Intellicom Solutions | 2021, UK Businesses and COVID-19

 

Happy new year to all! I know it’s hard to move on after all that we have faced. 

How will you remember 2020?

Many lost their loved ones, others were stranded for months due to travel restrictions and when it comes to businesses, don’t even ask!

Almost 25% Yes, 25‰ of business were forced to close during this torrid year. With the country already withering economically due to the BREXIT crisis and political mishaps at their peak, this pandemic did nothing more but accelerate an inevitable collapse.

Though the vast majority of business said to have been affected were those of a recreational nature, many shops selling “essentials” were also struck by the outbreak, due to lack of cash flow and stock not arriving.

There were some businesses, however, that not only survived but continued to operate smoothly, increasing profits as usual. Really?

Which businesses were they and how?

Well, wise decisions are those made at the right time. It has been witnessed that those businesses that were heavily reliant on internet and telecommunications to operate, saved between 50-70% by using remote call centre services in countries like Pakistan, India and Philippines to name a few.

How does that save money, you may ask?

Well firstly, the staff comes cheap. Whereas in the UK an experienced telephone operator will probably set you back an average £8 an hour, you can avail the same services in these remote call centres for almost half the price. Another great benefit seen in using a remote call centre set up was the fact that businesses no longer needed acres of office space to accommodate a workforce. Not only did they save £Thousands by reduced rent but also saved staggering amounts from bills and maintenance.

What about the quality of service?

Can these call Centre agents provide the same quality of service as a UK resident would? The answer is quite surprising, yes. In the past, maybe 10 years (or so) ago, you could probably argue against that. In the early days, there were major quality issues. Accents sounded off, staff had very little knowledge of the product/service they were offering, lack of ability to make a general conversation and there was no proper training offered.

Times, however, have changed – drastically. With India once a hub for outsourcing, competition from upcoming businesses in the Philippines and especially Pakistan changed the whole dimension. Each country fighting to be the outsourcing hub sparked a huge improvement in aspects that had previously underwhelmed. Although India still has the largest share of this multi-billion dollar market, it is no longer the preferred destination for outsourcing. Countless fraudulent call centres across India have looted many already struggling businesses, with no trace of the criminals to be found. This prompted many YouTube bloggers and journalists to investigate. It didn’t take long for a hacker to hack into some of these calls centres and uncover the ghastly methods used by these criminals to rob innocent people, all doing so in the company of laughing colleagues with the mic on mute. Videos of these investigations can be found on social media. This decline has given rise to countries like Pakistan, who have become a BPO powerhouse in Asia.

What would be the attractive thing about outsourcing to Pakistan?

The attractive thing about outsourcing to Pakistan is that the country’s Federal Investigation Authority or F.I.A has an active cybercrime cell that is constantly on the looks for suspicious businesses providing online services. Not only that, every call Centre in Pakistan undergoes rigorous check by various authorities before being issued a license to trade. I.Ps used for internet services must also be whitelisted by the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority before they can be used for VOIP calls.

Wrapping up

Generally speaking, Pakistan is the safest remote call centre destination. What tops it off is the fact that many call centres in Pakistan have been set up and are managed by British nationals, which automatically translates into better-trained staff, better services. This is why it has become a go-to point for UK Business.

Would you like to save money this year? Would you consider using a remote call centre for your business? Let us know in the comments below.