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5 essential insights into customer service outsourcing for property management.
June 6, 2024

5 Things To Know About Customer Service Outsourcing for Property Management

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Macy Lyka Mamauag

Lyka is STAFFVIRTUAL’s Senior Content Editor. She oversees the content team and ensures all ma...

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Did you know that the idea for outsourcing started in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s? In fact, people only started to really believe in outsourcing in 1989 — not too, too far away from today. Since then, outsourcing has been proven to be an effective business strategy over the decades across different business industries. To put it simply, outsourcing is a business strategy wherein a company hires a provider to carry out job roles, tasks, or responsibilities. 

Below, our experts have listed a few keys to success to remember when you consider Customer Service Outsourcing for Property Management. Read on to learn more. 

Key 1: The Scope of Outsourcing in Property Management

Modern outsourcing is a cost-effective method to reduce human resource expenses, boost productivity, and expand capabilities without compromising quality. It supplements and supports the existing workforce, allowing key staff to focus on delivering company goals.

Outsourcing also frees up time, resources, and capital for business growth, making it a game-changer for businesses in an ever-changing market.

Here are the most commonly outsourced services: 

1. Computer Programming and IT

We’re living in a digital era, so understandably, IT services are typically the most in-demand outsourced services. Software development in Southeast Asian nations (like India) is a common practice where 

United States-based workers earn $4,949 a month on average, while those in the Philippines earn 18,423 Philippine pesos a month (329.28 USD). Offshore operations have led to significant cost reduction and high-quality output, with companies like Microsoft, Dell, and IBM relying on this staffing method. 

2. Human Resources

Pre-employment screening ensures accurate CV information and employment history checks, helping reduce the risk of biased hiring decisions. Many consider this task to be worth the outsourcing investment, as costly recruiting, hiring, and employee training processes can be avoided by thoroughly researching potential candidates. 

3. Customer Support

Outsourcing customer service positions to other countries reduces operating expenses and allows businesses to offer 24-hour service — boosting tenant satisfaction and enhancing the organization’s reputation. This is a helpful service in the property management industry to establish and maintain customer relationships and satisfaction. 

4. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

Business processes (such as telemarketing, customer service, digital marketing, and accounting, for example), are just some of the roles usually outsourced. Outsourcing BPO allows companies to significantly cut costs without experiencing a significant loss. 

5. Content Productions

Many web- and paper-based publications opt to outsource content creation. When you outsource marketing efforts, you don’t need to worry about essentially building an agency from scratch. With your outsourced company handling it, they already have access to experts in blog posts, SEO strategy, social media, marketing, email campaigns, and more. 

6. Personal Support

Small start-up business owners often struggle to afford in-person assistance for daily tasks that can be addressed by using virtual assistants who offer online services. Outsourcing these tasks can be particularly beneficial during the early days of a company’s launch, as it allows owners to focus on growing the company instead of handling mundane tasks like emailing and filing paperwork. 

7. Graphic Design

Graphic design work done by outsourced employees can include projects like logo upgrades and website design elements. 

Outsourcing customer service

Key 2: Advantages of Outsourcing Customer Service

Outsourcing can make small businesses more efficient, ultimately boosting profits when used wisely. However, it’s important to always carefully consider what outsourcing would look like for your business. It’s not always a suitable solution for every situation.

The advantages property management staff can expect from outsourcing include significant cost decreases, resource use reductions, and a higher degree of efficiency. 

Cost Savings and Quality of Service

Outsourcing business support reduces the workspace and equipment needed in the office, allowing for faster growth of the team and the business. Outsourcing services often have lower labor costs due to fewer overhead costs and employees, and can eventually lead to incredible company cost savings — especially when companies outsource to the Philippines.

Beyond this, hiring employees can be risky: Companies spend almost $100 billion a year on training new hires (who can take six months or more to break even on the company’s hiring investment). 

Plus, staffing a full in-person office can include office equipment, furniture, and space for permanent staff. Other costs like software licensing fees, health insurance, and business trips can also add up to the overall overhead. Outsourcing can help save time and money by reducing these expenses.

Key 3: Identifying the Right Outsourcing Partner

Vetting Potential Vendors

It’s best to find companies that share ethical standards, better enabling them to foster business growth and team satisfaction.

Here are a few points to review while searching for the top possible outsourcing partner for your needs:

Ethical Values

To find a successful outsourcing partner, you must establish your ethical priorities and research their business operations to make sure that they align with your company’s values. Partnering with ISO-certified vendors like STAFFVIRTUAL enhances risk management, cyber-resilience, and operational excellence by promoting a holistic approach to information, policies, and technology.

Ideally, your company of choice should balance profit and purpose, establishing trust with clients and customers through transparency and accountability.

Labor Practices

Ensuring a liveable wage for your outsourcing partner is crucial for their team members to meet their basic needs, leading to increased satisfaction and motivation. Fair labor practices are also essential for maintaining team loyalty. 

Corporate Culture and Social Responsibility

Aside from having the same ethical values, it is equally important to assess their corporate culture, including their company values and goals. Have a chat with their employees, visit their office, and learn about their mission and vision statements. This will help you understand their operations and ultimately determine if they align with yours. This will also prevent harm, either actual or perceived, to the business and its employees.

In this modern day and age, being socially responsible as a business is a must — so partnering with a company that values social responsibility and ethical practices is crucial. Consider looking for companies that engage in CSR, or corporate social responsibility. You can also check if the company supports community outreach and philanthropic programs, as these are common projects of socially responsible companies.

Discussing costs within the internal team

Key 4: Understanding the Costs Involved

So, you’ve chosen the right outsourcing partner, and you’re ready to get started. Before you launch, consider what your budget is and what value you’re currently getting from your provider of choice. Anticipating the costs of outsourcing can ensure a smooth start-to-finish process. 

Here are some examples of the usual costs of outsourcing to consider as you work through this step:

  • Start-up Costs: When onboarding your outsourced team, you might need to invest in integrating systems, training, communication channels, and other tools. These costs can add up quickly, so consider evaluating monthly costs on a rolling basis.
  • Quality Assurance and Performance Monitoring: Having an effective outsourcing partner is great. However, having a consistent quality of service and performance is even better. It’s important to remember that regular monitoring and training also require extra funding to ensure that top-notch quality services are consistently delivered.
  • Risk Management and Security: All businesses have data and intellectual property. When outsourcing, they’re also responsible for making sure that these are protected. Cyber security, risk management, data policies, and other safeguarding measures should also be considered as part of your outsourcing expenses.

Budgeting for Outsourcing

Outsourcing offers numerous benefits, including maximizing your budget. Below are three tips to help you get the most out of your outsourcing budget:

  1. Start with your budget and choose the optimal price model. This often means choosing the one that suits both your needs and your budget in a sustainable and evergreen way. Once you determine your budget, you can decide which vendor has the best offer for your business.
  1. Always check your contract. Look for possible hidden costs, recurring fees, or any other item of note. Then, communicate clearly with your outsourcing partner to ensure you have an understanding of what you’re getting for your investment.
  1. Establish trust and transparency with your outsourcing partner from the get-go. Trust is essential in every business relationship. These can also help when you want to haggle your contract price, and at the same time, they can set up the best offer for your business and your budget.

Key 5: Preparing for the Transition

Transitioning your customer service requires a full analysis of services and meticulous mapping of the outsourcing infrastructure. Transition is the process of moving your processes from your company to your outsourcing provider. Pre-planning sessions with them are advised to establish a plan and manage perceptions to ensure service acceptance and delivery.

5 Steps for a Smooth Shift to Outsourced Services

To ensure a smooth transition to your outsourcing provider, there are certain steps you can follow.

  1. REVIEW your contract, plans, and final offer.
  2. DEFINE the scope, deliverables, timetable, and other business goals or requirements.
  3. IDENTIFY potential business risks and make sure to have contingency plans.
  4. ESTABLISH trust and clear communication with your outsourcing provider.
  5. MONITOR your team’s performance through monthly or quarterly reports provided by your outsourcing partner.
We are outsourcing experts in property management customer service.

Talk With the Customer Service Outsourcing for Property Management Experts Today

Outsourcing customer service for Property Management is a powerful business strategy. It enables you to balance client satisfaction and protecting your properties. You just need to know which services suit you or which job roles you need to outsource to help your business grow. Research carefully on the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing. 

Once you understand the whole idea of outsourcing, remember to choose the right outsourcing partner to be able to succeed with your business goals. And of course, if you’re with the right vendor, you can carry on the transition process seamlessly.

As we mentioned in this blog, cost savings are one of the top advantages of outsourcing. With STAFFVIRTUAL, you can outsource your customer service for almost half the price when you outsource in the US. Our customer service is one of the most sought-after business solutions that we offer. We value both our clients and employees in order to deliver the highest quality of outsourcing services. 

Contact us today, and partner with us so we can help you with your outsourcing needs.


Sources:

10 Small Business Functions That Can Be Easily Outsourced | U.S. Small Business Administration

How to Select the Right Outsourcing Partner | SHRM

Transition to Outsourcing: How To Minimize Risk | SHRM

Average Salary in the U.S. in 2024 | USA Today

Philippines: median monthly wage rate of time-rated full-time workers | Statista

The Cost of Hiring a New Employee | Investopedia