Outsourcing is an excellent way to reduce expenses and/or improve efficiencies for companies. However, with BPO call center services, many business leaders are still confused as to whether they are the same thing? While related, there are differences—and significant ones—and understanding them will help make informed decisions that are wise for your company in terms of scaling and level of customer support.
What Is BPO vs. What Is a Call Center?
Summary:
- BPO (business process outsourcing) is the practice of delegating specific business processes—the customer service function, IT, or billing, for example—to an external provider.
- A call center provides specific services for inbound or outbound voice communications, such as customer service and technical support.
Whether BPO or a call center fits your company can depend on whether you want concurrent multi-functional support or simply phone-based services.
How Do BPO and Call Centers Differ?
| Category | BPO | Call Center |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Broad business efficiency | Customer interaction |
| Scope | Front- and back-office operations | Voice-based communication |
| Delivery | Scalable, multi-channel | Focused, single-channel |
| Cost | Cost-effective outsourcing | High setup cost if built in-house |
Roughly 70% of companies outsource to reduce operational costs .
Business Focus: Broader Objectives vs. Targeted Goals
Q: Why choose BPO or a call center?
- BPO solutions support broader business goals like lowering costs, improving compliance, and scaling rapidly.
- Call centers focus on narrower outcomes like boosting conversions, improving CSAT, or resolving technical issues.
A Deloitte survey found that cost reduction is the top driver of BPO adoption .
How Deep Is the BPO Partnership?
Summary:
A BPO partner integrates deeply with your business—adopting your tools, metrics, and workflows. This transforms them into an extension of your internal teams. In contrast, standalone call centers are typically limited to customer-facing phone support.
When paired with a BPO model, however, a call center becomes more powerful—leveraging CRM tools, data analytics, and centralized reporting.
Services: Voice Only vs. Full Operational Support
Q: What services does each model offer?
- BPO covers a wide range of front- and back-office services:
- Front-office: Customer service, appointment scheduling, sales, live chat
- Back-office: Invoicing, data entry, HR, IT helpdesk
- Call centers typically focus on:
- Inbound calls: Support, troubleshooting, FAQs
- Outbound calls: Telemarketing, follow-ups, upselling
According to Everest Group, BPO solutions increasingly support digital transformation initiatives across industries.
Flexibility & Delivery: Who Gets What Done
A BPO provider can deliver support across departments—customer experience, finance, logistics—all under one roof. A call center BPO, on the other hand, is purpose-built for delivering professional voice-based communication services without requiring in-house teams.
Cost Efficiency: Where BPO Delivers Savings
Q: How much can companies save with BPO?
A: Building and running an internal call center involves telecom systems, agent onboarding, and training. BPO call centers help reduce operational costs by up to 70%, especially when using nearshore or offshore teams
Choosing the Right Model for Your Business
- If your need is strictly voice support, a call center may be sufficient.
- If you want to streamline multiple operations while scaling efficiently, BPO is the more strategic choice.
Your decision should align with both your business goals and operational priorities.
Why AnswerNet Offers Both: BPO and Call Center Solutions
Q: What does AnswerNet offer?
- 24/7 customer service via phone, live chat, and email
- Appointment scheduling, lead capture, and order processing
- CRM management, billing support, and back-office operations
- Integrations with Salesforce, AppFolio, Propertyware, and more
- Bilingual teams and scalable coverage across North America
AnswerNet provides comprehensive BPO and call center services—designed to evolve alongside your business, reduce overhead, and improve customer satisfaction.
Final Takeaway
BPO and call centers are not the same—but they work well together.
- Call centers handle voice-based communication efficiently.
- BPO covers both voice and non-voice processes for broader business support.
AnswerNet delivers both models under one roof—scalable, efficient, and fully integrated.
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