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BPOs/ call centres eye local markets

By Muhammad Yasir

KARACHI: The local Business Processes Outsourcing (BPO)/ Call Centers operators are focusing to capture domestic markets on the slowdown of business activities in the developed countries, industry people said.

They commented that Pakistan-based outsourcing service providers are facing a tough time as the US sub-prime crisis is taking its toll on all the developed economies.

Rising unemployment in the developed countries have coerced their economic managers to resort to cost cutting measures, also discouraging outsourcing of various services in order to create jobs for their citizens. Therefore, these countries have rationed business orders to other nations that are also affecting Pakistani companies.

Industry experts said the local BPOs/Call centre operators are now focusing to grab local market to compensate their loss of offshore business activities in the other countries.

President Pakistan Software Houses Association, Jaha Ara told that some companies have grabbed local telecommunications, IT and financial sectors whereas other companies are trying to market their work at lower rates to retain the offshore market.

The new system of SIM verification through NADRA has opened opportunities for local call centers.

She added that the growing IT and Telecommunication industry will further create jobs. Also, Wimax and other DSL operators will also generate a window of opportunity for call centers operators for running their campaigns.

Pakistan Call Centres’ usually run their business with their offshore partners based in USA, UK, Canada, Australia and few other European countries. These BPO or call centers provide services of sales and marketing campaign, database and surveys, outbound calls and customers’ centers to the different sectors including IT and Telecommunication, Healthcare and Medical Services, Engineers, Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, Public Sectors and Administration department, Utilities and Retail, Wholesales trade.

“USA’s and UK’s Banks and retail’s chains have outsourced all of their business to Pakistan,” Mehmood Ahmed CEO Global Contact Centre told.

He added the loss of business has caused lay-offs and pay-cuts in different BPOs and call centers during the last three months. Some companies are running their business with below the capacity and lower staff.

Mehmood further told majority of all of the call centers are operating on half of capacity and almost all of them have closed down their training institutes.

“The call centers are running only one shift instead of three shifts,” he added.

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