Short answer
Evaluate contact centre proposals with a weighted scorecard that reflects your priorities — typically operational capability, relevant experience, people and culture, quality and reporting, technology and security, commercial robustness and transition plan. Visit the top three or four providers, speak to their current clients, and compare costs on a fully loaded, like-for-like basis. Price matters, but choosing on price alone is one of the most common causes of failure.
Key points
- Agree criteria and weightings before you open the proposals.
- Visit the operation and meet team leaders and agents, not only executives.
- Check attrition, training, spans of control and business continuity in detail.
- Compare cost per resolved contact, not just the hourly rate.
Build a weighted scorecard
Agree the criteria and weightings before opening the proposals, so the evaluation stays objective. An example:
| Criterion | What to assess | Example weight |
|---|---|---|
| Operational capability | Workforce planning, service level track record, capacity, sites | 20% |
| Relevant experience | Similar clients, industries, contact types and markets | 15% |
| People and culture | Recruitment, training, team leader quality, attrition, engagement | 15% |
| Quality and reporting | Quality framework, calibration, customer feedback, reporting | 10% |
| Technology and security | Platforms, integration, AI tools, certifications, continuity | 10% |
| Transition plan | Realism, resources, risks and timeline | 5% |
| Commercials | Fully loaded cost, flexibility, pricing mechanics, contract comments | 25% |
Within each criterion, define specific questions and score them consistently. Have several evaluators score independently, then compare.
What to look for in each area
Service levels and track record
Ask for actual performance data from comparable clients over the last 12 months — service levels, quality scores and customer satisfaction — not just targets.
People, hiring and retention
- How quickly can they recruit and replace agents?
- What is their 90-day and 12-month attrition, and how is it calculated?
- What do they do to motivate and retain staff — pay progression, career paths, recognition, wellbeing?
- How are agents evaluated, and what does that say about expectations of quality and quantity?
High attrition affects both performance and cost. See reducing agent attrition.
Training
Training must match the complexity of the work: products, systems, regulation and market culture. Check that training costs are included in the price, and how refresher and change training are handled.
Cultural fit
Cultural differences can undermine a technically sound solution. Look for a shared understanding of your customers and your values, and a provider that treats cultural alignment as an opportunity rather than an afterthought.
Language and communication
Check the fluency of agents and management in the languages you need, and how easily your teams can work with theirs day to day.
Team size and depth
Does the provider have enough skilled people to deliver, or does the proposal depend on a few key individuals? Multi-skilled agents and a strong bench add resilience.
Technology and value-add
Look beyond basic delivery: analytics, AI-assisted quality monitoring, agent assist, digital channels, and ideas to reduce contact volumes or improve outcomes. A good partner should help you improve, not just execute.
Site visits
Visit the top three or four providers — in person, or virtually if travel is impractical. Prepare an agenda and a list of questions in advance. Aim to:
- Walk the floor and observe the atmosphere.
- Listen to calls in a comparable programme.
- Sit with a team leader during coaching.
- Review real management reports and quality evaluations.
- Inspect business continuity: generators, UPS, network rooms and the continuity plan.
- Meet the people who would run your account.
Reference checks
Speak to at least two current clients, ideally of a similar size and in a similar industry, and one former client if possible. Ask what went wrong, how it was handled, and whether they would choose the provider again.
Making the decision
Be as objective as possible. Price is important, but it is not the only measure: a contract the provider cannot deliver profitably is more likely to fail. Combine the scorecard, site visits, references and due diligence, then select a preferred provider and one reserve before negotiation.
Frequently asked questions
What should I look for on a call centre site visit?
Look at the working environment, the floor atmosphere and how team leaders coach. Ask to listen to live or recorded calls in a similar industry, review real reports, see the quality process in action, and ask what happened during the last power or connectivity failure. Speak to agents and team leaders without senior managers present if possible.
How much weight should price have in the evaluation?
Many organisations give price between 20% and 40% of the total score. The right weighting depends on your objectives, but if price dominates, you risk selecting a provider that cannot afford to deliver the quality you need.