Due to the precariousness of the English language, in recent years’ companies in the Contact Center & BPO sector have decided to close thousands of jobs in the region and relocate their investments to other markets where they have no difficulty in recruiting qualified personnel.
Reports at a global level show that the command of English is one of the weaknesses at a Central American level.
Faced with the threat of the spread of covid-19 in Guatemala, companies in the contact center sector agreed that in the next 48 hours 70% of their operations will be moved to work at home.
For the 30% of employees who will remain providing services, all health regulations dictated by the Public Health Ministry for the state of calamity will be strictly applied, reported Agexport.
Up to June 2019, companies providing call center services in El Salvador reported revenues of $188 million, a figure 11% higher than that reported in the first half of 2018.
Data from the Central Reserve Bank detail that between the first semester of 2018 and the same period of 2019, revenues from call center services went from $169 million to $188 million.
"The service offered must guarantee telephone attention to all consultations related to the procedures of the services provided by the Consulates of Guatemala in the United States of America, based on the information provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the last year, Contact Center and BPO service sector exports were estimated at $600 million, 12% less than the $720 million reported the previous year.
Some of the factors influencing the failure to reach the job creation projection include the fact that no English language skills have been generated in young people, and at the time of the forecasts the exchange rate in the country was Q8.2 to one dollar, and now the rate has dropped to Q7.7.
In Panama, a Government Contact Center is tendered for services, which will provide attention through telephone calls, web chat, e-mail and other means.
Panama Government Purchase 2019-1-46-0-08-LP-003549:
After investing $22 million, the American Startek inaugurated in Tegucigalpa the Altia Technology Park tower, from where services will be provided to large companies globally.
Representatives of the company informed that the new eight-floor business tower will house 2,500 workers and took the opportunity to announce that they plan to build one more tower in Tegucigalpa and another in San Pedro Sula.
In Panama, a bill that regulates the activities of call centers has been approved, leaving companies in the sector free of direct and indirect taxes.
The National Assembly reported that, in a third debate, approval was given to Bill 653 which regulates the activity of call centers for commercial use.
The Panamanian government bill proposes eliminating the differentiated tax treatment for this activity's internal and external operations, and establishing a neutral rate of 0% of income tax on the profit generated by these commercial operations.
The Minister in charge of Economy and Finance, Eyda Varela de Chinchilla, presented two bills to the National Assembly: one that regulates the activities of call centers for commercial use and another on intangible assets, according to an official statement by the ministerial institution.
The Salvadoran government has announced the implementation of a new telephone consultation system, where questions can be raised related to the entry of goods.
The Presidential Commissioner for Border Affairs, Carlos de Jesús Pozo, explained that through the service "... now the person will be able to arrive with their complete documentation, in the case of customs, for example, with their payments already done. The mechanism will allow institutions to get closer to the user."
It has been announced that the company Concentrix will be expanding its operations in Managua, where it has operated a call center since 2011.
The announcement was made by Vice President Rosario Murillo, who pointed out that the new Concentrix offices will be located in the IBW building, in downtown Managua.
"...Concentrix was established in Nicaragua in 2008 and in 2011 it established its first global contact center in Managua.This company has a presence in 25 countries with more than 70,000 employees who speak more than 40 languages."
The service outsourcing industry in the country generated a yearly revenue of $6 million in 2008, and nine years later, the industry's revenue is close to $150 million.
Currently 45 companies operating under the free zone regime are engaged in outsourcing services in the country.This figure far exceeds that of 2007, when there were 12 companies in this sector.The incentives provided by the free zone scheme, coupled with the low labor cost demanded by these types of service centers, explain much of the growth that this market has experienced in the country.
The multinational company Feuji technology services has announced that it will be setting up a customer service and support center in Heredia.
From a statement issued by the CINDE:
San José, July 27, 2017.The service company Feuji, which specializes in providing technology solutions and services in the cloud, has officially announced its arrival in Costa Rica and the hiring of 150 more people for the remainder of 2017.
Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad is putting out to tender telephone customer services and technological support of the customer service center level 1 and 2, for a period of one year, extendable for up to 6 years.
Recognized Brazilian company of backhoe loaders, telescopic, articulated and other types of cranes looking for companies interested in representing the brand and distributing their machinery in Central America and Mexico. The company manufactures and sells telescopic,...
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