How to Outsource Sales Support? (Step-by-Step Plan)

A well-structured sales pipeline can give you a clear view of where your leads or potential customers are in the buying journey. Having a clearly defined sales pipeline is essential now to estimate revenues. Managing your sales pipeline effectively can increase your conversion rates and revenue massively.

Today, we will learn show you how to manage your sales pipeline efficiently.

What Is Outsourced Sales Support?

Outsourced sales support is delegating your sales functions, either in part or in full, to 3rd third-party agency to handle it so you can focus on your core business. Delegating sales functions may include lead generation, customer relationship management, sales training, transactions, and more.

Why Does It Matter?

Along with modernisation, More than half of companies, at 59%, are now turning to outsourcing as a way to save money, and 57% are doing it to concentrate on their main business activities. In 2025, 68% B2B companies will be hiring a sales outsourcing team, which is 55% higher than in 2023.

Outsourcing sales support lets you:

• Focus on core business
• Reduce your sales pressure
• Reduces support staff cost for the sales team
• Reduce risks
• Saves your time
• Border market reach

It is exciting to see that the global outsourcing market is expected to reach $405.6 billion by 2027, showing how this approach is really gaining popularity. The above stats and reasons show how much it is growing.

Types of Sales Support Tasks You Can Outsource

You can take full sales support from an outsourced team or a part of it, depending on your budget, demand, and many other things. But let’s discuss which task or types of sales support you can outsource below.

• Lead generation
• Lead scoring
• Sales lead qualification service
• lead information collecting
• Customer service
• Cold calling
• Customer outreach
• Appointment setting
• Sales Marketing
• Customer relationship management
• Sales analysts
• Order processing
• Transaction and account management

These are the areas of sales support that are likely to be outsourced to third-party agencies to enhance your focus on the main business.

How to Choose the Right Sales Support Outsourcing Partner

If you have come to a decision to take an outsourced service of sales support, you need to make sure of a few things about the respective agency or company to hire, such as:

Industry experience: The team you are delegating your sales pipeline to needs to be experienced, and they must have accountability and liability because your revenue will come from sales mostly, so being experienced and trustworthy for the respective agency is mandatory.

Technology & CRM compatibility: Make sure that the respective team has enough technology to run the process, and having CRM compatibility is mandatory as well. Those are the requirements to have for an outsourced team to hire for managing your sales funnel.

Language & time zone alignment: identify that the delegated agency has no language barrier and time zone differences according to your customer base. Misalignment of those two crucial criteria can cause huge damage to your sales results.

Case studies and client success stories: look for the reviews on different sites given by their clients and their case studies and success stories, which can be a measuring rod for you.

Security & compliance standards: find out how trustworthy they are because of your leads’ security and compliance. Don’t take a risk on hiring an outsourced sales support team because it’s the main stream of your revenue and brand value.

SLAs and KPIs tracking: Service level agreement and KPIs tracking are important because you need to know their performance while they are representing your brand.

If you want to learn more about them, you can manually gather information about the agency you are going to hire or any other way you prefer, but make sure to check their trustworthiness, liability, experience, skills, etc.

Step-by-Step Process: How to Outsource Sales Support Effectively?

Outsourcing sales support can be a game-changer for your business, but getting it right requires careful planning. Many companies rush into partnerships without proper preparation, only to waste time and money on arrangements that don’t deliver results.

Here is what makes sales support outsourcing work effectively.

Step 1: Identify your sales support needs

Before you even think about contacting vendors, take a hard look at your current sales operation. You need to know exactly where the pain points are and what kind of help would make the biggest difference. Spend some time mapping out your sales process.

Where do things consistently get stuck? What tasks eat up most of your team’s time? I usually recommend tracking this for at least a couple of weeks to get real data rather than relying on gut feelings. The most common areas where outsourcing makes sense include

• Qualifying leads
• Managing your CRM
• Handling administrative work like scheduling
• Follow-ups
• Researching prospects
• Supporting customers after the sale

Each and every business is different, so do not think what works for others will work for you. So you need to

• Note down your current workflows and where problems occur.
• Calculate how much time your team spends on each type of activity and figure out what it’s costing you.

This effort will pay off when you start talking to potential partners because you will know exactly what you are looking for.

Step 2: Define your budget

Money conversations can be uncomfortable, but having a clear budget from the start will save you from wasting time on options that do not fit your financial reality. Think beyond just the monthly fees. You will also need to factor in

• setup costs
• Any technology integrations
• Time spent managing the relationship
• quality control measures

Many companies forget about these hidden costs and end up surprised by the total investment. The best thing is to start with a pilot program lasting three to six months. This gives you enough time to see real results without committing to a long-term contract before you know if it is working. Build in a buffer of 10-15% for unexpected expenses; there are always a few things you didn’t anticipate.

Consider different pricing models too. Some vendors charge hourly rates, others prefer monthly retainers, and some offer performance-based pricing. Each has its pros and cons, so think about what makes most sense for your situation.

Step 3: Research and shortlist vendors

This is where many businesses make costly mistakes. They either don’t research thoroughly enough or they get overwhelmed by all the options and make decisions based on price alone.

Understand your industry: Start by looking for vendors who understand your industry. Someone who has worked with similar businesses will have a much better grasp of your challenges and customer base. Check their track record, not just testimonials on their website, but actual case studies with measurable results.

Size and capabilities: Pay attention to their size and capabilities. A small agency might give you more personal attention, but could struggle if you need to scale quickly. A large BPO company might have impressive resources, but could treat you like just another account number.

Location and time zone: Geography matters more than you might think. Even if they are working remotely, time zone differences can create communication challenges. Figure out what level of overlap you need and make sure they can accommodate it.

Don’t skip the reference checks. Ask to speak with current clients who have similar needs to yours. Most good vendors will be happy to arrange this if they are hesitant; that is a red flag.

Step 4: Conduct interviews and trials

Never sign a long-term contract without doing a trial run first. It is seen that too many partnerships fail because expectations were not aligned from the beginning.

Pilot program: Set up a pilot program with a small, representative sample of work. This could be qualifying a batch of leads, managing a specific customer segment, or handling particular administrative tasks. Make sure it is substantial enough to give you real insight, but not so large that failure would seriously hurt your business.

Try a trial: During the trial, pay attention to more than just the end results.

• How well do they communicate?
• Do they ask good questions?
• Can they adapt when you provide feedback?
• Are they proactive about identifying problems and suggesting solutions?

The best vendors will be just as interested in making the trial successful as you are. They should be asking detailed questions about your processes, suggesting improvements based on their experience, and providing regular updates on their progress.

Step 5: Set clear KPIs and expectations

Obscure expectations lead to disappointment and conflict betweeen you and them. Be specific about what you want and how you will measure it. Daily activity reports might be overkill, but weekly summaries help catch problems early. Monthly reviews give you a chance to discuss bigger picture issues and make strategic adjustments.

Create service level agreements that protect both parties. Define minimum performance standards, but also build in incentives for exceptional work. Include clear procedures for handling problems and escalating urgent issues.

Step 6: Monitor and optimize performance

Once you sign the contract, the relationship between you and the outsourced team does not end. So, a successful outsourcing requires “close attention and optimization” as well.

• Track performance consistently, but don’t supervise.
• Focus on results and trends rather than daily fluctuations.
• If something is not working, address it quickly rather than hoping it will improve on its own.
• Stay involved in the relationship.
• Regular communication with your outsourced team keeps everyone aligned and helps identify opportunities for improvement.
• Share updates about your business strategy, new products, or market changes that might affect their work.
• Be open to feedback from your outsourcing partner.

They are working with your processes every day and might spot inefficiencies or opportunities you’ve missed. The best partnerships are collaborative, with both sides contributing ideas for improvement.

Benefits of Outsourcing Sales Support

37% ot almost 2 out of 5 sales reps fail to make their quota; On the other hand, 79% the outsourced team are able to complete their target, and another stat says 78% decision makers take an appointment for hiring an outsourced sales support team.

• You can focus on your core business rather than handling the sales pressure.
• Reduce your sales pressure so you can use your creativity on other sections.
• Budget is a crucial matter, so it reduces the extra cost for the sales team.
• Reduce risks on your investment and give you relief
• Saves your time and energy to utilize somewhere more essential
• Border market reach by letting others do your sales process

If your outsourcing sales team is experienced and skilled, then you are in the top 30% businesses that are using modern ideas and technologies and generating much more revenue compared to traditional thought processes.

In-House vs. Outsourced Sales Support: Which One’s Right for You?

Let’s break down the comparison between in-house sales support and outsourced sales support in the table below, and it will give you a clear vision for choosing which fits you the best.

In-House Sales Support	Outsourced Sales Support
Creates in-house sales pressure	Does not make you feel any sales pressure
Need a bigger budget allocation	A comparatively lesser budget requires
Flexibility and scalability are less	Enough, Flexible and scalable
Sales team managing raises challenges	No challenges at all

FAQs

Is outsourcing sales support suitable for small businesses?

Yes, outsourcing sales support is an ideal choice for small businesses to reduce costs, time consumption, and sales pressure, and more. Eventually, you can invest time and save money to build your business, focusing on core factors.

How long does it take to onboard a remote sales support team?

Onboarding a sales support team with your business takes a few weeks to a few months. Sometimes it depends on how you approach and negotiate with the agency and how much time you spend picking an agency to hire.

Can I outsource only one part of the sales process?

Yes, absolutely, you can outsource one part of your sales process because it’s common in sales outsourcing. More clearly, you delegate your lead generation, cold calling, transaction management, CRM marketing team, lead qualifying, et, to any of them individually.

How Much Does It Cost to Outsource Sales Support?

It depends on your business location, scale, required sales reps, effort, lead, etc., but generally $10-$100 per hour or in a monthly package.

• Basic Sales Support (1-2 reps, part-time): $800 – $2,000/month
• Dedicated SDR Team (full-time): $3,000 – $10,000+/month
• Agency or BPO Managed Services: $5,000 – $20,000+/month depending on deliverables and SLAs.

Final Thoughts

Outsourcing sales support is a smart move in today’s fast-paced business world. By adapting an outsourced team, you can minimize space and manpowers costs, save time and energy, etc., so if you are thinking of taking that first step to hire sales support, then YessAssistant can be one of the best choices around you.