The Most Common BPO Roles and Responsibilities Companies Use

It is easy to understand why today’s most competitive companies engage in business process outsourcing (BPO). These BPO clients outsource work, roles, and responsibilities to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance growth potential.

More importantly, outsourcing non-core business functions enables you to concentrate on tasks, projects, and initiatives that can make or break your business. 

To help you capitalize on the benefits of outsourcing, we explore the duties and responsibilities you can outsource to a BPO provider. We also share strategies to determine which functions you should delegate and how you can manage outsourced work.

Commonly Outsourced BPO Roles and Responsibilities

Before we dive into BPO’s most common roles and responsibilities, let us first answer, “What is BPO?” This business strategy involves hiring a third party to manage certain operations on your behalf. 

Some companies lack the capacity or resources to perform all tasks in-house. They identify roles to outsource to experts qualified in the area; these companies find this approach preferable because they avoid hassle and save money. 

Here are examples of business functions you can delegate to reliable BPO partners:

• Customer Service. An in-house call center is expensive if you want expert customer relationship management. Outsourcing is an excellent solution to save on overhead costs and improve efficiency. External call center representatives handle customer issues and complaints and keep the line open 24/7.
• Telemarketing. This is a front-office BPO function where call center agents sell products or services over the phone. An example is when an agent places an outbound call to potential customers to offer them a discount if they sign up for a brand’s services.
• Information Technology (IT). We live in a digital age. It is no wonder that the demand for IT solutions is growing significantly, particularly for small businesses. This is their strategy to substantially reduce costs. The IT BPO industry was valued at $562.2 billion in 2022. Moreover, 92% of G2000 businesses outsource IT BPO roles and responsibilities.
• Web Design and Development. A functional and well-designed website is crucial because it differentiates you from rivals at a glance. This business function requires specialized skills, especially in the initial part of designing a website’s visual layout. Most businesses do not require a full-time web designer in-house, so it is better to outsource this function.
• Data Security. This is one of the most crucial BPO roles and responsibilities because it involves protecting the confidentiality of your company’s intellectual property and customer data. A single data breach leads to a financial loss of up to $9.44 million and reputational damage; hence, working with a reliable service provider is crucial.
• Digital/Content Marketing. This is one of the most common BPO roles and responsibilities; it is at the forefront of generating sales, especially for e-commerce. Brands need blog posts, landing pages, email campaigns, and videos. When starting, brands cannot afford a full-time writer or editor, so outsourcing helps.
• Accounting. Finance and accounting are popular BPO roles and responsibilities, from simple bookkeeping to financial planning and tax consultations. Accountants are in short supply, particularly in the U.S., since many are close to retiring and graduates refuse to work. Outsourcing helps companies access available offshore talent.
• Human Resources (HR). HR is an integral part of the business, especially as it grows. When starting, it is in the organization’s best interest to outsource this BPO role and responsibility. But the service provider must know specific labor codes and laws.
• Recruitment. Hiring and recruitment are two essential roles, especially since many businesses choose to stay remote, which makes both functions more challenging. Because most companies do not consider recruitment one of their core competencies, outsourcing the department makes more sense.

Determining Which BPO Roles and Responsibilities To Outsource

The decision to engage in outsourcing necessitates a careful evaluation of various factors, encompassing financial considerations, BPO-related taxation, specific roles and responsibilities, and the willingness to delegate tasks to a third-party team. Successful outsourcing hinges on recognizing that certain functions are best handled with external assistance, especially when aiming for sustainable growth.

How can you identify the functions that should be outsourced? Here are some key inquiries to guide your decision-making:

• Is the business function a core competency that aligns with your strengths?
• Can your business maintain the desired service level independently?
• Do you require specialized skill sets and expertise that are currently lacking in-house?
• Are you allocating excessive time and resources to non-core functions?
• Has there been an uptick in demand while your operational capacity remains unchanged?
• Do you aspire to expand your operations on a global scale?

Any role or function that can be precisely defined and managed through well-established standard operating procedures (SOPs) is a prime candidate for outsourcing. Before exploring common BPO roles and responsibilities, it is imperative to:

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the role earmarked for outsourcing to ascertain the potential return on investment (ROI). Often, ROI materializes through resource savings, reallocation, or business expansion facilitated by increased capacity.
• Draft a lucid job description and SOP that delineate each facet of the role. These documents should encompass performance expectations and mechanisms for their oversight and management.

Ways To Manage Outsourced Work Successfully

To ensure the success of your outsourced work, consider building a good working relationship and treating the BPO company as a partner. Clearly define expectations and set the project’s parameters so that both parties understand what to do. Generally, a meeting should take place to discuss expectations and requirements before drafting the final agreement.

Both parties should also agree on the rate to make budgeting easier. Here are some directions for managing outsourced work:

• Provide scalable training tools and materials.
• Regularly encourage two-way communication and establish a support system.
• Give the third-party staff clear expectations about their tasks, goals, methods, and quotas.
• Teach the external team about your company culture, values, mission, long-term goals, and departments.
• Ensure the third-party agents know how to represent your brand when taking customer calls.
• Help the external workers understand local or federal regulations relevant to your industry.
• Monitor progress and performance using tracking software.
• Take time to acknowledge excellent work and accomplishments.

The Bottom Line

The most common BPO roles and responsibilities lie within the technology and innovation, data security, customer service, finance, human resources, design, and marketing sectors. 

The possibility of outsourcing is vast, and the business functions mentioned here are not the only tasks companies can outsource to enhance efficiency, generate more sales, and increase the bottom line.

Planning to outsource non-core tasks? Let’s connect to create a unique solution that works for you!