For gaming businesses, player support is the foundation of player retention and satisfaction. Whether it's resolving technical issues, in-game questions, or debug payment issues, an effective gaming customer support system guarantees a smooth player experience. But the question on everyone's mind is: do gaming businesses handle support internally or outsource it to an expert gaming customer support provider?
As someone who has worked closely with gaming customer service outsourcing, I’ve seen how outsourced player support services can help gaming companies save money, scale operations, and offer round-the-clock assistance. At the same time, in-house support offers more control but comes with higher operational costs.
In this blog, we will contrast gaming customer support outsourcing and in-house support, discuss the cost and efficiency aspects, and assist you in deciding what would work best for your gaming company.
Table of Contents
What Are Player Support Services for Gaming Companies, and Why Are They Important?
How Does Gaming Customer Service Outsourcing Improve Player Satisfaction?
What Are the Benefits of Professional Gaming Customer Support?
How Do Gaming Companies Choose Between In-House Support and Outsourcing?
What Cost Savings Can Gaming Customer Support Outsourcing Provide?
How Does Outsourced Gaming Customer Support Handle Technical Issues and In-Game Queries?
How Do Gaming Customer Service Providers Ensure 24/7 Support for Players?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are Player Support Services for Gaming Companies, and Why Are They Important?
Player Support Services include a customer care team, which will focus on client trouble regarding the players, technical glitches, in-game disputes, and account-related queries. Having high-gambling speed in the industry, and instant solution expectation from players increase the urgency of good gaming customer services for player retention and positive gaming experience.
Why Player Support Is Important:
- Increases Player Retention – Player tends to stay loyal only when it finds that support is around for the players.
- Boosts In-Game Purchases – Effective support encourages confident spending on microtransactions, DLCs, and subscriptions.
- Reduces Churn Rate – Poor customer support is a leading cause of player frustration and game abandonment.
According to Statista, 63% of gamers expect real-time support, whether through live chat, email, or in-game assistance. Without proper player support services for gaming companies, negative reviews and customer churn can severely impact a game’s reputation.
How Does Gaming Customer Service Outsourcing Improve Player Satisfaction?
Gaming customer service outsourcing enables businesses to collaborate with experienced third-party vendors who manage player queries, technical support, and community interaction.
How Outsourcing Enhances Player Satisfaction:
- 24/7 Support Accessibility – Players across various time zones always receive assistance, minimizing frustration.
- Multilingual Support – Facilitates international gaming communities with native speakers.
- Faster Response Times – Outsourced teams employ AI chatbots and auto-ticketing for instant resolutions.
A 2023 Deloitte report revealed that outsourcing the customer support of games enhances response times by 40% and decreases operational expenditures by 30%.
What Are the Benefits of Professional Gaming Customer Support?
Having a professional gaming customer support team guarantees that gamers get expert-level support for technical and game-related issues.
Major Advantages of Professional Gaming Support:
- Expertise – Support agents are instructed on game mechanics, troubleshooting, and player interactions.
- Scalability – Outsourced teams can expand or reduce staff upon the demand of the game.
- Cost-Effective – Evades hiring and training expense in-house employees, thus, reducing expenditure.
- Access to Advanced Tools – The AI-driven chatbots, automated ticketing, and analytics for higher efficiency.
How Do Gaming Companies Choose Between In-House Support and Outsourcing?
In making an in-house vs. outsourced customer support decision for games, businesses have to weigh cost, efficiency, and scalability.
Consider the Following:
- Budget: Is your business able to sustain full-time, in-house personnel and infrastructure?
- Scalability: Is your game subject to traffic bursts that need quick scaling up?
- 24/7 Support Requirements: Do you have international users needing multilingual support?
Gartner research indicated that gaming businesses that outsource customer support can save as much as 50% of operating expenses versus sustaining in-house teams.
What Cost Savings Can Gaming Customer Support Outsourcing Provide?
Gaming support outsourcing is much more cost-effective than employing and training internal staff.
Outsourcing vs. In-House Costing Breakdown:
In-House Support Expenses:
- Support staff salaries ($40K–$60K per agent per year).
- Training & software costs.
- Infrastructure & operational expenses.
Outsourced Support Expenses:
- Flexible pricing models (hourly, per-ticket, or subscription-based).
- No recruitment or training expenses.
- Lower international labor expenses.
A Forrester study found that gaming companies outsourcing customer support cut expenses by 60% while maintaining high player satisfaction.
How Does Outsourced Gaming Customer Support Handle Technical Issues and In-Game Queries?
Outsourced player support teams are trained to handle game-specific issues, including:
- Bug reports & troubleshooting
- Account recovery & payment processing
- In-game abuse & cheating reports
Outsourcing solutions train their agents with game-specific modules, making them an extension of the in-house team of the gaming company.
How Do Gaming Customer Service Providers Ensure 24/7 Support for Players?
Those gaming companies that have global player bases have to offer constant support. Outsourcing makes it possible by:
- Employing international support agents across various time zones.
- Utilizing AI chatbots for immediate responses.
- Employing multi-channel support (live chat, email, Discord, in-game support).
According to a report by Zendesk, 73% of players assume customer support must be present 24/7, and therefore outsourcing is an intelligent move for covering all areas of the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What types of gaming companies benefit most from outsourcing support?
MMORPGs, mobile games, and free-to-play models benefit the most, as they require high player engagement and scalable support.
2. Can outsourced gaming customer support handle in-game moderation?
Yes, many providers offer community management and player behavior monitoring.
3. Is outsourcing better than using AI for gaming customer service?
A mix of AI chatbots and human agents provides the best results, offering both instant responses and complex issue resolution.
Key Takeaways
Customer support outsourcing for gaming is a cost-effective, scalable, and effective solution for gaming companies looking to concentrate on game development while ensuring high player satisfaction.
Three Key Takeaways:
- Outsourcing gaming support reduces costs by up to 60%, while improving response times and player retention.
- 24/7 player support is essential for global gaming companies – outsourced teams provide multi-language assistance and round-the-clock coverage.
- Gaming customer support providers offer advanced tools, including AI chatbots, automated ticketing, and scalable staffing models.
We’ve explored the pros and cons of in-house vs. outsourced gaming customer support, including cost-saving insights and real-world benefits. What’s your experience with player support services? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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