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The power of flexible shell in customer service: Optimising the flexible shell

Written on: 16 April 2024
Flexible shell in customer service. Optimising customer service with flexibility when needed

The power of flexible shell in customer service: Optimising the flexible shell

Eem (external) flexible customer service shell is a strategy in which, through flexible staffing, customer service capacity is tailored as much as possible to the amount of work at the time. (partial) Outsourcing customer service is a good solution to create an external flexible shell with the economies of scale OF EXPERIENCE.

Consumers are becoming more demanding and with that, customer service expectations are constantly changing. They expect good accessibility and good customer service no matter how busy or quiet it is. One of the most effective strategies that companies are embracing to achieve this flexibility is working immediately (external) flexible shells in their customer service departments. This approach, aimed at being able to quickly scale up or down staff in response to changing demand patterns, brings several benefits that go to the heart of operational efficiency and customer satisfaction

A detailed look at the flexible envelope in customer service:

The concept of a flexible shell revolves around creating a reservoir of qualified and available employees who can be deployed on demand to handle peaks in customer demand. This can be achieved in various ways, including hiring part-time employees, working with freelancers or setting up a pool of temporary workers working on a contract basis. In addition, partial outsourcing of customer service a good option. In particular, when outsourcing to a specialised company, there are a number of economies of scale that ensure many opportunities at relatively lower costs. Read a blog detailing the benefits of outsourcing here.

Identifying the right sources of flexible staff is crucial, as is implementing effective training and onboarding processes to ensure that these employees can be quickly and seamlessly integrated into the customer service team.

The benefits of a flexible shell in customer service in detail:

  1. Scalability and cost control: One of the most obvious benefits of a flexible shell is the ability of companies to quickly adjust their workforce to fluctuating demand, without having to commit to long-term employment contracts. This not only maximises operational efficiency but also minimises staffing costs, as companies only pay for the hours actually worked.
  2. Improved customer service: By deploying extra staff during busy periods, companies can reduce waiting times, speed up response times and improve the overall quality of customer service. This leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, as customers feel heard and valued.
  3. Flexibility for Employees: The flexible shell offers benefits not only to companies, but also to the employees themselves. It allows them to adapt their working hours to their personal needs and find work that suits their skills and experience, without having to commit to a traditional full-time job.
  4. Access to Diverse Talent Pool: By working with freelancers and temporary staff, companies can benefit from a wide range of skills and experiences that might not otherwise be available in a permanent workforce. This can lead to increased innovation and creativity within the customer service department.
  5. Improved risk management: At a time when economic uncertainty and market volatility are the norm, a flexible shell provides companies with a degree of agility and resilience that is essential for surviving and thriving in an ever-changing business environment. By being able to react quickly to changes in market conditions, companies can better manage their risks and adapt to new challenges.

No understaffing in high season

Almost all businesses experience busy and or quieter periods. We have previously had a blog written about. Seasonal crowds are particularly troublesome for businesses. Crowds depend on the weather, for instance. Thereby, matching staffing to weather and expected crowds is really very difficult. Quickly scaling up with trained staff is often just too late and takes a lot of time. An (external) flexible shell solves that problem. By being able to scale up quickly (sometimes even immediately) when needed. Particularly with partial outsourcing, these advantages really come to the fore. After all, a good external partner like us (uhm :)) always has sufficient qualified customer service staff available. Partially on other projects and therefore we can shift capacity very quickly, allowing us to switch much faster as companies that do not have excess capacity in terms of customer service staff.

No overcrowding in low season!

A minimally equal benefit that 1 of our clients pointed out to us the other day. In the off-season, this client had to keep 10 FTEs busy while there was work for two. That's a very expensive low season that all has to be made up for in the high season. This client himself stated: "I have to maintain a huge overcapacity in the off-season and still come up short in the high season". This can be solved with an external flexible shell. Staffing simply fluctuates with the need. Particularly because we always have a customer who is busy and so we can easily deploy people on other projects. So you can go from 0.5 FTE in the off-season to 15 FTE in the high season and keep the internal team at a basic level all year round.

In short Flexible Peel customer service:  

The flexible shell in customer service is much more than just a workforce management strategy; it is a powerful tool that allows companies to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the market and maintain their competitive advantage. By investing in a flexible shell, companies can not only cut costs and improve operational efficiency, but also increase overall customer satisfaction and build a resilient foundation for future growth and success.

Who are we?

We are SpangenbergGroup! And we can help you make your customer service a good customer service to make. Just good customer service where the basics are in order. Where customer contacts add value to the customer experience. We unburden you in the area we are good at (customer service) so you can concentrate worry-free on what you're good at. Sound good? Get in touch. 

With over 25 years of experience in optimising customer contact and customer experience SpangenbergGroup can help you. The optimise customer service or outsource? Use the form or see our contact page.

Also with other questions about customer contact and customer service you can always contact with us!

Just worry-free very good customer service?

Get in touch, we'd love to check it out with you!

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