Outsourcing

Pacific Pillows tries to outsource as much of the tasks and projects as possible, to keep overhead low. Unlike hiring full-time employees, subcontracting and outsourcing do not require paid employee benefits, such as health care. Outsourcing also enables you to pay on a commission or project base.

Some outsourcing of services includes website design and development, newsletter creation, affiliate program management, graphics design, 25% of the shipping and warehousing, email campaign management, and toll-free customer service.

Additionally, four employees do most work from their homes (two in San Diego, one in Los Angeles, and one in Buffalo, New York).

Outsourcing Your 1-800 Customer Service

If you support and respond to your own customer service phone calls but would like a backup plan, outsourcing your customer service as a backup could be the route for you. Pacific Pillows uses a 1-800 number that they can manipulate. During working hours, the phone first rings to a woman they hired through elance.com. If she is not available, it rings to another customer service person. If he is not available, it rings to the outsourced call center operated by Sunshine Communications (www.sunshine1.com). Call center packages start at $29.95, which includes 40 minutes and 75¢ for each additional minute. Other discounted packages are available for higher call volumes. During nonbusiness hours, calls just ring to the call center, which takes orders and handles minor customer service issues. For major issues, the call center takes a message and promises a call back by a certain time. Pacific Pillows maintains a log with tickets created so reps can call back all customers with any major issues.