Availacall has established the first commercial contact centre on Malta; the only other one was set up by the telecoms arm of the Government.
Malta’s benefits are considerable, in terms of technology, culture, language and costs, while the case for outsourcing call centre and contact centre operations to India looks increasingly weak.
Considerable investment has been made into call centre information technology since the 1990s, resulting in a well-educated population, high internet penetration and an excellent fibre-optic cable network. The infrastructure for telecommunications is first-class.
Malta’s climate, scenery, history, people and lifestyle mark it out as a marvellous place to work or visit. Its unique culture is an outcome of the many different countries that have fought for its control. Modern-day islanders are all fluent in both Maltese and English, and many in Italian; and Maltese is understood by Arabic speakers. The communications strengths are clear: the possibilities are significant.
Despite its Mediterranean location and Government commitment to investment, Malta’s cost-of-living is remarkably low. Wages are correspondingly small. The effects of early retirement and an ageing population have led to declining numbers in the full-time jobs market. However, part-time employment demands have increased significantly, with increasing participation of young women in particular (EEO, 2004). Availacall has therefore found a large pool of well-educated, motivated people seeking employment at economic rates, and expansion with quality is assured.
Our call centre costs are therefore competitive when compared to Indian call centres and contact centres. The Indian bubble seems about to burst, with excessive staff turnover, increasing wage costs, and continuing problems experienced by callers. Movement of call centre operations elsewhere is taking place – China, the Philippines, Eastern Europe and South America can all offer very cheap labour costs; but value is not just about cost.
Availacall pursues low operating costs, but that’s only one of the factors in Malta’s favour. We must deliver an excellent call centre service for our clients and their customers – we won’t gamble with call quality. Malta is helping us to do the job well. |
