How do you choose BPO standards and frameworks?

1 Understand your needs

Before you select any BPO standards and frameworks, you need to understand your own needs and requirements. What are the objectives and outcomes of your BPO project? What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) that you want to achieve and measure? What are the risks and challenges that you need to mitigate and manage? By answering these questions, you can identify the scope, scale, and complexity of your BPO project and the criteria that you will use to evaluate your BPO provider.

2 Research the options

There are many BPO standards and frameworks available in the market, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most common ones are ISO, CMMI, Six Sigma, ITIL, COBIT, and Lean. These standards and frameworks provide guidelines and best practices for various aspects of BPO, such as quality management, process improvement, service delivery, governance, and customer satisfaction. You need to research the options and compare them based on their relevance, applicability, compatibility, and credibility for your BPO project. You can also consult industry experts, peers, and references to get insights and feedback on different BPO standards and frameworks.

3 Assess the compatibility

Once you have narrowed down your options, you need to assess the compatibility between your BPO standards and frameworks and your BPO provider. You need to ensure that your BPO provider has the necessary certifications, accreditations, and capabilities to comply with your chosen standards and frameworks. You also need to check if your BPO provider has the experience, expertise, and resources to implement and maintain your standards and frameworks effectively and efficiently. You can ask for evidence, testimonials, case studies, and audits to verify your BPO provider's compliance and performance.

4 Customize the implementation

After you have selected your BPO standards and frameworks and your BPO provider, you need to customize the implementation according to your specific needs and expectations. You need to communicate your goals, expectations, and standards clearly and consistently with your BPO provider. You also need to collaborate and coordinate with your BPO provider to define the roles, responsibilities, processes, and tools that will support your standards and frameworks. You need to establish a governance structure and a feedback mechanism that will enable you to monitor, review, and improve your standards and frameworks regularly.

5 Evaluate the results

Finally, you need to evaluate the results of your BPO standards and frameworks and your BPO provider. You need to measure and analyze your KPIs and SLAs and compare them with your benchmarks and targets. You need to identify the gaps, issues, and opportunities for improvement and take corrective and preventive actions accordingly. You also need to solicit and incorporate feedback from your customers, stakeholders, and employees and assess their satisfaction and loyalty. You need to celebrate your successes and learn from your failures and continuously improve your standards and frameworks.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?