The 8 Best Platforms To Outsource Customer Service

In the year 2020, over 40% of customers stopped doing business with a company due to poor customer service.

Well, we can’t say that’s surprising or hard to believe.

Because let’s be real, we’ve all had pretty dreadful customer support encounters at some point in our lives. It could be the never-ending loop of automated responses, the unwillingness to help or the outright rudeness that leaves us feeling unheard.

And this is precisely where businesses stumble. Sure, your offerings and branding can be incomparable, but if you don’t communicate with your customers effectively, especially when they come to you with a problem, there’s no way you can form a loyal customer base.

Now, we realise that providing good customer support isn’t as easy as falling off a log. It demands a lot of your time, resources, and expertise to handle complaints, queries, and even praises. Fortunately, we come bearing a solution to your struggles: outsourcing customer service.

We went ahead and explored a large selection of customer service outsourcing platforms online and narrowed it down to the best eight. We'll walk you through their offerings, benefits, and why they might be the perfect fit for you.

So, whether you're a small startup looking to level up your customer support or an established enterprise seeking to increase its profits, with these platforms at your disposal, you’ll surely find what you need: highly-skilled customer service professionals that cater to your specific requirements.

Rundown

For Location-Specific Customer Services: Upwork, “An online marketplace that offers a wide range of freelancers from different locations, allowing you to find customer service professionals specific to your desired location.”
To Affordable Customer Service Professionals: Fiverr, “A global platform where you can find customer service professionals who offer their services at competitive prices.”
To Hire A Virtual Customer Support Assistant: Wishup, “An online platform to hire highly-vetted, top 1% virtual customer support professionals for businesses.”
If You Need AI-Powered Customer Support: 247.ai, “With years of contact centre operational experience and AI integration, 247.ai can help you deliver consistent, simple, and personalised experiences to your customers.”
To Get Multi-Channel Customer Services: Influx, “A platform to hire fully managed customer support teams who are equipped with tools to handle customer inquiries through channels like phone calls, emails, live chat, social media, and more.”
For Industry Specific Customer Support: Kustomer, “An online customer service platform that provides industry-specific solutions for sectors such as e-commerce, retail, travel and more.”
For Multilingual Customer Support: Helpware, “An outsourcing platform with a global network of remote customer service professionals who are proficient in multiple languages.”
For 24/7 Customer Support: AnswerConnect, “AnswerConnect offers after-hours customer support services, including live phone answering, live chat, and email support to handle customer inquiries outside of regular business hours.”

How We Found The Best Platforms To Outsource Customer Service

When it came to outsourcing customer service, we knew we had to do some serious digging to find the top platforms. It was in no way an “easy” undertaking, but we were determined to find the best options for you. Here are some key steps we took while researching:

Identifying Requirements: Before starting off anything, we brainstormed and identified the specific areas where outsourcing could be most beneficial. This helped us determine the scope of services we needed, such as 24/7 support, multichannel communication capabilities, language proficiency, technical expertise and more.
Researching Platform Options: With these requirements sorted, we went ahead and conducted extensive research to identify potential outsourcing platforms. We scoured the internet, read customer reviews and sought recommendations from industry experts.
Evaluating Reputation and Track Record: Reputation matters a lot in the outsourcing industry. Trustworthy platforms with a proven history of client satisfaction and long-term partnerships instantly hiked up our list.
Comparing Features and Capabilities: Once we had a list of potential platforms, we began comparing their features and capabilities. We examined their technology infrastructure, support channels (such as phone, email, and live chat), multilingual support options, scalability, and integration capabilities with existing systems.
Evaluating Cost and Return on Investment: We analysed the pricing models of different platforms, taking into account factors such as setup fees, per-agent costs, and any additional charges for specialised services. We also considered the potential cost savings and improved customer satisfaction that outsourcing could bring.
Requesting Demos and Trials: To get a firsthand experience of each platform's capabilities, we requested demos and trials. This allowed us to assess the user interface, agent performance, response times, and overall customer service quality.

So, keeping the aforementioned points in mind, we were able to identify the top eight platforms for outsourcing customer service. We’ve put a lot of thought into this list, making sure to cover all the bases for you.

Recommended Platforms To Outsource Customer Service

For Location-Specific Customer Services

Upwork

When it comes to location-specific platform to outsource customer services, Upwork is a platform that can connect you with highly-skilled professionals who cater to your specific needs.

Let’s say you have a company that sells products or services in multiple countries, and you wish to provide localised customer support to ensure a seamless experience for your customers. With Upwork, you can search for customer support professionals who are well-versed in cultural understanding and local regulations and practices. This way, you can make sure your customer receives personalised support that’s tailored to the location they are based in.

When it comes to finding talented customer service professionals on Upwork, there are two ways you can go about it:

Posting a job: You can create a job posting on Upwork’s marketplace where you can mention your requirements and highlight that you’re specifically looking for professionals that are based in certain locations. Freelancers who feel they possess the necessary skills and expertise can submit their proposals, letting you review their profiles to determine which candidate is the right fit for your business.
Upwork’s Talent Scout Program: For a more personalised approach, you can also choose Upwork’s Talent Scout Program, where you’re assigned specialised recruiters to help you find the right candidate based on your location-specific customer service needs,

One of the great perks of using Upwork is that you get easy access to all the essential information about a candidate right on their profile. When you click on a candidate's profile, you can instantly see their qualifications, work history, portfolio samples, and reviews from past clients. This way, you can thoroughly assess a candidate and make an informed choice.

Moreover, Upwork’s messaging system is super handy, allowing you to chat with your shortlisted candidates easily. You can discuss project details, ask questions, and provide feedback, all in one convenient place.

If you wish to find skilled professionals who excel in location-specific customer service, then there’s no platform better than Upwork to find your perfect fit.

Try Upwork

To Affordable Customer Service Professionals

Fiverr

Fiverr is an online marketplace where you can easily find a large pool of talented individuals who specialise in providing exceptional customer service at a reasonable price. You'll find experts in various areas, such as phone support, email management, live chat assistance, social media customer care, and more.

On Fiverr, you are offered the freedom to handpick your perfect candidate personally. It's as easy as posting your job as a "Gig" and waiting for talented freelancers to submit their proposals and pricing. You can review, compare and choose the option that fits your budget while also meeting your requirements.

The competitive pricing on Fiverr doesn’t mean a compromise on quality. The platform has a review and feedback system in place, which allows you to get a sense of the candidate’s experience and skill set. You can also read reviews from previous clients to determine the reliability and professionalism of the individuals you’re considering.

Moreover, Fiverr offers a simple and easy-to-navigate UI, secure payment options (escrow) and robust customer support, all of which is a great bonus that simply adds to the entire experience of using the platform and makes it 10x times better.

Whether you need someone to handle customer inquiries, resolve issues, or provide general support, you'll be able to find the perfect fit for your requirements on Fiverr, that too at a perfectly budget-friendly price.

Try Fiverr

To Hire A Virtual Customer Support Assistant

Wishup

Wishup is the perfect solution if you're looking for a platfrom to outsource customer services with dedicated virtual assistant to handle your customer support needs. Known for being the preferred platform for clients like yourself, Wishup follows a stringent selection process to ensure that only the top 1% of talent is accepted.

Wishup equips its VAs with a range of tools and resources specifically designed for customer support. They are proficient in managing various channels, such as email, live chat, and social media platforms, enabling them to effectively handle customer inquiries, resolve issues, and provide exceptional support.

Let's say you operate a growing online business and have decided to elevate your customer support capabilities. Initially, you hired a VA to take care of the basic stuff i.e. handling inquiries and responding to customer emails. However, as your business continues to grow, you now require additional support in areas like social media customer management or live chat support. Wishup will seamlessly adapt to your evolving needs by assigning you additional VAs who are essentially experts in handling those specific areas.

And you know what’s even better? Wishup guarantees a 24-hour onboarding process, ensuring a quick start to your customer support operations. Moreover, they offer a generous 7-day trial period where you can try their services firsthand before making a commitment. And if you hire a candidate and later realise they are not a good fit, just reach out to your account manager, and they'll arrange a replacement immediately.

Try Wishup

If You Need AI-Powered Customer Support

[24]7.ai

With years of contact centre operational experience and AI built into the very core of their products and solutions, [24]7.ai is a company that offers top-notch customer service solutions to deliver high-quality customer experiences.

[24]7.ai offers its very own CCAS (Contact As A Service) software known as [24]7.ai Engagement Cloud. However, if you need a partner to manage your contact centre for you, [24]7.ai can offer that too.

With [24]7.ai, you can:

Automate voice and digital interactions for improved customer CX and faster service with [24]7 AI Virtual Agent (AIVA).
Connect every customer to the right agent quickly and with ease with [24]7 Assist Workforce Engagement.
Empower your contact centre staff with AI-powered applications to boost conversation productivity, including visualisation tools with [24]7 Agent Assist AI.
Improve sales performance with proactive, outbound customer engagement with [24]7 Target.
Equip your contact centre team to manage quality, compliance and performance with [24]7 Conversation Insights.

Partner with [24]7.ai and experience the power of their AI-driven solutions and expertise in contact centre operations.

Try [24]7.ai

To Get Multi-Channel Customer Services

Influx

Influx is an online platform that offers multi-channel customer services. They've got everything covered, from email and phone calls to social media, live chat, and other messaging platforms. You can easily hire their fully managed, omnichannel support teams in a simple pay-as-you-go format.

With Influx, you have a range of options to choose from when hiring your support team. They've got dedicated support teams, enterprise support teams, part-time agents, support as a service, and even custom teams.

One of the great things about using Influx is their flexibility. No matter the volume of customer inquiries or their location, they'll make sure you hit your key performance indicators (KPIs). Whether you need to strengthen your existing team, clear a backlog, or launch a large-scale operation, Influx's customer support service can adapt to your needs.

Additionally, Influx's system seamlessly integrates with all major help desks and chat applications, including Zendesk, Desk.com, Help Scout, Groove, Front, Intercom and more.

You can get started as early as next week, and there are no lock-in commitments. The agents at Influx are pre-trained and ready to hit the ground running, so you can focus on driving growth for your business making it one of the best options to outsource customer services.

Try Influx

For Industry Specific Customer Support

Kustomer

If you're on the lookout for industry-specific platform to outsource customer services, then Kustomer is the online platform you need to check out. They've got all the tools and features to provide you with exceptional customer support tailored to your industry.

So, who can Kustomer help? Well, they've got solutions designed for a range of industries, including:

Retail and e-commerce
Travel and hospitality
Marketplace
Education
Financial services
Government

With Kustomer, you get the advantage of omnichannel messaging, which means you can engage with your customers through various channels like email, chat, social media, and phone.

Another standout feature of Kustomer is its unified customer view. They bring together all customer data from different sources into a single, comprehensive view. This means that whenever a customer reaches out for support, your agents have all the information they need right at their fingertips.

Kustomer also offers AI-powered, code-free chatbots which can help your customer agents to automate routine agent interactions, deliver personalised experiences and drive faster resolution.

You can also monitor your agent and team’s performances, track SLAs and customer sentiment, and identify areas for improvement.

Overall, Kustomer is worth considering if you’re searching customer support solutions tailored to a specific industry.

Try Kustomer

For Multilingual Customer Support

Helpware

Helpware specialises in offering a wide range of customer support services that cater to your multilingual support needs. That's why they have dedicated teams fluent in over 25 different languages!

The platform has a rigorous screening process in place, carefully selecting team members who have the right skills and expertise to handle customer inquiries effectively. So you can rest assured that your customers will receive high-quality support, no matter which language they speak.

What’s even better is that Helpware has customer service professionals stationed in various countries like the USA, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Mexico, Germany, Albania, Poland, and Uganda, so you can tap into a diverse talent pool and expand your reach to international markets.

With Helpware, you get access to the following services:

Inbound and outbound call centre teams that are custom-built to help your existing team evolve.
Dedicated customer success teams to maintain healthy relationships, fight churn, improve NPS, and upsell.
Technical support teams to enhance customer experience, focusing on a first-pass resolution to any technical problem.
Chat support teams to engage with your customers.
Email support teams to establish good communication with customers.
Outsourced IT support teams to reduce your operating expenses while accelerating growth and scale.
Telephone answering service teams to manage tasks such as receiving messages, reviewing and managing requests, handling orders, scheduling appointments, and supporting existing teams.

Go for Helpware if you’re looking to provide exceptional customer support across multiple languages.

Try Helpware

For 24/7 Customer Support

AnswerConnect

AnswerConnect is a leading provider of 24/7 customer support solutions. The platform specialises in offering comprehensive and professional customer service assistance to businesses across various industries.

One of the key features of AnswerConnect is its round-the-clock availability. They understand that customer issues can arise at any time, so they provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Doesn’t matter if it's during the day, in the middle of the night, on weekends, or even on holidays, your customers can reach out for assistance and will receive a prompt response.

AnswerConnect employs a team of highly skilled and trained customer service representatives who are experts in handling a wide range of customer inquiries and issues. These representatives are experienced in providing both phone and online support, using various communication channels such as phone calls, live chat, and email. They are adept at handling customer complaints, appointment taking, answering product inquiries, lead capture and qualification, processing orders, and much more.

AnswerConnect also offers flexibility in its service plans. Whether you require 24/7 coverage or support during specific hours, AnswerConnect can tailor their services accordingly. This flexibility allows you to scale up or down as your business grows or changes.

Try AnswerConnect