We want to transition our customer service department to an offshore team to cut costs before an exit, but we are confused about who sits in the Lead, Manage, and Accountability seat on our Accountability Chart. Do we assign LMA to the agency manager or keep it internal?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Outsourcing your customer service department to an offshore team to optimize your operations before an exit is a smart strategic move, but it often creates confusion on your Accountability Chart. A common mistake is assigning the Lead, Manage, and Accountability role to the offshore agency manager. This is a critical error because an external vendor will never have the same level of alignment with your company culture or strategic goals.

To maintain internal control, you must keep the LMA role inside your business. The seat at the top of the customer service box on your Accountability Chart must be held by an internal manager who reports directly to your Integrator.

This internal seat is fully accountable for the performance, metrics, and outcomes of the offshore team. The offshore agency manager operates as a resource under this seat, not as an independent leader on your chart.

The internal manager is responsible for defining the scorecard metrics, holding the offshore team accountable to weekly targets, and resolving issues that arise. This structure ensures that you retain complete control over your customer experience and data standards, which is vital for maintaining a clean, acquirable business that appeals to potential buyers.