First-Time Customer Service Outsourcing: What One Client Discovered About Its Own Business 

A global packaging distributor had grown faster than its team could keep up with, and it needed a dedicated customer support function. It had never outsourced before. An AI search pointed its General Director toward Vietnam, and consistently good reviews led the firm to Innovature BPO. 

Outsourcing customer service for the first time turned out to be about much more than extra capacity. Onboarding a new team exposed inefficiencies that had built up during growth, and the business built SOPs and workflows from scratch. Industry guides describe the first months of Customer Experience Operations outsourcing the same way: mostly knowledge transfer and process mapping. Along the way, the client also worked out where AI should handle the work and where a person needs to step in. 

Here, the General Director shares what the experience revealed, what made the partnership work and what to know before taking the same step.

Why Outsource Customer Service to Vietnam 

For our client, Vietnam made the shortlist through an AI search and stayed there because independent reviews backed it up. The business needed a proper support function to sustain its growth. While researching options, Jamie H., the General Director, turned to AI for a starting point. 

“Funnily enough, Vietnam came up while I was using AI to research our options. Claude suggested Vietnam as a strong destination for outsourcing and named Innovature BPO as a good place to start.” 
– Jamie H., General Director, Global Packaging Distribution Firm 

Jamie H. shares why he chose Vietnam with Ella Nguyen, CGO at Innovature BPO

The AI suggestion gave Jamie a starting point, but he wanted proof before getting in touch. As he put it, “We looked into Innovature BPO, saw consistently good reviews, and were keen to explore it further.” AI can build a shortlist in seconds, but reviews, references and a real conversation are what show how a provider performs day to day. 

If you are deciding whether to outsource customer service to Vietnam, our comparison of offshore customer service destinations covers talent, cost and time zones. For our client, it came down to timing and trust, or in Jamie’s words, “It felt like the right fit at the right moment.” 

What Outsourcing Customer Service for the First Time Really Involves

Handing work to a new team means explaining exactly how it gets done, which gave our client a close look at its own operations. Onboarding showed where time was being lost, and Innovature BPO then helped the business build the processes it had been missing.

Why Hands-On Onboarding Exposes Hidden Inefficiencies 

When a business grows quickly, workarounds pile up and nobody has time to question them. Walking a new team through each task brings these habits into the open, so process mapping comes early in any outsourcing project. 

Jamie led much of the onboarding himself and saw, in detail, how work actually got done each day. That view included inefficiencies that had crept in as the business grew. He now treats it as a chance to change how things work and lift productivity across the company. 

Onboarding an Outsourced Support Team: SOPs and Workflows From Scratch 

Like many first-time outsourcers, our client had no documented SOPs or workflows when the partnership began. Innovature BPO’s Head of Customer Experience Operations Service worked directly inside the client’s systems and built those processes with the team. 

“Innovature BPO helped us overhaul our core processes and uncover hidden inefficiencies. Their team is exceptionally experienced with AI, guiding us to get to grips with new technology while ensuring our workflows and processes are continually reviewed and improved for maximum productivity”
– Jamie H., General Director 

Jamie H. on how Innovature BPO helped his team improve processes

Writing the documents is only the first step, and keeping them current gets harder once real customer contacts start coming in. In a Gartner survey of 321 service leaders, 58% said they plan to train agents as knowledge management specialists to tackle backlogs of outdated content. When onboarding an outsourced support team, that means treating SOPs as working documents the team updates as it learns. You can see how Innovature structures onboarding for new client teams. 

Balancing AI and Human Customer Service

Our client wanted to bring AI into every part of the business without losing the human touch, and Innovature guided the team on how to strike that balance. 

“Getting the balance right between what AI can handle and where a real person needs to step in has been a big part of the journey, and they’ve been a great partner in working that out.”
– Jamie H., General Director 

Many leaders are facing the same question. The same Gartner survey found that 91% of service leaders are under executive pressure to implement AI. Gartner also says success depends on combining AI tools with the strengths of human agents. 

For businesses working through the same decision, our comparison of AI agents and human call center agents explains which tasks suit each and how balancing AI and human customer service affects cost and quality.

Choosing a Customer Service Outsourcing Partner: Tailor-Made, Involved and Adaptable

Few businesses get every process right the first time they outsource, so a good customer service outsourcing partner expects changes and adjusts with you. Our client found that in the way Innovature designed the setup, ran the account day to day and welcomed Jamie when he visited Vietnam. 

A Tailor-Made Setup That Adapted to Every Change 

Jamie admits the team needed a lot of help at the start, and the plan changed often as the business learned what worked. Innovature took each change in its stride rather than holding the client to a fixed scope. 

“Instead of fitting us into a standard package, they built a tailor-made solution. The offshore team is professional, hard-working, and quick to learn.” 

– Jamie H., General Director 

Choosing a Customer Service Outsourcing Partner: Tailor-Made, Involved and Adaptable

Hands-On Account Management From the Head of Customer Experience Operations Service 

Day to day, the account is overseen by the head of Innovature BPO’s Customer Experience Operations Service. Jamie describes him as extremely knowledgeable and always available, and he checks in regularly to see how things are going. “It’s that perfect blend of expertise and genuine warmth that makes us feel properly looked after.” 

What the Client Saw When Visiting the Team in Vietnam 

Visiting the office in Vietnam gave Jamie the chance to meet the people behind the account, and shared Vietnamese lunches helped him get to know the team beyond the day-to-day work. 

“What stood out straight away was their genuine warmth and how they cared deeply about our business, rather than just handling the tasks at hand.” 

The wider management team made an equally strong impression, and Jamie found them “welcoming, supportive, and great to get on with.” 

The Client’s Advice for First-Time Outsourcers

Our client came to Innovature BPO to solve a support problem, and the partnership has since grown well beyond that brief. Spending time with the team in Vietnam showed Jamie even more areas where Innovature BPO could support the business. 

“What started as a solution to a support problem is now something that’s helping us grow the business even faster.” 

Jamie’s advice to leaders who are curious about outsourcing but unsure where to start is to book a call with Innovature BPO and go in with an open mind. He acknowledges that outsourcing can attract negativity, yet his own experience has been the complete opposite. 

Looking back at his journey, a few lessons stand out for any business outsourcing for the first time: 

• Stay close to onboarding: taking part yourself is the fastest way to see how work really gets done and where it can improve. 

• Expect the plan to change: our client adjusted its setup many times, so choose a partner that treats changes as a normal part of the process. 

• Don’t wait for perfect SOPs: A good partner will help you build them and keep them updated as the team learns. 

• Decide early where AI stops: Agreeing which tasks AI handles and where a person steps in keeps service consistent as you grow. 

• Meet the team if you can: Jamie’s visit to Vietnam confirmed his choice and showed him new ways the partnership could grow. 

The Client’s Advice for First-Time Outsourcers

Thinking About Outsourcing Customer Service? 

Our client’s story shows that outsourcing customer service for the first time does not require a perfect plan. With a partner willing to build processes alongside you, adapt as you learn and stay closely involved, the move can strengthen the whole business as well as the support function. 

“If you’re unsure where to begin, just start the conversation. You might be surprised where it leads.” 
– Jamie H., General Director 

Innovature BPO builds dedicated customer experience teams in Vietnam and the Philippines, shaped around each client’s processes, tools and goals. Tell us what your support operation needs, and we will help you plan the right setup. 

Talk to Our Customer Experience Team