How to outsource your email support service?

Today, many companies use email to resolve customer problems relating to the use of a product or service. The advantages of this channel are that the service can be accessed 24/7. To improve customer satisfaction, more and more companies are also looking to outsource their email support service.

This strategic approach relieves the burden on the in-house team, while guaranteeing quality support for customers. With well-planned outsourcing, companies can benefit from efficient management of customer requests, reduced operational costs and greater flexibility to respond to fluctuations in demand. Explore the benefits, challenges and best practices for making this transition a smooth one.

What is email support?

Email support is a communication channel used by companies to provide assistance and resolve customer issues via email exchanges. Customers can send questions, concerns or service requests to a dedicated email address, and a customer support team responds to these messages to provide appropriate solutions.

Email is one of the most popular channels used by companies to interact with their customers. According to statistics published by the Statista website, 4.3 billion people in the world have an email in 2022. In France, the number of people with an email account is 42.2 million. Because of its practicality and flexibility, email remains the preferred channel for consumers to request information or resolution of a problem, or to express their concerns.

What are the advantages of email support?

Compared with other forms of assistance, customer support by email offers just as many advantages, both for customers and for companies.

Fast, efficient sorting

Customer support by email allows you to sort customer requests quickly and easily. You can classify them according to the nature of the request, enabling you to transfer them easily to the most qualified experts, to ensure that problems are resolved quickly and appropriately.

Tracking exchanges

Customer support by email ensures precise documentation of exchanges by keeping a written record of all interactions between the customer and the company. Each email constitutes an audit trail, enabling the history of requests, responses and resolutions to be tracked. This traceability facilitates problem resolution by enabling agents to understand the customer’s context and needs thanks to previous exchanges. It also encourages internal collaboration by enabling information to be shared between departments. Ultimately, it enhances customer satisfaction through transparent and consistent communication.

Better transfer of information

Customer support by email simplifies the transmission of information by providing a written channel where customers can set out their problems and needs in detail. This encourages clear communication, avoiding the misunderstandings often encountered in verbal interactions. In addition, customers can attach files such as screenshots to support their explanations with a visual context. Agents can also respond in a detailed manner by including useful links, precise instructions or additional resources. In this way, email facilitates an efficient and comprehensive exchange of information between the customer and the company.

Convenience

For customers, customer service by email is convenient because it allows them to contact the company from anywhere at any time, without having to wait on hold.

What’s more, email ensures detailed communication. It allows customers to express their questions or concerns in a comprehensive way, making it easier to understand and resolve problems. The asynchronous aspect of e-mail is also advantageous, as it allows customers to return to the exchanges at a later date, at their convenience.

Optimising customer service quality

Email support can offer fast response times, with solutions delivered within reasonable timescales, improving the overall customer experience. For businesses, customer support by email allows them to manage the volume of requests efficiently, as teams can handle multiple queries simultaneously. In addition, email provides detailed documentation of each customer interaction, making it easier to track issues and analyse trends to improve processes.

AI integration possible

Email support can be automated to a certain extent, thanks to preset responses or chatbots powered by Artificial Intelligence. This reduces the workload for agents and speeds up response times. Deploying these modern tools enables businesses to manage large volumes of enquiries efficiently, while providing a personalised experience for each customer.

Why outsource customer support by email?

Customer support by email can be outsourced in the same way as telephone customer service. The approach involves entrusting an external service provider, such as ProContact, with the management of customer support by email. With a skilled team dedicated to receiving and processing your customer emails, you will be able to concentrate on your core business. Outsourcing customer support by e-mail has several advantages for companies.

Reduced operational costs

Rather than maintaining an in-house team dedicated to email support, outsourcing this service to a specialist provider can be more cost-effective, as it avoids the expense of recruiting, training and managing staff.

Greater productivity and flexibility

By outsourcing email support to external experts, companies can devote more time and resources to their core activities, such as product development, marketing strategy or business development.

Outsourcing customer support by email can also offer greater flexibility. External service providers can generally adapt to fluctuations in demand more easily than in-house teams, making it possible to respond effectively to volume peaks without compromising the quality of service.

Optimising the quality of customer service

External service providers are often experts in this field, boasting advanced technologies, best practices and extensive experience in managing email interactions. Outsourcing customer support by email can result in better quality of service and faster response times for customers.

Improved customer service availability

External service providers can often offer support 24/7, enabling customer needs to be met at any time, even outside traditional office hours. Outsourcing email support can improve customer satisfaction and enhance a company’s reputation.

How to outsource your email support service?

Outsourcing your email helpdesk can be a strategic decision for many companies. Here are a few steps to follow to make this outsourcing a success:

Define needs and objectives

Before looking for an external service provider, it is essential to clearly define your company’s email support requirements. This includes the volume of emails to handle, the languages required, the time slots for service, etc.

Search for service providers

Identify potential providers who offer outsourced email support services. Research them thoroughly to assess their reputation, experience, language skills, ability to handle your workload, etc.

Evaluation and selection

Contact potential providers and ask for detailed information about their services, rates, work processes, technological tools, etc. Evaluate each provider according to your needs and choose the one that best meets your criteria.

Drawing up a contract

Once you’ve selected a service provider, draw up a detailed contract specifying the services to be provided, the levels of service expected, the responsibilities of each party, deadlines, rates, etc. Make sure the contract includes clauses on data confidentiality and information security.

Training and onboarding

Provide the service provider with all the information and resources they need to effectively represent your company to customers. Organise training sessions to familiarise external agents with your brand, products and processes.

Open communication

Maintain open and regular communication with the service provider throughout the collaboration. Carry out regular assessments of service quality and make any necessary adjustments to ensure customer satisfaction.

Monitoring and management

Closely monitor the service provider’s performance in terms of quality of service, response times, customer satisfaction, etc. Be ready to intervene in the event of problems.

Outsource your email support service to ProContact to enjoy a specialised expertise

ProContact offers high-quality outsourcing of customer support by email. Our competent team deals with emails concerning complaints, requests for information and services. We guarantee efficient and professional handling of emails and ensure that each email reflects positively on your company’s image, while ensuring maximum customer satisfaction.

Contact us to discuss your needs and establish a tailor-made partnership.