The research findings into call centers in north Africa expects 2009 outsourced call center agent positions in the area to have almost quadrupled on today’s total of 3,500. In terms of location, the most prosperous regions are expected to be to be Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, due to their friendly investment attitudes and advanced state of technological and commercial development.
Growth of outsourced offshore agent positions are set to more than treble
Over the past decade, north African contact center locations have adopted varying pro-investment agendas, offering a multitude of tax cuts and incentives to lure private enterprise to their jurisdictions. Nearly every country in the region has made efforts to bring in outsourced contact center investment.
The number of outsourced offshore agent positions in north Africa will rise from 3,500 in 2004 to 12,800 by 2009, an increase of 265% over this period. While the market for these services is more mature in Morocco, growth in Egypt and Tunisia can be expected, due to their friendly investment attitudes and geographic niche-market advantages.
North America and western Europe’s positioning is strong
North Africa has generally been the offshore destination of choice for French-language customer care. However, potential also exists for English and Spanish offerings, depending on the particular location.
An available workforce that is located relatively close to major EU centers, combined with advancing telephony infrastructures linking the USA and Canada, and cost-effectiveness all work in favor of call center outsourcing to north Africa.
Western firms are impressed with north Africa’s educated labor pool that is becoming increasingly multilingual. An abundance of enthusiasm on the part of commercially-minded business executives, and a willingness from the various national governments to attract more customer care business bodes well for contact center outsourcing in north Africa.
Key competitive challenges
The report highlights the important strategic challenges that offshore outsourcers will face in the coming years. The main threat will be the loss of competitive advantage due to rising prices and overcoming inaccurate stereotypes. Many multinational firms will choose north Africa to set up their own customer care facilities, given its cost-effectiveness and accessibility. The challenge for outsourcers will be to convince such firms that it is in their interest to lower their overhead costs and take advantage of professional agents by tendering out their customer care needs.
Another competitive challenge facing north African outsourcers is overcoming an unfavorable commercial impression. Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia have all increased their customer care standards over the past decade, investing heavily in technology infrastructure. Outsourcing firms need to emphasize the case for their agents’ language abilities, but also the region’s focus on economic and political stability, ease of access, and increasingly common commercial culture with the west.
North Africa has a lot to offer firms looking for a viable, multilingual environment in which to house customer care operations. What will be key to success is for outsourcers to locate in the region most appropriate for their operations, and to establish partner networks, specializing in areas of expertise best served from north Africa. This will lead to lower overall costs, and increased customer satisfaction. In conjunction, multi-country country strategies can be harnessed within these networks for lower value functions, while the threat from in-house operations will be minimized.
