Outbound Call Center Featured Article

Caleris: Demand for Technical BPO Agents Rises

By Rajani Baburajan
TMCnet Contributor

The digital age of technology products and online services will double the demand for BPO agents over the next decade, according to research conducted by Caleris, a business process outsourcing (BPO) provider.

This is because the usage of electronics and online services by consumers and organizations is causing tremendous demand for skilled BPO agents. BPO agents, who are technically skilled and can solve complex issues posed by users of electronics and technologies, will enjoy more demand over the next 10 years, according to Caleris.  

Caleris employs nearly 350 BPO agents in its three rural Midwest locations.

“Electronics and online services may be making our lives easier, but they're also making it harder when they don't operate correctly and require customer support to remedy the situation,” said Rick Grewell, co-founder of Caleris, in a statement.

“Over the next ten years the BPO industry will nearly double the amount of its workforce to handle the growing tide of electronics and technologies that will require technically minded individuals to help support customers of those items,” Grewell added.

The low cost of offshore hiring for Level 1 tech support jobs, and the significant growth in use of self-help portals, will boost demand for Level 2 support positions as well. Caleris specializes in Level 2 support jobs.

The increase in online games and services, along with an increase in electronic hardware and software as a service, is resulting in an increase in the need for Level 2 support. These factors combined will double the number of Level 2 support in the next 10 years, the research said.

Caleris has found that around 75 percent of US multinational companies use BPO services to support their businesses. 78 percent of European and US companies plan to use outsourcing services to enhance their business in the future.

According to a recent IDC report, the US BPO market is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.3 percent, reaching $85.2 billion by 2015.