A new R200-million custom-built call centre for 2 500 employees has been launched in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, by Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies.

CCI Call Centres, a beneficiary of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI’s) South African Business Process Services (BPS) incentive programme, offered contact centre services such as customer service interactions both inbound and outbound to a number of English-speaking companies offshore, including UK-based Talk Talk and Carphone Warehouse and Australia-based IAG Insurance, Coles and Simply Energy.

“The support from the South African government through the BPS incentive has made the South African value proposition cost competitive when bidding for international contracts against other offshore destinations such as the Philippines,” said CCI MD Mark Chana.

CCI established its South Africa-based operations ten years ago and had steadily grown its operations from 50 seats to over 3 000 seats operating from Umhlanga.

The new custom-built offices had the potential of scaling to absorb another 2 500 employees.

CCI had also previously participated in the Monyetla Work Readiness Programme, which prepared previously unemployed persons under the age of 35 for the workplace through training and development.