No one wants to receive an assignment to investigate and vet a new call center. If all goes well you might get a pat on the back, and anything that goes bad is your fault. There’s not much of an upside, which is why most people don’t want to handle the task of finding a new call center.

Yes, the risks are huge, but you don’t need to carry the entire burden alone. Help is only a phone call away: Expert assistance from folks who will do the heavy lifting for you and shoulder many of the perils in finding a new call center.

I’m talking about a call center broker.

Call center brokers have a network of vetted, proven call centers waiting to serve you. Here’s what you can expect a professional call center broker to do for you:

Screen Vendors: When you work with a call center broker, their reputation is on the line, so they will never refer you to a substandard provider. They carefully screen the vendors they work with: doing reference checks, performing site visits, and conducting small trials. Only then are these calls centers considered for bigger projects—like yours.

Maintain Industry Relationships: As call centers prove themselves, the really great ones rise to the top and receive repeat business. They work hard to maintain their high standing, and you receive the benefits in terms of higher quality and competitive pricing.

Able to Speak “Call Center”: If call center jargon makes your head spin, no worries. Established call center brokers know the lingo and will translate for you. You will never be intimidated again for not being able to converse in “call center.”

Monitor Results: Call center brokers know just what to watch for in evaluating a call center’s effectiveness. They track key performance indicators (KPIs), evaluate operational statistics, and assess agent compliance—all so that you don’t have to.

Handle Problems: Every business desires a problem-free relationship with their call center, yet hick-ups do occur. Your call center broker stands in the gap for you, ready to address any minor problems before they become major issues.

Provide Ancillary Services: Professional call center brokers can verify invoice accuracy, set goals, track results, compile performance reports, implement new programs, and even direct advanced agent training on your account. If a task relates to call centers, your broker’s team likely already has the experience to do it for you.

When your boss tells you to find a new call center, your first call should be to an established call center broker. You’ll be glad you did.

Janet Livingston is the president of Call Center Sales Pro, a premier sales and marketing service provider for the call center and telephone answering service industry – and who provides a call center matchmaking service, covering both onshore and offshore call centers and answering services. Contact Janet at contactus@callcenter-salespro.com or call 800-901-7706. Peter Lyle DeHaan is a freelance writer from Southwest Michigan.