Over the past decade, the South African BPO sector has developed into a world class destination, attracting many high profile British investors.
Eben Louw co-founder of Mango 5 call centre started his business in 2005 to cater for the lucrative UK outsourcing market. Since then he has seen it grow with offices in Cape Town and Durban, employing 140 staff.
According to Louw, South Africa’s BPO sector is perfectly positioned to cater for the UK market.
Quality
In order to attract foreign investment, your business needs to be built around quality. At Mango 5 we have a dedicated Quality Assurance team who conduct regular internal audits to ensure our processes are up to standard. If your quality levels drop, it will impact across your business, leading to lower productivity.
Value for money
One area that sets South Africa apart from the likes of India and the Philippines is the value that we bring to the table. We might not be as cheap as India, but when it comes to other facts, such as cultural fit, quality standards, high productivity and commitment to the job, we are right up there with the best. Our business prides itself on offering client’s value as opposed to just cost savings.
Happy workforce
If you want your clients to be happy, start by making sure your staff are. This will lead to greater commitment and lower attrition rates. We believe in creating an environment that is conducive to growth and development, where leaders are skilled and highly motivated.
Cultural fit
This stems from a happy workforce; we see our employees as an extension of our business and encourage them to pursue their dreams. It is a culture steeped in respect for each other. This is important for all businesses regardless of the industry they operate in. If the staff are motivated they will buy into your company’s vision, leading to greater productivity and improved performance.
Low absenteeism
As management you need to have the correct policies in place to deal with absent staff. This needs to be discussed at length with the employee during the induction phase, making them aware that their attendance will be closely managed.
Staff must be aware that if a trend develops there will be disciplinary action. The system we currently use involves a point system, which counts the number of absent days. We however do take into consideration special circumstances, and as long as they are understood upfront there shouldn’t be any issues.
Political stability, compared to the rest of Africa
Compared to the rest of Africa, we generally have a stable and level headed government. This has been recognised by the international community and helps a lot in securing UK based contracts. This was recently highlighted by BPeSA Western Cape’s trade mission to the UK.
Time Zones
When it comes to dealing with European markets our positioning in relation to time zones, gives us a competitive advantage over the larger eastern base operations. Some of our clients have expressed that one of the key reasons for moving business to South Africa is the favourable time zone affinity, so clearly it impacts on their decision.
Knowledge of the relevant market
Understanding the market you operate in is key to the success of your business. At Mango 5 we have been fortunate that most of our senior management (Directors through to operations) have extensive experience working in the United Kingdom. This has allowed us to understand the UK culture and consumer, providing us with the skills needed to train others in becoming exceptional sales people. We pride ourselves on our training methods and techniques which stem from our UK based experience.
The call centre industry is a wonderful place to work, there are opportunities for individuals at all levels, and unlike certain industries it is completely feasible that you can work your way from the bottom of the organisation right to the top. All that is required is a desire to grow, a willingness to learn and above all an attitude to succeed.
