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Outsourcing Call Centre Staff to South Africa

If you’re planning to outsource your call centre operations, South Africa could be the place you’re looking for.

The world is no stranger to the concept of call centre outsourcing. Companies of all kinds have been doing it for years. However, how the market works is changing. Traditional outsourcing powerhouses such as India or the Philippines are making way for new, more developed countries such as South Africa. In South Africa call centre outsourcing is thriving as companies in Western countries seek to blend lower operational costs with the better and more familiar customer service people have been looking for.

Business Processing Outsourcing in South Africa Surges

The last few years have seen a dramatic shift in the balance of business process outsourcing. The business process outsourcing (BPO) sector in South Africa is growing rapidly. McKinsey expects it to almost triple in size by 2030. Leading the way has been call centre outsourcing – something more commonly associated with low-cost locations such as the Philippines or India.

The rise is being driven by several factors including:

• Cost-effectiveness: While the cost of labor might still be lower in countries such as India, South Africa still represents a highly affordable alternative when compared to Western markets.

• Government support: The South African government has created multiple incentives and tax breaks to encourage foreign investment in the country.

• Highly educated workforce: The workforce is highly skilled and educated. The workforce is young, tech-savvy and proficient in several languages, especially English.

• Language skills: English is spoken widely in South Africa with a strong neutral accent that is easy to understand. Other languages such as French and Portuguese are also commonly spoken. As such it addresses one of the most common complaints made about traditional call centre outsourcing.

• Cultural match: South Africa’s culture is similar to many in the West, making it an easy match for good quality customer service.

• Time zones: South Africa’s time zone is a good match for Europe with only a few hours difference making it easy to offer service during working hours. Although the match might not be as good for the US, they can make it easier for companies to offer 24-hour service levels by switching to a South African call centre for out-of-office hours support.

Ultimately, South Africa promises to change the dynamics of the outsourcing market.

Traditionally companies felt they had to choose between quality and cosy. India, for example, could offer enormous cost savings, but that came at the expense of quality. Call centre staff might be highly educated, but their English skills could be variable and they would often struggle to make themselves understood.

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