Running a business is challenging at the best of times, but when the UK economy seems to be, at best, perpetually uncertain, it can feel downright impossible. And whatever the wider economy is doing, there will always be the competing challenges of customers demanding better services and lower prices and the need to maximise profits.

“Indeed, these competing pressures tend to worsen during times of economic pessimism. Consumers are keen to ensure they receive value, and investors, as always, want to ensure a good return. One of the tactics most often used to relieve these pressures has been outsourcing,” says Ralf Ellspermann, CEO of PITON-Global, a leading call centre outsourcing provider.

Outsourcing has been around since the first businesses were formed. Any business purchase that wasn’t raw materials was, effectively, outsourcing part of the processing or manufacturing. It was only in the twentieth century, however, that outsourcing in its modern form took off. Firms contracted with other companies to provide what had previously been considered core parts of a business. And a large part of outsourcing success was down to the savings that it offered.

“Managing an in-house call centre in the UK is both expensive and difficult. It comes at a significant financial and management cost. Alongside the need to procure and maintain infrastructure are the ongoing headaches of HR and staffing. And all of this will require some management overhead, even when things are running smoothly. Aside from the costs, running a call centre creates a distraction from the business’s core competencies,” says Ellspermann

The allure of call centre outsourcing comes primarily from the cost savings. A well-run call centre outsourcing provider will be around 10 to 15% lower in cost than an in-house operation. These savings come from several areas. Many are a function of scale. A call centre is likely to serve several clients, meaning that many of the overhead costs are shared, avoiding the premium a single operator of a small in-house provider might have. Things like specialist HR, supervision, and management all contribute to lessening the cost of call centre outsourcing in the UK.

The ongoing revenue savings of call centre outsourcing are significant. It doesn’t take a large call centre for those 10 to 15% savings to reach six- and even seven-figure sums. However, they also avoid the significant set-up costs for those UK businesses that might not have had had a large call centre function previously. The cost of securing and fully equipping premises is significant, and for many businesses, dedicating a large portion of their real estate to a call centre might not make good business sense.

And all these savings are before the business benefits are considered. The bottom line can be measured, and for that reason, costs drive many UK call centre outsourcing decisions. But outsourcing means that a non-core function is, largely, taken care of by an external partner. Customer service might be vital to ongoing success, but a well-developed contract can largely cover that, ensuring that required standards are monitored and met. That frees up management capacity, especially at the senior level, to focus the business’s core product or service, rather than the ancillary functions. Many UK businesses have found, although it may be difficult to quantify financially, that liberation of leadership capacity has significant benefits for their business.

For many UK-based companies, call centre outsourcing is an obvious decision. It brings significant organisational benefits. Customers get better service from a highly specialised third-party outsourcing provider. And with a UK provider, the company achieves up 15% savings on their costs. But choosing an offshore provider can increase those savings further. The Philippines, the world’s largest and leading call centre outsourcing destination, generally offers savings of around 40 to 50% while maintaining similar quality levels. “Customer service is vital; there is no point in saving money if the customer experience takes a hit. It is therefore of mission-critical importance to find and partner with a premium call centre outsourcing provider that can deliver the highest level of service,” says Ellspermann.

Choosing a new CEO is not the easiest task in the world. While it is easy enough to assess the qualifications and strengths of more subordinate positions, CEO is the equivalent of the captain of a ship, and therefore responsible for all the decisions and actions taken by the business. Finding someone to take on all that responsibility can be a challenge. Here are how the experts, such as those at Eagle Headhunters here, manage the job.

Be Open-Minded

There is a tendency to think of CEOs as being quite ‘posh’, speaking with a certain accent, having degrees and more. However, if you actively remove those considerations from your mind, it is very possible that many effective candidates then rise up your shortlist. The best CEOs, arguably, are those who have worked their way up the business, as this means that they will know it inside and out, bringing a wealth of proficiency to the table.

List Essential Qualities

Draw up a list of essential qualities needed in a CEO and do not compromise on these. It can be anything from adhering to ethical practices (commitments to gender pay equality, improved diversity, responsible sourcing) to ensuring a set percent profit each year. If any candidate shows that he or she cannot adhere to these requirements, you can remove them from the list. There is room to compromise, but not on these essentials.

Choose Flexibility

Flexibility can sometimes be dismissed as ‘wishy-washiness’ but it is actually a tremendous strength. The ability to think fast and adapt to changing situations is invaluable and should be seized upon as such.

Go for Substance over Style

Along the lines of keeping an open mind, when you are caught between two seemingly good candidates, opt for the one who has more industry experience and qualifications rather than someone who merely looks the part. This is trickier than it sounds, we humans do tend to make snap decisions, and very often cling to them despite evidence to the contrary!

Value Worth

An older candidate can sometimes seem like a poor choice, but this is a sign of ageism. Many cultures value older members for their wisdom and insights, and these qualities are just what is needed in a CEO.

Allow for Humanity

As mentioned above, while there are some essential characteristics that the CEO hopeful must have, there are also allowances to be made for personal quirks and foibles. Allow for imperfections in a CEO – they are only human, after all – without allowing for bigotry or harmful bias to creep in.

They Are Just an Employee

It can be awkward, hiring a CEO, especially if those responsible for making the choice will then be his or her subordinates. This can result in an uneven interview process, with the hard questions not being asked. Reassure everyone on the selection board that CEOs are mere employees in the grand scheme of things, albeit rather high-powered ones!

The Board Must Retain Oversight

Too much delegation can be a bad thing: an outgoing CEO secretly reluctant to depart could unconsciously choose a weak replacement which will necessitate his or her return, others might try to promote or select their friends or family into the position, or any number of other similarly grubby practices might occur. For this reason, the board should outsource the process to a reputable recruitment agency – apart from ensuring that nothing unethical happens, it will also ensure that the best candidate is offered the job.