this correctly. It may not be for everyone, though, so it can be important to weigh the risks versus benefits before embarking on such a large journey.