TL;DR
- Price depends on location: offshore agents cost $6 to $12 an hour, nearshore $13 to $23, and US onshore $28 to $40.
- Automate first, outsource second: AI handles repeat calls like order status; humans handle disputes and upset callers.
- Compare cost per resolved call, not the hourly rate. Hidden fees change the real bill.
- Put 6 KPIs in the contract, led by service level, abandonment rate, and first call resolution.
- Run a 30 to 60 day paid pilot on one call type before you sign a long contract.
Your phone rings during a sale, at 9 p.m., and on a Sunday. Nobody picks up, and the customer buys somewhere else.
This guide covers everything you need before you outsource call center services: costs, models, AI vs human agents, KPIs, and providers. It covers phone support only. For email and chat, see our guide to customer service outsourcing companies.
What are outsourced call center services?
Before comparing prices, it helps to know exactly what you are buying.
Outsourced call center services are phone services another company runs in your brand's name. You share scripts, policies, and system access. The provider supplies the agents (human, AI, or both), phone technology, training, and managers, and you pay by the hour, minute, call, or result.
What are BPO call center services?
BPO means business process outsourcing. BPO call center services come from full-service vendors that hire, train, and manage agents for you, so you only manage the vendor.
Call center vs contact center: what is the difference?
| Call center | Contact center | |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | Phone only | Phone, email, chat, SMS, WhatsApp, social |
| Choose it when | You only need calls handled | You want every customer conversation handled |
Takeaway: decide first whether you are handing over only calls or every conversation. That one choice narrows your vendor list.
Pros and cons of outsourcing your call center
Outsourcing buys speed and coverage, but you trade away some control. Weigh both sides before you request quotes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 24/7 coverage without building night shifts | Less control over tone and answer quality |
| Scale up for sales in weeks, then scale back down | Agent turnover means constant retraining |
| Lower cost per call at high volume | Hidden fees can erase the savings |
| No hiring, office, or equipment to manage | Data risk grows with every outside agent |
| Native-language agents for new markets | Lock-in from long contracts and minimums |
Takeaway: outsourcing pays off when call volume is high and repeatable. Most of the cons shrink with a short contract and a clear SLA.
Inbound vs outbound call center outsourcing
Call center outsourcing comes in two directions, and the difference is who dials.
| Inbound | Outbound | |
|---|---|---|
| Who starts the call | The customer | The provider |
| Typical calls | Order status, returns, billing, bookings | Sales, lead follow-up, order confirmation, reminders |
| Common pricing | Per hour, minute, or call | Per hour, or per sale or lead |
| Biggest risk | Weak answers that hurt loyalty | Pushy calls and breaking US calling rules |
Takeaway: most businesses start with inbound call center outsourcing. Outbound needs extra care on consent and calling rules.
Onshore vs nearshore vs offshore call center
Agent location is the single biggest cost driver, so it is the first decision that shapes your budget.
These are typical US market rates per agent hour:
| Model | Agent location | Hourly rate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onshore call center | United States | $28 to $40 | Sensitive or complex calls, premium brands |
| Nearshore call center | Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia | $13 to $23 | Savings with a similar time zone |
| Offshore call center | Philippines, India, South Africa | $6 to $12 | High-volume routine calls, 24/7 cover |
Takeaway: many US businesses split the work. Complex calls stay onshore, while routine calls go nearshore or offshore.
How much does it cost to outsource a call center?
Location sets the hourly rate, but the pricing model and hidden fees decide your real bill.
A full-time agent works about 173 hours a month, so monthly cost per agent looks like this:
| Location | Hourly rate | Monthly cost per agent |
|---|---|---|
| Offshore | $6 to $12 | $1,040 to $2,080 |
| Nearshore | $13 to $23 | $2,250 to $3,980 |
| Onshore (US) | $28 to $40 | $4,840 to $6,920 |
At team scale, 10 agents cost about $400,000 a year in the US, $230,000 nearshore, and $140,000 offshore.
Which pricing model fits you?
| Model | Typical range | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per hour | $6 to $40 | Steady volume | Paying for idle time |
| Per minute | $0.35 to $0.75 | Short calls, uneven volume | Spikes raise the bill fast |
| Per call | $4 to $15 | Short, simple calls | Vendors rush long calls |
| AI voice agent | About $0.25 to $0.30 a minute plus plan fee | Repeat calls, 24/7 cover | Needs a human backup |
The AI range reflects Kovax's published plans. Other AI vendors price differently.
Example: what do 1,000 calls a month cost?
This is an estimate, so swap in your own numbers. Assumptions: 1,000 calls, 3 minutes each, 30% need a human, and AI spends 1 minute before each handoff.
| Scenario | Math | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| All human, per call | 1,000 x $4 to $15 | $4,000 to $15,000 |
| All human, per minute | 3,000 min x $0.35 to $0.75 | $1,050 to $2,250 |
| Hybrid: AI first, humans for 30% | AI: $49.99 + 2,400 min x $0.30 = $769.99. Human: 900 min x $0.35 to $0.75 = $315 to $675 | About $1,085 to $1,445 |
Real example: one Shopify store's phone line
Baby and kids brand Eeveve was paying $4,000 a month for one person to answer about 150 calls a month. After moving to an AI voice agent, its cost per call fell from $26.67 to under $4, with 85 to 90% of calls handled without a human.
"We were paying $4K a month for someone to sit by the phone and take maybe 5 calls a day." Eeveve founder
Hidden costs to budget for
- Setup and onboarding fees
- Retraining after agent turnover
- Minimum monthly hours or seats
- Overtime and holiday rates
- Software, phone numbers, and quality add-ons
- Your own team's time managing the vendor
Takeaway: ask every vendor, "What is my total bill in month three, including everything?" Then compare cost per resolved call, not the hourly rate.
Which calls should AI handle, and which need humans?
AI is now part of almost every call center setup, so the real question is which calls it should own.
Gartner predicts that by 2029, agentic AI will resolve 80% of common customer service issues without a human, cutting operating costs by 30%. The key word is common.
| Call type | Best handled by |
|---|---|
| "Where is my order?" | AI |
| Standard returns, shipping times, FAQs | AI |
| Order and cash-on-delivery confirmation | AI |
| Billing disputes | Human |
| Angry or upset callers | Human |
| Medical, legal, or insurance claims | Human, with compliance controls |
Here is how that hybrid flow works on a Shopify store:
Our guide to voice AI agents explains how AI answers calls in natural speech.
Takeaway: automate repeat calls first, then outsource what is left. You pay human rates only for calls that need a human.
When should you hire a call center?
Not every business needs an outsourced team yet, so check the signs first.
| Hire now if | Wait if |
|---|---|
| Callers hang up before reaching anyone, week after week | Policies change weekly and nothing is written down |
| Your team repeats the same 5 or 6 answers all day | Most calls are long, technical, or emotional |
| You miss calls at night, weekends, or during sales | You get only a few calls a day |
| Hiring takes longer than your busy season | The vendor cannot prove health or payment data controls |
Small business call center options
A small business call center setup should avoid big vendor minimums. Three options fit:
- An AI voice agent for repeat questions and after-hours calls
- A shared-agent answering service billed per minute or per call
- A month-to-month provider, so you can leave if quality slips
Do you need an after-hours call center?
You do if customers call or buy outside office hours. An after-hours call center covers nights, weekends, and holidays. Compare live and AI options in our guide to a business answering service.
Running a Shopify store?
Most Shopify calls are order status, returns, and delivery questions, which an AI agent connected to your store can answer on its own. An AI support agent can cover those calls 24/7, then pass refunds, disputes, and upset callers to your team or an outsourced provider.
Takeaway: hire a call center when missed calls cost more than the service. Small and after-hours needs often start cheaper with AI.
Call center KPIs and SLA: what goes in the contract?
Once you pick a provider, the contract decides whether quality holds up. Measure your own numbers for 4 weeks first as a baseline.
| KPI | What it measures | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Service level | Share of calls answered within set seconds | 80/20 (80% within 20 seconds) is a common target |
| Abandonment rate | Callers who hang up before reaching anyone | A rising rate signals understaffing |
| First call resolution (FCR) | Issues solved on the first call | Best single sign of quality |
| Average handle time (AHT) | Average call length | Too low means rushed customers |
| Customer satisfaction (CSAT) | Post-call customer score | Compare to your in-house score |
| Agent turnover | Agents who leave each year | Lower means steadier quality |
What a call center service level agreement needs
A call center service level agreement (SLA) sets the performance rules. A strong one includes:
- KPI targets, with how and how often they are measured
- Service credits when targets are missed
- Full access to call recordings and raw data
- You own your scripts, recordings, and customer data
- An exit clause with a reasonable notice period
Takeaway: walk away from contracts over 12 months with no performance exit, vague "from $X" pricing, or no recording access.
Call center outsourcing companies compared
With your needs and budget clear, here is how six providers line up. We checked each provider's own website in October 2026. Kovax publishes this guide and appears first because it is our product, not because we rank it best overall.
| Provider | Model | Pricing published? | Best fit | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kovax (our product) | AI voice agent | Yes, plans from $49.99/month | Shopify stores automating calls, SMS, WhatsApp, and email | Shopify only; no human agents |
| Helpware | Human + AI tools | Models only, no rates | Mixed onshore, nearshore, offshore teams | Quote-only; 2 to 4+ week setup |
| TTEC | Human + CX consulting | No | Larger programs needing tech consulting | Too much for a simple support line |
| Concentrix | Human + automation | No | Large, complex enterprise programs | Built for big contracts |
| Foundever | Human + AI tools | No | Multilingual support, 60+ languages | Quality varies by site |
| Alorica | Human + conversational AI | No | Scaling fast for peak season | Quote-only pricing |
Takeaway: pick on fit, not size. AI suits repeat calls on Shopify, while enterprise BPOs suit large multi-country programs.
How to outsource your call center in 6 steps
Here is the order that keeps risk low from first call data to full launch.
- Pull your call data: volume by hour, top 10 call reasons, average call length, peak seasons.
- Sort calls into AI, human, and hybrid using the table above.
- Write your knowledge base: FAQs, policies, refund and escalation rules. This step drives quality more than any vendor.
- Shortlist 3 providers and ask each: who answers my calls, what is my month-three bill, what is your turnover, and what does it cost to leave?
- Run a paid 30 to 60 day pilot on one call type or shift, with pass criteria agreed in writing.
- Go live in phases: start with overflow or after-hours calls, then review weekly for 3 months.
Takeaway: never skip the pilot. It is your safety net.
US rules to check
You stay legally responsible for your customers' calls and data, even when a provider handles them. AI telemarketing calls need prior express written consent, as the FCC confirmed AI voices fall under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to outsource call center services than to run one in-house?
Usually, yes. You skip hiring, training, office space, and benefits, but hidden fees can eat the savings, so compare total cost per resolved call.
How long does it take to set up an outsourced call center?
An AI voice agent can go live in minutes to days. A small human team takes about 2 to 4 weeks, and regulated enterprise programs can take several months.
Can I outsource only overflow calls?
Yes. Overflow service only picks up calls your team cannot answer in time, which makes it a low-risk way to test a provider.
Who owns the call recordings and customer data?
You should. Write ownership into the contract and confirm you can export everything if you leave.
Is ecommerce call center outsourcing different?
Yes. Most ecommerce calls are about order status, delivery, and returns, which AI handles well when it is connected to your store's order data.
Run a Shopify store? Install Kovax free or book a demo call to hear an AI agent answer order and returns calls.
