If you’ve decided that outsourcing your Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) is the right move for your company but you aren’t sure where to start, you are not alone. Choosing the right outsourced SDR company can be tricky to say the least. Below are the five most important things you need to look for when making this important decision. 

#1 – The Company’s Location

Before hiring an outsourced SDR company, one of the first things to consider is that company’s location. It’s true that a company headquartered offshore may cost less, but language barriers are far more common, and it could end up backfiring in a big way. Hiring a company that is headquartered in the US helps to ensure that the agents speak English exceptionally well, whether those agents communicate with potential leads via telephone or email. 

#2 – A Solid (and Transparent) Recruitment Process

It’s important that you know how outsourced SDR providers recruit their agents, too. It can be easy to forget that there are living, breathing people who are generating leads for your company remotely, and learning more about those people – and how they came to work for the company you’re considering – can make a big difference when it comes to quality. How are they screened? What are the requirements? Will you be able to interact with them directly? Can you listen to examples of their calls? An outsourced SDR company is only as good as the SDRs it hires, after all. 

#3 – A Fair Price

Outsourced SDR companies operate under several different models. Some may require you to sign a contract for a year or more, and others may offer you one of very few “packages” that fit your company’s needs, even if you don’t really need all the included services. Look for a company that will only charge you for what you need rather than attempting to put your company’s needs in a cookie cutter, and make sure that you can scale your services up or down as necessary without penalties. In other words, don’t pay for more than what you truly need. 

#4 – Agreement with Metrics and KPIs

Before you hire an outside company to handle all your sales development needs, it’s important to do some research and come up with a set of metrics and/or KPIs that the SDRs should be required to meet. This may require a little negotiation, but at the end of the day, you should make sure that your expectations are realistic. It’s also imperative that you understand your options if those metrics and KPIs are not consistently met. 

 #5 – True Partnership

Any time you outsource part of your company’s operations, you should look for a company that serves as your partner and truly has your best interest in mind. You should receive regular reports and updates, and there should be an open line of communication between your company and theirs. If it’s difficult to reach someone, or if you feel as if your communication with a potential outsourced SDR company is lacking, then it probably isn’t the best company for you. 

Making the decision to outsource your company’s SDR needs can be scary at first, but if you choose the right company, it will undoubtedly be one of the best decisions you ever make. These five important considerations will help you choose the best possible company for your unique needs, so be sure to keep them in mind.