One aspect of using robust data-management practices is obtaining relevant certifications that validate a company’s commitment to data protection. One such certification is SOC 2.

What is SOC 2?

SOC 2 (System and Organization Controls 2) is a voluntary compliance standard for service companies, developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), which governs how companies manage customer data. It is a widely recognized audit standard that ensures that service providers’ security controls, privacy and information availability meet industry best practices.

What does a certification like SOC 2 show to (potential) customers?

SOC 2 compliance assures customers that their data is handled securely and reliably by the service provider. For companies operating in business process outsourcing, customer care and/or call centers, this certification is of absolute importance.

What are the 5 criteria on which SOC 2 certification is based?

The SOC 2 criteria are based on five trust service principles (TSP):

1. Security: The system is protected against unauthorized access, both physical and logical.
2. Availability: The system is available for operation and use as agreed.
3. Processing integrity: system processing is complete, accurate, timely and authorized.
4. Confidentiality: information designated as confidential is protected as agreed.
5. Privacy: personal information is collected, used, retained and disclosed in accordance with the company’s privacy notice.

What makes this certification so important and beneficial for companies?

• It demonstrates commitment to data security and credibility

This certification is necessary for companies that provide services involving the processing, storage or transmission of customer data, such as call centers, BPO or companies specialized in customer support; particularly in highly regulated sectors or those with strict data-protection laws, SOC 2 offers service companies a way to demonstrate their commitment to data security and protection.

• Competitive advantage

In addition, SOC 2 compliance is often required by customers as part of their vendor-management or due-diligence process, particularly for companies involved in sensitive or critical business processes. Obtaining this certification can help outsourcing service providers like We Are Fiber differentiate themselves from competitors and win new customers by demonstrating how important data privacy is to them.

• Accelerated sales cycles

Demonstrating compliance can accelerate the sales cycle, providing an important advantage to the sales team, which can thus avoid having to complete information-request documents during the sales process. The team can simplify the process by presenting the company’s SOC 2 reports, thereby showing its commitment to data security and privacy.

Discover the importance of SOC 2 with real cases

• Healthcare sector

In the healthcare sector, a hospital that obtains SOC 2 certification demonstrates its dedication to protecting patient information and complying with strict regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). This certification instills confidence in patients, ensuring that their sensitive medical data is protected from unauthorized access or breaches.

• Financial institutions

For a financial institution, SOC 2 certification is essential to reassure customers that their financial information is handled with the utmost security. By obtaining the certification, the institution demonstrates compliance with industry standards and gains trust, greater satisfaction and customer loyalty.

• Cloud services

In the field of cloud services, a provider holding SOC 2 certification gains a competitive advantage. Potential customers looking for a secure and reliable cloud system are more likely to choose a certified provider. SOC 2 certification becomes a decisive factor in their decision-making process, as it validates the provider’s adherence to strict security controls and protocols.

• Outsourcing

In the outsourcing sector, companies like We Are Fiber prioritize SOC 2 certification to assure customers that their data is protected during outsourced operations. This certification enhances trust, simplifies due-diligence processes and allows We Are Fiber to stand out as a secure and reliable partner.

What are the two types of SOC 2 reports?

Usually, a SOC 2 report is tailored to the specific needs of each company. Depending on specific business procedures, each company can design controls that follow one or more trust principles. These internal reports provide companies and their regulators, business partners and vendors with important information about how the company manages its data. There are two types of SOC 2 reports:

• Type I describes the company’s systems and whether the system design complies with the relevant trust principles.
• Type II details the operational efficiency of these systems.

SOC 2 & We Are Fiber

We Are Fiber is pleased to announce that it now holds SOC 2 compliance for both types as a business process outsourcing service provider! Achieving this certification is a significant milestone for us, as it demonstrates our commitment to the highest standards of data security, privacy and availability.

We are aware of the trust our customers place in us by entrusting us with their data, and it is a responsibility we take very seriously. SOC 2 compliance provides our customers with the assurance they need and demonstrates that we have established strict controls and processes to protect their data from unauthorized access, use or disclosure.

How did We Are Fiber obtain the certificate?

• Thorough audit activity

To obtain SOC 2 compliance, We Are Fiber underwent a rigorous audit process conducted by an independent third-party auditor. The auditor examined the control environment, activities and monitoring processes to ensure they meet the Trust Services Criteria (TSC) established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

• Successful coverage of all 5 security control areas

As mentioned, SOC 2 certification covers five broad areas of security controls, including security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy. By obtaining SOC 2 compliance, We Are Fiber has demonstrated that its controls and activities are designed to protect customer data across all these areas.

Our latest certification reflects our ongoing commitment to improvement and our willingness to invest in the resources and skills needed to provide the highest level of data security, while maintaining the same efficient customer service we have provided for years!

To conclude…

Obtaining SOC 2 compliance is an important achievement for any outsourcing service provider, as it requires a significant investment of time, resources and effort. However, it is an investment that can pay off in terms of greater trust from customers and partners, as well as better business results.

We Are Fiber is proud to have done it! We believe this certification sets us apart from our competitors and demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest level of service to our customers.

We will continue to invest in security and privacy controls to ensure we remain at the forefront of best practices and offer the highest level of data security and privacy to our customers.

L'articolo SOC 2 Certification proviene da We Are Fiber.

What is PCI DSS?

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security standards designed so that all companies that accept, process, store or transmit credit card information can ensure a secure environment.

The PCI SSC (Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council) was launched on 7 September 2006 to promote the continuous improvement of Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards, with particular attention to improving the security of payment accounts throughout the transaction process. PCI DSS is administered and managed by the PCI SSC (www.pcisecuritystandards.org), an independent body created by the major payment card brands (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB).

Who does PCI DSS apply to?

PCI DSS applies to ANY company, regardless of size or number of transactions, that accepts, transmits or stores cardholder data. So, obviously, this includes BPO, outsourcing service providers and call centers!

Obtaining PCI DSS certification is an important achievement for any company that handles payment card information. It demonstrates that the company has implemented robust security measures to protect sensitive cardholder data and is committed to maintaining those measures over time.

How can PCI DSS certification be obtained?

To achieve PCI DSS compliance, companies must implement a series of security controls and procedures designed to protect payment card information. These controls and procedures are specified in the PCI DSS standard, which outlines the requirements in areas such as: network security, access control and data encryption.

What are the phases of the assessment process?

The assessment process involves several phases, including:

1. Scope

Involves defining the scope of the assessment, which typically includes all systems and processes that store, process or transmit payment card data.

1. Gap analysis

Involves identifying any gaps between the company’s current security controls and the PCI DSS requirements. Any identified gaps must be addressed before the company can become compliant.

1. Remediation

This phase concerns the implementation of security controls and procedures to close any gaps identified during the gap analysis.

1. Assessment

Involves an independent evaluation of the company’s security controls and procedures against the PCI DSS requirements.

1. Certification

If the company’s security controls and procedures meet all PCI DSS requirements, the QSA issues a certification attesting that the company complies with the PCI DSS standard.

What are the official requirements for PCI DSS compliance?

There are 12 requirements to achieve PCI DSS compliance.

1. Use and maintain firewalls

Install and manage firewalls to protect the network from unauthorized access.

1. Adequate password protections

Use strong passwords and change them regularly. Do not use default passwords.

1. Protection of cardholder data

Keep the storage of cardholder data to a minimum and constantly protect it. Do not store sensitive authentication data after authorization.

1. Encryption of transmitted data

Use advanced encryption methods to protect cardholder data during transmission over public networks.

1. Use and maintain antivirus

Install and regularly update antivirus software to protect against malicious software.

1. Keep software properly updated

Ensure all software is up to date with the latest security patches and updates.

1. Restrict access to data

Restrict access to cardholder data on a need-to-know basis. Use role-based access controls to limit access.

1. Unique IDs for access

Assign a unique ID to each user with access to cardholder data.

1. Restrict physical access

Protect cardholder data by restricting physical access to data storage and processing areas.

1. Create and manage access logs

Keep detailed records of all access to cardholder data, including logs of user and system activity.

1. Vulnerability scanning and testing

Regularly scan and test for vulnerabilities in the network and systems.

1. Documented terms and conditions

Create and maintain comprehensive security terms, conditions and procedures and ensure they are communicated to all relevant staff.

By meeting these 12 requirements, the company takes the necessary measures to control cardholder data and maintain a secure network. PCI DSS compliance is not a one-time event but an ongoing process, and it is important to regularly review and update security measures to keep pace with emerging risks.

What are the PCI DSS compliance levels?

The PCI DSS compliance levels are classifications that determine the requirements and validation processes for companies based on their annual volume of credit card transactions. These levels are set by the major card brands (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JCB) to ensure consistent security measures across the payment card industry. The PCI DSS compliance levels are as follows:

• Level 1

This is the highest compliance level and applies to companies that process over 6 million card transactions per year or those identified as high-risk entities by the card brands. Level 1 merchants must undergo an annual on-site assessment by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) and submit a Report on Compliance (ROC) to the card brands.

• Level 2

Level 2 applies to companies that process between 1 million and 6 million card transactions per year. Merchants in this case must annually complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), conduct quarterly vulnerability scans by an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) and submit an Attestation of Compliance (AOC) to their acquiring bank.

• Level 3

This level applies to companies that process between 20,000 and 1 million electronic transactions per year. Level 3 merchants must complete an annual SAQ and conduct quarterly vulnerability scans by an ASV. They also submit an AOC to their acquiring bank.

• Level 4

This level applies to companies that process fewer than 20,000 e-commerce transactions per year or up to 1 million card transactions per year through other channels. Level 4 merchants must complete a SAQ each year and may need to conduct quarterly vulnerability scans based on their acquiring bank’s requirements.

It is important to note that the specific validation requirements may vary depending on the card brand and the acquirer (i.e. the financial institution that enables card payments). Merchants should consult their acquirer to determine the appropriate compliance level and the corresponding validation requirements.

PCI DSS and We Are Fiber

We Are Fiber is proud to announce that it holds PCI DSS compliance certification, which testifies to our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest data security standards in our call center and BPO outsourcing services.

How did We Are Fiber obtain this certification?

• Protection of sensitive payment card data

At We Are Fiber we understand the fundamental importance of protecting sensitive payment card information. As a reliable provider of customer support services, we recognize that our clients depend on us to safeguard their customers’ payment data. With our PCI DSS compliance certification, our clients can be confident that we are following the strictest security protocols and procedures to keep their customers’ payment data safe and protected.

• Customer support services

In addition to our commitment to data security, We Are Fiber is proud of the quality of its customer support services. Our teams of highly qualified professionals are dedicated to providing first-class customer support services that meet the highest quality standards. We believe that customer satisfaction is the key to success and we strive to ensure it.

• Regular quality controls of activities

To consistently provide high-quality customer support services, we conduct regular quality controls of our activities. These audits allow us to identify areas for improvement and make changes to continuously improve our services. Our commitment to quality is also reflected in our ISO 9001:2015 certification, which demonstrates our adherence to a rigorous quality management system.

To conclude…

data security and quality customer support are essential components of our call center and BPO outsourcing services. Our PCI DSS compliance certification and other important certifications such as ISO 9001:2015 are proof of our commitment to providing our clients with exceptional services that meet the highest security and quality standards.

We Are Fiber will continue to prioritize data security and quality customer support across all operations. We are committed to meeting the ever-evolving needs of our clients and providing them with exceptional services that exceed expectations.

L'articolo PCI DSS Certification proviene da We Are Fiber.

What you don’t see, what happens behind the scenes, is often the secret to a company’s success!

But what are back office activities and when are they needed

By back office we refer to all those activities that make up a company’s operational management, starting from data entry, document archiving, database and master-data management, complaints and quality control.

These are activities that are not visible to the customer but provide concrete support to the core business, without which a company — from the smallest to the largest — could not exist.

The strategic importance of this area means that, to work properly, suitably trained staff are required. This is often beyond the reach of companies that lack the necessary resources and skills.

WeAreFiber provides companies with the best and most competent resources to deliver outsourced back office activities according to their different needs, while at the same time saving time and money.

Depending on the client’s requests, we can offer Data Cleaning, Data Processing, Data Classification and Data Conversion services.

Our service has a guaranteed accuracy of over 99% thanks to tailored solutions and qualified staff.

Discover all the details about We Are Fiber’s Back Office Outsourcing service

Back office activities: the essential functions

The back office service allows you to best manage internal and external processes and to improve the perceived quality of products and services and, therefore, the relationship with the end customer.

Here is what they are and what the essential functions are:

Data Entry for database and master-data management

Data Entry simplifies access to non-digitized information, for example data databases or customer lists. Thanks to outsourcing, the processing and digitization process is accelerated.

In practice, data entry activity consists of acquiring and managing company databases, taking care of the correct entry of data and its updating.

Document back office activities

Every company in any sector accumulates a large amount of documents, emails and digital files. This information must be managed and catalogued so that it can be easily retrieved and always kept up to date. Very often these are documents that contain information of a legal nature that must be kept over time and handled with great care and attention.

Back office for email and complaint management

Back office activity in this case handles all incoming and outgoing emails that may concern communications, complaints, newsletters and various promotional materials. Managing them is very important because it allows companies to save considerably in terms of time, and resources can be directed towards other, more productive activities of greater value to the company.

Quality Check: the back office that makes the difference

The quality check is a service aimed at verifying the level of customer satisfaction — a customer who, after the sale, must not be abandoned. A company’s ultimate goal, in fact, is not only the sale but also customer loyalty.

The back office deals with exactly this: it contacts the customer to assess the functionality of the product and service and to understand whether there were any issues during the sales process. In this way it is possible to ensure high-quality post-sales support and the improvement of internal services.

The tools for an effective Back Office

To ensure the efficiency of a back office service, technology comes to the rescue. We are talking about centralized CRM systems for sharing and routing information, for managing tickets and handling every single activity, a database or master data.

Technological tools make it possible to automate processes, lightening workloads and minimizing errors. In addition, all information will be available immediately for easy consultation and therefore a reduction in processing times.

The outsourced Back Office service

By outsourcing back office activities, the company can count on trained and qualified staff and free internal resources from low-value-added activities, thereby also reducing fixed costs.

Among the services offered in outsourcing by WeAreFiber, the Back Office is one of those with the greatest added value: essential support for businesses that can count on having professionals at their side who dedicate themselves to the project and follow it with care, while at the same time allowing the client company’s staff to devote themselves to more productive activities.

Contact We Are Fiber now to discover all the services you need to relaunch your company towards new horizons.

Email: info@wearefiber.com

Phone (IT): +39 024 210 1122

Phone (UK): +44 203 870 4408

L'articolo Back office activities: how they work and how they help companies optimize processes proviene da We Are Fiber.

Business Process Outsourcing means subcontracting business functions and processes to external providers and managers. When companies outsource business processes, they delegate tasks and duties to specialized companies. In the past, these processes were usually handled by internal offices and employees.

As market demands grew, companies began looking for ways to increase agility and flexibility in order to be competitive and maintain a leading position in the market. One of these strategies was to delegate secondary activities so they could focus on their core competencies. Even though these tasks were not the main business activity, they were still fundamental to the companies’ operations.

Business Process Outsourcing began as a way for companies to reduce costs, increase productivity and gain access to a specialized workforce and advanced technology without having to make an investment. Today, Business Process Outsourcing has evolved into a strategically critical business approach aimed at improving a company’s business model.

Discover the benefits of BPO by reading here.

Types of Business Process Outsourcing

Business Process Outsourcing can be classified according to two main criteria: type of service and location. If we analyze Business Process Outsourcing by type of service, we can identify two main types: Back Office outsourcing and Front Office outsourcing. If we were to classify BPO by location, there would be three main types of outsourcing: offshoring, nearshoring and onshoring.

It is important to understand the main types of BPO in order to be able to decide what is best for your company’s needs.

Back Office vs Front Office Outsourcing

The difference between these two types of outsourcing depends on whether the outsourced tasks are connected with customer relationships or with administrative activities.

Front Office outsourcing — When the outsourced services are directly connected with the customer and with revenue generation. Companies choose to outsource customer-related processes because it helps focus attention on the customer without compromising the quality of the services and products provided. Maintaining good customer relationships and a high Customer Experience not only makes companies stand out from the competition but also helps grow revenue and the business.

Some Front Office services that can be outsourced include customer service, telemarketing, marketing, sales, help desk, technical support, etc.

Back Office outsourcing — Includes all the administrative functions and tasks that help manage and support a company “behind the scenes”. Normally Back Office services are non-essential functions that are nevertheless fundamental for the company to operate successfully. Delegating such tasks is an important strategy for companies that want to focus on their most important tasks. Some of the main Back Office services that can be outsourced are data entry, document archiving, payroll management, accounting, invoice management, human resources activities, IT support, etc.

Outsourcing strategy and BPO partner

The location of the BPO Partner plays an important role in a company’s outsourcing strategy. Geographical location is an important factor, taking into account time zones, cultural differences, costs, language skills, etc. So offshoring, nearshoring and onshoring each have their own advantages and disadvantages, which every company should consider before choosing their BPO Partner.

Offshore Outsourcing

Offshoring means subcontracting services to a company located far from the company’s headquarters. Normally Offshoring means outsourcing to a company located on a different continent. The main advantage of Offshoring lies in having low operating costs. Another advantage lies in the service coverage hours that would otherwise be very difficult to manage (night shifts and after-hours). However, outsourcing to a distant geographical location can become problematic because communication problems may arise (different time zones, hard to reach, hard to monitor, travel inconveniences, language and cultural barriers, etc.). Having low costs at the expense of service quality is far from a winning business strategy. In the long term, in fact, choosing low costs at the expense of quality will prove to be an expensive solution.

Nearshoring Outsourcing

Outsourcing to nearshore locations means delegating services to a company located near your own, usually within the same continent or region. Nearshoring can still provide the cost benefits of offshoring without the communication problem. Although slightly more expensive than offshoring, nearshoring has several other advantages, such as being in a similar time zone to your partner, having more control over your projects, having a similar corporate culture, having access to a larger workforce pool, etc. Outsourcing to a nearshore location allows companies to reduce the risks associated with offshoring.

Onshoring Outsourcing

Onshoring — outsourcing to an onshore location means outsourcing to a local company, based in your own country. The main advantage of outsourcing to a local company is the proximity of the outsourcing partner, so that better control of operations is possible. Onshoring prices are usually higher than both nearshoring and offshoring. Having a higher price does not necessarily mean receiving a higher-quality service, however. Outsourcing within your own country will restrict access to global talent, make scalability and flexibility more difficult and limit the area of expertise available.

Which business processes can be outsourced?

As already mentioned, the range of business processes that can be outsourced is very wide. Companies can choose to outsource individual non-core processes or even entire departments. Some of the most popular services that companies choose to outsource are Customer Care, Data Entry, Back Office, document management, sales and marketing, help desk, etc.

Recent years have also shown an increase in HR, finance and outsourcing, with companies choosing to have a specialized partner to manage the processes related to these departments, such as accounting, recruitment, payroll, technical support, issue logging, etc.

To have a clear outsourcing strategy, a company can start by analyzing its internal business objectives, the company itself, the costs of operations and the current strategies in place.

By carrying out As-is and To-Be analysis, a company can identify areas for improvement related to services, possible actions to reduce costs and opportunities to generate more revenue that can be achieved through the strategic outsourcing of certain services or offices to a trusted BPO partner.

How to choose the best BPO partner?

There are several aspects to keep in mind when choosing your BPO partner. Location is one of the most important factors that helps in the decision-making process. Outsourcing to a nearshore BPO, like WeAreFiber, can help maintain a balance between the cost and quality of the services.

While price is important, quality should be the main concern for companies that want to outsource. A good BPO partner should have the right procedures to ensure high-quality standards. At WeAreFiber, we have established a two-level quality assurance department to ensure that quality requirements are met.

In addition, data security and protection are also very important. A reliable BPO partner must comply with GDPR regulations and have a clear data protection policy. The ideal BPO partner should also offer flexibility, functionality and transparency.

We Are Fiber

We Are Fiber, founded in 2006, is a business process outsourcing provider operating mainly in the European market. We Are Fiber is focused on providing Back Office and Front Office solutions such as Customer Service and Data Entry to blue-chip companies as well as startups and SMEs.

Our experts can help you define business objectives and an outsourcing strategy by analyzing your business model and your existing operating process. We have a proven track record of success, gained by helping companies in various sectors, such as Travel and Leisure, Food and Beverage, Transport and Logistics, Healthcare, etc.

Click here if you would like to request a Call-back from our team, dedicated to understanding and analyzing your outsourcing needs.

info@wearefiber.com

Phone (IT) +39 02 42 10 11 22
Phone (UK) +44 20 38 70 44 08

L'articolo BPO: what is business process outsourcing proviene da We Are Fiber.

Outsourcing can be considered when the company has difficulty managing its workload and its tasks, a situation that does not allow it to focus on business development activities.
In this article, we examine why small and medium-sized enterprises choose to outsource work, in which situations they should consider outsourcing and how companies can benefit from this practice.

Main reasons why companies decide to outsource activities

A company might choose to outsource its activities when:

1 – The company wants to save and reduce costs
Less expensive options are one of the key factors influencing business decisions. When they decide to resort to outsourcing, companies can reduce the costs associated with certain processes by up to 20%. Outsourced processes are obviously non-core activities that can be carried out by an expert who is not part of the company.
In the case of outsourcing, companies will not have to train and provide benefits to outsourced employees, and this is a great way to save money and make the business more profitable.

2 – The company has difficulty focusing on its core activities
When secondary activities become a burden, the time has come to outsource! This will allow for faster growth and greater expansion opportunities. Thanks to outsourcing, companies can experience a favourable moment full of new opportunities, with the possibility of focusing on their key competencies.

3 – With the emergence of competition, companies must be more adaptable
Business environments are dynamic and competitive; therefore, it is important to be flexible enough to meet market demands and customize customer requests. In this fast-paced market, outsourcing means meeting these needs without having to find, hire and train a full-time employee.
With the right outsourcing, the company will receive professional support, a flexible service, better positioning compared to competitors, etc.

4 – The company simply wants to delegate the work

For some companies, outsourcing is a need dictated by the simple need to delegate work and is not linked to a question of costs or competition. A successful company assigns its employees what they do best and turns to other companies for the other services, for the required period of time.

5 – The company needs access to global knowledge and experts

When you outsource, you allow your company to access global experts and knowledge. With remote working becoming increasingly common, it is possible to recruit virtually anyone in the world. Once managers and CTOs stop doing everything themselves and realize the importance of outsourcing, they will then be able to focus on leadership and production. Having access to experts from all over the world allows companies to see things from another point of view, change perspective and open up to new ideas.

6 – The company wants to be innovative

As for new ideas, companies love to be innovative, and outsourcing is a great path to innovation. Companies bring innovation to the workplace when they outsource business processes. Innovative companies tend to be more successful and usually enjoy a better reputation than the competition.

7 – The company is growing (too) fast

The excitement felt when things really start to take off is well known to anyone who has led or assisted a start-up or a new growing business. Production increases and the customer base grows. It is a wonderful feeling, but it is completely normal to wonder: what next? Growing rapidly is fantastic but it also presents a series of obstacles. Many companies discover at this point the need for external support, the perfect situation to start outsourcing.
First of all, the company should decide what can be outsourced and what must be kept in-house by creating a long-term outsourcing plan, and then continue with the outsourcing process.
When to outsource? One of the most important questions to ask is: when to outsource? Outsourcing too early or too late could result in a chaotic work environment as well as unruly finances. So, when is the right time to consider outsourcing?

By carefully observing the following business situations, if you find one matching your own, then you may consider that the time has come to outsource the activity.

8 – Lack of efficiency in managing the business
The pressure to complete work quickly and effectively becomes intense when sales are fast and orders pile up. If the company does nothing to cope with this pressure, output may not be as effective as it should be. A company must prioritize operations management during peak periods, and outsourcing is one of the best ways to do so. Choosing the right partner will make work easier and improve the company.

9 – Employees perform activities outside their area of expertise
People often perform different functions in companies to keep things going. However, overloading staff can turn into a disaster if it accidentally (or not) becomes a “business strategy”.
Customer satisfaction is essential for business success, but the same applies to employee satisfaction.
There are many reasons why customers might be dissatisfied; for example, one of the most frequent problems is poor service, which can occur when the team is overworked. Even if it might seem like the last thing to do in a difficult situation, outsourcing could give the team some time so that it can focus on the very activities that had initially led to success.

10 – The company is suffering a financial loss
Entrepreneurs often tend to overlook some vital aspects that could result in significant losses of income because they are absorbed by daily work and the achievement of important objectives. These losses are often caused by the lack of appropriate technology, by not employing the right person in an attempt to save money, by spending a lot of time on non-core activities, etc.
Over time, such mistakes can end up costing a considerable amount of money in terms of income. Outsourcing is an appropriate and cost-effective idea in the event that the company is suffering a financial loss.

To begin with, the company’s budget is limited. Hiring in-house staff is always expensive, to the point of seeming to endanger the company’s financial situation. If you consider the cost of full-time employees’ salaries and other expenses, such as paid holidays, sick days and infrastructure, you would definitely feel better with outsourcing. In fact, outsourcing to professionals would not only reduce operating costs but would also increase revenue.

11 – Important activities with low added value
Something is wrong if the business has been stuck in the same place for a long time. Important processes are being carried out, but without added value. Why? The company is focusing on non-essential business activities, neglecting what is important. You can focus on your main product and drive the business towards success simply by outsourcing certain secondary activities.

12 – Non-core business activities
As a company grows, so do its processes and other activities. If you feel that these non-core activities are excessive, perhaps it is time to consider outsourcing.

Benefits of outsourcing

If done correctly, outsourcing brings many benefits that will make the business thrive!

1 – Cost reduction

Through outsourcing, you can reduce expenses while increasing productivity.
In addition, there is no need to buy equipment or rent space to support administrative activities. The company will be able to save time and money on hiring and training new employees, providing benefits and other administrative burdens, since all of this will be managed by the outsourced company. In short, completing a work task has a lower overall cost when outsourced.

2 – Access to skills and/or resources

Although most companies reward employees with more skills, there are some situations in which it makes more sense to hire a specialist rather than spend money on employee training. Thanks to their expertise and experience, contractors may be able to carry out an activity quickly and without interfering with ongoing business operations. Through outsourcing, companies can broaden their search, choose from a variety of companies and collaborate with the best specialists in the world.

3 – Greater flexibility

When demand is high, some organizations might find it more convenient to hire temporary external contractors rather than run the risk of adding staff they might not be able to pay. This flexibility in hiring is beneficial for businesses.

4 – Lower investment in the internal structure

Outsourcing means that more employees will work with their own technology. This leads to lower investment in the internal structure, saving the company more money. From a logistical point of view, it sometimes makes more sense to outsource services such as shipping and customer support.

5 – Greater focus on core business strategies and activities

You save time to focus on the essential areas of your business when you delegate processes to another organization. As a result, the company will become more productive and efficient using fewer resources.

6 – New and modern solutions for the company

The company might be more open to innovative ideas when it subcontracts, as it transfers responsibility to another organization. The expert company will share more effective and innovative ideas since it is knowledgeable about the problem.

In conclusion, companies are constantly looking for methods to increase productivity and workflow, and outsourcing is a highly effective approach in this sense. If done correctly, it will eventually pay off and become the best decision the company has ever made.

If you are looking for all the benefits we have mentioned, We Are Fiber can help you.

Get in touch with us by clicking here.

L'articolo Process Outsourcing – When it pays to focus on outsourcing proviene da We Are Fiber.

Companies looking to outsource any technical work often have two options:
● Select a single provider and assign them all the activities related to the project’s implementation.
● Identify multiple providers with specialist knowledge in one or more project areas and manage each of them independently.
A company’s choice to work with one provider rather than several can have a significant impact on its operations.

As a result, both options require careful examination since each has advantages and disadvantages.
Single vs multi outsourcing: which is the best option?
When it is time to decide whether to outsource to a single provider or to multiple providers, there is no ideal solution that fits all situations; it depends on the company’s business and other project-related factors. A single-provider sourcing strategy may seem the simplest way to achieve business objectives.
After all, it is simple and convenient to delegate all processes to a single third party. However, in some cases, outsourcing different types of activities to multiple providers will be a better solution.
We recommend considering some crucial aspects of single and multiple outsourcing before making any further decisions. By comparing the two possibilities, you can gain a greater understanding of how your business can operate.
Below is a list of factors to consider before choosing the best option for your company.

Single and Multi Outsourcing: Advantages and Disadvantages
Cost
1. Using a single provider could result in more affordable prices and discounts on packages or certain quantities, since negotiating with a single provider is easier. In addition, it is easier to scale according to the company’s operational space needs, whether expanding or contracting.
2. Multi-outsourcing with multiple providers will probably cost more and offer less flexibility in scaling. The costs of services must be discussed separately with each provider, so it will be difficult to agree on potential discounts with each of them.

Achieving “perfection”
1. It is extremely unlikely to be able to get the best of everything from a single provider. At most, after careful selection, it will be possible to find a service provider that excels in one or more areas. It is therefore wise to make sure you have carried out thorough market research before selecting a particular provider!
2. Essentially, this is the main advantage of a multi-provider solution: getting closer to the perfect result!
Time and convenience
1. Single outsourcing from one provider is the most time-efficient option because there will be no need to find multiple specialists, distribute tasks, etc. Being simpler to manage, the company will have more time to focus on other core activities.
2. Multi-sourcing from multiple providers sees an increase in administrative and managerial tasks.
Management
1. The first attractive feature for entrepreneurs is the optimization of all communications with a single provider. When you decide to invest in a single provider, managing the phases and elements of the project becomes simpler, because you will not have to commit additional resources.
2. Working with multiple providers will entail an increase in project-management costs and greater human resources. In addition, it is necessary to allocate more resources for QA and compatibility assurance.

Staff deployment and training
1. With single sourcing, staff will probably have less need for general training, but you will probably undergo more training sessions from the provider.
2. Multi-sourcing is likely to require more training and deployment. However, you will receive less training from the providers, because in this case the contract will represent a small engagement for them.
Compatibility
1. The company is less likely to encounter compatibility problems when working with a single outsourcing provider. And even when something needs to be changed or updated, these changes will be more thorough.
2. With a multi-provider approach, there is always the risk that separate components or solutions may turn out to be incompatible with each other. Unfortunately, compatibility problems always arise when processes are split among different providers, and any updates could also turn out to be fragmented and problematic.

Risk distribution
1. A larger company, selected as the sole provider, might seem safer in the long term because it is less likely to fail. Although in some cases large providers are more reliable, the pandemic has shown that no one is immune to unforeseen risks.
2. As for these risks, with a multi-provider outsourcing strategy, you protect your business. By splitting the activity among several organizations, you control the risk. However, you should also keep in mind that working with multiple providers could occasionally entail problems with quality control.

Long-term partnership
1. A single provider is more likely to remain operational for a long period, especially if it is a large service-provider company. A single provider is in a better position to fully understand and address a client’s needs.
2. On the other hand, a long-term relationship with multiple providers can be more difficult because they will have less contact with the organization and, consequently, less knowledge about the company’s business.

Workflow optimization
1. If you opt for a single-provider outsourcing process, you can create a single communication process with the provider and expect everything to proceed smoothly. In addition, there is no need to hire a professional to manage the project.
2. When you choose to contract with multiple providers, business operations will require more time and effort to coordinate, and there may be some communication problems.

Market entry
1. Single sourcing is the most logical solution if you want to enter the market more quickly. A single work team can be faster than multiple teams for a number of reasons.
2. On the other hand, having multiple teams means more time for communication and coordination. Sometimes one team has to wait for another to finish the work before it can start. Such factors can affect the speed of launch.

Finding the right provider(s)
1. Finding a single company that has the right field expertise and is also able to meet all needs can be quite difficult.
2. The more complex the project, the greater the likelihood that you will need multiple providers to achieve all the project objectives. All-inclusive organizations are often unable to carry out overly complex projects or provide in-depth sector expertise.

Dependency risk
1. If a company works with a single provider, any problems with the contractor could easily affect the consumer. The provider’s lack of staff or knowledge can prove to be a major obstacle, which would be less serious if working with multiple contractors.
2. In the case of multi-sourcing, if a provider is unexpectedly unable to perform its tasks, another provider might be able to take over some extra components of the project. There is no need to rely on a single team for everything.

Integration
1. The single provider only has to worry about integrating its product with current systems. This may not be easy, but the specifications to worry about are limited in number.
2. When multiple teams develop different components of a product, problems are more likely to occur when it comes to integrating those components. Such problems can require greater effort and more money.

Implementation
1. A single provider’s solutions will generally be easier to implement because there will be only one set of programs or protocols to integrate into current systems.
2. Implementing solutions from multiple providers usually requires extra work because you will have to coordinate the integration of many (potentially incompatible) systems.

Product upgrades
1. Fundamental updates to a single provider’s systems are likely to occur much less frequently.
2. When you choose multi-sourcing, you should receive updates more frequently because you use and view smaller packages from each source. However, this could cause some integration problems.
A simple guide: what to choose?!
Working with a single provider is worthwhile for projects of low-to-medium complexity. For more complicated projects or projects that require a high degree of expertise in different fields, it might be wise to consider collaborating with multiple service providers.

This simple, short guide, combined with all the information given, might help:
● Long-term commitment? Single provider
● Niche industry? Multiple providers
● Compatibility? Single provider
● Complex project? Multiple providers
● Risk Management? Multiple providers

So, in conclusion?
Depending on the specific project in question, its particularities and your capabilities as a client, you should decide between multi-sourcing or single-sourcing cooperation tactics. We Are Fiber is happy to assist you with this decision. We encourage business leaders to thoroughly study any potential provider before making such an important decision, to obtain references and to ask all the questions.
We hope this material has been useful. If you want to know more about the best solution for your project and/or your company when outsourcing business process automation, do not hesitate to contact us here.

We Are Fiber looks forward to hearing from you!

L'articolo Single vs. Multi Sourcing: which is the best choice for your company? proviene da We Are Fiber.

Why is outsourcing better?

In general, outsourcing business activities allows companies to focus on their core activities, becoming more flexible and adaptable, responding more effectively to challenges and changing market conditions, and achieving cost savings.
Below are the reasons why outsourcing is worthwhile:

1 – Cost savings
Outsourcing offers the possibility of saving on costs while increasing productivity. There is no need to rent space or pay for equipment to support office operations, since the external company will take care of it. Therefore, the company will be able to save time and money on hiring and training new employees, providing benefits and other administrative expenses.
In short, outsourcing reduces the overall cost of performing a work function.

2 – The company can focus on its core activities

When you delegate certain tasks to an external company, you have more time to focus on the crucial components of your business. The result will be greater productivity and efficiency while using fewer company resources.

3 – New and modern solutions

When you subcontract, responsibilities are delegated to another company, so the company might become more receptive to creative ideas and staff will propose more innovative and effective solutions.

4 – Flexibility in hiring
During periods of high demand, some companies might decide that it is more convenient to work with temporary external contractors rather than run the risk of hiring more employees they might not be able to pay.

5 – Employees will not have to work outside their area of expertise
To make things work, employees in companies often have to wear multiple hats. However, if you intentionally (or not) make the workload excessive for the workforce, the “business plan” could prove disastrous.
Outsourcing can offer staff more free time so that they can focus on the tasks that first brought customers there.

6 – Logistical ease
Sometimes it is more useful from a logistical point of view to outsource services such as shipping and customer service. When local, full-time staff are not available, companies can provide essential services outside normal working hours thanks to the availability of these intermediaries.

7 – Finding experts easily
Through outsourcing you can broaden your search, choose from a variety of companies and collaborate with the best specialists on the planet.
Some business activities to consider if you want to outsource. The terms “front office” and “back office” are used to describe different business processes within an organization. Front office activities are those that generate income and interact directly with customers. Back office operations are used to produce high-quality goods or services.

Front Office

1 – Ticket management

Best practices for everything, from optimizing usage to compliance and reporting, are guaranteed by hiring an external specialist in charge of ticket management, to be considered as an investment that will allow you to exceed industry standards and increase the return on ticket investment. The decision to outsource ticket management brings numerous advantages, including: great customer satisfaction; increased productivity and reduced operating costs.

2 – Digital Customer Care

Digital customer care is a new approach to managing customer service that emphasizes emerging technology. Outsourcing is a fantastic possibility for companies that do not have the time or resources to effectively manage digital contact with customers. Through outsourcing digital customer service you achieve: cost savings; revenue growth; customer loyalty and, of course, a positive customer experience. Outsourcing customer support usually consists of contact services such as email, web, live chat, etc.
Good customer service will create a loyal customer connection between the company and its customers, a fundamental aspect for the company’s success.

3 – Help Desk
The outsourced Help Desk is a service that companies offer to assist their customers in solving problems or finding answers to already-identified issues. With the help of these services, the company can offer 24/7 assistance to its customers.
The best IT help desk outsourcing services will offer numerous advantages, including greater productivity and performance, rapid implementation of more effective operations and processes, constant accessibility, fast response times, lower costs and greater efficiency.
The number of tickets will be reduced and, consequently, the operation simplified. Meanwhile, the company will be able to focus more on innovation and the growth of its business.

4 – Chat Bot
Chat bots are used by companies to increase both service and sales conversion. Outsourcing chatbots is increasingly less expensive than developing your own live-chat platforms. Scaling a business is simpler when customer service works on “autopilot”.

5 – Booking Office

To be successful, a hospitality business must always be present and never miss an opportunity to get in touch with potential customers. The Booking Office service makes it possible to handle quote requests in multiple languages quickly and accurately.
We Are Fiber guarantees 24/7 assistance to meet every need!

6 – Smart Assistance

The Smart Assistance service has become indispensable for many companies thanks to its ability to optimize time and improve productivity. We Are Fiber’s technology is able to collect all information, sort it, analyze it and process it so that the company makes the best decisions and chooses the most suitable strategies. Overall, the virtual assistant reduces staff workloads and manages the data flow for all companies, large or small.

Back Office

1 – Data Entry
Data entry can be a time-consuming procedure that uses valuable staff resources, preventing them from effectively carrying out their main tasks. You can relieve employees of this manual and repetitive work by outsourcing data entry to a qualified team like that of We Are Fiber, thereby ensuring correct and consistent entry.

2 – Data Enrichment
Data enrichment is a process that involves validating, improving and combining user data in company databases. Thanks to our data enrichment technology, it is possible to correct small errors and reduce duplicate user data. By analyzing data from different channels, data enrichment systems can extract and integrate any missing information from contact lists. This ensures an accurate and complete database.
The valuable information obtained from data enrichment systems can then be used to develop data-driven marketing strategies.

3 – Document management
Document management is essential to maintain control of company information. The efficiency of the document management system could have an impact on business operations and the entire financial situation.
Outsourcing document management to a professional provider like We Are Fiber can address various business priorities, ranging from reducing risks to improving employee efficiency to protocol compliance.

4 – Logistics Management
It takes a lot of time and money to hire logistics talent, acquire capabilities, invest in physical resources and develop technology. For this reason, companies decide to outsource various parts (or sometimes even all) of their supply chain functions to logistics service providers.
Some of the reasons why a company should outsource logistics management include: the possibility of reducing overall transport and logistics costs by focusing on the company’s strengths rather than on supply-chain operations; greater adaptability and effectiveness (thanks to leaner operations); lower risk due to reduced administrative responsibility, etc.

5 – Customer Order Management
Punctuality and reliability of deliveries are essential in e-commerce. After all, the customer relies on online services to save money and receive the product quickly. For a company that is just starting out and receives a large influx of orders or records additional traffic on the site, it might be difficult to focus on this process on top of other internal problems that might arise. Therefore, outsourcing this service could be really convenient. You can save time for the company, reduce risks, reduce the abandoned-cart rate, build loyalty and collect customer data to improve your business.

Process management

1 – Control Room
Through an outsourced Control Room service, it is possible to effectively manage the control of the company’s performance. To make sure you reach your objectives, you need to monitor the results. Using a Control Room service, you can obtain reports on the performance indicators of every service offered by a company. Monitor and control your performance with We Are Fiber!

2 – Quality Audit
The main advantage of outsourcing the internal auditing function is linked to the fact that involving an external source gives the impression of having fresh, objective and impartial eyes. Other advantages of outsourcing the audit include professional and timely reports, more information, conclusions, observations, suggestions for improvement, cost savings, etc.

Outbound Marketing

Outsourced marketing is fundamental for companies to increase revenue quickly and efficiently at a time when scalability and speed define the market. By outsourcing outbound marketing, staff will have the opportunity to collaborate with innovative teams that can provide new market insights.
Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Do you want to know more about how our outsourcing services can help your company operate better?

Contact us here to find out more and see for yourself the benefits we can offer your business.

L'articolo Why is it worth it for companies to outsource? proviene da We Are Fiber.

If carried out efficiently, outsourcing can help the business grow without compromising product quality. Outsourcing was first recognized as a business strategy in 1989. Subsequently, in the 1990s, it became a fundamental management model for companies. Initially used by manufacturing companies, it was then adopted by almost all companies.

Why is it worth outsourcing business activities?

Outsourcing business activities is advantageous, as it makes it possible to reach commercial objectives, generate value, access a resource base and reduce risks. Companies can outsource any service, from recruitment and accounting to IT services (e-outsourcing). There are many reasons why outsourcing is a growing trend in the business world. Some of its advantages include:

1 – Reduced costs
With outsourcing it is possible to reduce costs and at the same time improve efficiency. Here are some ways in which the company reduces costs when it applies outsourcing services: first of all, the company is not required to train staff when it has no experience in a certain sector. In addition, there is no need to invest in technology and space to support office activities. These matters will in fact be handled by the contracting company, so the business can save time and money on hiring, providing benefits and other administrative expenses. The overall cost of the work activity is simply lower.

2 – Flexibility in hiring
Through outsourcing it is possible to hire a team for a project and then release them from their obligations once it is finished. When demand is high, it can be more convenient for some companies to hire temporary external contractors rather than risk hiring more employees and then being unable to pay them.

3 – Logistical ease
Sometimes it is more useful from a logistical point of view to outsource services such as shipping and customer service. When local, full-time staff are not available, companies can provide essential services outside normal working hours thanks to the availability of these intermediaries.

4 – Focus on core business activities
When processes are entrusted to another company, much of the workload is eliminated and there is time to focus on the essential activities of the business. Therefore, the company will experience an increase in efficiency and productivity, while reducing resource consumption.

5 – Finding experts easily
While most employers value skilled employees in various fields, there are cases in which hiring a specialist makes more sense than investing in employee training. A contractor might be able to complete a certain job quickly and without interfering with ongoing business operations thanks to the knowledge and experience that staff members lack.
Thanks to outsourcing, it is possible to broaden the search, select among different companies and work with the best experts in the world. Finding the ideal group of professionals who can meet all needs and produce the best results becomes feasible. The more professionals work on a project, the faster all the tasks will be completed.

6 – Less (working hours) is better
When you subcontract specialists, the entire operation is carried out more quickly. This way you can save the time spent managing the team and the time spent on activities such as meetings, training and teamwork.

7 – New and modern business solutions
Considering that during subcontracting you hand over responsibility to another company, the company might become more receptive to innovative ideas. Thanks to their subject-matter knowledge, the company will present much more creative and efficient solutions.

8 – Sharing and managing risk
You share the obligations while part of the work is delegated to another organization. It also helps with risk assessment and analysis, which is another significant advantage. An external group will anticipate future dangers and help reduce them. Main outsourcing trends in 2023. After the epidemic, outsourcing has seen several progressive trends.
The changes that the pandemic brought to the outsourcing market in recent years are reflected in the outsourcing trends for 2023. By the end of 2022, companies expected to spend over 700 billion dollars a year on outsourcing. IT (information technology), healthcare, accounting and other sectors all fall within this expanding outsourcing economy.

To create a strategic plan for successful outsourcing in the coming years, it might be useful to review the main outsourcing trends in 2023:

1 – Quality before anything else
Nowadays, companies particularly care about offering high-quality services to their customers. They require sophisticated technology and experienced employees, and both can be expensive in most countries. Therefore, companies are converting to outsourced procedures such as software development, human resources, business operations, legal processes, etc.

2 – Long-term agreements and business continuity
Companies now think that forming strategic alliances with some outsourcing provider can guarantee cost savings and business continuity. But how?
Continuous changes of service providers can affect business continuity. When a company works for a long time with the same team, it is more likely to develop a solid relationship with its outsourcing company. Reaching objectives is easier when there is a solid bond between the parties involved. Since you will be working with a reliable outsourcing partner, the longer the contracts, the more they guarantee security, even in uncertain times.

3 – Use of modern technology

Companies that keep up with new technologies can use them to automate procedures, increase productivity and improve operational efficiency. However, it must be taken into account that modern technology, including the IoT (Internet of Things), automation and software development, is constantly evolving, and frequent technological updates can be difficult, which is why it is useful for companies to outsource to external service providers.
A service provider is a specialist in its own area of expertise. It is therefore more inclined, compared to an in-house team, to keep up with technological changes.

4 – Small businesses love outsourcing too

Outsourcing is very convenient for small businesses and start-ups, thanks to which they can make use of the best staff and equipment at reasonable prices. To save time and money, some organizations outsource repetitive activities. Due to reduced budgets, small businesses are unlikely to have expert staff. Outsourcing allows them to access a larger, more qualified staff pool. By 2023, many sectors will be affected by the outsourcing trend.

5 – Nearshore vs offshore outsourcing: who wins?
First of all, let’s clarify the terms. What is the difference between nearshore and offshore outsourcing? Hiring a third party from a nearby country to carry out a business activity is known as nearshore outsourcing. Offshore outsourcing, on the other hand, involves outsourcing to a distant country that is generally in a different time zone.
Companies resort to nearshore more often today than in the pre-pandemic period.

6 – Smart working is the new normal

The Covid epidemic made remote working a new custom. According to several surveys worldwide, most people prefer remote and hybrid work to working in the office. This model is expected to last until 2023 and beyond. Customer satisfaction will continue to offer companies a competitive advantage in the coming year and will be the main brand differentiator in 2023.
Companies might have to invest more in customer service and social media to offer a better user experience.
However, the unpredictable management of customer call volumes can be challenging. For proper functioning, companies might need to scale up and down quickly and manage the workforce. This makes it possible to outsource customer support in different ways.
The customer experience improves and operating costs are considerably reduced when a service such as customer support is outsourced. Research on the global call center outsourcing market predicts that the call center outsourcing sector will expand by 21.72 billion dollars between 2022 and 2026.

7 – More transparency and collaboration
In past years, most companies had little knowledge of the choices made regarding outsourcing projects because the outsourcing provider handled everything. This caused many communication problems.
For this reason, more transparent communication with outsourcing companies is required today.

The 12 most important activities to outsource

When it comes to the most outsourced activities in 2023, the trend does not change much compared to that of 2022.

Below we list the 12 most outsourced activities in 2022:

1 – Ticket management
Best practices for everything, from optimizing usage to compliance and reporting, are guaranteed by hiring an external specialist in charge of ticket management. To be considered as an investment that will allow you to exceed industry standards and increase the return on ticket investment. The decision to outsource ticket management brings many advantages:
– Great customer satisfaction: customers will immediately receive the assistance they need.
– Increased productivity: it simplifies and automates support operations.
– Reduced operating costs: lower burdens in recruiting and training staff.

2 – Help Desk
The outsourced Help Desk is a service that companies offer to assist their customers in solving problems or finding answers to already-identified issues. With the help of these services, the company can offer 24/7 assistance to its customers. The best IT help desk outsourcing services will offer numerous advantages, including greater productivity and performance, rapid implementation of more effective operations and processes, constant accessibility, fast response times, lower costs and greater efficiency.
The number of tickets will be reduced and, consequently, the operation simplified. Meanwhile, the company will be able to focus more on innovation and the growth of its business.
Transparency Market Research, an expert in market research, predicts that the help-desk solution market will grow to 11 billion dollars by 2023.

3 – Outbound marketing

By outsourcing, the company and its team will be able to benefit from new potential customers by hiring a dedicated team and collaborating with sector experts.
Outsourced marketing is fundamental for companies to increase revenue quickly and efficiently, at a time when the market is defined by scalability and speed. By outsourcing outbound marketing, the team will have the opportunity to collaborate with innovative teams and thus acquire new market knowledge. The new team can also recommend additional cybersecurity measures for companies, help increase cost-effectiveness and gain market share using predictive algorithms.

4 – Digital Customer Care

Digital customer care is a new approach to managing customer service that emphasizes emerging technology. Outsourcing is a fantastic option for companies that do not have the time or resources to effectively manage digital contact with customers.
Through outsourcing digital customer care you achieve: cost savings; revenue growth; customer loyalty and, of course, a positive customer experience.
Outsourcing customer care usually consists of contact services such as email, web, live chat, etc. This omnichannel customer service includes a wide choice of contact options that gives customers the choice of the medium they prefer.
Good customer service will create a loyal customer connection between the company and its customers, a fundamental aspect for the company’s success.

5 – Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
RPA is a type of software development that simplifies the creation, use and management of robots for performing simple tasks. Companies are realizing that using robots to complete repetitive jobs is more convenient, which is why the demand for robotic process automation is increasing.
Access to further innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, RPA and machine learning requires cloud outsourcing. This gives the company the possibility to use cloud services and store resources.

6 – Logistics Management

It takes a lot of time and money to hire logistics talent, acquire capabilities, invest in physical resources and develop technology. For this reason, companies will decide to outsource various parts (or sometimes even all) of their supply chain functions to third-party logistics service providers (3PL). We could think of many reasons why a company should outsource logistics management, but some of the most important include:

– The possibility of reducing overall transport and logistics costs to focus on the company’s strengths rather than on supply-chain operations
– Greater adaptability and effectiveness (thanks to leaner operations)
– Lower risk due to reduced administrative responsibility
– Higher service standards (leading to greater customer satisfaction)

In general, larger companies tend to have more complex supply chains, thus increasing the likelihood of using outsourced logistics. According to a third-party study, companies of all sizes increasingly use 3PL services. However, even smaller shippers continue to assign, on average, 27% of all supply-chain work to external contractors.

7 – Quality Audit
The 21st century has seen a clear trend towards outsourcing a company’s auditing process. The main advantage of outsourcing the internal auditing function is linked to the fact that involving an external source gives the impression of having fresh, objective and impartial eyes. Other advantages of outsourcing the audit include professional and timely reports, more information, conclusions, observations, suggestions for improvement, cost savings, etc.

8 – Data Entry
Data entry can be a time-consuming procedure that uses valuable staff resources, preventing them from effectively carrying out their main tasks. You can relieve employees of this manual and repetitive work by outsourcing data entry to a qualified team, thereby also ensuring correct and consistent entry.

9 – Chat Bot
Chat bots are used by companies to increase both service and sales conversion. Outsourcing chatbots is increasingly less expensive than developing your own live-chat platforms. Scaling the business is simpler when customer service works on “autopilot”.

10 – Booking Office

To be successful, a hospitality business must always be present and never miss an opportunity to get in touch with potential customers. The Booking Office service makes it possible to handle quote requests in multiple languages quickly and accurately. We Are Fiber guarantees 24/7 assistance to meet every need!

11 – Outbound Marketing
Outsourced marketing is fundamental for companies to increase revenue quickly and efficiently, at a time when the market is defined by scalability and speed. By outsourcing outbound marketing, the team will have the opportunity to collaborate with innovative teams to acquire new market knowledge.

12 – Smart Assistance
The Smart Assistance service has become indispensable for many companies thanks to its ability to optimize time and improve productivity. We Are Fiber’s technology is able to collect all information, sort it, analyze it and process it so that the company makes the best decisions and chooses the most suitable strategies. In general, the virtual assistant reduces staff workloads and manages the data flow for all companies, large or small.

To conclude…
If you want to make your business successful in 2023, outsourcing is a strategy that will need to be present in your business model. If you would like more information on how our outsourcing services can improve your business, contact us here.

L'articolo Outsourcing 2023: the 12 most important activities to outsource proviene da We Are Fiber.

It is precisely in this context that the online virtual secretary comes into play: an application that answers for you when you are in a meeting or on the phone. A dedicated virtual secretary software takes your place when you are busy, giving each customer the importance they deserve.

In this way you can improve customer satisfaction in your company, adopting specific solutions to always be by your customers’ side and provide them with an adequate level of support.

What is a virtual secretary?

The virtual secretary service is active every day of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, and during holidays. In practice you have a secretary at your disposal whenever you are busy or unable to guarantee your availability.

What does a virtual secretary do? Everything a flesh-and-blood secretary would do, such as:

• answering phone calls;
• replying to messages on social pages and messaging apps;
• automatically replying with preset messages to standard or certified emails;
• organising the diary according to free time slots;
• filling in forms for the tax authorities or the public administration.

Alongside the traditional virtual secretary programme, we at We Are Fiber add other extremely useful services that make the most of new technologies. Chatbots, for example, are able to interact with users and hold a conversation, as if they were human beings, guiding people to the resolution of their problem.

Who is the virtual secretary useful for?

There are several professional figures and companies that make use of this service. For example, in medical practices the virtual secretary is very widespread. Very often doctors are forced, for various reasons, to reschedule their patients’ appointments. This task is entrusted to the virtual assistant, which frees the doctor from a heavy job that does not fall within their remit.

For a lawyer the virtual secretary has also become invaluable, and in general for all professionals who need to send urgent communications to their clients or set appointments. Between rushing to court and deadlines to meet, lawyers do not always have the time to carry out these operations, which are therefore entrusted to an online assistant.

The online virtual secretary is very useful for real estate agents who want to communicate new sale or purchase opportunities to their clients, or for building administrators who have to send urgent communications.

For companies too the virtual secretary service is fundamental, especially for small ones that do not have much staff or that simply want to cut unnecessary costs.

The advantages and benefits of using a virtual secretary

Using a virtual secretary optimises your available time, since it independently manages the activity or company when you or your staff cannot do so personally. The advantages can be summarised as follows:

• relief from bureaucracy;
• the ability to focus on the company’s core business;
• no risk of missing important phone calls or emails;
• continuous support for customers;
• better diary management;
• the ability to always be informed about what is happening in the company;
• 24-hour availability.

How does the virtual secretary work?

To choose the best virtual secretary, we at We Are Fiber provide you with an extremely flexible programme that adapts to your times and needs. Our up-to-date and professional staff will help you set up the service, defining how to handle phone calls and appointments, which message to pre-record to answer calls and emails, who to send messages to, and so on.

You can always stay in contact with your virtual assistant via email or a dedicated app. At any time you can change the settings according to your changing personal or company needs. According to your requirements, you can make use of an automated process or a dedicated resource and a punctual service, also multilingual, that we make available to you to meet your needs.

The costs of a virtual secretary

How much does a virtual secretary cost? It naturally depends on the type of services you intend to request. One thing is certain: with our system you can cut fixed costs, thanks to a payment method that provides for payment only based on the time worked. If, for example, you have a tourism business that works exclusively in winter, or in summer, you can request the service for as long as necessary, achieving significant savings that translate into profit.

Do you want to know more?

Contact We Are Fiber to overcome every limit and enter a world of opportunities.

L'articolo Virtual secretary: why every company should have one proviene da We Are Fiber.

As this is an increasingly widespread strategy, let’s analyse in detail what outsourcing is, what its distinctive traits are, how to make the most of it, who it is suitable for and the various services.

What does outsourcing mean?

The meaning of outsourcing is externalisation. In practice a company that does not have the means, the tools or the time to carry out a certain service relies on an external firm that instead has the know-how and the specific skills to perform it in the best way.

People started talking about outsourcing from 1982 and it became very widespread from the 1990s among managers. From the 2000s the market became increasingly globalised and international, so companies are not always able to cope with a series of closely spaced tasks that require increasingly specific skills. Externalisation, being particularly flexible and adaptable to different needs, has spread especially among small and medium-sized enterprises that can thus cut costs and remain competitive in an increasingly demanding market.

What is it for?

Outsourcing fundamentally aims to relieve a company’s employees of rather burdensome tasks that do not fall within their main duties. The staff, being less overloaded with commitments, work with greater peace of mind and are more productive, to the benefit of the company, which cuts unnecessary costs and optimises its internal resources. Productivity becomes smoother and faster and therefore the company’s profit also benefits.

Let’s take a car dealership as an example: the core business of the activity is clearly selling cars. Managing the accounts is a necessary operation, which however does not fall within the company’s core business. In these cases the magic word is externalise. The same applies to an e-commerce site: the company’s mission is to sell, but customer support certainly cannot be ignored. In these cases too it is enough to externalise the service to manage the e-commerce with peace of mind and no further headaches.

Pros and cons of outsourcing?

Outsourcing adapts well to any type of activity, but you have to weigh up its pros and cons exactly to understand whether it is the right choice.

Here are the main advantages:

• collaboration with the best professionals anywhere in the world: with outsourcing you have no geographical constraints and, thanks to the Internet, you can draw on various talents even outside Italy;
• cost reduction: relying on an external company costs much less than employing internal resources, who would have to be paid but without having the skills for that specific job;
• optimisation of secondary activities: with externalisation you are certain to turn to competent people who have the right tools to carry out certain activities;
• 24-hour customer support: one of the great advantages of outsourcing is 24-hour availability, thus providing continuous support to the customer;
• the possibility of focusing on your core business: by freeing yourself from necessary but secondary activities, you have the chance to concentrate your efforts on the company’s main activity.

Among the disadvantages we can indicate:

• risks to internal security: by relying on an external company there is the possibility of a leak of company information. In that case it is enough to sign a non-disclosure agreement;
• loss of control over some company activities: you will not be able to constantly monitor all your company’s activities. This, however, you have to factor in when you request an outsourcing service; indeed, it is a natural consequence;
• language barrier: by relying on an external company, especially if it operates on another continent, you may run into problems relating to the different language or culture.

Outsourcing services: from customer care to automation

Going into more detail, let’s analyse below all the main outsourcing services offered by We Are Fiber, which adapt perfectly to every need.

Customer care outsourcing

Customer care outsourcing is one of the most requested services, considering the central role played by the customer in the purchasing decision phase.

We Are Fiber embodies and understands your company values, providing a very valid support service to your customers following the style and tone of voice of your company. We use all channels to provide a 360° quality service: from technical support to instant messaging, from ticketing to the freephone number, and so on.

Customer care includes:

• Help Desk: constant support to the customer before and after the sale, with first- and second-level assistance;
• Customer Service: management, support and assistance of customers by telephone;
• Ticketing Management: a system for resolving problems reported by customers to keep constant track of assistance requests;
• Social Instant Messaging: real-time assistance via social networks or apps;
• Booking Office: effective and precise management of numerous requests, also in different languages.

Data Entry

Data Entry allows quick access to non-digitised information, such as customer databases or data lists. You can, for example, speed up the processes of digitising and transcribing data, recovering precious time. We transform and make your documents accessible, cutting waiting times and speeding up processes. Our Data Entry services include:

• Back Office: WAF’s resources take care of your business’s internal processes, improving the quality of the products and services destined for your end customers;
• CRM: by acquiring customer data you can more easily identify and intercept their needs and requirements, providing a proactive and personalised service;
• Document Management: digitisation of documents that reduces costs and times, freeing up precious space within companies and offices.

Payroll and accounting

Payroll services allow you to optimise staff accounting, without the additional costs of an internal resource. We create tailor-made solutions for you, recovering and processing staff data with precision and with the utmost respect for privacy. We have a specific and specialised section for Payroll Management.

Accounting services are also fundamental, through which we support the management of your activities as regards general accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable and treasury. Our resources guarantee you maximum flexibility depending on the season. We also follow a precise code of ethics for data protection and comply with European procedures for privacy compliance.

Automation

The automation process involves the use of a team of experts who map business processes and analyse every single activity. Once the existing processes have been identified, we indicate the areas of greatest efficiency that can be automated and we guarantee you constant monitoring of the processes.

Among the advantages of automation there is first of all the saving of precious time. Repetitive activities, which until recently were carried out by human staff, are now entrusted to robots. Your staff thus have more time to devote to more stimulating activities where they can put their skills and abilities to good use. Furthermore, an element not to be underestimated, the risks of errors are considerably reduced until they are completely eliminated.

RPA (Robotic Process Automation) is also particularly versatile, therefore adaptable to different industrial and commercial sectors. In addition to automating routine processes, RPA can create reports, facilitate the rapid migration of data and retrieve important information to be reused to adopt timely and targeted business strategies.

Our method

We like to build a relationship with our customers step by step, so as to be able to offer a personalised service. Our goal is to transform your investment into added value for your company, allowing your internal resources to devote themselves more to the company’s core business.

Our approach involves the following steps:

• activity preparation: based on your needs and an as-is analysis, we design a personalised service to ensure the correct management and tracking of calls and other types of contact towards your company. These activities include: information gathering, identification of staff and roles, recruiting kick-off, control requirements, operational roadmap, and so on;
• definition of strategic priorities: we define a to-be operating model aimed at identifying strategic priorities, taking into account the activities, with a focus on customer service;
• quality check: we monitor your activity through a dashboard integrated with your systems and centralised with the data relating to the outsourced service and incoming calls, for continuous analysis and fine tuning according to quantitative and qualitative KPIs. This service allows us to check the correctness of operations and of the information given to customers;
• report sharing: review with weekly reports on the performance of results and campaigns. This allows continuous monitoring and improvement of the KPIs and the identification of new activities and objectives. You can request intraday, daily, weekly and monthly reports to have a continuous overview of your team’s activities and to gather further insights about your customers.

Do you want to test our services before purchasing them? No problem! You have the possibility of using them for a period of two months with the Try and Buy formula. You can evaluate their efficiency and, in the meantime, our team studies your workflows so as to identify together the services and the team to be trained. Once the two months are over, you can evaluate our work and decide whether to continue on the road together.

Why rely on nearshore?

We Are Fiber operates in nearshore, an externalisation method that involves the transfer of certain activities to a partner located in a country different from that of the client company. A European company that outsources activities within European territory is defined as nearshoring.

Our company operates in Albania, a choice that has proved to be a winning one, as demonstrated by the continuous affiliations of partners who rely on our services and who have improved their performance in terms of customer service (+18%), customer satisfaction (+15%) and increased sales (+16%).

Albania is a country geographically and culturally quite close to Italy; moreover, the management costs are quite contained without absolutely sacrificing the quality of the service. We Are Fiber can be the springboard for your company.

Contact us now!

L'articolo A complete guide to outsourcing: what it is, benefits and how to make the most of it proviene da We Are Fiber.