This thesis focuses on call centers offering their services to companies, which choose to outsource customer contact. The goal of this study is to portray the industry and establish key success factors. Several environmental and organizational characteristics are depicted and the influence of two important aspects is outlined as they are the personnel and trust as a key factor governing the client relationship.
The results suggest that the outsourcing call center industry is driven by the need of flexibility, the strong connection with the clients and trust as a basic requirement. Companies operating in this business tend to show signs of maturity, pay much attention to the management of the human resources, and combine leveraging their core competences globally with adapting flexibly to the clients’ needs and wishes. When managing the workforce, the agency theory applies. Hiring, training and monitoring processes are therefore of crucial importance and need to be adjusted carefully to the services offered. Continuous observation and adaptation is vital to the call center’s success. Pinpointing and targeting the training needs and fine-tuning the monitoring system are imperative.
Surprisingly, when looking at the client relationship, the principal-agent problem does not exist, since the success of both partners it tied together very strongly. Trust and integration are therefore the main factors driving this success. Trust is assessed by using Numan’s (1998) framework, which focuses on balancing complexity, risk, control and uncertainty with trust, which in turn is shaped by beliefs. These relationships are found to hold true in this industry and the importance of trust reached the highest value available, when questioned. The main goal of a call center is to provide such an excellence service to the client that it becomes indispensable.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 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 Relationship with the Client
- 2.7.4 Trust and Outsourcing
- 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 Method
- 5.3 Sample Choice
- 5.4 Research Execution
- 5.5 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
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis aims to analyze the call center industry, specifically those offering business process outsourcing (BPO) services for customer contact. The study seeks to identify key success factors within this industry, examining both environmental and organizational characteristics. A particular focus is placed on the roles of personnel management and trust in client relationships.
- The dynamics of the outsourcing call center industry
- Key success factors in call center BPO, including personnel management and trust
- The impact of environmental and organizational factors on call center success
- The application of agency theory in managing call center personnel
- The crucial role of trust in building and maintaining successful client relationships
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the call center industry focusing on BPO services for customer contact. It establishes the research motivation, problem statement, contribution, and approach. The overarching goal is set: to understand and portray the industry and its key success factors. This sets the stage for the subsequent investigation into outsourcing, call centers, and the key factors contributing to success in this industry. The chapter positions the research within the broader context of business process outsourcing and highlights the gap in knowledge that the thesis aims to fill.
2 Outsourcing: This chapter provides a detailed examination of outsourcing, defining it, tracing its historical evolution, and analyzing current trends. It explores the advantages and limitations of outsourcing, acknowledging the inherent challenges involved. A significant portion focuses on the concept of trust within the outsourcing relationship, particularly its definition, related concepts, its role in client relationships, and its specific application within the context of outsourcing. This chapter provides a foundational understanding of the broader context within which call centers operate as BPO providers.
3 Call Center: This chapter specifically defines and details the call center industry. It traces its history and evolution, analyzes current trends, and explores the unique characteristics of call centers, including the crucial roles of personnel and client relationships. The chapter builds upon the previous discussion of outsourcing by focusing on the specific operational aspects of call centers within the BPO landscape. The importance of human resources and the dynamic nature of the client interaction are stressed. The chapter synthesizes the unique characteristics that set call centers apart from other outsourcing models.
4 Research Goals: This chapter outlines the research objectives and methodology, detailing the environmental and organizational factors to be examined. It explains the framework used to analyze the influence of cultural dimensions (Hofstede and Trompenaars), competitive environment (Porter), and organizational structure (Mintzberg), in addition to other factors influencing organizational behavior and client relationships. The chapter essentially lays out the structure and approach of the research. This provides a thorough explanation of the analytical framework employed in the subsequent data analysis and interpretation.
5 Research Design: This chapter describes the research design, methodology, sample selection, and execution of the study. It details the methods used to collect and analyze data, ensuring that the study’s reliability and validity are established. This chapter provides the reader with a complete understanding of how the research was conducted, allowing them to evaluate the research’s rigor and credibility. It ensures transparency and allows for critical evaluation of the study's findings.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Call centers, business process outsourcing (BPO), customer contact, key success factors, personnel management, trust, agency theory, client relationships, outsourcing trends, organizational characteristics, environmental factors, global orientation, competitive strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions: Comprehensive Language Preview of Call Center BPO
What is the main topic of this document?
This document is a comprehensive preview of a thesis analyzing the call center industry, specifically focusing on Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services for customer contact. It explores key success factors, examining environmental and organizational characteristics, with a particular focus on personnel management and trust in client relationships.
What topics are covered in the Table of Contents?
The Table of Contents includes chapters on: Introduction to the Call Center Industry and the research; Outsourcing (including a detailed look at trust); Call Centers; Research Goals (covering environment, organization, personnel, and client relationships); Research Design; and Findings (including case studies of several companies).
What are the key objectives and themes of the research?
The research aims to identify key success factors in call center BPO. Key themes include the dynamics of the outsourcing call center industry, personnel management and trust in building client relationships, the impact of environmental and organizational factors, the application of agency theory, and the crucial role of trust in maintaining successful client relationships.
What is included in the chapter summaries?
Chapter summaries provide overviews of each chapter's content. They highlight the introduction and overall goals of the research (Chapter 1), a detailed examination of outsourcing and trust (Chapter 2), a deep dive into call center specifics (Chapter 3), a thorough explanation of the research goals and methodology (Chapter 4), details on the research design and execution (Chapter 5), and an overview of the findings from case studies (Chapter 6).
What are the key words associated with this research?
Key words include: Call centers, business process outsourcing (BPO), customer contact, key success factors, personnel management, trust, agency theory, client relationships, outsourcing trends, organizational characteristics, environmental factors, global orientation, and competitive strategy.
What specific companies are included in the case studies?
The findings chapter includes case studies of Mondial Assistance Deutschland GmbH, Harte-Hanks CRM Services Belgium N.V., eti Sales Support Europe B.V., PFSweb Europe B.V., cologne: callcenter gmbh, Maincom Telemarketing Services GmbH, Minacs Worldwide GmbH, and Synovate GmbH.
What methodologies were used in this research?
The research design chapter details the specific research methods, sample choice, and execution of the study. While the specific methods aren't explicitly listed in the preview, the document indicates a focus on analyzing environmental and organizational factors impacting success within the call center BPO industry.
What is the overall contribution of this research?
The research aims to contribute to a better understanding of the key success factors in the call center BPO industry, particularly highlighting the roles of personnel management and trust in client relationships. By examining both environmental and organizational characteristics, it seeks to provide valuable insights for companies operating in this sector.
- Quote paper
- Maria Kimme (Author), 2004, Calling the Customer - An Industry Analysis of Call Center as Business Process Outsourcing Providers, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/34947
