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Here are Five services you can outsource/offshore to South Africa

South Africa represents an increasingly attractive outsourcing destination, but what are the best services to outsource to South Africa.

A cost-effective labour force, a growing economy, a favourable business climate and a diverse talent pool have seen South Africa become increasingly popular in the global outsourcing market. Although its share of the market was just 1% in 2014, it is expected to hit 4% by 2030. In a world which was traditionally dominated by low-cost destinations such as India or Thailand, South Africa is showing companies that they can find a balance between value for money and high quality.

To illustrate this diversity, here are five services to outsource to South Africa.

1. Customer services

One of the first services to be outsourced was customer services. However, customers quickly baulked at having to deal with people in far-flung countries who were struggling to speak their second language. Call abandonments rose with customers expressing growing frustrations about the difficulty of accessing good quality customer support.

Despite the cost advantages, many companies began relocating their customer service lines back to their domestic companies with some even making a marketing campaign about it. In the UK, telecoms company PlusNet, for example, heavily promoted the fact that their customer service experts were not only based at home in the UK but close to the company’s base in the North of England.

Language barriers cause frustration and erode trust in a company’s services. While it may be cost-effective, the impact on customer relations and trust can be corrosive to business.

In South Africa, companies have a good middle ground. It might not offer rock-bottom labour costs, but it is still relatively cost-effective and a favourable exchange rate increases its value for money. It also has a diverse and highly skilled workforce with high proficiency in English. Cultural similarities will also help cross the divide and enable good cross-border communication between all sides.

2. Content writing

Companies have been outsourcing content writing for years with mixed results. Countries such as India provided the promise of low-cost content together with high volumes and quality. However, the performance of the Indian content houses varied considerably.

There was no way to guarantee proficiency with English and outsourcing companies would often struggle to get professional quality content. Cultural differences and a

lack of market knowledge would also make it difficult for content writers to relate.

As a result, companies would often find themselves having to invest heavily in rewriting lengthy and costly rewrites.

South Africa offers an altogether different proposition. English is widely spoken in the country. Labour costs are also well below average whi