Absa became the first investor in the Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) sector to locate in the Coega IDZ, ahead of international companies in talks with the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) for prime space in the massive BPO Park planned for Coega.

"The project came at the right time when we were making a concerted effort to attract companies in the BPO sector", said CDC Business Development Executive Khwezi Tiya.

"Our solutions-driven approach to servicing potential investors was key to bringing the project to finality. We are proud to have convinced Absa to locate the project here for maximum benefit. From the outset we expected positive to excellent results from this project and our value proposition has been proven correct," added Tiya.

Head of the Absa Contact Centre, Andy Rigg, is pleased that the success of the project confirmed the bank's strategy of combining business with social imperatives.  "The results are very exciting and we are not surprised because that is what you get when like-minded people gather in pursuit of a common objective," said Rigg, referring to the Bank's partnership with the CDC.

The Absa Contact Centre at Coega started in January this year as a proof of concept.

The outbound facility currently employs 105 people, mostly from nearby townships of Motherwell, Zwide, Kwazekhele and New Brighton.  The majority of these residents were previously unemployed or had very little work experience.  

The initiative was aimed at doing business in a responsible way that enables people to uplift themselves through employment and business opportunities. The key focus was on affording work experience to unemployed individuals. 

"This project delivers hugely on customer-centricity as well.  The operation enhances Absa's offerings by using a skills profile that customers can relate to with regards to language, accessibility, maturity and excellent service standards," states Rigg.

Although configured to provide an end-to-end service to customers needing short term lending products, the Contact Centre is geared towards making a positive social impact in the economically depressed areas of the Eastern Cape.

The close proximity of the project to the said townships ensured more economic benefits to the region and local infrastructure and skills base in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality was utilized to the fullest.  There was also a good degree of knowledge and skills transfer to support and uplift the local business community," said Rigg.

The CDC provided all the necessary services to make the location viable for the call centre. These services range from human capital to world class ICT facilities, all key to the success of a call centre.