Author: Outsource Global

From Nigeria to the World: How Our Skilled Workforce is Driving the Nearshore Outsourcing Revolution

In the latest report by Ryan Strategic Advisory, significant trends and insights were unveiled, painting a vivid picture of the outsourcing landscape across Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Here’s a brief look into the key themes: Western European Demand Trends The outsourcing industry in Western Europe continues to evolve, driven by a strong demand for high-quality, cost-effective services. Businesses in this region are increasingly seeking nearshore and offshore solutions to optimize operations and enhance efficiency. The focus is on leveraging technological advancements and skilled talent to meet the growing need for customer-centric services. Central & Eastern Europe Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have emerged as strategic outsourcing destinations, offering a unique blend of linguistic capabilities, cultural alignment, and technical expertise. Countries in this region are capitalizing on their proximity to Western Europe and their highly educated workforce, positioning themselves as key players in the nearshore outsourcing market. North Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa are witnessing a surge in interest from global businesses looking to tap into their untapped potential. With a youthful and dynamic population, these regions offer a rich talent pool that is increasingly being recognized for its adaptability and proficiency in delivering diverse outsourcing services. The emphasis is on building robust infrastructure and fostering a conducive business environment to attract international investments. Outsource Global: A Tale of Talent and Transformation The report concludes with a spotlight on Outsource Global, a leading player in the Nigerian BPO sector. Outsource Global exemplifies how African companies are transforming the global outsourcing landscape with their innovative approaches and commitment to excellence. By harnessing local talent and leveraging cutting-edge technology, Outsource Global is setting new benchmarks in the industry, showcasing Nigeria’s strategic position in the global BPO market. For a deeper dive into these insights and to understand how Outsource Global is driving transformation in the BPO sector, read the full report: Europe-and-the-Nearshore-2024.

Outsource Global takes center stage at the Nigerian Exchange Group Closing Gong Ceremony

Gombe State, on the 31st of January 2024, marked a historic moment as our Founder/CEO, AmalHassan, took center stage at the Nigerian Exchange Group’s Closing Gong Ceremony. The event, themed“Gombe State: Leveraging on New Economies for Growth,” was a celebration of commitment andcollaboration. The invitation extended by the Gombe State Government to symbolically sign a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) was an honor. It signified the state’s dedication to exploring new frontiers foreconomic development and growth. As a key participant in this significant occasion, we were elated to contribute to Gombe State’s vision fora prosperous future. The ceremony emphasized the importance of leveraging new economies forsustainable growth, a theme that resonates deeply with our mission. The symbolic signing of the MoU underscores a shared commitment between our organization and theGombe State Government. It sets the stage for a collaborative journey, with a focus on economicprosperity and development. We are excited about the potential impact and the opportunities that lieahead as we work hand in hand with the state towards fostering growth. This event marks not only a milestone for Gombe State but also a testament to the power ofcollaboration and dedication towards positive change. We express gratitude for the opportunity andeagerly anticipate the positive transformations that will unfold as we contribute to the economicprosperity of Gombe State.

Customer experience outsourcing

On the 14th and 15th of September, 2022, the annual CXoutsourcers mindshare event had Las Vegas, Nevada, swarmed by over 80 senior customer experience outsourcing leaders, analysts and executives, including our very own Amal Hassan, the CEO of Outsource Global Technologies Ltd. The first day concentrated on blending technology with the human touch, emerging vertical industry opportunities, blockchain in CX, hybrid work models and top nearshore and offshore locations. On the second day, discussions were focused on employee experience (EX), 21st-century talent development and CX buyer pain points.  These experts discussed the fragmented customer experience journeys, especially among American banking brands. For example, the U.S state of multichannel customer service reported that over 66% of customers get discouraged before they get on a phone call with a bank call centre agent. Furthermore, just 58% of financial institutions prioritise it, although 76% of clients desire a genuinely omnichannel experience, which does not help. Again, only 10% of banks claim seamless customer service is a high priority, even though 31% of clients want it from retail banks. The winners of Genesys’ 17th annual Customer Innovation Awards across numerous vertical industries were announced, giving the US additional reason for optimism. Genesys is a world leader in CX technology. The winners of the category categories included UnitedHealth Group, Rabobank, Cathay Pacific, and Accenture. In Canada, Walmart has implemented a cutting-edge AI technique to identify when products are out-of-stock on shop shelves. Walmart Canada will roll out the new technology created by Focal Systems following a 70-store pilot. Cameras automatically detect the real-time stock availability on shelves, and the store personnel are informed of the modifications so they can replace the stock or place new orders. United Arab Emirates (UAE) travel agencies attempt to improve their super app-enabled digital CX journeys. Musafir.com, an online travel agency that offers a one-stop-shop mobile and web super app offering various services, including flight bookings, visa applications, and e-hailing, is leading the drive. Adyen, a fintech company in the Netherlands, has introduced its Real-Time Visa Account Updater (VAU) to Europe. Real-time VAU coverage automatically updates Visa accounts, allowing European businesses to improve CX and reduce forced churn while increasing revenue and authorisation rates from card-on-file payments. According to general CX news, 33% of customers gave up on the account registration procedure because it took too long to complete the required information. According to SC Media research results, 24% of customers have given up trying to complete their purchases because they had to register an account. Other research showed that 63% of customers would transfer to a rival with a less complicated authentication procedure—an exciting finding: 83% of consumers are more devoted to brands that maintain consistency across all platforms.

Meet Our Operations Manager – Ruth Ishimadoo Orkar

Ruth Orkar

Operations Manager Ruth Ishimadoo Orkar talks about her experience at Outsource Global. In this inspiring interview, she delivers how much of an impact she and her team at Outsource Global have made. About Ruth My experience at Outsource Global has been a great one so far. I have so much fun, I always want to go to work with my colleagues. All I wanted to do was a good job. But while I started as a regular customer service representative in October 2016, by 2017 I had been promoted to 3 leadership positions, from a team lead to supervisor to my current position as an operations manager. As all these promotions happened in one year, it taught me that hard work pays off. I was promoted quickly because I took on the company like it was my own. I went out of my way to make sure everything was done. I have been able to use the story of my growth during orientation to encourage and motivate new employees. I always tell them that nothing is impossible; they should work hard and put in their best every opportunity they have. I also love what I do. I started as an agent, I have always enjoyed going to work. I have so much fun I want to go to work with my colleagues. You learn so much on the job, so much about the company. It isn’t about selling a certain product— but we are helping people and changing lives on a daily basis. I would want to say I am a people person. I studied sociology, and what really drives me is the need to empower others. Growing up, I always wanted to be a youth counsellor. I worked with a lot of troubled adolescents who came from broken homes, and I just realized that they needed love. They needed someone to love them. From there, I just said, ‘OK how can I make a difference? How can I change in my little way?’ Now, I get to empower employees daily, no matter how small the task or activity may be. The important thing is how to make people better than they were yesterday. Every task that I carry out is related to the productivity or performance of the people and how best we can help them as a team achieve their goals. Outsource has become a home to me. The organization has made my stay comfortable and allowed me to be myself. Because we share the same beliefs and values, and from that, I know that this is the right place for me. It has been a great ride so far. I highly value the support system, from the coaching to the feedback, to the development sessions. I value not just my direct supervisors and bosses to whom I report, but also people in other departments who have still supported me when I had challenges, or when I felt low. The company has helped me grow and ultimately has made me a better version of myself. When I came to Outsource, I was a shy person who did not like public speaking. Outsource challenged me to overcome my fears by promoting me to a leadership position where I had no choice but to win. I can proudly say I am a bold, confident and more outspoken person and there is no longer ‘can’t do it in my dictionary. How do you hope your team perceives you, and why is that important to you? I would describe my leadership style as democratic, as I want my direct reports to be carried along in decision-making because most times they will be executing or implementing the actions. This is also to empower them so they can start making some of their own decisions for the team. I came up through the ranks; I know what it feels like to be in each position, so I try to picture myself in their shoes, and this helps me better communicate with the team. What are you most proud of accomplishing in your position? Well, it’s really hard to manage people, so I look at being a successful manager as an accomplishment. I’ve been in this current operations manager role for about three years and it’s been one of the most difficult things. What I’ve noticed is that a lot of people will want that promotion, but they don’t want to do the work. Trying to get to do the necessary work has been really challenging for me because I don’t  want to be that type of leader where I’m like ‘Just Do It ‘ and expect  it to get done. I really have one of the best teams, but when I’m looking at all of the supervisors and all of the people that report to me, I realize it was a lot of hard work. You’re dealing with different people, with different backgrounds, and you have to get them to be able to effectively do their jobs. So, I manage people to be able to manage other people, to manage other people, to get the front-liners to do what they’re doing. What do you see for yourself at OTGL over the next five years? and where do you see the company? In the next 5 years, I see myself as the Chief Operations Officer, COO. In addition to that, I plan to start up an NGO to reach out to less privileged women and youth by creating job opportunities for them. At the rate Outsource is going, in the next 5 years, I see us being more internationally recognized for having a diverse portfolio of clients. I see us employing over 6000 staff in different locations across Nigeria. The company is doing well so far, and we can achieve our goal of being the number 1 outsourcing destination in Africa. What’s the best advice you can give to someone who just started at Outsource? I would say the same thing I tell those

Outsource Origins: The Virtue of Patience

Having learned the value of not giving up, Amal started Outsource four times in a span of eight years. Moving to a new office in Kaduna, she picked up without resting her oars despite investors pulling out from her enterprise at the final stages of the launch.

Founder Institute Mentors Abuja Virtual 2022

Founder Institute Mentors join weekly feedback sessions and host office hours. They provide you feedback every step of the way. In addition, through Equity Collective, Mentors are invested in the success of your company both during and after the program. See the list of current and past mentors for the Abuja program below. Originally published by Founders Institute.

Amal Hassan Wins inaugural International Women’s Day Award 2022

Founder/CEO Outsource Global, Amal Hassan won the inaugural International Women’s Day Award 2022 at the #IWDNaija Gala in Lagos. Amal, who was nominated in the Private Sector category, was selected alongside Managing Director Procter & Gambles, Mokutima Ajileye, and Guinness Nigeria Breweries Company. She was recognized for her outstanding contributions in championing women’s political and socio-economic empowerment in the Nigerian Private Sector. The Awards Gala was organized by the British High Commission, the European Union Delegations and the Embassies of France, Germany, and the United States of America in partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). These awards recognized achievements by women and institutions across political leadership and governance categories, Private Sector, Arts and Culture, Media and Entertainment, Civil Society, and many more. The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day celebration is “Break the Bias” and it encourages political decision-makers to ensure adequate space is created for women in politics and to advance women’s socio-economic empowerment. Women deserve to be celebrated for their extraordinary contributions to society, remarkable triumphs, and unmatched fearlessness. Women aim to promote gender equality in leadership, increase women’s economic resilience, and drive inclusion in peace and security in Nigeria. Amal Hassan was described as a champion who has empowered numerous women and youths through employment and the promotion of gender equality in Nigeria. The Inaugural International Women’s Day Awards Gala 2022 is an event that celebrates and recognizes champions in promoting women’s leadership and gender equality in Nigeria while inspiring accelerated action in fulfilling this goal. Outsource Global, a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company was birthed by Amal’s vision to provide job opportunities to women and improve their welfare with over 50% inclusion in the workplace. This has become a reality as her company employs over 1000 people with a greater percentage of women.

5 Ways in Which Nigeria can Alleviate the Global Tech Shortage

The global digital skills gap has hit an inflection point, where demand for IT talent is outpacing an already short supply. In 2020, 78% of global IT leaders have indicated that their organizations are suffering from a digital skills gap – a 145% increase since 2016. Almost US$11,5 trillion in cumulative GDP growth will be lost among 14 G20 countries. In a digital-first world, these are alarming statistics. Originally published by GBS WORLD

Evolving Trends in Legal Process Outsourcing Services

An industry that is reaching a point of maturity, Alternative Legal Services (ALS) plays an important and growing role in the global legal sector. According to the 2021 Thomson Reuters Institute Alternative Legal Service Providers Report, the global ALS market is valued at US$14 billion and is shifting from merely providing a cost-saving proposition to being a valuable partner for legal expertise and tech-enabled solutions for global law firms and corporates. Originally published by GBS WORLD

Kano Women Entrepreneurs Are Bridging Gaps

The conference was held in Kano and brought together women in businesses to share their stories. They shared practical advice to help and inspire other women entrepreneurs as well as start-ups. They encouraged them to take their dreams with compassion and pride. Some of the Speakers are Hajiya Amal Hassan, CEO of Outsource Global; Zainab Buba Galadima, a grassroot politician; Hauwa Bako, CEO HB Green Acres Farm & Agro Allied Ltd; Hajara Masaga, Founder of The Airmingle; Dr Amina Sambo Magaji from Digital Economy, NITDA, as well as Mr Abubakar Suleiman, MD/CEO of Sterling Bank Plc. Originally published by Daily Trust

Secretary Antony J. Blinken at the Innovation Exhibition

Listen, it’s particularly a pleasure for me to be here this afternoon.  Two things really struck me when I was last in Nigeria a few years ago. One, was the incredibly vibrant civil society that we see in this country. I had an opportunity to talk to some of its leaders just a short while ago. But the other thing that really struck me the last time I was here was a remarkable spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. This is something that I had some experience in seeing when I was here. I was really eager to come here. I wanted to in a sense, see where things are – both to see some of the incredible innovative work that’s been done, but also to try and understand what the environment is like for innovation and entrepreneurship. And how that can be made even better going forward.  Originally published by U.S. Mission Nigeria

NIGERIA RANKS TOP 5 OUTSOURCING DESTINATIONS IN AFRICA

Nigeria is one of the top 5 business process outsourcing (BPO) destinations in Africa. The country is only behind South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. Nigeria commands $285.8 million of the combined African domestic and international global business services (GBS) sub-sector; estimated at $15.1 billion. It is also expected to grow to $19.8 billion by 2023. The country is Africa’s largest economy by GDP ($448 Billion). Nigeria’s well-established ICT sector lays an excellent foundation for developing the country’s GBS/BPO sector. It is currently the largest on the continent. Business process outsourcing (BPO) employs about 16, 540 people in Nigeria alone. Read more: https://guardian.ng/technology/nigerias-outsourcing-sub-sector-worth-285-8m-employs-16540/

Poised for Growth: Nigeria’s Burgeoning BPO and Customer Experience Industry

Nigeria is quickly emerging as an ideal location for the delivery of business processes. It provides customer experience and contact center outsourced services to the global and domestic markets. The country is noted for being Africa’s largest economy. It has a heavy reliance on natural resources, especially the export of oil. Therefore, there is a need to diversify the economy and capitalize on opportunities in the business process outsourcing (BPO) and customer experience (CX) industry. The size of the BPO/CX businesses is relatively small, most of which employ 51 to 100 call/contact center agents. This indicates the developing stages of Nigeria’s outsourcing and offshoring market. However, there are larger service providers with 800 to 1000 frontline, specialist, and back-office agents. Companies such as Outsource Global, which is, servicing markets such as Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. Read More

Poised for Growth: Nigeria’s Burgeoning BPO and Customer Experience Industry

Nigeria is quickly emerging as an ideal location for the delivery of outsourced services to the global and domestic markets. Services such as business processes, customer experience and contact center. Noted for being Africa’s largest economy, the country has a heavy reliance on natural resources, especially the export of oil. Therefore, there is a need to diversify the economy and capitalize on opportunities in the business process outsourcing (BPO) and customer experience (CX) industry. Originally published by GBS WORLD

OUTSOURCE GLOBAL Celebrates 5TH anniversary, reiterates commitment to operational expansion and service excellence.

Africa’s Premier Outsourcing Growth Partner, Outsource Global recently celebrated 5 years of building strategic partnerships with companies worldwide, tremendous socio-economic impact and exponential growth. According to the National Bureau of Statistics 2020, about 21 million Nigerians are presently unemployed, inclusive of recent graduates, and Outsource Global is focused on empowering women and youth, mainly through the creation of jobs and harnessing their creative potentials. Today, Outsource Global has created over 1000 direct graduate jobs for customer care executives, sales, marketing, tech, accounting, legal practitioners and Healthcare professionals serving the global market. Most companies are now considering business process outsourcing as part of their business strategy, which helps them focus on their core competencies, ultimately leading to revenue growth. As a result, the global business process outsourcing (BPO) market size valued at USD 195.2 billion in 2017 is expected to reach USD 343.2 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 7.4%. (Grand View Research) Within 5 years Outsource Global has become the clear market leader in Nigeria, with a dominant continental brand. We are experiencing a gradual shift from more established destinations like India and the Philippines as we advance boldly towards our vision of making Nigeria the premier outsourcing destination in the world. Speaking at the 5-year anniversary event, Founder and CEO of Outsource Global, Amal Hassan, remarked: “We have achieved the milestone of 5 years through the dedication of our employees, well supported by our partners, clients and customers creating a brand of authenticity with the goal to make Nigeria the Premier Outsourcing destination.” She further remarked that “Outsource Global goes beyond serving the clients in terms of customer service and telemarketing, to providing professional services and knowledge processes spanning legal, accounting, medical, software development and allied services. The company is focused on changing the business model from a traditional vendor-client relationship to partnerships where success is jointly determined by the impact we make on the client’s bottom line .” Outsource Global is fast growing Nigeria’s image internationally as the preferred outsourcing destination and ICT business hub by developing a globally competitive information technology-enabled services sector. The Group Chairman, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida acknowledged the impacts, a remarkable feat achieved by the company and Amal Hassan being the face of the company globally. In his speech, “Outsource Global is creating social impact across communities ……” Also speaking at the event, Group CEO of BlueTag Group, Uzo Eziukwu, expressed his optimism at the growth and impact of Outsource Global on employment, job creation and its relation to the indomitable spirit of the Group. The company at the award night recognized and appreciated employees for their commitment, loyalty, exceptional service and invaluable contribution to the growth of Africa’s premier outsourcing growth partner over the past years. As Outsource Global celebrates and enjoys this milestone, the company is laser-focused on building more partnerships with companies worldwide to positively impact the global business services and foster exponential growth. Amal Hassan revealed the next 5 years road map of Outsource Global which include establishing US operations in Delaware, opening near-shore international offices (including Spanish based offices) and increasing the employee base to five thousand.

The Road Map: Outsource Global’s 5 Years Timeline

In 2016, Outsource Global Technologies Limited began an ambitious journey. Jul 2018, Amal Hassan Founder/CEO Outsource Global was named among 16 women business leaders who made it to the 2018 Fortune-US Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership. Nov 2018, Outsource Global engages world leaders at the UN General Assembly on ways to expand employment opportunities for African Youth In 2018, Outsource Global positioned the company as a leading business and knowledge process outsourcing services provider in the region. Receiving the Innovative Contact Centre and BPO Operator of the Year at the prestigious 2018 Nigeria Technology Awards. In early 2019, Outsource Global expanded its geographic footprint to the UK. In an announcement by the company, following participation at the B2B Sales Innovation Expo in London. This expansion strengthened our footprint and reinforced the drive towards growing our global market presence. May 2019, Staff recognized as one of the Top 20 Employees in Nigeria. Over the years, Outsource Global has created a culture of togetherness and discipline and at the annual TAMS Summit, one of their employees was recognized as one of the top 20 employees in Nigeria for her commitment, dedication, productivity and dedication. Jul 2019, Outsource Global won Service Exporting Company of the Year. 2018 saw Outsource Global officially established as Nigeria’s premier business process outsourcing company. The previous year award only spurred the Company towards winning the Service Exporting Company of the Year Award. The award was presented during the Nigeria Exports Awards supported by the Ministry of Communications, Nigerian Communication Commission, and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) amongst others. Also in July 2019, The Company Extended BPO services to Japan. In the CEO’s statement “We embarked on a strategic expansion that not only allows us to serve the Japanese market, but an entry point for us to provide a full range of outsourced services to the Asian market.” November 2020 saw Outsource Global Extend its services to key players in Silicon Valley, USA. Since operations, the company has traditionally served mainstream clients in financial services, legal, social advocacy, consultancy and healthcare within the US and UK markets. Hence, Outsource took their partnerships a step further to have a working agreement with Business Reactors to introduce their services to key players in Silicon Valley. The year ended with Outsource Global partnering with Qwasar to Launch Software Development Department. Amal Hassan stated that “In one of the roughest years of the decade, we partnered with Qwasar, a global leader in tech talent training to launch a pilot 3-month training program for 10 young developers in full-stack development to Silicon Valley standards.” March 2021 saw Outsource Global Win 2021 Service Exporting Award, Outsource Global won the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Service Export Sector at the NPNEN Annual Non-Oil Export Conference, Exhibition and Awards 2021. Outsource Global only needed 5 years to build partnerships with companies worldwide to positively impact the global business services and foster exponential growth. The Company has created over 1000 direct graduate jobs, with over 50% being females, in an economy where the girl child needs significant support. Today, Outsource Global is the first ISO certified commercial delivery center in West Africa, and the first Nigerian international contact center serving the US, Africa, UK and Japan markets.