Tag: Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

With the outsourcing space becoming increasingly cutthroat, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies find themselves trapped in a relentless race to the bottom. Aggressive pricing demands from clients and undercutting by low-cost competitors leave local operators with no choice but to sacrifice margins just to stay in the game.

We live in a time when attracting and retaining top talent across a multi-generational, increasingly mobile workforce is massively challenging. It is a global phenomenon that is critical to the success and sustainability of every business, but notably so in South Africa’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry which is increasingly the country’s top export to international markets.

As South Africa continues to grapple with its massive youth (15-34 years) unemployment rate of 4.7 million individuals (Q4 2023), there is a critical need for innovative approaches to skills development and employability. I view learnerships as an excellent platform for creative training methodologies thereby, paving the way for a more agile and adaptable workforce.

Although technologies such as artificial intelligence, business process automation and machine learning have developed at a rate faster than we could have imagined, we’re not yet at a point where we can say with certainty that machines are going to replace all humans in the workplace any time soon.

To minimise environmental impact, many organisations seek to implement eco-conscious strategies into their operational practices.

More South African businesses than ever before are looking to globalise as they seek to take advantage of our country’s competitive currency, optimal time zone and low cost environment. In fact, South Africa's Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector experienced an average compound annual growth rate of around 25% between 2015 and 2021, according to a recent report published by Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA).

Skills development and resource efficiency go hand-in-hand toward achieving business success. The aim is to provide all workers with the opportunity for personal career growth by ensuring they’re up to date on the latest industry developments as well as how to use the newest technology.

Digital transformation is forcing companies to change their business models and adapt to the new market reality. This transformation is being driven by customers and the impact that the pandemic has on how, when and where they expect customer service and support to be delivered.

With South Africa’s BPO industry voted the most favoured offshore CX delivery location in 2021 in the annual Ryan Strategic Advisory BPO Omnibus Survey, the burgeoning sector is well positioned to play a critical role in ‘Impact Sourcing’. 

The Department of Home Affairs is currently calling for public comment on the draft of a new Critical Skills List. However, Foreign Language Speakers, a role that featured in the previous list, has been omitted from the draft List. Foreign language employees are more valuable than the language they speak and are critical to job creation inside South Africa’s borders.