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Are you seeking virtual assistants (VAs) in Phoenix to handle your e-commerce store’s product returns and refunds? Local VAs are efficient and live close to your office. They can meet with you personally to resolve urgent work concerns or issues.
How about hiring returns VAs from an offshoring service provider instead? These third-party professionals live abroad but have much to offer your business.
If you are interested in offshoring returns to VAs, this article is for you. It discusses 10 reasons to employ offshore returns VAs for your Phoenix e-commerce business.
Stay on this page to learn more.
Why Outsource Returns VA for Phoenix E-commerce Businesses
The following are the 10 advantages of hiring offshore VAs to enhance your e-commerce store’s product return and refund processes:
1. Diminished Operating Expenses for More Funds
Securing returns VAs from a third-party service provider can be more affordable for Phoenix e-commerce businesses than building an in-house team.
Check the types of operating expenses that you can save on when engaging VAs for e-commerce and other back-end tasks:
- Recruitment. One advantage of employing a business process outsourcing (BPO) provider is minimal recruitment expenses. The third-party vendor handles all of the time-consuming and costly recruitment processes. It also manages job listings, candidate screenings, tests, onboarding, and training.
- Salaries. Another plus of hiring third-party VAs is employee compensation savings. The service provider bears other staff-related expenses, such as sick leave and health insurance.
- Computer systems and other office equipment. Reduced investment or capital expenditures are reasons to outsource returns VAs for your Phoenix e-commerce store. The BPO partner uses its physical and digital infrastructure and resources to support your operations.
- Upskilling and skill improvement. The BPO provider shoulders the costs of personnel learning and retraining to keep VAs updated on business standards and practices. With an in-house team, you pay for courses and seminars.
2. Swift Processing of Return Requests to Maintain Brand Image
Returns VAs with BPO experience can quickly raise return and refund request tickets for your Phoenix e-commerce shop. These professionals excel at collecting human or automated requests for returns, recalls, and replacements to aid the other teams in handling them as soon as possible. They are also prompt in making email templates and red-flagging requests due soon.
Customers whose returns or exchanges were not processed on time will likely share their negative experiences with others. Bad reviews might put the company’s reputation and brand at risk. However, efficient VAs can help you avoid such a situation.
Here are the reasons to maintain a positive brand image:
- Builds referrals. Despite their return or refund requests, consumers can still have a good experience with your e-commerce store if you quickly address their concerns. Satisfied customers boost your brand’s reputation and produce referrals vital to engaging more potential customers.
- Shows credibility and integrity. A good brand perception assists the company in looking organized, credible, and professional. It lets you attract customers who will likely return to your e-commerce store for repeat sales. As such, your business gains a competitive advantage over industry rivals.
3. More Focus on Core Competencies to Polish Market Edge
Employing returns VAs for your Phoenix e-commerce shop lets you concentrate on your core business. Delegating product return and refund activities lets your internal teams focus on income-generating initiatives, including expanding into new markets and customer bases, designing better products, and launching new services.
You can build and maintain a business edge over industry competitors by paying more attention to core competencies. Thus, employing returns VAs to manage reimbursements and exchanges is essential for your Phoenix e-commerce store.
Achieving a market edge translates to better sales and revenue. You can try one or more of the six options below to push your online business to new heights:
- Refine the current quality of products and services to gain additional consumers and revenue.
- Improve incentives for full-time employees and third-party teams to boost staff confidence and lessen resignations.
- Extend consumer reach swiftly to generate additional income sources while cutting dependency on current customers.
- Promote employee training and skill acquisition to increase output and performance.
- Advance customer relations for better customer satisfaction and product or service loyalty.
- Put resources into cutting-edge technology for improved procedures and workflow.
4. Quick Generation of Return Policy for Better Customer Satisfaction
BPO-trained returns VAs have the time and skills to generate product return and exchange arrangements for your Phoenix e-commerce business. They can draft a clear and straightforward guideline after examining your online store’s exchanges and their controllable and uncontrollable returns.
A well-defined return and exchange policy puts you and your buyer in agreement, helping prevent misunderstandings and decreasing the rate of returns. Apart from writing one, your returns VAs will make it readily available to your consumers via the online portal. They can also advise your shipping staff to include a physical copy in the customer’s package.
Consider the benefits of having returns VAs develop easy-to-understand product return and refund policies for Phoenix e-commerce firms.
- Raise shopper confidence. Customers often avoid online stores since they worry about unreliable or complex return and refund processes. Customers will be more inclined to trust your company if your published return policies are clear.
- Handle customer expectations. A firm policy can manage consumer expectations up front and minimize future disagreements or confusion. Buyers will know all the information before placing an order, such as the deadline for returns and exchanges and extra shipping charges.
- Gain new customers. Many shoppers check your website to see if it has a clear policy. Potential customers view this as an assurance that the products are legitimate and that they can get a refund if problems arise later.
5. Better Customer Experience (CX) for Continued Patronage
Consistently delivering top-notch consumer care amid refunds and exchanges is one of the reasons to engage returns VAs for your Phoenix e-commerce enterprise. With e-commerce customer service outsourcing, you can continuously realize excellent CX because the third-party workers specialize in increasing buyer satisfaction and loyalty.
Consider the advantages of enhanced CX:
- Greater return on investment (ROI). Customer happiness drives ROI since pleased customers pay more for online retail. Happy customers advocate for your brand by posting favorable comments online.
- Decreased ongoing expenses. Improved CX increases revenue while cutting running costs. You can spend less on advertising and other promotions to grab potential buyers.
- Retained brand image. Offering high-quality service despite buyers returning products or services is why you should outsource returns VAs for your Phoenix e-commerce company. These remote workers can maintain your market presence and minimize customer flights due to product or service exchanges and reimbursements.
- Enhanced customer insights. CX offers accurate and timely data on consumer behavior, preferences, and expectations. The offshore VAs collect and analyze information to assist in developing or adjusting consumer experience techniques.
- Boosted customer fulfillment. Virtual assistants provide excellent CX to foster product or service commitment. They maximize every consumer connection, from the first transaction to refunds and returns. Notwithstanding initial inconveniences, buyers satisfied with customer support will likely return to do business again.
6. Affordable Remote Workers for Improved Revenue
Offshoring providers in the Philippines and nearshore destinations such as Mexico and Costa Rica have readily available, highly competent, and reasonably priced third-party workers.
Many returns VAs and remote professionals for Phoenix e-commerce businesses have excellent communication skills, technical accreditations, bilingual capabilities, and tertiary education. Their talent and competencies are comparable to their American counterparts.
Below are the average rates of VAs in the Philippines, Costa Rica, and Phoenix, Arizona (U.S.):
| Country | Hourly Rate Range (in U.S.$) | Average Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| The Philippines | $5-$50 | $27.5 |
| Costa Rica | $6-$35 | $20.5 |
| Mexico | $5-$35 | $20 |
| Phoenix, Arizona (U.S.) | $15-$50 | $32.5 |
Source: Upwork
Note: For a quick illustration, the average hourly salary for every country is computed by adding the small and large figures and then dividing the sum by two. For example, the hourly rate of VAs in the Philippines ranges from $5 to $35. Hence, $27.5 is the result of dividing $55 ($5+$50) by two.
As per the statistics above, a VA in Mexico makes an average hourly wage of $20. In Phoenix (Arizona), VAs earn $32.5. You save $12.5 ($32.5 less $20) hourly by outsourcing product refund tasks to a returns VA from Mexico for your Phoenix e-commerce business. To get actual costs and other details, contact a BPO company.
7. Effective Remote VAs for Higher Productivity
One significant benefit of hiring returns VAs for Phoenix e-commerce businesses is increased productivity. Many third-party professionals work remotely while providing first-rate customer support and delivering accurate and timely outsourced services. A work-from-home (WFH) setup permits them to take on tasks at their preferred place and shift.
Remote professionals can focus on their work when they no longer have to worry about repetitive duties, such as preparing for work and traveling to the physical office.
Less tedious activities help returns VAs provide quicker and more precise outsourced services. Below are the factors that lead to better productivity when professionals work remotely:
- Constant online meetings. The third-party workforce regularly discusses the project’s situation, work performance, and team members’ well-being.
- Structured virtual setup. The BPO company adopts meticulous but balanced remote work regulations to keep worker cooperation, output, and efficiency within acceptable limits.
- Frequent communication tool users. WFH professionals rely on messaging programs such as Zoom, Slack, Asana, and Skype for real-time interactions.
- Tight data security. To protect business, customer, and client details from hackers and similar illegal intruders, remote staff use virtual private networks (VPNs) and antivirus systems.
- Well-equipped VA team. The service provider provides the essential hardware and software systems for VAs and the WFH team, enabling them to perform jobs reliably and swiftly.
8. Deep Customer Insights to Improve Service
Returns VAs for Phoenix e-commerce companies can gather, organize, and report feedback on return and refund functions. This input helps in verifying the present return and exchange procedure and interacting with customers in unusual or unique cases. They can address these special situations over the phone or through email.
Check out the benefits of return data to grow your e-commerce store:
- Analyze and fine-tune the operations and processes
- Learn more about the shoppers’ expectations and preferences
- Upgrade or enhance the products
- Identify the most common reason for returns and refunds
- Develop and utilize a unique set of customer data to increase business edge
- Formulate better customer service strategies
9. Scalable Personnel and Processes for Improved Cash Management
Hiring third-party returns VAs helps optimize operating costs and increase the business worth of Phoenix e-commerce organizations. The outsourcing partner can scale the delegated processes per the company’s needs or situation, enabling you to get the best price and terms for BPO services.
The third-party provider can add or subtract virtual assistants or processes without compromising your operations. Scalability enables you to maximize the overall market value while keeping costs low for improved financial control.
Look at other benefits of adjustable activities:
- Versatility. When delegating back-office jobs, the third-party vendor can rapidly and effortlessly customize ongoing operations. Adaptability improves business performance and market competitiveness.
- Cost-effectiveness. You can save money by engaging the correct number of returns VA and other third-party professionals for your Phoenix e-commerce shop via the service provider. Additionally, the BPO company helps decide on the tasks necessary to increase productivity and your bottom line.
- Promptness. When outsourcing e-commerce services and other similar functions, the service provider supports the organization in coping with unforeseen occurrences while maintaining its obligations. Your partner helps the company become more agile by boosting responsiveness in challenging environments.
10. Minimized Bureaucratic and Legal Burdens to Avoid High Costs
Hiring returns VAs through a BPO company can help your Phoenix e-commerce venture succeed. Aside from delivering customer-centric outsourcing services, the third-party provider protects your business from administrative and regulatory liabilities.
Tracking and complying with different tax, labor, and government rules is a tedious, complicated, and time-consuming part of setting up operations abroad and hiring local workers. The BPO business faces job-associated difficulties with outsourcing, including possible labor disputes and employee legal actions. You avoid these costly issues.
Other advantages of outsourcing returns VAs for Phoenix e-commerce businesses via BPO providers include:
- Extensive talent. Another reason to tap into the services of BPO companies is their vast network of workers. You can choose from a diverse pool of candidates to get the most appropriate workers for your assigned tasks. The third-party vendor can provide you with the right personnel immediately.
- Skilled recruitment professionals. The service provider employs experienced human resources (HR) personnel to handle staff-related routines and challenges. They promote workplace unity to boost productivity, morale, and performance.
The Bottom Line
Using returns VAs for Phoenix e-commerce organizations provides numerous benefits that can drive business growth. Third-party assistants help you save valuable resources compared to tackling the tasks internally.
Recruiting these professionals from an offshoring provider, such as in the Philippines, decreases operating costs because of reasonable service fees. The BPO partner can also offer outsourced customer service tips and other advice to improve customer support processes, including product returns and refunds.
Let’s connect if you want to learn more about returns VAs for your Phoenix e-commerce business!
