Every day you spend on the phone is a day you aren't growing your brand.
You built a team to scale, but now they are drowning in the same five questions about tracking numbers and return labels.
If your best people are stuck acting like human answering machines, you are paying a premium price for basic data entry.
In this article, we will go over the best call center BPO to use for apparel brands.
First, we compare the top BPO firms for apparel.
Then, we show you how to pick the one that actually fits your Shopify setup.
Editor’s note: Want to hear some sample support calls made for your Shopify store?
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What is a call center BPO for an apparel brand?
Simply put, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) means you hire another company to handle customer conversations for you.
Instead of building a support team from the ground up, or using a simple IVR, you partner with experts who already have the people and technology to manage customer interactions.
For an apparel brand, this is more than just answering calls.
Agents need to be ready for specific questions about sizing charts, fabric materials, and your store’s return and exchange policies. It’s a specialized role that requires an understanding of what you sell.
The industry has evolved recently, moving from traditional call centers to AI-powered solutions that integrate with e-commerce platforms like Shopify.
The right BPO partner doesn't just answer questions; they can improve the customer experience and streamline operations.
How we chose the best call center BPO solutions
Finding the right partner can be a significant task, so we used a specific set of criteria to put this list together.
We focused on what matters for a modern apparel brand.
- E-commerce integration: How well does the service connect with your store's backend? A solid integration with platforms like Shopify is key for giving customers real-time, accurate answers about their orders.
- Specialization in apparel: Does the provider understand the unique challenges of fashion retail? Experience with things like tricky size questions and return management makes a difference.
- Automation and AI capabilities: Does the solution use AI to handle common questions instantly? Or does it rely on human agents for every call, including simple ones?
- Scalability and flexibility: How does the service handle big sales events or holiday rushes? The best solutions can scale up and down without locking you into expensive, long-term contracts.
- Speed and ease of setup: How long does it take to get started? Some traditional BPOs can take weeks to set up, while modern tools can be up and running in minutes.
Comparison of the top call center BPO providers
Here’s a quick look at how our top picks stack up against each other.
The 5 best call center BPO solutions
Now, let's dive deeper into each of our top picks to see what makes them stand out.
1. Ringly.io
Ringly.io offers an AI-powered approach to the traditional call center BPO.
It provides Seth, an AI phone representative built specifically for Shopify stores. Seth is available 24/7, handling repetitive calls about order status, returns, and product questions.
With an average resolution rate of 73%, Seth can reduce the load on your team.
This lets them focus on the conversations that need a human touch. It’s designed to be an effective first line of support.
Pros:
Key advantages include speed and efficiency. You can get Seth live in just 3 minutes, and its deep Shopify integration means it always has access to real-time order data for accurate answers.
Additionally, its pricing model includes a guarantee: you pay nothing until Seth proves its value by resolving at least 60% of your calls.
It also supports 40 languages, making it a good fit for brands with a global customer base.
Cons:
Ringly.io is focused on automating phone support, so it doesn't handle other channels like email or live chat.
Seth is designed to be an efficient front line that passes complex or sensitive calls to your human agents, rather than replacing your entire support department.
Pricing:
- Start Plan: $99/month for 250 call minutes.
- Grow Plan: $349/month for 1,000 call minutes (billing only starts after the 60% resolution guarantee is met).
- Scale Plan: $1,099+/month for 3,000+ minutes, a private Slack channel, and other custom features.
Why we chose it:
It is a strong choice for fast-growing Shopify apparel brands that need a cost-effective and instantly scalable solution for phone support.
It is designed to address common challenges e-commerce stores face.
2. ServeRetail
ServeRetail is a specialized BPO partner that works specifically with apparel and fashion brands.
They use a traditional outsourcing model with global contact centers staffed by human agents, but they augment their services with modern AI tools.
They're set up to manage the full retail lifecycle, from helping a customer with sizing to handling post-purchase care.
They act as an extension of your team, deeply embedded in the world of fashion retail.
Pros:
Their deep industry knowledge is a significant advantage. Agents get specific training for fashion, and their global, multilingual teams offer true 24/7 coverage.
They also use AI for quality management and an "Accent Harmonizer" to ensure every call sounds professional and clear.
Cons:
Because it’s a traditional BPO, the setup isn't instant. You'll need to go through a consultation and a longer implementation process, which makes it less nimble than a plug-and-play software solution.
This model is generally a better fit for established brands with the budget and time for a more involved partnership.
Pricing:
ServeRetail doesn't list its prices online. You have to request a custom quote based on your call volume and specific needs, which often means a longer sales process.
Why we chose it:
ServeRetail is a solid option for established apparel brands that want a comprehensive, human-led outsourcing partner and are ready for a traditional BPO onboarding process.
3. BPO Centers
BPO Centers focuses on delivering a "white-glove" customer experience for the apparel industry.
Their approach is quality over quantity, training their agents to become brand ambassadors who capture your brand's unique voice in every conversation.
They aren't just trying to close tickets; they're focused on building relationships and leaving a lasting positive impression on your customers.
Pros:
Their commitment to quality is clear in their stats. They have an impressive 92% first-time resolution rate and answer 90% of calls within just 20 seconds.
With high agent retention and native English-speaking agents, they provide a consistent, premium experience that's perfect for high-touch brands.
Cons:
This premium, human-centric model is likely more expensive and doesn't scale as easily for simple, high-volume questions when compared to an AI solution.
Their focus is more on the quality of human interaction and less on deep technical integrations with e-commerce platforms.
Pricing:
Like many traditional BPOs, their pricing isn't public. You'll need to schedule a consultation to get a custom proposal tailored to your business.
Why we chose it:
BPO Centers is a great fit for luxury or boutique apparel brands where the quality of every single customer interaction is a core part of the brand identity.
4. Call Center Guys
Call Center Guys is a versatile BPO that serves the apparel industry among many others.
They offer a straightforward set of services, from inbound customer support and outbound sales to managing conversations on channels like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
They are a generalist provider that can handle a wide variety of customer interaction tasks for your brand.
Pros:
Flexibility is their main selling point. They provide both inbound and outbound services, which is useful if you also want to run telemarketing campaigns or follow up on abandoned carts.
Their cross-platform support is also a plus, letting you meet your customers on whatever channel they prefer.
Cons:
Since they aren't exclusively focused on the apparel industry, their agents might not have the specialized product knowledge needed for more detailed fashion questions. The experience could feel less tailored compared to an industry-specific provider.
Pricing:
Pricing is given through a custom quote. You'll need to have a chat with their team to discuss your goals and call volume before they can give you a price.
Why we chose it:
Call Center Guys is a solid, general-purpose choice for an apparel brand that needs a standard call center BPO and might also want to take advantage of outbound sales support.
5. Unity Communications
Unity Communications is a broad BPO that does more than just answer calls.
For fashion businesses, they can handle a wide range of tasks, including e-commerce support, inventory management, data entry, and even market research.
They are a one-stop-shop for outsourcing many of your back-office and administrative functions.
Pros:
The biggest benefit is being able to consolidate multiple outsourced tasks with a single partner.
Cons:
As a general BPO, their main focus isn't on providing specialized, real-time phone support for Shopify stores. Getting them set up to do live order lookups and process returns may not be as smooth as a dedicated tool built for that specific purpose.
Pricing:
Unity is more transparent than some, with BPO services starting at $8.00 per hour and their AI Agent solutions starting as low as $0.07 per minute. However, you'll still need a consultation to get a final price.
Why we chose it:
Unity Communications is an ideal partner for apparel brands looking to outsource a variety of back-office and administrative tasks in addition to their customer service calls.
Tips for choosing the right BPO partner
Feeling a bit stuck? Here are a few tips to help you make the right call for your business.
- Analyze your call drivers. Before you do anything, figure out why customers are calling. If 80% of your calls are simple "Where is my order?" questions, an AI automation tool like Ringly.io can be more efficient than paying human agents to say the same thing over and over.
- Consider your brand identity. If your brand is all about a high-touch, consultative experience, a premium human-powered BPO might be the right move. But if your brand is built on speed, efficiency, and 24/7 availability, an AI solution may be a better fit.
- Factor in seasonal demand. Your support needs will likely increase during Black Friday. An AI agent can handle an unlimited number of calls at once, scaling instantly. Make sure any partner you choose can scale up and down without locking you into expensive contracts for agents you don't need all year.
- Prioritize Shopify integration. For any e-commerce brand, the ability to pull live order data is a must. A solution that deeply integrates with your store's backend will always deliver a better, faster, and more accurate customer experience.
The role of automation in apparel brand call centers
While traditional BPOs remain a viable option, the role of automation is growing.
For fast-moving apparel brands, many are turning to smart automation and AI.
The benefits include potential cost savings, true 24/7 availability, and the ability to free up your human team to focus on building customer relationships instead of just answering repetitive questions.
Solutions like Ringly.io are built for this purpose, offering an alternative way to handle phone support and scale your business.
Ready to see how much of your phone support you can automate? Start your free trial of Ringly.io today.
