Choosing the right customer service outsourcing partner can feel like trying to pick a vendor in a crowded marketplace.
Every company promises efficiency, savings, bilingual reps, and “world-class support.” But which ones can actually deliver?
Which customer service outsourcing company will deliver the kind of support your customers trust?
This guide breaks down the top customer service outsourcing companies in 2025.
You’ll see what each one offers, what to look out for before signing any contract, and how to build a support partnership that actually works.
What Is Customer Service Outsourcing?
Customer service outsourcing means handing part or all of your support operations to an external rep, agency, or company. It covers everything from basic inquiries to more technical support tasks handled through:
- Phone
- Live chat
- Social media
- SMS or messaging platforms
The structure depends on your goals. Some companies want to reduce costs. Others need faster scaling. Some want better quality because their in-house team is stretched thin.
Many companies separate “customer service” from “customer support”. One focuses on general help. The other handles technical issues. For this guide, both terms will mean the same thing because most outsourcing firms deliver a mix of both.
Benefits of Outsourcing Customer Service
Businesses keep turning to outsourced customer service for practical reasons.
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Lower operational costs
Companies often save between 30 and 70 percent by outsourcing compared to hiring full-time support teams in the US.
To put this into perspective, we work closely with US businesses hiring customer support talent in Africa. The difference in salaries alone makes outsourcing a serious cost advantage.
But the cheapest option rarely leads to strong results. The smartest companies aim for a middle ground. They reduce expenses while still paying enough to attract reps who stay long-term.
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Longer support hours without burning out your team
Running 24/7 support with an internal team is tough. Outsourcing makes round-the-clock coverage possible because you can use time zone differences naturally. Your night shift becomes someone else’s normal workday. Your local team stays energized and customers get quick responses at any hour.
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More focus for your in-house team
The time you spend recruiting, training, and monitoring support reps can go into building your product or solving root problems. Outsourcing clears that space. Teams move faster. Leaders make better decisions. Product updates get shipped sooner.
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Access to stronger talent
Instead of fighting for the same local candidates, outsourcing gives you access to a bigger pool of experienced support professionals.
A good partner already has a pipeline of vetted reps. So you hire faster. You find niche skills easily. You scale during peak seasons without drama.
Outsourcing helps companies improve customer experience without burying their internal teams in repetitive work.
Read More: Top 10 Remote Recruitment Agencies in Africa To Help You Hire the Best Remote Talent
Potential Downsides of Outsourcing Customer Service (and How To Fix Them)
Outsourcing gives you speed, savings, and access to talent. It also comes with challenges you need to plan for. None of these is a dealbreaker if you manage them early.
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Communication gaps
Working with international teams can create friction if communication skills aren’t checked properly. Everyone wants support reps who speak clear, confident English. Those reps exist across Africa, but finding the right fit takes deliberate screening.
You’ll find many people with strong English skills. The number of people with near native accents is smaller. That gap can slow conversation flow and affect customer satisfaction if you don’t hire intentionally.
You can reduce these issues by tightening your hiring process.
Practical steps include:
- Testing for real language proficiency, not just grammar
• Setting clear rules for written communication
• Reviewing real tickets and calls often
• Providing scripts for complex issues
• Documenting troubleshooting steps in simple English
Language gaps only become a problem when teams skip these steps.
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Quality control still sits with you
Outsourcing doesn’t remove responsibility. It changes the workflow, not the outcome. You still need to define what good support looks like and check that standards stay consistent.
Clear expectations make everything easier.
That includes:
- Setting your KPIs early. Response time. CSAT. Resolution rate.
• Reviewing performance regularly
• Training continuously, not once
• Listening to calls and reading tickets often
• Holding calibration sessions so everyone understands quality expectations
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Security and compliance can’t be ignored
Different countries have different data protection laws, so you need to confirm your partner respects yours.
Your partner should:
- Follow strict security protocols
• Meet compliance requirements for your market
• Use structured data handling procedures
• Sign tight NDAs and data protection agreements
A single breach can erase years of trust. Security should sit at the top of your checklist when evaluating any outsourcing provider.
Outsourcing is a system that delivers results when you set it up properly.
How To Choose the Best Customer Service Outsourcing Company for Your Business
Not every outsourcing company will fit your needs. Some lack experience in your industry. Some don’t have the scale. Some don’t have the skill level required. Use the steps below to find a partner that actually works.
1. Identify your customer support needs
Before you hire anyone, understand what your customers expect and how your current support system is performing. This helps you know what to outsource and what to keep in-house.
Look at:
- The type of support you need. Is it mostly technical or general inquiries?
• Channels your customers prefer. Email, chat, phone, social?
• Daily and weekly ticket volume. Where do you hit peak traffic?
• Your performance metrics. CSAT. First response time. Backlogs.
• Whether you need multilingual support or special expertise
When you understand your support structure clearly, it becomes easier to select a provider that can deliver on your goals.
Your partner should be able to support multiple channels. That includes calls, email, chat, and social platforms.
2. Consider the size and scope of your business
The scale of your operations matters.
If you’re a smaller company, a massive outsourcing firm may drown you in bureaucracy. You’ll pay for capacity you don’t need. On the other hand, if your customer base is large or expanding quickly, you’ll need a partner with strong infrastructure and the ability to handle heavy volumes consistently.
The right partner should match your bandwidth and understand your growth plans.
3. Pick the outsourcing model that fits your goals
Customer service outsourcing usually falls into three buckets.
- Traditional call centers
You hand over your entire support operation. They handle hiring, training, and management. Works for high-volume or repetitive support tasks.
- Staff augmentation
You hire individual support reps through an agency, but they work like part of your team. You keep control of quality. The agency handles HR and payroll. Perfect for teams that want scalability and oversight.
- Direct hiring overseas
You hire support reps as your employees, but they work remotely from another country. A local partner (like an EoR), like Betternship, handles the legal and payroll side. This is ideal if you want a long-term team that feels fully integrated into your company.
Your choice depends on your goals:
- Need the lowest cost and high volume? Traditional call center.
• Need a few strong reps to join your team? Staff augmentation.
• Want a long-term support structure you control closely? Direct hiring.
4. Research potential outsourcing partners
Once you know what you need and which model fits, start reviewing companies.
If you’re leaning toward staff augmentation or direct hiring, look for firms that specialize in support talent. You need people who can screen for soft skills, technical skills, language ability, and long-term fit.
If you want a full-service customer service company, look at their processes. Understand how they measure quality, how they train reps, and whether they offer dedicated agents for your brand.
Check their track record:
- Customer reviews
• Industry experience
• Response times
• Case studies
• Service quality
Companies that already understand your market will ramp up faster.
5. Look deeper into your shortlisted providers
Once you narrow it down, evaluate each company with more focus.
Quality control and delivery
• What does their QA process look like?
• How do they train and onboard new reps?
• Which channels do they support?
• What are their working hours and SLAs?
• How strong is their English proficiency bar?
Pricing and terms
• How do they price? Per agent, per hour, per ticket?
• What is the contract length?
• Can you exit easily if things go wrong?
• What’s included in the base package?
• Are there hidden fees?
• Can they scale up or down quickly?
This gives you a clear picture of whether the company can support your goals now and as you grow.
Read More: How to Hire in Africa With Zero Risk (EOR, Payroll, and Hiring Done Right)
10 Top Customer Service Outsourcing Companies in 2025
Here’s a curated list of the top customer service outsourcing companies in 2025 (in no particular order). It includes both full-service support providers and firms that help you hire dedicated customer support professionals.
1. Betternship
Hiring world-class customer support talent across Africa.
Betternship helps global companies hire exceptional remote talent across Africa in roles spanning customer support, customer success, operations, tech, product, sales, finance, and more.
Whether you need one customer support rep or you’re building a full remote CX team, Betternship finds pre-vetted, English-fluent professionals who can plug smoothly into your workflows.
Key Features
- Services: Full-cycle recruitment, talent vetting, remote hiring, compliance, payroll, executive hiring, and team scaling
- Pricing & timeframe: Transparent monthly or one-time fees, no upfront cost, and most companies hire within 3–21 days
You can learn more about our process on How It Works – Hire Remote Talents
Hire Top Customer Support Talent with Betternship →
💼 You can also post a job for free on Betternship
2. SupportYourApp
SupportYourApp is a global outsourcing company delivering 24/7 technical and customer support. With roots in Ukraine, they now operate worldwide and provide multilingual reps who work across phone, chat, and email, supported by their internal CRM platform.
3. SimplyContact
A leading European outsourcing company offering multilingual contact center services for startups, SMEs, and enterprise teams. Known for KPI driven delivery and flexible support operations.
4. Helplama
Helplama is a US-based support outsourcing company best known for flexible, affordable solutions for small businesses. They offer live chat, phone, and email support starting at budget-friendly pricing.
5. SupportNinja
SupportNinja works with fast-growing tech companies, especially SaaS and AI-driven businesses. Headquartered in the US with large teams in the Philippines, they offer high-volume and tech-heavy customer service operations.
6. Auxis
Auxis is a long-standing outsourcing company recognized in the IAOP Global Outsourcing 100 list. The company focuses on operational optimization and customer support outsourcing with teams across the Americas.
7. Helpware
Helpware is a well-known CX outsourcing partner that builds customized “micro teams” for each client. They serve major brands and emphasize a people-first model supported by strong technology.
8. Foundever
Foundever (formerly Sitel Group) is one of the biggest CX companies in the world, operating in 45 delivery countries and supporting nine million daily customer interactions.
9. Influx
Influx offers on-demand, scalable customer support with teams working 24/7 in your time zone. Popular with fast-growing startups needing flexibility.
10. SkyCom
SkyCom is a global call center outsourcing provider offering nearshore, offshore, and onshore services. Known for fast scaling, especially for companies dealing with high call volumes.
Read More: Top African Outsourcing Companies for 2025 | Tech, Support, Marketing & More
Best Practices for Outsourcing Customer Support
Finding the right partner is only step one. The real performance gap appears in how you manage, align, and measure your outsourced or remote CX team.
These best practices will help you maintain quality, protect your brand experience, and get real ROI from your support investment.
1. Keep a Consistent Brand Voice and Tone
Your support team is your brand. Even if they sit thousands of miles away, customers shouldn’t feel any difference in tone, empathy, or communication style.
2. Create a Clear Communication Rhythm
Consistency prevents chaos. Outsourced teams don’t fail because they’re offshore; they fail because communication is random and reactive.
Set up a predictable structure:
- Daily check-ins for quick updates and blockers
- Weekly team meetings to review performance and ongoing issues
- Monthly quality reviews to evaluate SLAs, scripts, QA scores, and customer sentiment
- Quarterly strategy sessions to align on big-picture improvements
Centralize everything: SOPs, macros, workflows, product updates, in a shared knowledge base. When information flows, performance follows.
3. Measure Success With Clear Metrics
If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it. You need objective data, not vibes, to know if your outsourced team is performing well.
Key metrics to track:
- NPS (Net Promoter Score): Measures loyalty and “recommendability.”
- CSAT (Customer Satisfaction): Snapshot of customer happiness.
- CES (Customer Effort Score): How easy it is for customers to get help.
Supplement metrics with qualitative feedback. Real customer comments tell you where friction is happening and whether your support team actually understands your users.
Read More: What is the Best Technology for Working Remotely in 2025?
Final Thoughts
Outsourcing can reduce costs and expand coverage, but the real advantage comes when you hire people who integrate smoothly into your team, not just anonymous agents answering tickets in a queue.
This is where Betternship stands out.
If you’re ready to scale your customer support function without sacrificing quality…
Hire Top Customer Support Talent with Betternship →
💼 You can also post a job for free on Betternship