Brussels was a hub of activity with delegates from Eastern Europe and other global regions attending the annual Future of Emerging Europe Summit & Awards 2022. The event recognizes and celebrates the region's achievements in sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship. Additionally, the event celebrated the release of the 2022 edition of the 200-page
It’s finally out! GBS.World has released the 2022 Africa GBS Buyers Choice Report. It follows on the success of the Africa GBS Benchmarking & Market Report and GBS World Competitiveness Index. Included in the report are buy-side demand trends and insights, based on interviews with enterprise buyers in Australia, Canada, Germany, France, the United
There was interesting news from Munich, Germany, where Panasonic has established a Customer Experience Centre (CXC) on its Ottobrun campus. The 6,000 sq m facility is intended to assist Panasonic in interacting with B2B clients, trade partners, developers, start-ups and universities by providing numerous function rooms with special themes such as
Global shopping trends may have altered over the past two years but pandemic behaviors are here to stay, according to Bazaarvoice's 2022 Shopper Experience Index. Consumers who were compelled to buy online in 2020 and 2021 are continuing to do so, while those returning in-store are turning to internet product research to assist them. The findings show where
Concerned organizations and stakeholders in The Philippines IT-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector are in discussions about "hybrid work arrangements" and seeking a quicker return to on-site setup. Despite the government's order for ecozone locators to return to physical locations, over 440 firms have been given letters of authority by the Philippine
A leading independent Moroccan customer experience (CX), business process and medical outsourcing provider, Outsourcia, has confirmed a majority stake in its business has been acquired by SPE Capital, an independent equity firm focused on the Middle East and Africa region. Amounting to US$33 million, the deal will see SPE Capital taking over from
The share of consumers in Asia-Pacific (APAC) actively using digital banking has increased by 88% this year, compared to 65% four years ago, according to McKinsey’s 2021 Personal Finance Survey. The report is one of several highlighting how customers’ digital experience is reshaping traditional banking services and relationships in the region. As such,
Unintegrated and inaccessible data, too much agent complexity and slow digital adoption are the biggest barriers to customer experience (CX) and agent productivity, according to a LiveVox and Omdia study, entitled “Are Agents Ready for the New Digital Reality?”. The study surveyed 530 customer-facing agents across key verticals including retail, healthcare
The week started with acquisition news in India, with Wipro, a leading business process outsourcing (BPO) firm, acquiring Rizing Intermediate Holdings, Inc., a global SAP consulting firm. The purchase will expand Wipro’s capabilities as an advisor in complex SAP transformations to turn businesses into intelligent enterprises. Wipro stated that the
The week commenced with the acquisition of a Croatian-based provider of outsourced specialized services, heloo, by TaskUs, a global leader in outsourced digital services and next-generation customer experience (CX). heloo delivers digital CX solutions to European technology companies, particularly in the e-commerce and gaming vertical industries. The
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, global software giant, Infosys, has announced that it will be transitioning out of Russia, due to conflict-of-interest concerns directed at British finance minister, Rishi Sunek. Infosys has already been shifting work away from its Russian centers to its operators outside of Russia, while all service contracts with
Despite the conflict in Ukraine, buyers of IT outsourcing (ITO) services still see Eastern Europe as a hub for IT services, according to an iLounge article. A highly educated talent pool, time zone proximity, cultural affinity and affordability are some of the main attractions for nearshore and offshore buyers allocating work to Eastern European ITO
Strong indications are suggesting US consumers are starting to spend more on in-person experiences, with experiential spending hitting 91% of 2019’s pre-pandemic levels, according to research findings from The NPD Group. Spending in general merchandise retail has remained elevated at 19% above pre-pandemic levels. Accessories, beauty and apparel are
The Ukraine conflict has continued to put pressure on the country’s IT Outsourcing (ITO) sector, where ITO leaders are working together to mitigate the effects on projects and client partnerships. Operations have mostly shut down in Ukraine’s key ITO service hubs, including Kyiv and Kharkiv. Although Lviv has been serving as a haven for ITOs since the start
Following last week’s coverage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict within the outsourcing context, Gartner has released a guide of best practices for both global clients and operators of customer experience (CX) and business process outsourcing (BPO) services in the region. A list of business continuity recommendations is provided for situations where there are
News that Ukrainian IT outsourcers (ITOs) have managed to continue operating amid the violent Russian invasion has been nothing but inspiring. Many of the country’s ITOs have implemented innovative measures to ensure business continuity, including relocating thousands of employees to the relatively safer western regions of Ukraine, particularly in the tech
Opening the week on a celebratory note was San Francisco-based sales engagement platform, Groove, being awarded two 2022 Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service. For the second year in a row, Groove received a Silver Stevie Award for "Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year" and a Bronze Stevie Award for "Customer Service Department of the
The South African GBS fraternity was a huddle of excitement with the announcement of the 2021/2022 South Africa National GBS Quantification & Investment Report. The report profiles, analyzes and evaluates South Africa’s GBS capabilities, intending to assist investors, buyers and global clients in obtaining strategic market intelligence, benchmark data
Augmenting its existing investment in Africa, Amazon Web Services’ cloud contact center capabilities have been broadened with the deployment of Amazon Connect in Cape Town, South Africa. Amazon Connect offers a highly scalable and cost-effective omnichannel cloud contact center solution, helping to improve customer service across numerous channels, such as
It was an exciting week for Malta-based human capital and outsourcing services, OZO Group, as it announced its expansion into Budapest, Hungary after it was selected to be the professional partner of an international group in the country. As its first international assignment, this partnership is fulfilling the group’s vision to expand beyond its borders.
