In today’s cost-conscious business world, outsourcing customer service to overseas call centers is an attractive option for many companies, including medical practices. But while outsourcing overseas may seem like a budget-friendly option in the short term, it can come with hidden costs that affect long-term patient satisfaction and business success.
1. Language Barriers and Cultural Misunderstandings: A major issue with offshore customer service is the language barrier and cultural differences. In fact, 47% of customers report that they’ve had a poor customer service experience due to language or communication barriers when dealing with outsourced agents (source: PwC, 2020). In the healthcare space, where accuracy and empathy are critical, these misunderstandings can lead to appointment errors, miscommunications, and a loss of trust.
2. Decreased Quality of Interaction: Unfortunately, outsourced teams may not always deliver the personal engagement needed when dealing with complex or sensitive issues. When patients feel that they are interacting with a script-based, unempathetic agent, their overall satisfaction can plummet.
3. Lack of Control and Oversight: Managing outsourced teams can be difficult, especially when there are significant time zone differences. Companies often experience challenges in maintaining service quality and oversight when outsourcing customer service functions. Lack of direct oversight means issues are often not detected until they affect the customer experience or brand reputation.
The Local Advantage: Why Personalized Service Matters
At OptiCall, we believe that keeping customer calls local, especially when it comes to elective medical procedures, where there is a need to build strong, lasting relationships with patients. Here’s why:
1. Personalized Communication: Local customer service teams have a deeper understanding of the cultural nuances and needs of their community. A PwC survey found that 73% of customers consider experience to be an important factor in their purchasing decisions—more important than price or product (source: PwC, 2019). At OptiCall, our representatives are trained to engage with patients in a way that makes them feel valued and understood, which is especially important in healthcare, where trust is paramount.
2. Active Listening and Problem-Solving: Local agents can focus on building a relationship with patients. OptiCall’s locally based teams are trained to follow a proven model of logical progression, where they begin to feel comfortable enough to take action on a procedure.
3. Quality Control and Accountability: Keeping customer service local offers better control and oversight. According to Gartner, 64% of businesses with in-house customer service operations report better customer experience outcomes compared to those that outsource). OptiCall records all interactions and provides detailed reporting so practices understand the outcome of every inbound lead.
4. Better Patient Satisfaction and Retention: It costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one (source: Forbes). By ensuring that every interaction is personal and tailored to the patient’s needs, practices can improve satisfaction, increase loyalty, and see better conversion rates.
Investing in Quality Customer Service: The Smarter Business Decision
While outsourcing may seem like an attractive way to cut costs, it often results in hidden expenses that can negatively affect patient satisfaction and retention. Medical practices that prioritize high-quality, local customer service reap the benefits of stronger patient relationships, better retention rates, and a superior reputation in the long run.
OptiCall is committed to providing the best customer service by keeping calls local. By focusing on empathy, active listening, and clear communication, we help practices create lasting relationships with their patients. Investing in quality service today means safeguarding your practice’s success tomorrow.
Sources:
- PwC (2020). Customer Experience is the New Marketing.
- Accenture (2019). The Impact of Customer Service on Loyalty.
- Gartner (2020). Customer Service Trends and Insights.