In 2007 South Africa was identified as one of the world’s upcoming Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) destinations of choice. Now, 12 years’ on, does this still ring true?Jacques de Beer, CEO of Talksure, an international contact centre located in Umhlanga, says, “South Africa has continually been recognised as a leading BPO destination and have received numerous international awards to prove it.”In fact, he adds that South Africa was named ‘Global Destination of the Year’ by the Global Sourcing Association, high praise for South Africa’s credibility within the industry. Furthermore, growing infrastructure, government incentives, cost competitiveness and first-class customer service, make for a booming South African Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry that is expected to grow even more over the next few years.De

Beer unpacks why South Africa remains top of the BPO pops:

1. Top talentFor years, the world has recognised that our workforce has the ability to deliver first class service to off-shore clients. This fact has not changed. Specifically, South African agents have an ability to develop greater empathy with customers than those in other offshore locations and are naturally skilled in handling complex calls and negotiations.According to an analysis report by Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA), global businesses like Amazon are ramping up its customer service from South Africa and is recruiting ‘free-thinking’ agents. They are unscripted, which is typical of South African contact centre services, and are authorised to take whatever action they feel is appropriate to solve the customer’s problem. These are critical skills in ensuring high-quality customer service and revenue generation.

2. Neutral accentEnglish native speaking markets such as the UK, Australia, and the USA continue to account for the majority of South Africa’s offshore market.  The fact that South African agents have a cultural affinity with these countries and coupled with a neutral English accent, makes South Africa a perfect offshore BPO choice.  Interestingly, Germany and French-speaking agents are also increasing in South Africa.

3. Cost-effectiveWith a favourable exchange rate, South Africa currently ranks as the 3rd largest offshore location for UK and Australian companies who experience significant cost-savings of up to 70% compared to onshore service delivery. Business costs are under increasing scrutiny and lower costs are attractive, especially with a comparable (or better) quality of service.

4. Skills DevelopmentFor the high number of young, job-hungry individuals, South Africa’s government-supported BPO industry provides low-barrier entry to employment.  The 2016 BPESA Key Indicator Report revealed that the BPO sector had created 222 500 jobs at the time.Even more encouraging is the fact that the industry is being recognised for its growth and job-creation potential. As a result, South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provides an incentive scheme, enabling sales and broker training and employment of agent.  

5. First-World ExperienceThe global contact centre standard (ISO 18295) was led by and is based on South African standards. South Africa is a prime business destination with international airports, located in its leading BPO cities Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, that provide direct international flights. Modern transportation networks, sophisticated telecommunications, and internationally recognised tourism attractions have also positioned it as a prime business destination.“

The truth is that South Africa’s value proposition has not changed much since 2007 with one major difference – it is no long up and coming – it is the world leader!” de Beer concludes. 

A Groundbreaking Concept to Facilitate Employment For Candidates And Companies Via Video 

Durban, KwaZulu Natal: Today, First Interview launched a brand-new portal aimed at putting job seekers in front of employers - without actually putting them in front of each other! Job hunters simply upload a two-minute video introducing themselves to prospective employers – who can then view the video at their leisure. This short-cuts the entire recruitment process by cutting out time-consuming CV-sifting and initial screening. 

If employers like what they see and hear on the video, they can contact the job hunter via the portal, requesting their CV and personal details. Candidates have no idea who has viewed their profiles, and have no access to employer contact details, making the entire process confidential and secure.  First Interview founder, Angelique Laaks, says, “Our portal is free for both job seekers and employers. It’s simple and easy to use, and it’s local. Most importantly, however, it allows employers to ‘meet’ the job seekers in two minutes - without having to scan through CVs, set interview times, schedule time with HR, and so on. It’s also easier for job seekers, as they don’t have to take time off work, or arrange transport to and from screening interviews.” 

The whole idea behind First Interview is that it helps prospective employers get a feel for who a candidate actually is – something that’s hard to gauge from a personality-free, one-dimensional CV. The portal is highly beneficial for all job seekers, but particularly for new graduates, and those looking for front-line positions in the customer service, hospitality and retail sectors. These are candidates who are hired for who they are - their personality and how they present themselves – and is more important than a list of qualifications on a CV. 

About First Interview

First Interview is a free portal that provides the missing link in the recruitment process by changing the selection procedure and allowing employers to meet candidates first via a short, pre-recorded introductory video. It makes the recruitment process faster, easier and cheaper for both parties, and gives employers and candidates a better chance of finding each other. First Interview is not a recruitment company, so it doesn’t charge fees or commissions. Nor does it guarantee placements. For more, visit www.firstinterview.co.za

Inaugural Contact Centre / Business Process Outsourcing Leadership Graduation Ceremony in Cape Town  

On 23rd May 2017 the inaugural TULA graduation ceremony for young leaders in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)/ Contact Centre sector was held in Cape Town.  59 students from 4 companies have attended the TULA leadership course over the past 18 months.

TULA Founder and CEO, Gareth Pritchard, explained the relevance of the new leadership programme: “TULA works with OnTrac, an Indian based training and consulting company. The programme aims to give students the tools to develop their leadership skills and improve their respective company’s operational efficiency. More than 60,000 students worldwide have participated in the programme. The programme is unique in that it is able to measure the impact of learning activities against each company’s individual business goals.” 

Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille commended the students who had taken part in the programme: “I would like to congratulate each and every student who successfully completed their course and graduated in the first graduation ceremony of the TULA leadership programme. The BPO / Contact Centre sector is contributing significantly to the development of our economy, with over 4,500 new jobs created in the last year alone. This growth will only continue if we ensure that our leaders are equipped with globally recognised skills.” 

Lufthansa InTouch was one of the participating companies. Their Site Operations Manager, Ian Ohlson commented: “Not only does this program unleash the individual’s leadership potential, it also works towards achieving your organisational goals by allowing employees to take control and influence the bottom-line through individual and group work.”  

Capfin Business Operations Manager, Jacques Loubser agreed: “We see such a positive shift in team and individual performance, purely because the learnings imparted during the leadership programme speak to the cornerstones that make up a successful contact centre and in turn our people are able to positively influence the customer value proposition.” 

Leading global customer experience and business process outsourcing company, Webhelp, who employs over four thousand people in South Africa, also participated in the programme. Chief operating officer for South Africa, Simon Garabette, commented: “The quality and expertise of our people are extremely important to Webhelp. Engaging in training of this nature highlights our commitment to developing our people, which benefits them and our clients.” 

EXL Service is a global provider of decision analytics, operations management, outsourcing, business transformation and IT services. Their country head, Pratap Rao, welcomed the invitation to participate in the programme: “As we continue to grow our teams and to solidify our presence in the industry, the TULA program played a huge role in not just helping the participants understand the importance of building winning teams, but how to build them as well. I can see a program like TULA becoming integral to growth in this industry in any geography. 

TULA has also formed a partnership with the Zoe Incubation Centre in Delft to help establish a skills pipeline in Delft to enable access for township communities into the contact centre sector. 7 of Zoe’s students will also be present at the graduation ceremony. The graduation ceremony was held on 23rd May at 14:00 in Cape Town’s entrepreneurial hub, Workshop17, at the V & A Waterfront where TULA has its offices. 

TULA provides consulting services and training in the area of Operations Management for the Contact Centre / BPO sector.  CEO and founder is Gareth Pritchard email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; cell: 0837030822; website www.tulasa.co.za; Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garethmpritchard Twitter @BPESACT      

On 23rd May 2017 the inaugural TULA graduation ceremony for young leaders in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)/ Contact Centre sector will take place in Cape Town.

The ceremony will be attended by Cape Town Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille who will also award the graduation certificates to the students. 59 students from 4 companies have attended the TULA leadership course over the past 18 months. TULA Founder and CEO, Gareth Pritchard, explained the relevance of the new leadership programme: “TULA works with OnTrac , an Indian based training and consulting company. The programme aims to give students the tools to develop their leadership skills and improve their respective company’s operational efficiency. More than 60,000 students worldwide have participated in the programme. The programme is unique in that it is able to measure the impact of learning activities against each company’s individual business goals.” 

Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille commended the students who had taken part in the programme: “I would like to congratulate each and every student who successfully completed their course and graduated in the first graduation ceremony of the TULA leadership programme. The BPO / Contact Centre sector is contributing significantly to the development of our economy, with over 4,500 new jobs created in the last year alone. This growth will only continue if we ensure that our leaders are equipped with globally recognised skills.” 

Lufthansa InTouch was one of the participating companies. Their Site Operations Manager, Ian Ohlson commented: “Not only does this program unleash the individual’s leadership potential, it also works towards achieving your organisational goals by allowing employees to take control and influence the bottom-line through individual and group work.”  

Capfin Business Operations Manager, Jacques Loubser agreed: “We see such a positive shift in team and individual performance, purely because the learnings imparted during the leadership programme speak to the cornerstones that make up a successful contact centre and in turn our people are able to positively influence the customer value proposition.” 

Leading global customer experience and business process outsourcing company, Webhelp, who employs over four thousand people in South Africa, also participated in the programme. Chief operating officer for South Africa, Simon Garabette, commented: “The quality and expertise of our people are extremely important to Webhelp. Our people are our biggest asset and it is crucial for us to be able to offer our best people rewarding and meaningful careers. Engaging in training of this nature highlights our commitment to developing our people, which benefits them and our clients through the enhanced levels of customer experience we can deliver to their customers.” 

EXL Service is a global provider of decision analytics, operations management, outsourcing, business transformation and IT services. Their country head, Pratap Rao, welcomed the invitation to participate in the programme: “As we continue to grow our teams and to solidify our presence in the industry, the TULA program played a huge role in not just helping the participants understand the importance of building winning teams, but how to build them as well. I can see a program like TULA becoming integral to growth in this industry in any geography. 

TULA has also formed a partnership with the Zoe Incubation Centre in Delft to help establish a skills pipeline in Delft to enable access for township communities into the contact centre sector. 7 of Zoe’s students will also be present at the graduation ceremony. 

The graduation ceremony will be held on 23rd May at 14:00 in Cape Town’s entrepreneurial hub, Workshop17, at the V & A Waterfront where TULA has its offices.    

TULA provides consulting services and training in the area of Operations Management for the Contact Centre / BPO sector.  CEO and founder is Gareth Pritchard

email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; cell: 0837030822; website www.tulasa.co.za; Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garethmpritchard Twitter @BPESACT