Poor support for Regional Call Centre Awards

Dear Editor,

President Mbeki said this past Sunday that a higher economic growth rate was the key to a better quality of life for South Africans. His comments followed last month’s McKinsey report identifying the South African contact centre industry as a key driver of job creation and GDP growth.

If the country’s President has singled out higher economic growth as a strategic priority and the contact centre industry has been identified as key to achieving this, then why is interest in recent industry events lacking?

Just over a week ago, the first annual Western Cape Contact Centre Awards was hosted by regional contact centre association CallingtheCape. Electronic and hardcopy monitoring of the media has so far revealed one single mention of the award winners on an online technology website. Winners in the various categories were companies of the calibre of Woolworths, Sanlam and Old Mutual. Similarly, the regional contact centre awards function held in KwaZulu Natal last week by KZNonSource has also not received the exposure it deserves.

The lack of coverage around the award winners is astounding in light of the fact that there was substantial pre-event publicity.

With the potential to create well over 100 000 well-paid, sustainable jobs within the next three to five years, the South African contact centre industry deserves the full support of every South African who dreams of a better future.

The ContactinGauteng regional contact centre awards taking place on 6th August provide another golden opportunity for the local industry to be showcased.

Kind regards,

ROD JONES