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Amazon said in July that it would be opening a call centre to service its US and German markets and be creating up to 1000 jobs in the process. The company said that one of the main reasons it had chosen South Africa was because its time zone made it convenient for Amazon's customers. The company also applauded the Western Cape government's backing of a customer service industry in the region.
As well as a favourable time zone and government support for BPO, foreign companies looking to base parts of their business offshore choose South Africa for a range of reasons:
SA's pedigree as BPO destination assured
With companies including Shell, The Car Phone Warehouse and BSkyB's TEAMtalk media locating customer call centres in South Africa, the country's pedigree as a premier BPO destination is assured. In 2004, the South African government set a target of 100 000 people employed in the BPO industry by 2014, with R1.75 billion in direct foreign investment and a R16 billion contribution to the GDP. Despite a tough economy, a Business Trust report card showed that by July 2009 87 000 jobs had been created and there had been R1.5 billion in foreign investment.
Having said all that, setting up a new operation in a foreign country is always challenging, and it is vital to find the right partners along the way especially for the big investments such as property.
Whether companies choose to buy or rent the space for their call centre and other operations, finding the right property is key to the success of the venture.
Some of the things to consider when choosing a property for your call centre or other BPO operation:
1. Location & staff:
2. Location & infrastructure:
3. Growth:
A local property partner with local knowledge, contacts and expertise is an important partner in laying the foundation for a successful BPO operation in South Africa, creating a win-win situation for all concerned.