Transforming Multilingual Customer Service Outsourcing for Retail in MENA Region

Client Overview: One of the top three retailers in the MENA region with over 15 retail brands and 1,000+ retail stores, serving a vast and diverse customer base across multiple regions and languages.

The Challenge: In the years leading up to 2020, our client’s customer service operation was primarily handling queries via email and live chat. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation drastically changed. The volume of customer interactions increased by nearly 10x, as customers sought assistance for everything from product inquiries to order issues, often at unprecedented scale.

This surge in demand posed a significant challenge for the client’s existing customer service model. Maintaining quality service, minimizing wait times, and ensuring customer satisfaction became critical objectives. Additionally, the client faced operational pressure to scale up their customer service team quickly, without incurring unsustainable costs.

Solution by LiveSalesman: LiveSalesman leveraged its expertise in multilingual customer service outsourcing to address the client’s needs efficiently, even during these unprecedented times. We designed a strategy that emphasized scalability, automation, and workflow optimization.

Key Deliverables and Actions:

1. Managing 10x Volume Surge with Automation: LiveSalesman adopted cutting-edge automation tools to streamline the client’s customer service processes. By automating common queries and workflows, we reduced the dependency on human agents for routine issues. This allowed the team to focus on more complex, high-priority cases.
2. Maintaining Key SLA Metrics: Despite the surge in volumes, our automated solutions ensured that key service-level agreement (SLA) metrics such as First Response Time, Resolution Time, and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) remained on track. We closely monitored these KPIs and adapted processes where necessary, ensuring a high level of service quality throughout the crisis.
3. Optimized Hybrid Workforce: Our multilingual customer service team was adapted to work in a hybrid mode, offering flexibility while ensuring continuity. The team seamlessly managed interactions in multiple languages, ensuring that the diverse customer base of the retailer received accurate, timely, and culturally appropriate responses, regardless of location.
4. Streamlining Customer Interaction: To ease the load on human agents, we implemented self-service options for customers, offering them resources to resolve queries independently. This included intuitive FAQ systems, AI-driven chatbots, and automated troubleshooting tools. These solutions enabled customers to quickly resolve common issues without needing to speak to an agent, effectively reducing call volumes and improving efficiency.
5. IT Support for Agile Product Development: The LiveSalesman IT team worked closely with the client’s teams to develop and integrate new products and solutions as required. This agile approach allowed us to respond quickly to changing needs, ensuring that the client’s systems remained up-to-date with new functionality and that customers had access to the latest service tools.

Results: Despite the significant increase in volume during the pandemic, LiveSalesman helped the client maintain an effective customer service operation without the need to scale up headcount by 10x. Instead, the strategic implementation of automation and optimized workflows ensured that service quality remained intact while achieving substantial cost savings.

• 10x increase in query volume was handled efficiently without needing to increase human agent headcount.
• Improved SLA compliance, with First Response Time, Resolution Time, and CSAT metrics staying within target despite the surge.
• Enhanced customer experience with a seamless and efficient self-service system that allowed customers to resolve their issues independently.

Conclusion: The collaboration between LiveSalesman and our client showcases how multilingual customer service outsourcing, combined with automation and agile IT solutions, can provide retail businesses with the scalability they need to navigate crises like COVID-19. By automating key customer service processes, optimizing workflows, and maintaining a hybrid, multilingual team, LiveSalesman was able to deliver exceptional service even in the face of unprecedented demand.

This case study underscores the value of partnering with a customer service outsourcing provider who not only understands the intricacies of customer interactions but can also deliver agile and cost-effective solutions to meet the challenges of today’s dynamic retail environment.