ETHICAL OUTSOURCING FOR DISRUPTIVE COMPANIES
For this fast-growing company, success means more than profit
SupportNinja wants to show companies a better way to outsource. “Better” means using technology to improve the customer experience and run more efficient and secure operations. “Better” also means approaching outsourcing as a two-way street, where both sides benefit— the company in need of outsourced services as well as the people providing them. If their 3,684 percent three-year growth rate is any indication, SupportNinja is on to something.
Founder Cody McLain notes there are many outsourcing solutions designed for enterprises, but the people running those don’t speak the same language as startup founders. He built SupportNinja to cater to disruptive businesses scaling fast, particularly venture-backed, techsavvy start-ups. Based on exhaustive research and lessons learned running his previous customer support company in India, McLain chose to build SupportNinja in the Philippines. The decision was about more than operational cost savings. He describes the workforce as committed, educated, and proficient English speakers. He also admires their values and positive outlook.
MEANINGFUL WORK
SupportNinja deliberately invests in the employee experience. This November, they will open a state-of-the-art facility in the Philippines with a game room, karaoke lounge, and space for more than 1,800 employees working on secure IT networks. They are also implementing career planning and upskilling programs. “I want employees to leave SupportNinja because they are starting their own business or achieving whatever that next goal might be,” says McLain.
The leadership team makes sure employees understand their work, even when repetitive, has real value for the businesses they are supporting. Likewise, they make sure clients realize how much their business means to employees and their families. They encourage businesses to think of their support team overseas as an extension of their own, to send over t-shirts and company swag, and to consider visiting so they can experience the culture themselves.
GUIDING A ROCKET
McLain may have founded the business, but he credits CEO Connor Tomkies for saving it. He hired Tomkies in 2014, a tumultuous time for the business. Tomkies put out fires and secured quality talent including COO Craig Crisler, who helped build the culture that sets the business apart. Today, SupportNinja focuses on continued growth by investing in people and technology that challenge the status quo. The team has already doubled 2018’s revenue, and the year is not over yet. By 2021, they plan to expand their offerings and enter new geographic markets. “We want to see how far we can take this rocket we have built,” says Tomkies.
But success is about more than hypergrowth. McLain says he wakes up each day grateful he has built a business that does more than turn a profit. He has had his share of struggles. He lost both parents before age 18 and spent time in foster care. But it didn’t stop him from pursuing his entrepreneurial ambitions. Now, he is running a business that creates career opportunities for others, while providing customer support and back-end support services for fast-growing companies striving to upend industries and improve the world. It is outsourcing people can feel good about. That matters to McLain, his team, and his clients.