3 considerations for outsourcing your healthcare contact center

As much emphasis as there is on digital marketing — and for good reason — there is something to be said about talking with a person. In fact, a recent study found that live voice remains a top choice — a close second to email — as customers’ preferred communication channel. And, it has to be done right. Three quarters (77%) of customers expect the connection to be quick and easy.¹

In order to fully leverage this channel for growth, healthcare providers need tools and resources that enable collaboration across the organization. However, many healthcare institutions face the reality that their call center is not integrated into their greater marketing strategy, in terms of campaign execution, insights, and ROI. But when they are, the impact is impressive.

Let’s take a look at three considerations as to when it might be best for your healthcare organization to consider outsourcing call center responsibilities.

Consideration #1: Business needs and goals

As you consider whether to expand in-house call center resources or initiate a relationship with an outside party, the first step is determining the business priority driving the initiative. Some potential objectives and goals to consider include:

• Meet increased volume driven by marketing campaigns
• Improve patient/customer experience
• Optimize marketing impact

Identifying your organization’s primary reason for improving helps you hone in on the best ways to accomplish the job to be done, and understand the ROI needed to make it a worthy investment. If you’re lacking the manpower and technology to support your business needs in a personalized, consumer-centric fashion, outsourcing your call center — either partially or in full — is a viable (and sometimes more effective) option. 
 

Consideration #2: Volume expectations

The modern healthcare contact center serves multiple purposes that go far beyond simply fielding customer queries. It’s a channel that allows your organization to directly connect and engage with customers and prospects. 

Once you’ve defined your need, it’s time to quantify it. Is there an expectation for a consistent increase in phone calls due to ongoing marketing campaigns, or will call volume change seasonally, or with an event schedule? This is an important consideration, since adding staff — and the infrastructure and technology that will enable them to be successful — is a capital and operational cost that not only takes time but also needs to show a return on investment. 

An outsourced contact center already has staff and technology in place, and is equipped to handle and adjust to changes in volume. Outsourcing may also provide a security net as marketers may not know how customers will respond to campaigns, or when. A substantial increase in “click-to-call” outside of business hours would be manageable for an outsourced center to adjust to, while an in-house staff of three may struggle (or not be available until the next business day) to answer.
 

Consideration #3: Operational readiness

Bringing healthcare call center functions in-house requires a cultural and technological framework to empower agents to drive patient satisfaction and engagement. Building this foundation requires organizations to reimagine the way they think of patient engagement, and reassess how the contact center fits into the wider organization. This takes time, cross-departmental cooperation, and the capital. 

For example, if the primary goal is to deliver a consumer-centric caller experience as soon as possible, expanding answering capabilities in-house may not be the best option. The contact center needs to be recognized as a value-driving arm of your organization. Often it is a consumer’s first impression of you and your providers, especially when someone is ready to make a care decision. Your agents aren’t a necessary expense — they are critical assets to meeting your patient acquisition, engagement, and retention goals.
 

Final thought

In our hyper-competitive landscape, transforming your contact center into a revenue driver is not a nice-to-have. It's a must-have. Outsourcing some or all of your inbound or outbound call volume may be the way to go based on your business needs, expectations, and operational readiness. Take the time to find a partner who will act as an extension of your organization, understands the importance of driving results, and can deliver timely reporting that will help you quantify ROI and understand what’s working (and what’s not) from a strategic perspective.

Source:
¹Salesforce. State of the Connected Customer Report. https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-the-connected-customer/