2.Reasons why more companies are outsourcing contact centers (call centers)

"The number of companies outsourcing their contact centers (call centers) has been increasing year by year.
The main reasons are the growing demand for high-quality customer service and ongoing labor shortages."

In 2022, the contact center market reached ¥1,154.7 billion, representing a 2.6% increase from the previous year, and steady growth is expected to continue (Source: Yano Research Institute Ltd., 2023 Call Center Market Report: Services & Solutions).

As customer communication diversifies, multi-channel support is essential—but talent shortages make in-house staffing increasingly challenging.

In fact, only 22% of contact centers report that they are able to secure a sufficient number of operator applicants across all locations
(Source: Call Center White Paper 2024, Monthly Call Center Japan Editorial Department, Ric Telecom Co., Ltd., 2024, p.59).

In this way, while customers increasingly expect high-quality communication, many companies are facing ongoing labor shortages—making outsourcing an increasingly attractive option.

Case studies of companies achieving results through outsourcing

SMBC achieved COPC certification with over 200 operators, demonstrating world-class customer service quality.
The company has established an environment that ensures customer satisfaction across multiple channels—not only by phone—and now also supports website optimization.
As this example shows, even industries that handle highly sensitive information can successfully outsource their contact centers and achieve strong results.

For more details about this case, please visit the following page: Case Study – Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

3.Benefits of contact center outsourcing

By outsourcing a contact center, companies no longer need to prepare their own facilities or staff, and can benefit from high-quality customer service provided by specialized providers.
Key benefits include the following:

Benefits of outsourcing a contact center

・Reduces setup and operational costs
・Allows organizations to focus on their core business
・Improves service quality

3‐1 Lower the costs associated with setup and ongoing operations

One of the key benefits of outsourcing is the ability to reduce setup and operational costs.
Companies can avoid the initial investment, as well as the costs associated with recruitment and training that are typically required for in-house operations.

Outsourcing eliminates the need for infrastructure, hiring, and training, enabling a fast launch with lower upfront and optimized ongoing costs.

3‐2 More focus on core business

Outsourcing also allows companies to focus on their core business.
It reduces the time and effort spent on customer service and related tasks.

In-house models require training and management, and may disrupt core operations when staff take on dual roles.

With outsourcing, companies can entrust contact center operations to a specialized provider, allowing them to avoid disruptions and stay focused on their core business.

3-3 Enhances the quality of customer service

Another key benefit of outsourcing is the improvement in service quality.
By leveraging the expertise of specialized providers, companies can deliver high-quality customer service.

In recent years, improving CX (customer experience) has become a key priority for companies, and specialized contact center providers have the expertise to support this.
In addition, outsourcing enables 24/7 customer support regardless of a company’s business hours.

In this way, outsourcing helps deliver convenient and high-quality customer service for customers.

4.Challenges of outsourcing a contact center (call center)

While outsourcing a contact center offers many benefits, it also comes with certain challenges.
By understanding these in advance, companies can better prepare and address them effectively.

Disadvantages of Outsourcing Contact Centers

Bullet Points
・ Operational know-how is harder to accumulate
・ It can be difficult to manage quality directly

4‐1. Limited accumulation of in-house expertise

Outsourcing may limit the development of in-house expertise.

Limited hands-on experience due to reduced direct customer interaction

4-2.Challenges in directly managing service quality

Another drawback is the difficulty in directly managing service quality.
Compared to in-house operations, it can be more challenging to monitor operator performance and staff motivation when outsourcing.
In addition, certain inquiries—such as those requiring specialized knowledge or management-level decisions—may fall outside the scope of the outsourcing provider.
To ensure that company policies are properly reflected, it is important to maintain close communication with the provider and align on customer service guidelines, including how to handle exceptional cases.

5. Key criteria for deciding whether to outsource a contact center

When deciding whether to outsource a contact center (call center), it is important to consider whether it aligns with your company’s services and current situation.
In this section, we will outline cases where outsourcing is recommended and where it may not be the best fit.

5‐1. When to consider outsourcing

When outsourcing is recommended:

・When there are insufficient internal resources to allocate to the contact center
・When you want to focus internal resources on core business by leaving operations to experts
・When you prioritize improving CX (customer experience) and want to receive ongoing improvement proposals
・When you need to expand into new contact channels (e.g., chat, social media)

If any of these conditions apply, outsourcing is worth serious consideration.
By leveraging the expertise and know-how of a specialized provider, companies can effectively address resource constraints and improve overall operations.

Outsourcing enables companies to focus on core business, leverage expert support, and start with a flexible, scalable approach—even with partial implementation.

5-2. Cases where outsourcing may not be the best fit

When outsourcing may not be suitable:

・When operations are subject to legal restrictions (e.g., debt collection, alcohol sales)
・When there is a plan to manage operations in-house in the future

In cases involving legal restrictions, it is necessary to find a provider with the required licenses or approvals.

If you plan to bring operations in-house in the future, fully outsourcing all functions may make it difficult to build the necessary internal resources and expertise. In such cases, partial outsourcing may be a more effective approach.

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