Best of the ISP-Lists

When Your Help Desk is Distant

Members of the ISP-Outsourcing list discuss what to look out for when you outsource your help desk. The pricing model reveals a great deal about the outsource specialist's business model.

 

[January 22, 2001]

On the ISP-Outsourcing list in January, RY inquired,

"We're looking for a tech support outsourcing company with a flat rate per customer, no usage limit, and no monthly minimum. What do you recommend?"

[MS warned] "You get what you pay for. If you can't commit to a minimum nor are you willing to pay per-minute for what you use, then who do you expect to pick up the bill? Flat rate with unlimited minutes just doesn't make sense."

Many respondents contended that flat rate pricing does make sense, but that a usage limit is necessary:

[RJ explained] "There are pros and cons with all the different pricing plans.

• With per-incident pricing, the outsourcers tend to try to cut these calls short by rushing things along. The more incidents a representative can handle in an hour, the more revenue they can create. The customers may leave the call feeling unwanted or upset.
• With per-minute pricing, the opposite is true. Representatives become chatty and drag the call out. A higher level of customer satisfaction may be achieved, though.
• Per-subscriber seems to be the safest scenario. There is no incentive to rush calls along or to draw them out. This pricing seems to force the right level of support. But a limit is necessary. If the subscriber goes over x hours of usage per month, he will be charged extra. It's just like a usage agreement with an ISP's subscribers."

[DL agreed] "We prefer unlimited tech support service for a flat per-user rate. We believe this arrangement establishes the best partnership between the ISP and the tech support center. And it doesn't put any responsibility on the ISP to determine if the techs are 'padding' calls."

Others, who agreed that a flat rate is best, argued that unlimited pricing should really be okay:

[JB suggested] "All ISPs provide unlimited free tech support, so why should ISPs have to pay a call center a per-minute charge? As far as overages go, if it's taking too long for a tech to handle the customer then you the ISP are not getting what you are paying for. I do believe that committing to a minimum is appropriate, however."

[KB warned, however] "Padding is not something that happens on purpose, but it does happen when techs are not properly trained and they keep your customers on hold or on the phone for an hour trying to resolve an issue that should take five minutes. These support centers deal with so many ISPs that it's easy to get an $8/hr. tech very confused."

—End