Calling the Customer - An Industry Analysis of Call Center as Business Process Outsourcing Providers

Table of Content

1 Introduction

1.1 Introduction to the Call Center Industry

1.2 Research Motivation

1.3 Problem Statement

1.4 Research Contribution

1.5 Research Approach

2 Outsourcing

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Definition

2.3 History and Evolution

2.4 Trends

2.5 Advantages and Limitations

2.6 Challenges

2.7 Trust

2.7.1 Definition

2.7.2 Related Concepts

2.7.3 Trust and Outsourcing

2.7.4 Relationship with the Client

2.8 Conclusion

3 Call Center

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Definition

3.3 History and Evolution

3.4 Trends

3.5 Special Characteristics

3.5.1 Personnel

3.5.2 Relationship with the Client

3.6 Conclusion

4 Research Goals

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Environment

4.2.1 Cultural Dimension (Hofstede and Trompenaars)

4.2.2 Competitive Environment (Porter)

4.2.3 Uncertainty of the Environment

4.3 Organization

4.3.1 Type (Mintzberg)

4.3.2 Strategic Global Orientation

4.3.3 Nature

4.3.4 Organizational Lifecycle

4.3.5 Competitive Strategy (Porter)

4.3.6 Organizational Structure

4.3.7 Corporate Culture

4.4 Personnel

4.4.1 Labor Supply

4.4.2 Training

4.4.3 Monitoring

4.5 Relationship with the Client

4.5.1 Orientation towards the Client

4.5.2 Trust

4.5.3 Contract

4.5.4 Project

4.5.5 Data Security

4.6 Conclusion

5 Research Design

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Research Objective

5.3 Research Method

5.4 Sample Choice

5.5 Research Execution

5.6 Conclusion

6 Findings

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Mondial Assistance Deutschland GmbH

6.3 Harte-Hanks CRM Services Belgium N.V.

6.4 eti Sales Support Europe B.V.

6.5 PFSweb Europe B.V.

6.6 cologne: callcenter gmbh

6.7 Maincom Telemarketing Services GmbH

6.8 Minacs Worldwide GmbH

6.9 Synovate GmbH

6.10 Conclusion

7 Discussion

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Environment

7.2.1 Cultural Dimension (Hofstede and Trompenaars)

7.2.2 Competitive Environment (Porter)

7.2.3 Uncertainty of the Environment

7.3 Organization

7.3.1 Type (Mintzberg)

7.3.2 Strategic Global Orientation

7.3.3 Nature

7.3.4 Organizational Lifecycle

7.3.5 Competitive Strategy

7.3.6 Organizational Structure

7.3.7 Corporate Culture

7.4 Personnel

7.4.1 Labor supply

7.4.2 Training

7.4.3 Monitoring

7.5 Relationship to the Client

7.5.1 Orientation towards the Client

7.5.2 Trust

7.5.3 Contract

7.5.4 Project

7.5.5 Data Security

7.5.6 Success

7.6 Conclusion

8 Conclusion

8.1 Summary and Conclusions

8.2 Managerial Implications

8.3 Limitations

8.4 Future Research

9 References

9.1 Articles and Books

9.2 WebPages

Research Objectives and Core Themes

This study aims to provide a comprehensive industry analysis of call centers acting as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) providers. The primary research objective is to identify and analyze the environmental, organizational, and operational factors that determine the industry's structure and influence the success of call center outsourcing relationships, with a specific focus on the role of trust, personnel management, and the client-provider interaction.

• Analysis of the external environment, including cultural factors, competitive forces (Porter's Five Forces), and environmental uncertainty.
• Examination of organizational characteristics using theoretical frameworks like Mintzberg's typology and organizational lifecycle models.
• Evaluation of personnel as the critical production factor, focusing on labor supply, training, and monitoring processes.
• Assessment of the client-provider relationship, emphasizing the role of trust, contract design, and data security in ensuring successful outsourcing.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the call center industry, identifies the research motivation and problem statement, and outlines the overall research approach.

2 Outsourcing: Defines outsourcing as a business practice, details its history and trends, discusses its advantages and limitations, and explores the vital role of trust in outsourcing relationships.

3 Call Center: Offers an overview of the call center industry, defines different types of centers (inbound/outbound), and examines key industry trends and special characteristics like personnel and client relationships.

4 Research Goals: Translates the research problem into specific sub-questions and theoretical hypotheses, covering environmental, organizational, personnel, and client-relationship factors.

5 Research Design: Describes the methodology used for the study, including the exploratory research design, sample selection, and the execution of face-to-face interviews.

6 Findings: Presents an overview of the eight companies researched, documenting their structure, core competences, and the nature of their business processes.

7 Discussion: Synthesizes and discusses the findings of the research, evaluating the hypotheses developed in Chapter 4 against the collected empirical data.

8 Conclusion: Summarizes the key insights, offers managerial implications for call center operators, acknowledges study limitations, and proposes directions for future research.

Keywords

Call Centers, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Trust, Outsourcing Strategy, Organizational Structure, Personnel Management, Client Relationship, Porter’s Five Forces, Service Level Agreements, Monitoring, Staff Turnover, Workforce Management, Competitive Strategy, Global Outsourcing

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research paper?

The paper provides an industry analysis of call centers acting as BPO providers. It examines the factors that shape this industry and determines what drives success when outsourcing customer contact.

What are the central themes discussed in the thesis?

The work centers on four main themes: the external environment of call centers, their organizational characteristics, the management of the personnel as a primary production factor, and the critical nature of the client-provider relationship.

What is the primary research goal or guiding question?

The research is guided by the question: "What are the factors determining the industry of call centers as BPO providers and what are the factors that influence success, when outsourcing the customer contact?"

Which scientific research method is applied?

The study employs a qualitative, exploratory research method. This involved conducting semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews with representatives from eight different companies to gather detailed insights.

What topics are covered in the main body of the work?

The main body investigates environmental factors (using Porter's Five Forces and cultural theories), organizational structures (applying Mintzberg's typology and lifecycle theories), and the operational and relational challenges involved in managing outsourced customer contact.

How is the research characterized by key terminology?

The study is characterized by concepts such as "outsourcing," "trust," "client integration," "staff turnover," "personnel quality," "competitive advantage," and "service level agreements."

How does the author define the role of trust in call center outsourcing?

Trust is identified as a fundamental requirement due to the high complexity and unpredictability of the business environment. It acts as a buffer against uncertainty, risk, and the need for excessive control measures.

How do cultural differences impact call center outsourcing?

Cultural differences play a significant role in contract design and trust-building. The study suggests that partners from similar cultural backgrounds may require less explicit contracts, while managing international relationships requires high flexibility and adaptability in values and communication.