When discussing Business Process Outsourcing, or BPO, there are two main types of company functions to be considered: back office BPO and front office BPO. Back office processing call center services deal with internal company functions, such as purchasing, accounting, and payroll. The front office includes anything having to do with customers (e.g., sales and marketing). Front office processes also include customer service and technical support.
Different Company Functions Require Different Kinds of Employees
To be successful, a business must consider all functions as equally important. While the sales force may be the face of the company, they would not be able to perform their duties efficiently without the support of the back office service group. Just like soldiers on the front lines depend on supplies and support from the rear echelon, front office employees need efficient order management, accounting processes, warehouse management, facilities, IT Helpdesk, and management support to do their best work.
However, front office and back office BPO call center work require two different types of employees. Understanding the differences in the job responsibilities and skill sets of the two groups will be invaluable in deciding which processes to outsource and help clients select BPO associates that are a good fit.
Back Office BPO Criteria
Most back office BPO work is sourced to nearshore BPO companies. Contracts for services, such as payroll, accounting, and human resources, require workers who have specialized skills and knowledge of U.S. laws and business practices. Often, BPO companies selected for this administrative work have a strong U.S. presence and nearshore locations to manage non-core processes, allowing control of quality without tipping the cost balance. This is partly due to complex business laws that can vary from state to state and region to region.
Back office BPO teams are generally specialists with professional degrees in finance, business management, or other related fields. Employee benefit administrators, for example, have to work with various products and services, such as healthcare and other insurances, and as such, have to have a highly localized and specialized product knowledge. Management’s role is to analyze and determine which core processes need to be fulfilled in U.S. locations and which non-core processes can be performed at one of their nearshore locations.
Front Office BPO Criteria
Front office BPO contracts are often sent to nearshore and offshore companies with large, efficiently run call/service centers. Front office workers need to be effective communicators, articulate, and have good listening skills. For offshore workers, training is critical so that workers may deal with customers smoothly and efficiently. Clients adopt homogenized approaches to front office services, utilizing scripts when needed and providing strict guidelines governing customer service interactions.
Find Affordable Front and Back Office Processing Call Center Services
Listen in on the discussions in any company break room, and you will invariably hear the ongoing debate over the value of employees in back office versus front office roles. The truth is, leaving feelings and perceptions aside, neither group is more important. Both groups, working in concert, are absolutely necessary to the success of any business. At Confie BPO, our nearshore back office processing call center services – and our front office call center services – are tried and tested to help you achieve the competitive edge. Contact us to find out more. You can check us out online, email us at contact@confiebpo.com for a more personal message or simply call Confie BPO at 800-684-2BPO (2276).
