The telecom industry is certainly not unaffected by the revolutionary whirlwind known as globalization. As the world becomes smaller and networks of communication and business become more diverse, contact centers are experiencing immense growth on an international scale. This progressive movement is evidenced by a series of recent developments taking place across the globe.
For example, in response to the upward trend of outsourcing strategies, state legislators recently passed a law in New Jersey requiring any employer relocating a call center to a foreign country to notify the state and remit the unamortized value of any state financial support. The legislation is an effort to keep contact center services – and their employment opportunities – within the state.
Across the pond, contact centers have served as an integral outlet of employment for Europeans. According to the European Contact Center Benchmark Platform, in 2012 there were more than 35,000 call service centers employing a collective 3.4 million people across 34 countries. Even more, the Benchmark projects a 5 percent annual growth rate over the next decade.
Jumping continents, the South African government is bidding to become more competitive as the new hot bed for contact center outsourcing. While India has traditionally been the sector’s capital, many companies, especially British businesses, have been turning to South Africa to meet their call center needs. This is largely driven by stellar employee talent levels and neutral accents, both of which they believe will enhance the quality of customer service.
Meanwhile, transcosmos recently announced its plan to capitalize on the strong economic potential of the Indonesian market. The provider of IT outsourcing services reached an agreement with CBN to establish a joint venture company offering integrated call center services. Transcosmos president, Masataka Okuda, says that the company targeted Indonesia because of its rich technology market with corporate needs that are expected to rise.
Varying developments in call center solutions and the global contact center market signal just how active this domain is. Whether it’s keeping jobs in-country or tapping into the potential of a new location, we are clearly amidst a golden era for this domain as a whole.