For growing companies, there comes a point when an in-house contact center costs more than the value it represents. How many agents are too many? When does an attempt to provide customer service become an all-encompassing headache? Naturally, the answer varies for each company, but for those who’ve started researching their options, you may have seen the term “nearshore.” But what does it mean and why is it important?
Nearshore is a term that means close to the United States, both geographically and culturally. Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean are considered nearshore locations. So let’s take a closer look at the benefits of working “next door” to the U.S.
Because Centris is headquartered in Longview, Texas, with two operation centers in Mexico, we are defined as a nearshore contact center. Both of our Mexico operations, Monterrey and Aguascalientes, are in the central time zone, which means you can conduct business with ease.
No one will be tasked with taking a conference call at 2am Eastern Standard Time, nor will your employees be flying 17-22 hours to reach a destination in the Philippines or India. Monterrey and Aguascalientes are fairly quick and affordable flights from just about anywhere in the United States. In fact, we have clients who visit our facilities on a monthly basis.
As for the culture, most Centris employees have lived, worked, and/or studied in the United States. They are not only bi-lingual; they are bi-cultural. They still have friends in the U.S., long for a particular food from their favorite American restaurant, and watch American TV shows. Sharing a language, and in many instances a culture, means there is an automatic connection between our employees and your customers.
Let’s face it, everyone has placed a call to a contact center, spoken to someone who was deemed bi-lingual, only to find we couldn’t understand them and needed them to repeat just about everything. It’s this kind of call that can be incredibly frustrating – and can cost you a customer. At Centris, our Customer Service Representatives don’t just speak the language; we know the nuances of English, including slang and acronyms.
Finally, and perhaps most important, nearshore operations typically offer terrific cost-savings. On average, U.S. call center representatives can cost $20-25 per hour – when you include overhead, facilities, and medical insurance. At Centris, we can cut that cost by almost half, while offering exemplary customer service.
In summary, close geographical proximity, shared language and culture, along with unbelievable cost savings, and you can see why finding a nearshore contact center is such a valuable proposition.
We welcome your inquiry. If you have any questions regarding our nearshore contact centers, please give us a call.
