Partner Selection
We help define requirements, prepare RFIs or RFPs, create vendor questions, and match your organization with vetted BPO partners suited to your customers, budget, compliance needs, and growth plans.
Choose the right call center partner with guidance from The Connected Hive. Our advisory services help organizations evaluate outsourcing models, vet qualified BPO providers, reduce operational costs, and protect customer experience. From healthcare and financial services to government, retail, tech, and CPG, we bring executive-level contact center expertise to complex sourcing decisions.

Strategic advisory for sourcing, vetting, optimizing, and scaling outsourced contact center operations.
We help define requirements, prepare RFIs or RFPs, create vendor questions, and match your organization with vetted BPO partners suited to your customers, budget, compliance needs, and growth plans.
Advisory support for outsourcing customer care across phone, email, chat, social media, technical help desk, and omnichannel programs, including onshore, nearshore, offshore, and hybrid operating models.
Strategic consulting to improve customer experience, simplify operational challenges, assess agent workflows, analyze costs, and align service delivery with brand standards and customer expectations.
Guidance on AI, chatbots, IVR, workforce management, workforce optimization, CCaaS platforms, and other technologies that reduce engagement costs while improving service performance.
Support for companies seeking domestic contact center partners where cultural alignment, scheduling ease, customer sensitivity, regulatory awareness, or high-touch service are important program requirements.
Evaluation of nearshore and offshore providers for companies seeking scalable support, global talent access, multilingual capabilities, and potential 20–30% savings compared with in-house teams.

We begin with a holistic review of your customer experience goals, call drivers, channels, staffing needs, service levels, compliance requirements, technology stack, and budget. This creates a clear sourcing profile before any provider recommendations are made.
Experience supporting major healthcare, finance, government, insurance, and customer service organizations.
Strategic guidance built on deep industry relationships, practical experience, and transparent recommendations.
Led by Tim Austrums, bringing 20+ years of executive BPO and contact center experience.
Access an extensive network of qualified contact centers and BPO partners already reviewed for fit.
Guidance includes HIPAA and PCI considerations for healthcare, finance, insurance, and regulated programs.
Identify outsourcing options that may reduce costs 20–30% while preserving customer experience.
Led by experienced contact center strategist Tim Austrums.

Founder and CEO
Tim Austrums is the Founder and CEO of The Connected Hive, bringing over twenty years of executive and leadership experience in the BPO and contact center industry. Based in Edina, MN, Tim has built a distinguished career working with leading organizations such as Humana, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Discover, Ameriprise, and government agencies including FEMA and the State of Louisiana. He specializes in healthcare member experience, contact center strategy, and negotiating multi-million dollar client and vendor relationships. A sharp strategist and skilled closer of $5–6 million dollar deals, Tim founded The Connected Hive to serve businesses with the personalized, expert guidance they need to navigate the complexities of the contact center and BPO landscape. His commitment to impeccability, transparency, and human connection drives every client engagement.
A customer call center is a team or outsourced operation that manages customer interactions, usually by phone and often through email, chat, SMS, and social channels as well. It supports service requests, sales inquiries, technical questions, account issues, and retention needs. Modern call centers rely on trained agents, workflow tools, reporting, quality assurance, and technology platforms to deliver consistent customer experiences.
Get expert guidance before choosing your next contact center partner.
Board-level contact center industry involvement.
Association membership for customer engagement standards.
Healthcare technology association membership and insight.
Tell us about your call center goals, current challenges, and outsourcing timeline. We’ll help clarify your options and recommend practical next steps.
For immediate assistance, feel free to give us a direct call at +1 952-500-0806.
For immediate assistance, feel free to give us a direct call at +1 952-500-0806.