Despite reports of Itel’s plans to shut down its call center operations in Guyana, the government remains optimistic about the future of the country’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, as the sector continues to attract new and substantial players.
Responding to news of Itel’s closure, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and Head of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST) Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, has assured that the sector’s overall health remains robust, so much so that the government is even focusing on a shift from traditional call centre services to more sophisticated back office processing operations.
This transition aligns with the government’s strategy to move towards higher-value services that demand more specialised skills.
“We want our people to have higher skilled jobs, not just answering the phones. These are more jobs that require higher levels of qualifications. Even with Itel pulling out we know that the industry, with the back office processing is expanding. Just answering phones is okay but we’re not just interested in that, we’re interested in our people having higher skilled jobs. We’re looking at the higher end operators and we’re getting them,” Dr. Ramsaroop noted.
The revelations of Itel’s plans to shut up shop has caught Guyanese off guard given the country’s expanding BPO sector. Just earlier this year, leading authority on global digital services, Nearshore Americas ranked Guyana in the top 10 BPO value destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean for 2024. Guyana’s leading BPO operator, Teleperformance also expanded its operations and is even currently on a hiring drive.
“This is not an issue. We have other operators who are very interested in Guyana, and we have new operators taking over the centres,” Dr. Ramsaroop noted.
“Teleperformance just expanded in Guyana. Why would they be expanding in Guyana if the industry wasn’t ready for it? We’re looking at the higher end operators and we’re getting them.”
New call centre operations also commenced earlier this year in Tuschen on the East Bank Essequibo, while another operation in Enmore on the East Coast Demerara is set to be opened shortly.
According to Dr. Ramsaroop, incoming call centre operators are continuously hiring, so he would even encourage the Itel employees to seek work at one of the other BPO operators.
“They are looking for another 50 people at the Tuschen operations right now, and Enmore is about to go operational. We have just opened the Tuschen centre. We have over 100 people working there, we’re about to open the Enmore centre which is also going to cater for over 100 persons. We are moving rapidly into the market,” Dr. Ramsaroop said.
The government is also investing in new call centres in Regions Two, Five and Six, and has even already begun engaging with investors interested in running these upcoming operations.
Dr. Ramsaroop noted that while individual companies may come and go, the sector’s overall trajectory remains positive and forward-looking as the government continues to be proactive in nurturing a diverse and skilled BPO workforce.
According to news reports, customer care centre operator, Itel, on Tuesday informed employees that the company would be closing down its Guyana operations in a phased manner. The move comes four years after the Jamaican call center firm opened its doors here.
According to news reports, an internal message sent to employees noted that the company’s Guyana operations are no longer sustainable, with the company facing ongoing challenges despite the country’s continued economic growth. The company cited escalating expenses and difficulties in retaining qualified candidates and high-profile clients as the primary reasons for its closure.
Reports suggest that some 400 employees will be affected.
