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In the dynamic world of business, companies often face unexpected challenges that require adaptive strategies. One such situation arises when considering outsourcing customer support to a country like Ukraine, which is currently experiencing a complex geopolitical situation. Despite the ongoing challenges, there are important considerations and potential benefits that come with outsourcing customer support to Ukraine during times of conflict. So ultimately should you take the risk and outsource to Ukraine or look for other options. Let’s dive into the subject.

1. Ukrainian Talent

Amidst uncertain times, outsourcing customer support to Ukraine allows companies to tap into its vast talent pool, benefiting from the country’s strong educational foundation and skilled workforce.

2. Empathy and Understanding

Outsourcing customer support to Ukraine during times of conflict can foster a unique sense of empathy and understanding among customer support representatives. Many Ukrainians have personal experiences with adversity, making them adept at providing compassionate and patient assistance to customers facing challenges of their own. This shared empathy can lead to more meaningful and supportive interactions between support teams and customers.

3. Cost-Effective Solution

While geopolitical challenges may lead to concerns about stability, it’s important to note that Ukraine remains a cost-effective outsourcing destination. The cost differentials can enable businesses to maintain or improve their customer support operations while managing financial constraints that may arise due to the ongoing situation.

4. Time Zone Advantage

Ukraine’s advantageous time zone, which spans across Europe and beyond, allows businesses to provide extended customer support hours. Outsourcing to Ukraine can provide a 24/7 support model, ensuring that customer queries are addressed promptly and effectively, even during off-hours in other parts of the world.

5. Utilizing Technology for Communication

In the digital age, advanced communication technologies enable seamless interactions regardless of geographical barriers. Outsourcing customer support to Ukraine leverages these technologies, ensuring that support teams can efficiently collaborate with customers and internal teams, regardless of the ongoing conflict situation.

6. Supporting Local Economies

Outsourcing customer support to Ukraine during times of conflict can contribute to local economies by providing job opportunities and financial stability to professionals in the region. This support can have a positive ripple effect on communities, promoting resilience and fostering a sense of unity.

7. Business Continuity and resilience

LimTC as a company, and Ukraine as a whole has learned and is prepared to provide business continuity regardless of the situation. With power outages being prominent in the winter of 2023, Ukraine has adapted to continue to provide service. On company level, LimTC has installed in its office uninterrupted power supply batteries, generator and Ecoflow batteries. Several landline internet connections and satellite internet connection via Starlink. At country level, internet service provides have installed generators for reserve power supply to provide for landline internet during interruptions of power. There have been many cafe’s and points with power availability created and operating to provide locals a place to continue working from.

Outsourcing customer support to Ukraine during times of conflict is a decision that requires careful consideration and planning. While challenges exist, the potential benefits, including a skilled and resilient workforce, empathy-driven interactions, cost-effective solutions, and technological capabilities to provide service even in the toughest of times, can make this option a strategic move for businesses. By partnering with Ukrainian professionals and navigating the situation with sensitivity and awareness, companies can uphold their commitment to customer satisfaction while contributing to the growth and stability of an important global workforce.

It is up for you to decide however LimTC has proven that Ukraine can and will provide the best service regardless of the circumstances.

We say Yay.

As we move into 2022, we will no doubt see an increasing number of businesses look to exploit the potential that blockchain technology offers and use it to enhance their customer experience (CX).

Blockchain is most commonly associated with cryptocurrency, but in recent months there have been a number of announcements from major companies looking at how blockchain can be used in different areas of the business. The technology offers the ability to share information via a distributed ledger, meaning it’s trusted by members of the network without the need for any middlemen – once information is on there, it cannot be altered or changed.

Blockchain Applications And Implications For CX:

As such, implementing blockchain technology into a company’s processes means the data it uses is more trustworthy. As well as this, because of its decentralized nature, it can enable customers to take control of their own data rather than remain at the mercy of companies that hold their data. For example, Walmart is using blockchain technology in order to improve food tracking and safety by making use of tamper-proof and transparent ledgers so customers can see where their food has come from. This allows people to choose whether or not they want to purchase certain products based on this information – so if you were worried about pesticide residues in your product, you might be concerned to learn that a product was handled by a supplier that experienced a breach in their food safety management system.

This gives more of an incentive for companies to protect customer data and make it transparent – if the data is already on a decentralized network, extensive security measures cannot be taken to keep the information away from prying eyes as this would render the whole concept useless.

It also allows customers to take control of their data and choose if they want certain information shared – for instance, it may be advantageous for some people to share some health data in order to receive tailored medical advice.

Companies can also use blockchain technology to create new types of loyalty programs that give the power back to the customer. With an increasing number of businesses experimenting with cryptocurrency, consumers could soon have a wide range of ways in which they can be rewarded for their spending habits, such as receiving discounts when shopping at different stores or earning coins by taking part in market research surveys or interacting with companies on social media. A company could even reward customers with coins based on how long they’ve been a member of the brand’s community – this would allow customers to accumulate their coins over time, before using them to pay for a product or service once its value had grown. Customers could even potentially exchange these cryptocurrencies with each other or use them in different ways outside of the brand’s ecosystem, depending on how creative companies are willing to get.

Advantages Of Using Blockchain For CX:

Blockchain offers a number of advantages when it comes to customer experience, such as:

• Full Transparency – companies are able to provide more transparency, as it’s easier for them to make their data trustworthy via blockchain technology.

• Stable Security – because of its decentralized nature, companies are better equipped against cyberattacks and there is no one point of failure with blockchain technology.

• Reduced Costs – using a distributed ledger means that the need for intermediaries is reduced or even eliminated altogether, which can potentially save businesses money in terms of transaction fees. This also has an impact on customer service, as staff may be able to deal with issues more quickly without having to wait on hold.

• Greater Convenience – customers have access to their own data so they can control how much information they want to share with brands, thus increasing the convenience of shopping online.

• New Forms Of Incentives – customers are rewarded for interacting with companies, which encourages them to remain loyal to brands that they trust and believe in. It also gives them more of an incentive to share their personal information.

• More Creativity – because blockchain technology enables greater interoperability within ecosystems, companies are able to create more creative products that can be used by multiple different stakeholders. For example, a customer might be able to use coins earned through one company on another brand’s platform or give these coins as gifts to friends or family members.

• Greater Insights – because blockchain allows for a more detailed audit trail, businesses are able to obtain better data about their customers and how they use their products or services.

• Easier Sharing Of information – it’s easier for companies to share information when there is a decentralized network behind them, as blockchain makes it easier to trust the data being shared by different stakeholders.

• Better Customer Service – having access to decentralized and accurate records means that staff can resolve issues quickly and efficiently and customers can go about their day without having to wait on hold for extended periods of time.

• More Personalization – the interoperability of blockchain makes it easier for brands to create products that are able to interconnect with other platforms, resulting in a better customer experience.

• New Business Models  – businesses have access to cheaper transaction fees due to reduced intermediaries, which can enable new types of business models. Reduced costs allow companies to find ways around the “one size fits all” approach and offer more tailored services as a result.

• More Innovation  – companies have the opportunity to create new business models that can unlock new markets. Because of this, they are able to experiment more with different ways of delivering their products and services which help them stay ahead of the competition.

Disadvantages Of Using Blockchain For CX:

On the other hand, there are some potential disadvantages in regard to the customer experience when companies utilize blockchain technology. For example:

• More Complex – the fact that blockchain is a relatively new and ambitious technology means that it can add complexity to businesses and make it harder for them to truly understand how this tech works. Another downside is that there aren’t many experts in this area when compared with something like artificial intelligence (AI) or robotics. This means that most employees won’t have much knowledge about what they’re selling and may not be able to explain anything beyond simple facts and figures.

• Scalability Issues  – just like cryptocurrencies, there is a huge issue with scalability that needs to be addressed. Blockchain is not currently able to handle the number of transactions that companies like Visa and Mastercard can process on a daily basis, therefore making it difficult for them to use this technology as their main service delivery platform.

• High energy Consumption – by operating on a decentralized network, blockchain technology can cause high levels of electricity consumption which has an impact not only on the environment but also cost due to increased expenses. It will take some time before there are any breakthroughs in terms of increasing efficiency or finding alternative sources of energy for this form of tech.

• Lack of Regulation  – because this is still a relatively new area of technology there are no industry tests or guidelines in place to protect consumers when utilizing blockchain’s capabilities. Even though there are some self-regulatory mechanisms currently in place (e.g. KYC), people should still remain wary when making financial decisions due to the uncertainty surrounding where their coins will end up if something happens to them (e.g. if they lose their password).

Industries Set To Benefit From The Blockchain:

There are numerous industries that could potentially benefit from utilizing blockchain technology such as:

Banking, Healthcare, Education, Retail, Real Estate, Entertainment, Gaming, Transportation, Energy, and Manufacturing.

A few businesses that already utilize blockchain technology:

There are a number of companies, both big and small, who have been leveraging blockchain to improve their business offering. These include Microsoft, Samsung, IBM, Maersk, Alibaba, Overstock.com, Walmart, Red Bull Media House.

How can digital service providers leverage blockchain technology to enhance their customer experience?  

Some companies have even gone as far as using Ethereum’s ERC-20 tokens within their platform which allows them to create their own currency. This makes it possible for people to trade supplies, products, and services on one platform and easily exchange currencies with each other without having to go through an exchange.

There are also decentralized hedge funds that use the Ethereum network which gives investors more options in terms of where they put their money.

As you can see, blockchain is a very versatile form of technology and it has the power to make almost anything more efficient, secure, and streamlined. This is why experts believe that when fully implemented across society, it could be the foundation for a new model of economic and social organization.

It is still an emerging technology and it will take some time before we see the full potential of this incredible innovation. However, regardless of if companies use “private chains” or opt to utilize other decentralized peers to peer (P2P) systems like Ripple, it’s clear that this is the direction that companies are heading when it comes to their digital service offerings.

As A Business Process Outsourcing Company, Why Should We Care?

In short, blockchain is something that any kind of business that interacts with consumers should consider implementing into their service delivery model. This includes outsourcing companies who are looking to enhance their customer service experience by making it efficient, trustworthy, and quick.

Most companies will not be able to afford to develop or maintain their own Customer Support, or Back-Office teams which is why outsourcing their needs to a company like ours makes the most sense. We have extensive knowledge of industry standards as well as business process management methodologies that can help your company quickly integrate new forms of technology into your business model.

What are your thoughts on how blockchain can change the customer experience? Do you think that companies will adopt the technology in the near future or is it something that will take some time to develop? Let us know in the comments below.

This article was written collaboratively by Paul Pokotylo and Burak Turk from the Marketing and Business Development teams on behalf of LimTC.

Our mission is to provide you with the information you need on trending topics that we see will have an impact on Customer Experience with a focus on the technology involved. To stay up to date on subjects that interest you, follow us on social media and check out our blog.

Let’s be honest, there is no one who wants to go through the hassle of customer service. It can be a headache and it can take time away from your busy day. However, this doesn’t have to happen! There are ways you can make sure that your customers are satisfied with their experience. We’re here to show you 6 steps that will help create better customer experiences for everyone involved.

1. Make it easier for the customer to reach you.

Have a customer service phone number that is easy to find on your site. Make sure you have ways for customers to contact you online, such as email and chat support. This will make it easier for them because they can reach you at any time of day without having to wait on hold or call back multiple times. You’ll also be able to answer any questions they have right away, which will help them feel more confident in your services.

– Customer Service Phone Number: 123-456-7890

– Email Address for Support: support@business.com

– Live Chat Online at all times: chat.business.com

2. Put your contact information on all of your marketing materials or any other engagement channels

It can be frustrating to customers when they visit your site and don’t know how to contact customer service. This will lead them down the path of frustration, which is why it’s so important that your contact information is easy to find on all of your marketing materials and website pages. This way, they will have the opportunity to call you or email you before becoming frustrated with themselves for not being able to reach customer support in a timely manner.

3. Offer 24/7 support so that customers can contact you at any time

It’s more than likely that your customer service department is not open 24/hours a day, which may make some customers feel like you don’t care. This is why it’s so important to offer 24/hour support for all of your customers so they know that you are always available when they need you the most.

4. Include a live chat feature on your website so that customers can talk with a representative without having to wait on hold or complete an online form

Customers are always looking for instant gratification that they can’t get from customer service. They want to talk with a representative without having to wait on hold or fill out an online form, which is why live chat features like the one we offer here at Business.com make it easy and fast for them to contact you as soon as possible.

5. Develop a customer feedback loop that can be used to improve the customer experience

If you want to create a better customer experience, then it’s important that you listen to customer feedback. This means listening to what they have to say and how your service can be improved. You should also use this information as an opportunity for growth and improvement because if the majority of customers are having issues with something in particular (for example shipping), then you should focus on improving that specific area.

– Ask for customer feedback through surveys or social media posts and monitor the responses to see where your customers are having trouble with certain aspects of service (for example shipping). This will allow you to see what they need in order to have a better experience, which can help lead you to make the necessary changes.

– If you see that there is a common complaint (for example shipping) then it may be helpful to investigate and find out why this is happening so frequently. This will help you determine what needs to change in order for your customers to have better customer experiences when they are doing business with you.

– You should also take this feedback and look for ways to improve it in order to create a better customer experience.

– If you are using surveys, then be sure that your questions pertain specifically to the topic of customer service so they will be more useful.

– The social media posts should also focus on what customers want from their online shopping experiences as well as their thoughts on customer service. This will give you a better idea of what they want and need in order to have an improved experience when purchasing from your company.

– When it comes to surveys, be sure that the questions are specific so your customers can provide more useful feedback (like “What is most important for you about shopping online?”).

6. Provide quick responses – don’t leave them waiting around for days without hearing back from someone

It is important to be clear with your customers about turnaround time. For example, if it takes you 24 hours to respond back to them after they submit a request then let them know that this will happen so there are no surprises for anyone involved in the process. This way, your customer service will stand out from the rest because people want their concerns addressed as soon as possible.

– Provide a customer service email address that customers can use to contact you about their requests or issues and make sure they know when they will receive a response back from the company. You may need to let them know how long it typically takes for your staff members to get back in touch with each other, but it is important to be clear with this so there are no surprises.

– If you have a phone line for customer service, then provide an automated response that will tell them when they can expect a call back from the company as well. This makes it easier for everyone involved and ensures your customers know what to expect in terms of turnaround time.

– Customer service should always be a priority, but this doesn’t mean you can ignore it either. If your customer service isn’t up to par then you may end up losing customers and that will lead to decreased revenue in the long run.

– Put a plan into action for how quickly you respond back to requests so that all of your customers know what to expect.

– If a customer has an issue and you’re able to provide them with a solution, then do your best to keep in contact with the customer so they will feel that their issue is being addressed appropriately.

I hope you found these tips helpful and that they can help improve your customer service experience. If you want to share any other topics we should cover in our next blog, let us know!

Customers’ experiences have an impact on how they perceive your business and your brand. Service is the core point of your business’s success. Everyone knows the importance of a happy customer that will not only return to you but always give positive feedback and bring new customers along.

Let’s see what’s new in Customer Service Technology & Trends for the 2021s.

Each year customer service and support leaders identify their strategic priorities and investments for the year ahead, but due to covid-19 and its lasting ramifications, things are changing rapidly and it’s important to move along with the new requirements of Customers. Service and support face increased pressure from competitors on the role of the service function in improving operational excellence and growing the business. The main support for effective customer service is a combination of tools, systems, and processes to convert policies into customer satisfaction.

It starts with equipping your agents with all tools that they need to provide a top-notch customer experience, including:

• Up to date software
• Enhanced training 
• More accessible customer data
• Specific feedback
• Clear process documentation and flexible guidelines

In 2020 the Customer Service department had to readjust their employees to remote work. This transition had a huge impact on customer service trends in 2021. Remote work will most likely become a more permanent strategy due to the current situation worldwide and the new opportunity of cost savings due to the remote workforce for business owners. 

In fact, 89% of UK contact center leaders say that the COVID-19 crisis has changed the industry forever. A recent industry survey supports this view of a long-term work-from-home transition.  35% of contact center leaders now think that their contact centers will become mainly homeworking. And a higher percentage, 58%, think homeworking will be partly optional and partly compulsory. 

Either way, the busy on-premise contact center of the past is set to give way to a more flexible and remote work culture.

As for trends, Service became a sales tool in 2021.

Omnichannel communication with customers is a top priority today. Customers want to reach you immediately with great convenience, meaning being able to choose a convenient contact form like live-chat on a business website or have multiple choices of mobile messengers depending on the preferences of the consumer and get an immediate reply independent of the device type.  A true omnichannel approach includes the ability to deliver a seamless and consistent experience across a variety of communication channels. So if your company is not operating with omnichannel communication, now is the time to adapt.

Since not all customer service departments work 24-7, developers took it one step further by inventing chat-bots. But this option lost its popularity within a short period of time.  Custer’s enjoy interacting with actual human beings since chatbots lack intelligence and are able to solve only the basic requirements of customers, so they are revealed with ease.  So creating a chatbot for your customers today should only be to generalize the question of your customer and lead the conversation to a responsible employee or department. It’s also good to have a chatbot to answer the most common questions or to gather contact information to get back to the customer during working hours. They are a necessary asset today as well, but nothing in comparison to actual human interaction. 

Let’s not forget about social media. Its popularity increased among some of the largest companies in the world as a way to foster customer communication and share the latest products with its potential customers. Social media is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ channel, it’s an essential tool. Companies that spread their brand on social media are archiving greater value of new customers and benefits as well as customer satisfaction and increased retention. In 2021, social media will only become more and more important as a tool to share information, communicate with customers, and retain users.

Today the market is growing rapidly, and as customers have more options, service becomes part of the product experience. Companies are focused on customer’s desire for a better customer experience. The E-commerce market was already growing before Covid, but that growth was accelerated by the pandemic to deal with increased demand. More businesses needed more help services from B2B companies.

The world stands right in front of a new era, and we need to make sure to be up to date with all the new features and services to keep our existing customers happy and have new customers join. The world stands right in front of a new era, and we need to make sure to be up to date with all the new features and services to keep our existing customers happy and have new customers join. 

Unlike years prior, this new type of conversational commerce is much bigger than just offering live chat. That’s part of it, but consumers now want to be able to connect with your brand immediately on their preferred platform — whether it’s Facebook, WhatsApp, email, etc. The right tools will allow you to deliver a unified customer experience and treat all channels as equal — prioritizing queries based on importance. 

As always, customer reviews play a massive role in success

• Quick resolutions
• Helpful and empathetic agents
• 24/7 support
• Being able to use preferred channels
• Proactive support

Summary of trends 2021:

1.  Building teams with support agents who can work remotely

3.  Providing personalized customer experiences

4.  Delivering real-time support through live chat and chatbots

5.  Customer-centric success strategies 

6.  Mastering social media as a support channel

As previously mentioned, we stand right in front of a new era, and there are more changes to come within the near future. For some industries, this means having to change up the whole business plan and readjust or in the worst-case scenario close their business completely. 

For them, it means a second chance, and if they play their cards right, a bright future.

The outsourcing model has drastically changed during the past few years for good, evolving to providing the best service in every possible way and channel.  

Outsourcing, of course, can be a great way to drive your business forward in a more effective and faster environment by allowing you to use your company resources for more profitable ventures.

Every business has different requirements and reasons for outsourcing, but commonly businesses get the most value and productivity out of their outsourcing operations with a well-structured plan and experienced partner.

To help you get started, we worked hard on coming up with these 7 actions to develop an outsourcing plan that moves you forward to success.

Define Clear Goals

Always start with the big picture and deeply understand both strategic and tactical points with all your stakeholders. Defining the level of requirements, clear work descriptions, and internal and external processes are where you should start. 

Considering all details around your company goals will help you to prepare your business for better results. 

Identify Your Needs

When you’re outsourcing your business, your business needs have to be crystal clear that you create a list of what you are expecting to get from outsourcing your business processes. You should also identify what processes you need to outsource and what your reasons are for doing so.

Evaluate The Risks

Businesses should look to maximize value while minimizing risk when engaging with an outsourcing model, by considering the risk and value associated with the people, process, and systems involved. Prioritizing your needs and evaluating the risks around is always give you the peace of mind you deserve, better safe than sorry.

Create a business plan

Outlining effective responsive communication plans

Set your business budget

Assess the geographical risks

Choose The Right Partner

Most outsourcing companies talk of vast expertise and top-notch talent, but is there any credibility to their words? Choosing the right partner can make boost your business to the greatest success or it can cause management, cultural, and other unseen issues. Here is a short checklist to be done without any further ado.

Communication & collaboration

Business reputation

Cost efficiency

Case Studies

Technical Expertise

Workforce evaluation

Check Infrastructure and technologies

Set Routine Checks

Routine checks do not only make your business trackable but also help you to understand pain points, success stories, and sets the ground to become responsible for all your important business decisions consistently. Especially for outsourced workforces, creating routine control methodologies and reports will increase efficiency.

Ongoing Training And Employee Development

Providing training and development to employees allows employers to pinpoint the knowledge and skills they want their employees to have. Training and development programs can educate employees about new skills or provide updates on existing skills to enhance productivity. When you outsource your workforce, the employees will still be representing your company. Your outsourcing partner should understand this sensitive aspect of your and continuously provide required training to all employees. 

Outsourcing offers companies the ability to focus on their main competencies and delegate essential tasks to others. This can move companies toward growth by investing more time for leadership to innovate. Outsourcing is a viable solution for all business models at any stage that are looking to scale their businesses and save money in the process.

You might feel overwhelmed by all the information, outsourcing is easy to manage and success-oriented model by choosing the right partner and can be a boost for your business mid-long term strategical plans.

If you are seeking an ideal outsourcing partner? Have more questions before ensuring your decision? Let our team guide and help you with your business success by contacting us.