GBS WORLD NEWS | WEEK 2 | AUGUST 2024

Spectrum, a broadband communications giant in the United States, is recruiting 400 employees for its new 48,000 square-foot call center in Pharr, Texas, which will provide bilingual support for customersnationwide. This facility is the third Spectrum call center in the Rio Grande Valley and the 12th in Texas. Spectrum hosted a hiring event on August 8th at the new Pharr location, where job seekers were invited to apply for the available positions.

Also in call center openings, EarthLink, the U.S. internet service provider, has opened a new call center in Norton, Virginia, marking a significant expansion of its customer support operations. The 28,000-square-foot facility at Project Intersection is expected to create up to 285 jobs, contributing to local economic growth. The center will utilize AI and proprietary technologies to enhance the customer experience, underscoring EarthLink’s commitment to superior service and investment in the community.

A BPO firm specializing in contact center and clinical nurse operations, Carelon Global Solutions, is expanding its workforce in Iloilo City in the Philippines. This expansion is creating significant job opportunities for Ilonggos, with plans to hire 500 more employees, boosting its total workforce to over 10,000 across four sites by the end of the year. With 3,800 employees already in Iloilo, this expansion will make Carelon the largest healthcare provider BPO in Western Visayas. Carelon is also prioritizing fresh graduates and aims to increase employment opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) as part of this growth.

The United-Kingdom-based outsourcing firm, Capita, has forecasted a decline in its annual adjusted revenue by low- to mid-single digits. It is believed this has been driven partly by its strategic shift away from smaller-margin contracts. This announcement led to a sharp drop in Capita’s shares, falling as much as 11% in early trading, making it the top percentage loser on the FTSE Small Cap index. CEO Adolfo Hernandez, who took over in January, emphasized the company’s new focus on pursuing revenue with better margins and returns. Despite this, Capita posted a half-year pre-tax profit of £60 million, aided by a cost-cutting program.

Alibaba, the multinational technology conglomerate headquartered in China, has introduced a new AI-powered B2B sourcing tool to enhance product exposure and streamline sourcing processes for businesses. The tool uses natural language processing to predict sourcing needs, provide suggestions, and allow complex queries. About 30,000 businesses are already using Alibaba’s AI tools, which have led to a 37% increase in product exposure. This innovation aims to reduce costs and empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the global supply chain.