New customer care centre in Cape Town generates more jobs

1 Jul 2013

Global BPO Merchants, part of the Dimension Data group, has opened its new customer care centre in Cape Town to cater for growth and to service the UK's second largest retailer, Asda. The centre will employ 680 people by the end of 2013, with 250 new jobs for the Asda account.

Helen Zille: "Cape Town has firmly established itself as the international BPO destination of choice.” (Image: GCIS)

Various dignitaries including the premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, attended the launch of the centre. "The BPO industry provides a great career path with job opportunities at various levels, especially for the youth of our province," said Zille. "Through this and other investments, Cape Town has firmly established itself as the international BPO destination of choice."

Global has created over 1,500 jobs in the Western Cape through contact centre investment from Australian ISP iiNet, UK telecoms company EE (T-Mobile and Orange) and UK retailer Asda.

"Of the 1,500 jobs, 1,000 have been created between March 2012 and April 2013, which highlights the growth of the BPO & offshoring sector in the region," said Martin Dove, managing executive: Contact Centre Solutions at Dimension Data Middle East and Africa.

"Asda is a world class business with over 18 million customers. That it has chosen Cape Town to service its customers in the UK speaks volumes about the quality of our people and I am confident that the centre will continue to go from strength to strength," said Gareth Pritchard, CEO of BPeSA Western Cape.

Asda is South Africa's longest operating BPO client, having been with the Merchants group since 2004.