Deciding whether or not to outsource customer support is a difficult decision, but it depends in part on what your outsourcing options are.

In this directory and Quick Reference Chart, we hope to provide ISPs with guidelines and tools that will smooth out the decision-making process.

ISPs should consider what incentives the pricing strucuture provides. For example, some outsourcers charge per-minute, and therefore have an incentive to make calls last longer. Others charge per-incident, and have an incentive to answer questions as briefly as possible.

The customer base of the outsourcer must be considered, and ISPs are also right to look at the company's finances (some will also want financial information from the ISP, their prospective customer).

Outsourcing involves tying two companies together. The process can be frustrating and difficult. It requires constant and careful communication.

Outsourcing is meant to allow companies to cut costs and provide better service. Better service and lower costs mean a better, more profitable business, which is the ultimate goal of every service discussed in this section, Value-Added Services.