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Offshore Call Center: Why Africa Is Your Best Location

April 12, 2024

Summary

This article explores the advantages/benefits of choosing Africa as the preferred location for offshore call centers.

It highlights key factors such as linguistic diversity, time zone advantage, increased flexibility, cost-effectiveness etc, that make Africa an attractive option for businesses seeking offshore call center operations.

Is your company experiencing rapid expansion beyond your capacity to manage? Or perhaps you foresee significant growth on the horizon, but you're not quite equipped to handle it yet?

In either scenario, offshore outsourcing could present an ideal solution to facilitate your business's expansion while mitigating the common challenges that accompany growth.

Specifically, offshore outsourcing of call center services offers a strategic means to maximize resources and extend support to your expanding customer base.

By outsourcing, you can establish a global call center operation at a manageable cost, ensuring ample financial resources to sustain your business' growth.

Among the various destinations for offshoring, Africa has emerged as a compelling choice for businesses looking to leverage cost-effectiveness, linguistic diversity, and a burgeoning talent pool.

In this article, we will explore why Africa stands out as the best location for offshore call centers.

What Is an Offshore Call Center?

An offshore call center is a business operation located in a foreign country, typically outside the organisation's home country, that provides customer support, sales, and other related services via telephone, email, or other communication channels.

Offshore call centers are established through outsourcing arrangements, where companies contract with external service providers in offshore locations to handle customer inquiries, technical support, and other functions remotely.

The primary objective of outsourcing call center services is to leverage cost-effective labour markets, access skilled talent pools, and provide round-the-clock customer service to clients and customers in different regions or time zones.

An offshore call center is a business operation located in a foreign country, typically outside the organisation's home country, that provides customer support, sales, and other related services via telephone, email, or other communication channels.

Offshore call centers are established through outsourcing arrangements, where companies contract with external service providers in offshore locations to handle customer inquiries, technical support, and other functions remotely.

The primary objective of outsourcing call center services is to leverage cost-effective labour markets, access skilled talent pools, and provide round-the-clock customer service to clients and customers in different regions or time zones.

Benefits of Offshoring Call Center to Africa

Why an offshore call center to Africa is the best option? Here are some benefits of call center outsourcing.

If these advantages align with your priorities, opting for an offshore call center to Africa could be the ideal solution for your business.

Reduced Cost

Among the numerous benefits associated with offshoring call centers to Africa, their affordability stands out prominently.

Unlike the substantial expenses incurred by establishing and maintaining on-site or onshore call centers, offshore alternatives typically offer a significantly more economical solution.

By leveraging offshore call centers, businesses can mitigate labour expenses and reduce the bulk of overhead costs typically associated with operating a call center.

Saves Time

If you choose to start your own call center, you'll have to handle hiring, training, and managing the team by yourself.

This might mean dealing with staff changes, adjusting workflows, and keeping up with technology updates, especially if your business is growing fast.

But outsourcing these tasks to Workforce Africa can save you time and money, allowing you to focus on the most important parts of running a successful business.

Increased Flexibility

Does the frequency of your incoming calls fluctuate over the year? If you experience periods of both lower and higher call volumes, employing an offshore call center can provide a solution for managing these fluctuations effectively.

The offshore call center sector is specifically designed to manage increased call volumes and can seamlessly adjust during quieter periods.

This ensures that you won't be burdened with concerns about handling sudden spikes in call traffic, as you'll already have the necessary infrastructure in place to manage any situation.

Linguistic Diversity

Africa is renowned for its linguistic richness, with hundreds of languages spoken across the continent.

This diversity presents a unique advantage for businesses looking to cater to diverse customer bases spanning different regions and language preferences.

Call center outsourcing companies in Africa provides multilingual support, offering services in languages such as English, French, Arabic, Swahili, and more, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and engagement.

Time Zone Advantage

Africa's strategic geographical location offers a time zone advantage for businesses seeking to provide round-the-clock customer support.

With call centers operating in Africa, companies can extend their service hours to accommodate customers in different time zones, ensuring that assistance is available whenever it is needed.

This 24/7 availability enhances customer experience, reduces response times, and contributes to greater customer loyalty and retention.

Strategic Business Expansion

For businesses looking to expand their global footprint, offshoring call center operations to Africa offers strategic advantages.

The continent's growing economy, favorable business environment, and improving infrastructure make it an attractive destination for international investment and expansion.

By establishing a presence in Africa through offshore call centers, companies can access new markets, penetrate existing ones more effectively, and position themselves for long-term growth and success in the global marketplace.

Access to Skilled Workforce

Africa boasts a growing pool of skilled professionals equipped with the necessary expertise to handle various customer service tasks effectively.

Many African countries have made significant investments in education and training programs, producing graduates proficient in communication technologies, language skills, and customer service techniques.

By offshoring call center operations to Workforce Africa, your business can tap into this talent pool and benefit from a diverse range of skills and capabilities.

Factors to Consider Before Offshoring Call Center to an Offshore Party

Language Barrier

When considering offshoring a call center, the language barrier is a critical aspect to address.

Effective communication is essential for resolving customer queries and concerns promptly.

Assessing the proficiency of the offshore third party in the desired language(s) is crucial to ensuring that they can articulate information clearly and understand customers' inquiries accurately.

Additionally, it's essential to consider dialects and accents that might exist within the language, as they can impact the level of understanding and rapport between agents and customers.

Before partnering with an offshore call center, you need to test them first to know how they communicate.

Cultural Barrier

Cultural differences between the offshore call center agents and the target customer base should not be underestimated.

These differences can lead to misunderstandings or conflicts if not appropriately addressed.

For instance, when a customer inquiry about a product or service unfamiliar to the agent, they may lack the appropriate response, and this can lead to a disconnection.

Before finalizing a contract with an offshore call agent, make sure the agents have a deep knowledge of your company to better connect with customers and provide services that align with their expectations.

Client Portfolio

The offshore call center's experience and client portfolio are important factors to consider before deciding.

Reviewing the call center's track record with clients they have previously or are currently working with in similar industries can provide valuable insights into their capabilities and performance.

It's important to ensure that the call center's expertise aligns with your business needs and customer requirements.

By choosing an offshore call center like Workforce Africa with relevant experience, you can mitigate potential risks and increase the likelihood of a successful partnership.

Customer Experience

Maintaining a high level of customer experience is paramount when outsourcing customer service.

Selecting a call center like Workforce Africa with a proven track record of delivering exceptional service is essential for upholding your brand reputation and customer satisfaction levels.

Implementing monitoring and feedback mechanisms can help you continuously evaluate the quality of service provided by the offshore call center.

How Workforce Africa Fits In

At the heart of the offshore call center landscape in Africa lies Workforce Africa, a pioneering company dedicated to harnessing the continent's vast potential for customer service excellence.

With a deep understanding of Africa's diverse workforce and rich languages, Workforce Africa shines as a leader in global outsourcing.

By tapping into a vibrant and ambitious talent pool and investing in education and technology, Workforce Africa helps businesses set offshore call centers that offer outstanding service and boost productivity.

Utilising Africa's diverse languages, cultural awareness, and tech skills, Workforce Africa helps businesses smoothly reach customers worldwide, building trust and satisfaction.

As the top pick for offshore call center services, Workforce Africa showcases Africa's advantages for businesses aiming to enhance customer service and thrive in today's market.

Conclusion

Africa stands out as the premier location for outsourcing contact center operations, offering a winning combination of cost-effectiveness, linguistic diversity, and a skilled workforce.

By harnessing the potential of Africa's burgeoning talent pool and favourable business environment, companies can elevate their customer service offerings, drive operational efficiency, and gain a competitive edge in today's dynamic marketplace.

Africa's workforce stands out as a big reason why it's a great choice, as Africa has lots of young and motivated people who are eager to do well in customer service.

They've also had a good education and training, so they know how to handle the job. Plus, Africa is home to many languages, so workers can help customers from all over the world.

They're also good with technology and understand different cultures, which makes them perfect for the job.

Overall, Africa's workforce is a big advantage for companies looking to set up offshore call centers, making it the best place to do business.

Interested in Offshoring call center to Africa? Then schedule a consultation with Workforce Africa today. Let’s help you succeed. 

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