Analysis: Reporting and Expertise for Digital Decision-Makers
Don’t let a rocky US economy or the shock and awfulness of a global pandemic fool you, 2020 is turning out to be the year when global contact center organizations brought the concept… Read More »
Successful technology firms have been using agile methodologies to streamline and energize their processes for the past two decades. Overall, these firms are engaging in a worthwhile endeavor. The latest Standish Group Chaos… Read More »
Clients need solutions. Aside from the obvious economic gap that Covid-19 created between growing technology needs and descending cash flow within companies, most businesses are still asking for different ways to involve digital… Read More »
Internet giants like Google and Facebook have taken a leading role in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and that is down to one thing: data. Owing to their billions of daily active… Read More »
The artificial intelligence revolution has arrived. McKinsey estimates the global impact of AI will deliver the equivalent of an additional $13 trillion into world economies by 2030. PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts an additional $15.7 trillion… Read More »
When it comes to attracting talented staff and robust international investment in an increasingly competitive environment, quality of life can play a major role. According to the OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness, quality… Read More »
In recent years, executives across the Nearshore region have turned to agile methodologies to improve their business outcomes, and that trend has accelerated even further during the era of Covid-19. But with so… Read More »
A growing body of research demonstrates that great UX designers have a positive impact on customer satisfaction and profitability. Last year, data collected by the software developer UserZoom revealed that 70% of enterprise… Read More »
Early debates about work-from-home (WFH) tended to focus on the practical implications: the missed deadlines, the patchy internet infrastructure and the complex new hiring processes. But four months into the WFH transformation, the… Read More »
Running a pro basketball team and a top software development firm are very similar endeavors, says Darwin Romero, co-founder of Applaudo Studios, a tech company headquartered in El Salvador. Romero first noticed the… Read More »
Nearshore businesses with operations in Central America have been doing their best to protect workers amid the ongoing spike in Covid-19 cases across the region. Each country has responded to the pandemic is… Read More »
Businesses in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo León appear to have handled the pandemic reasonably well, compared to other parts of Latin America. The capital city, Monterrey, has proved resilient, even as… Read More »
Business process outsourcing (BPO) operators in the Caribbean are preparing for growth, while some are already in expansion mode, industry insiders revealed to Nearshore Americas. The outlook is positive for the global services… Read More »
If you’re keeping a list of exciting new Nearshore destinations, we recommend placing Villa Nueva, Guatemala at the top. The basis for this recommendation, and why Villa Nueva is unlike many newly emerging… Read More »
The InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) and Microsoft have cemented a new partnership with the InvestmentMap – a landmark initiative which aims to reduce corruption in the Latin American region. With spending at an all-time… Read More »
Entrepreneurs and investors looking to service Brazil will need to closely analyze where they source Portuguese language support. Not surprisingly, the most affordable options are found outside Latin America’s most populous country –… Read More »
The quest for well-educated, English-speaking talent is one of the most significant factors when deciding on BPO destinations. Trinidad and Tobago was highlighted as having “one of the largest pools of English-speaking talent… Read More »
For André Ferreira, a move to Canada was all about finding peace of mind. The Portuguese software engineer had been living in the United States since 2016. But with his visa expiring and… Read More »
While the value proposition of a global services provider is greater than ever before, changing economic conditions mean first time outsourcing buyers need to be even more vigilant in evaluating potential partnerships. “Buyers… Read More »
Blanca Treviño is not afraid of change. In the late 1970’s she was studying Administrative Computing Systems in Mexico – several years before personal computers hit the market. After becoming President and CEO… Read More »
Contact center outsourcing clients want guaranteed business continuity and security that is out of reach for BPO providers that are either pure-play brick-and-mortar or work-from-home (WFH) providers. The only real solution is the… Read More »
Champion-challenger outsourcing involves multiple contact center providers competing for future work. Although that can lead to companies collaborating with the best known partners, it has also opened the door for intreprid and innovative… Read More »
As global services executives adjust to meet new demands and markets, they are more enthusiastic than ever about leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their business processes. But Chip Wagner, the CEO of ISG… Read More »
Industry experts argue that new immigration restrictions in the United States will not benefit jobseekers and could ultimately create opportunities for Latin American technology talent. Last month, President Donald Trump issued an executive… Read More »
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, customer experience leaders are trying to adapt – on the fly – to changes in customer behavior. On their radar for several years now have been chatbots – robots… Read More »
For many knowledge-services organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean, recruiting during the era of Covid-19 means taking a leap in the dark. However, there are many systems available to assist in the… Read More »
Nearshore contact centers with work-from-home (WFH) capabilities are more reliable than ever, giving brands the opportunity to protect their business continuity strategies well into the future. While WFH has been an option for… Read More »
Puerto Rico is making the most of Covid-19’s disruptive force by staying laser focused on feeding the development of a tech-services industry that has, for the longest time, been rich with potential but… Read More »
In recent weeks, confirmed coronavirus cases have surged across Latin America, leaving existing healthcare deficiencies and economic vulnerabilities exposed. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) described the region as the new… Read More »
With its stable infrastructure, diverse and educated talent pool and excellent geographic location, Trinidad and Tobago has emerged as a serious contender in supporting the work-from-home (WFH) model for BPO. In a post-Covid… Read More »
Business process outsourcers are interpreting a labyrinth of new government regulations, across an assortment of geographies, as they come to grips with a rapidly-changing playing field. As challenging as work-from-home (WFH) has proven… Read More »
Nearshore America’s has added four new employees in a move driven to align with the recent upswing in global IT and BPO interest and activity, targeting Latin America and Caribbean. Stephen Woodman, a… Read More »
Business travel across the Americas has come to near standstill in the context of the coronavirus crisis. Lockdowns and mobility restrictions have kept employees grounded, with 96 percent of companies reporting that they… Read More »
Though the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a frenzied panic for businesses across Latin America – and the world – stakeholders in Bogotá’s outsourcing industry are brimming with optimism that the industry could come… Read More »
The economic pain that the pandemic is delivering to the global economy is having all sorts of ripple effects. One of them is the sudden prospect of major corporate customers selling off captive… Read More »
The norm across Latin America has been lockdowns, curfews, and mandatory quarantines to deal with the disruptions of COVID-19. Costa Rica has followed a different approach. Despite the lack of mandatory quarantines or… Read More »
Ignacio de La Vega is optimistic about the future. As a dean and professor at Mexico’s Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), he believes the prestigious college has already laid the groundwork for the… Read More »
Sure, big hiring bonuses are alluring, fair and reliable paychecks are a necessity as is a safe work environment, but what else are contact center agents really looking for from their employer? In… Read More »
As competition increases in the Nearshore software development sector, countries will need to demonstrate how they provide additional value to the ecosystem and stand out from the crowd. The core selling points of… Read More »
The best premise in UX is creating apps that you would NOT be too lazy to use. How many times have you automatically pressed that “Skip” or “X” button even before reading what… Read More »
Developing an ethos of innovation as part of company culture in the context of a BPO can be a tricky goal. For many organizations, the focus is on a top-down strategic innovation approach… Read More »
The evolution of the BPO industry is being shaped by the cloud, with smaller, nimbler start-ups taking advantage of the lower barriers to entry that the cloud offers. While the last few years… Read More »
Thanks to the efforts of private companies and growing interest from its national government, Bolivia is showing increasingly positive signs of becoming a contender in the Nearshore software development market. With a population… Read More »
In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for nearshore providers to offer back-office support. At times, a client will first engage with traditional client-facing BPO before moving up the value chain.… Read More »
As larger BPO organizations continue to swallow up small and medium-sized BPO providers, the need for agile midmarket BPOs becomes ever more vital. In just four years, there has been a significant turn… Read More »
It’s no secret that software developers have become key assets to practically every industry in the world. This has led to a wider pool of opportunities for these professionals, which can make finding… Read More »
Have you ever called into a customer service line and known you were talking to someone 3,000 miles away? That distance is about more than physical separation; it can mean an inability to… Read More »
Latin America’s IT ecosystem is on the rise. Although no country in the region ranks among the world’s top 50 nations in innovation, some nations have done their homework on skilled labor training and continue to make important strides in fueling development of the lifeblood of the digital economy: Brain Power.
Honduras’s second-largest city, San Pedro Sula, has a lot to offer the BPO industry, with the city’s civic and business leaders working hard to make the location appealing to providers. “San Pedro Sula’s… Read More »
The level of compliance that companies meet when hiring job applicants and suppliers, especially when it comes to data protection and fraud prevention, is a critical differentiator for nearshore outsourcing. For companies that… Read More »
Central America’s most popular outsourcing destination has always been an attractive choice for businesses: close proximity to the U.S., no trouble finding agents with excellent English skills, educational standards higher than average for… Read More »
For nearshore providers, many factors go into country selection, with labor availability and quality being among the most critical. Both these factors are present in Honduras, which has a population of about 9.3… Read More »
Latin America’s innovation potential continues to be largely untapped as many countries in the region spend, comparatively, the least amount of money on education and research and development (R&D) activities, a report shows.… Read More »
Brazil’s new data protection regulation will come into force in August 2020. The General Data Protection Law (LGPD in Portuguese), which adopts best practices on transparency, legal certainty and efficiency, will make a… Read More »
Choosing the Caribbean to engage third parties for services and support often makes a lot of sense. The region is a great option because of inherent cultural similarities, wide availability of native English… Read More »
For Spanish contact center giant Atento, dominance in Spanish-speaking markets has come naturally – but gaining market share in the United States has been an entirely different game. “Atento hasn’t paid enough attention… Read More »
The alignment of business culture is a critical component for the success of any outsourcing engagement. As clients look around the world for an ideal fit, they can face cultural challenges that affect… Read More »
In is not an overstatement to say that the future of software delivery from Latin America rests on the ability of development teams to generate solutions that answer the demand for digital innovation.… Read More »
El Salvador was one of the first outsourcing destinations that would spring to mind in the BPO world back in the day – but how does it fare in 2019? “It’s not as… Read More »
Jamaica’s investment and trade promotions agency, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro), is looking to establish higher-end jobs in the knowledge-services industry and there is growing recognition that such an undertaking will required sustained commitment… Read More »
Colombia’s former conflict zones were a subject of significant focus during last week’s 2019 Investment Summit in Bogotá, which in addition to hosting President Iván Duque Márquez, brought new attention to the country’s… Read More »
In the results-driven world of BPO, employee happiness often seems to be in conflict with the notion of exceptional delivery for customers, but the reality is that these two aspects are not really… Read More »
Nicaragua went through some of its worst political turmoil in 40 years in 2018 when street protesters clashed with police. It hit BPOs hard. But now things are better than ever, CEOs tell Nearshore Americas.
Hiring software developers in a competitive market can be a difficult task. Nearshore Americas spoke to a number of experts to see what really is important when contracting in 2019.
Companies outsourcing may come across difficulties with the culture of background checks in Latin America. Here are some of those common challenges.
Nearshore Americas spoke with a number of experts to see if the Dominican Republic has still got it when it comes to BPO outsourcing – and what the U.S.’s tough immigration policy means for the island.
Brazil faces a shortage of IT professionals. But it’s not all doom and gloom – there are a number of things that can be done.
Software teams need to keep in contact more so than ever now when working on projects for big clients. What are the top tools they are using and how well do they fare?
This tiny Caribbean island which is part of the Netherlands is known for its beaches and oil refining operations. Could BPO outsourcing be the next big thing to arrive on its shores?
The development of Artificial Intelligence in Costa Rica is fast on the rise. What does this mean for the popular Nearshoring nation?
A big loan from the IDB and a number of success stories: the small wine-producing city of Mendoza is the talk of the town. But what else has this city got that other, bigger cities in Argentina haven’t?
Nearshore Americas spoke to call center workers – many who have never left the country – who got to grips with English alone and by listening to music.
Nearshore Americas took a look at how the U.S. State Department measures security in Latin American and Caribbean nations.
The money is 6.5 % more than what was allocated to the sector in 2019, according to Marivel Solís Barrera, President of the Congressional Committee on Science and Technology.
The fast-growing software solutions company is eying up other opportunities after rapid growth.
Panama this year elected a new President. Is English still on the agenda, as it was with the previous government? And how does the country fare in terms of English speakers generally?
But why Jamaica? What has an island that has long been seen as just a BPO destination rather than having lots of potential to outsource IT got for such a bold plan?
IT and software development giant Globant had humble beginnings in a Buenos Aires bar. It now has a reach as far as India. Here is how the company got started.
Industry veteran Steve Di Tirro believes that automation can play a critical role in customer support and experience, particularly if a company has known issues that have known resolutions. Nearshore Americas sat down to talk to him about language support, automation and the augmented experience.
The acquisition of the BPO unit will see them massively expand their presence in Colombia, where they will focus on expanding their portfolio – specifically managing information for major players in the financial services industry.
Nearshore Americas spoke to a number of experts to assess the mood surrounding Mexico’s new president and what it means for IT and BPO outsourcing in Latin America’s second largest economy.
Nearshore Americas sat down with TaskUs’ new VP of Operations in Latin America, Porfirio Diaz, to discuss his vision for TaskUs in LatAm, how the company is approaching expansion and the challenges of bringing the TaskUs culture to Mexico.
Tijuana, Mexico offers a number languages, including Portuguese and Mandarin, as a nearshore location because of the large number of immigrants. GGA Solutions looks at the depth of language capabilities in Tijuana.
Tony Saldanha, author and President of Transformant, believes that digital transformation is a great opportunity for the nearshore, but more needs to be done to position the nearshore in this way.
Impact sourcing is growing in many parts of the world, including Latin America and the Caribbean, and it is moving families and communities from poverty into the middle class. NSAM spoke to Samasource and Alorica about what’s happening and what still needs to be done.
Employers that operate in several countries, with a mobile workforce, need to apply global background screening standards for both their direct and contracted or outsourced employees. MultiLatin’s David Robillard explains the importance of localizing that process and the criteria to getting it right.
At present, only 17% of IT jobs in Colombia are occupied by women, yet the industry represents an impressive opportunity: in 2019, the 1,800 software development companies in Colombia are expected to add 39,000 jobs related to software development and programming, reaching a total of 351,000.
UruIT looks at what goes in to a product discovery phase and how customers can work with their nearshore partner to ensure this is successful, using eight simple steps.
Tijuana has an untapped developer resource that, historically, has been overshadowed somewhat by the city’s BPO industry, which boasts a workforce of about 13,000.
In addition to ensuring there is adequate English language skills in each country, OneLink BPO CEO Eduardo Salazar believes there is a need for greater flexibility in labor laws to allow for hiring hourly employees.
The Co-Manage model, designed by Colombian tech company, NativApps, allows companies to build, run and transfer white-label operations in the country.
Remote-first companies are organizations that were built under a specific mindset: work can be done from anywhere in the world and a 9 to 5 culture isn’t necessary to grow a successful business, promote collaboration, independence and a healthy work-life balance.
A nearshore services provider with more than 10 years’ experience in Foonkie Monkey leading Latin American teams offers his perspectives on taking a team to the next level.
Colombia is going deep as an internationally-recognized benchmark for creative and cultural Industries, and especially in tech-enabled sectors.
Increasing numbers of US developers are outsourcing machine learning, UX/UI design and discovery phase to the region.
Foonkie Monkey’s co-founder and CSO Camilo Paez looks at why nearshore outsourcers should ensure there is shared responsibility between the client and the outsourcer to ensure on-time, on-budget success.
Scalability, technology selection and managing team growth were core drivers for online IT training platform CBT Nuggets’ choice to move to microservices. In our webinar on microservices, CTO Sean Sullivan and Tiempo Development’s Mike Hahn and Angel Almada explained how to deploy microservices and reap the benefits.
Tiempo development’s COO Mike Hahn talks how to get the best out of microservices by aligning team structure, tools, and processes. For more on microservices and getting it right for your organization sign up for the webinar on April 3.
In this second of a two-part focus on how to make microservices really work for your organization, Tiempo development’s COO Mike Hahn talks best practices and how to develop a plan for deploying microservices. For more on microservices and getting it right for your organization sign up for the webinar on April 3.
In this first of a two-part focus on how to make microservices really work for your organization, Tiempo development’s COO Mike Hahn examines the decoupling process and looks at identifying pain points. For more on microservices and getting it right for your organization sign up for the webinar on April 3.
In the lead up to Nearshore Americas’s special webinar presentation on April 3rd at 2pm EDT, Mike Hahn, one of the webinar panel members, explores what you need to know about microservices and getting it right for your organisation in this series.
While microservices can offer significant benefits over monolithic and service-oriented architecture, it is not right for every situation. A thorough analysis of the organization’s needs as well as an examination of whether or not the application is a good fit is warranted.
Microservices has suffered from a reputation problem, partially as a result of the failure of implementation of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Tiempo Development COO Mike Hahn clears up the confusion and looks at how microservices differs from SOA.
Robotic process automation can yield dividends not only for large corporates but also for mid-market organizations.
The momentum of Colombia’s IT and digital content industries as a Latin American contender on the global stage has been building for some time.
The India IT offshoring model has been under stress for several years, but what are the real factors leading to Nearshore being a better alternative?
For Nearshore companies that want to establish teams in Mexico, it’s vital to accommodate the needs of Mexican workers on these special days.
The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) offers practical advice on launching new operations in Guyana, considering factors like talent development, customer training, and local perception.
Kevin Fox, EVP at Novopayment, breaks down why the payments and financial services sectors offer notable opportunities for more advanced API practices, especially in the Americas.
As digital marketing becomes more popular, US clients have been working with more partners in Mexico thanks to its cost, efficiency, and knowledge in the sector.
Mexican digital agency Ingenia provides tips on choosing the right mobile app development partner, and ensuring that your project will be a success.
APIs have quietly become key business drivers as companies seek out solutions to lagging interoperability, making now a great time to partner with fintech providers and outsourcing firms that can bridge that gap.
Accounting firm J.A. Del Río highlights the most common oversights that companies make when pursuing Nearshore presence, as well as giving advice on how to avoid them.
Mexican agency Ingenia weighs up the pros and cons of scrum, giving practical examples and advice for maximizing the benefits on a Nearshore level.
Eric Liebross from Auxis breaks down some of the lessons learned during RPA implementations and how to best capitalize on the cost and efficiency benefits.
With these tips we explain why some Nearshore vendors are struggling to close new business in the US, and how to course correct when veering off track.
E-Learning gives students the opportunity to learn technology skills at little to no cost, which could put a significant dent in the region’s talent crisis.
David Zhou, CEO and Co-founder of VXI Global, describes the status on the ground in Jamaica, as well as what the BPO industry needs for further development.
Costa Rica holds its average rank for English proficiency, but government initiatives and personal motivations are forging a different reality on the ground.
This case study highlighting Zventus’ extended team model proves that Mexico and Nearshore can provide the perfect environment to try out new teams and approaches.
Humberto Andrade from Accenture and Gordon White from The Social Client explain why chatbots have to be part of any serious solution, but are still lacking in adoption rates.
Argentinian software services company, Belatrix, has opened a new software delivery centre in Bogota, Colombia, shelving Costa Rica and Mexico as back-up options for expansion.
Despite being the closest neighbor to the US, Mexico is only average for English ability in Nearshore, with obvious skill variations across the country.
The Caribbean is well-positioned to capitalize on the unfulfilled demand of high-tech talent arising in the US, following Trump’s immigration shakeup.
Colombia has huge potential to gain traction in bilingualism, but a lack of grassroots English language adoption is holding it back.
Jerry Oversen, Vice President at Gogo, tells us about the company’s experience with Honduran BPO, as well as the value of human agents in text chat.
If Nearshore countries can follow Canada’s lead in its approach to FDI attraction, investor confidence will be boosted on a regional scale.
Colombia’s strengths typically included a highly educated workforce with bilingual skills, technical programming and consulting skills, and decent opportunities for firms to avoid saturation. We can now add affordability to that list.
In this series of articles, we speak with vendors in Nearshore hotspots to see how nations are evolving their availability and quality of English-speakers.
Mexican startup accelerators have become common, but not all of them offer enough support to incubate success. ITESM is looking to change that.
Organized by Nearshore Americas, the trade mission was designed to examine the country’s readiness in offering global services, particularly call center service.
When it comes to automation, vendors make unrealistic promises and clients are blindly falling for them, resulting in a tarnished reputation for the tech.
In this series of articles, we speak with vendors in Nearshore hotspots to see how nations are evolving their availability and quality of English-speakers.
Central American BPO is experiencing a mix of competition and collaboration, as some of the biggest firms in the region attempt to bolster the industry together, while each vying for the best available talent.
Regional cultures are driven by different motivations, but these client speakers at Nexus 2017 agree that Latin America’s motivations for technical excellence are hugely beneficial.
One Honduras startup is looking to conquer the world of augmented reality (AR) marketing in Central America, showing new promise in the country’s skillsets.
Steve Rudderham, VP of GBS at The Kellogg Company, offers fresh advice to services vendors on how to approach clients with automation proposals.
AI and RPA are here to stay, so as companies start working the tech into their business strategies, now is the time for legacy contracts to be re-written.
This photo slideshow shows off some of the key highlights from panels, presentations, and networking sessions at last week’s Nexus 2017 event.
Google’s Roy Geva Glasberg explains to the audience at Nexus 2017 his mission to give startups in emerging markets better opportunities to grow.
The winners of the second annual Illuminate Awards have been revealed, with UruIT taking home the prestigious Company of the Year award.
In collaboration with Mexico IT, this new report delves into the extent of the digital opportunities in Mexico, and asks whether the country is ready to fully embrace the digital age.
As long as there is chaos surrounding President Donald Trump, sound-minded IT professionals will continue to seek refuge on solid ground.
In a bold new deal, the Santiago Stock Exchange is adopting new blockchain technology from IBM to streamline the management of short sales, marking the first major implementation of the technology in the region.
Rajeev Gupta reveals the talent-building strategies that Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has succeeded with in the Latin American market.
Due to a complete lack of understanding, corporations are afraid and uncertain of the impacts that RPA might have on their outsourced customer services.
The Argentine Game Developers Association (ADVA) has big plans to work with nearby countries as they grow the region’s strength in this powerhouse industry.
While the Nearshore market desperately needs to be understood, chaos is winning out over clarity, and fear is causing many C-suite leaders in the U.S. to double-down on vows of silence. It’s time for a change.
Daniel Chavez, CEO of Dextra Technologies, describes how companies in Monterrey, Mexico, developed their direct, no-nonsense business culture.
At Nexus, Roy is planning to provide insights on Google’s increasing role in working with startup founders around the world, and why it is vital for these founders to succeed.
This new data, provided by Argentina’s Undersecretariat for Technological and Productive Services, offers a statistical look into the country’s KBS sector, adding weight to its vital role in the economy.
In the north of Mexico, companies and educational institutes are successfully developing talent for the next wave of digital technologies, but holding onto that talent is proving to be a challenge.
Carlos Diaz, Managing Director at Neoris, reveals that clients in the U.S., while concerned about potential regulatory speed-bumps, are still looking at nearshore ITO as a means to beat the competition.
Breaking the traditional approach of larger software development firms, Spark Digital’s transparent salary system has worked wonders for growth and camaraderie in a difficult economic environment.
Argentina has a new team of specialists that are tasked with seizing the window of opportunity to transform the country’s IT sector at a rapid pace, and they’re hungry for big results.
Argentina’s technological prowess is spreading across all sectors, but the agricultural industry is driving an upsurge of new agritech startups focused on innovating for the sector.
After recently stepping down as head of ProNicaragua, Javier Chamorro provides us with exclusive insight into the inner workings of Central American IPAs and the strategies they should be forming to attract more investment.
New changes to the H1B visa policy enacted just days before the application process began have caused uproar in the Indian IT services industry.
Anna Frazzetto from Harvey Nash and her client, Alfonso Perez from Shopperception, discuss the still-prevalent cultural differences of nearshore, as well as the slow growth of maturity holding the sourcing industry back.
Grupo Assa explains why the business conversation should be first on the digital transformation ticket and how to find talent for the process.
People in the tech community are pushing back, but not in a reactive manner – this is part of a larger trend toward deeper social and political engagement.
Site selection consultants and experts from key vendors explore how dialogues have changed in the process since Trump took office.
With Nexus 2018 just around the corner, we’ve dug into the archives to bring you the most valuable and engaging presentations from previous events.
More foreign startups are looking at Chile for their internal customer service operations, but, as we discovered, they prefer expats over local agents.
Jorge Aramburo, CEO and Founder of PSL, explains how the talent crisis in Colombia is still the biggest problem to overcome in software services.
A collection of photos from Sourcing Decisions 2017, our first BPO conference in Toronto, Canada.
Speaking at the IMT Contact Forum this week, Juan Manuel Gonzalez from Frost & Sullivan has some actionable recommendations for the digital transformation of the Latam contact center industry.
In this video interview, Omar Alikhan, IT Procurement Manager at Telus Communications, provides some insight into the Canadian telco’s approach to external IT resources.
AAJ Tech explains why nearshore outsourcing can be a great way to prevent your internal team from burnout, and compensate for the shortage of IT resources.
If you’re dealing with external resources, some form of vendor management is essential, but many companies are not doing it right, according to Tim Norton’s revelations at Sourcing Decisions 2017.
Attendees of the first Sourcing Decisions event in Toronto, Canada, have been taking to the Twitterverse to share their experiences with the world.
Sitting down with Nearshore Americas at Sourcing Decisions 2017, Chris Lord revealed HGS’s strategies for balancing cultural alignment and technology.
Automation was the word of the day at Sourcing Decisions 2017, our new event in Toronto. Check out some of the biggest takeaways of the morning sessions.
While the fate of NAFTA remains shrouded in uncertainty, experts on nearshore are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Long-time IT professional Karl Rottmann has found success in his career by working more closely with the people around him and developing their strengths.
Barbados isn’t just pure island paradise. The country is moving towards an ambitious entrepreneurial future as new, boutique call center begin to emerge.
As Trump’s unforgiving approach to foreign policy leaves everyone in limbo, the Mexican state of Jalisco is finding new opportunities in the uncertainty.
Eduardo Chávez from IJALTI explains why Jalisco and Guadalajara are attracting top talent from all over the country, and how US tech companies are beginning to see the true value of the state.
Mexico’s peso devaluation is having a mix of good and bad effects on businesses of all sizes as they prepare for the currency’s continued free-fall.
The advantages of the agile methodology is clear, but understanding the disadvantages will help ensure you’re ready to take the plunge on your next software development project.
Multi-country payroll outsourcing (MCPO) in the Americas has been steadily growing in popularity over the last five to ten years, but one big issue is still holding it back: security.
We spoke to Allison Sagraves, Chief Data Officer at M&T Bank, to discuss how the CDO role is changing, and the professional trials and tribulations she faces in the banking sector.
Software development outsourcing is much less scary and intimidating than it seems. The guys from UruIT give their top tips for avoiding nearshore partnership jitters.
A must-read for outsourcing firms expanding into the region, the report also examines bonus structures, total costs of employment, and wage growth over the past year.
While a few nearshore BPO providers have already nailed their approach to social media customer service, they’ve faced some difficult hurdles along the way.
Following Trump’s political pressure on Mexico, the contact center industry stands divisive over the country’s future attraction for new investments.
Nearshore Americas hit an important content milestone this week by publishing our 5,000th post, signifying our long-term dedication to nearshore services.
Cloud computing is flexible & cost-efficient, but it suffers from security threats. This infographic details a few things to be aware of before investing.
Julio Acevedo, the Director of HP Guadalajara for over 31 years, talks about the inspiring passion that Mexico’s young, tech-focused population possesses.
This slideshow explores some of Belize’s most recent evolutionary steps, explaining through pictures why BPO companies shouldn’t be so quick to ignore this unique market.
King White highlights the new challenges in the site selection process, and how some nearshore markets might be overselling the benefits they can provide.
Jorge Agnese from AAJ Technologies explains why if you’re trying to get a software productization project off the ground, nearshoring is a powerful and cost-effective way to make it happen.
New research reveals that although there is plenty of interest in machine learning and AI, the adoption rates are hindered by talent shortage and a lack of corporate understanding.
Erika Posadas describes how her “frat house” experiences as an agent in Mexico’s call center industry led to a rewarding and fulfilling career.
H1B visas are under fire as political pressure to reduce the amount of foreign workers in the United States intensifies. But do the proposed changes signify a new wave of problems for services vendors, or will it be business as usual?
David Watt, Chief Economist at HSBC Canada, and a highly regarded authority in North America’s financial and capital markets, will present the keynote speech at Sourcing Decisions 2017
While the headlines may convince you that reshoring is developing into a game-changing trend for our industry, the reality on the ground is far more complex.
Nataliya Anon, CEO of Svitla Systems, talks unstoppable globalization, talent shortage in Silicon Valley, and the Mexico advantage in her global plans.
Genpact, IBM and Accenture reveal the challenges at the top of the finance and accounting food chain, despite the increased adoption of automation.
A unique timeline detailing the dynamic history and evolutionary stages in Guadalajara’s rise to becoming Mexico’s technology hub.
Any nearshore software initiative hinges on the long-term stability of your teams, so here are five key reasons why long-term, stable teams are crucial to a successful agile model.
David Rutchik, Executive Managing Director at Pace Harmon, offers practical tips for minimizing Trump’s impact on offshore partnerships.
Agents with first-hand experience of working for contact center providers in Jamaica describe their experiences and talk about the benefits, perks, and work environments that convince them to stick around.
Phil Searle, CEO & Founder of Chazey Partners, lays out his expectations for the shared services and captives environment under Trump’s presidency.
While we can expect many new roles to emerge from the introduction of cognitive computing, they will without a doubt require a deep set of skills that entry level agents simply do not possess.
Jamaica’s healthcare BPO sector is driven a high capability for claims processing, but vendors on the island are seeing rapid growth in higher-value services.
Incentives are no longer as important in the site selection conversation, but Trump’s deal with Carrier could affect how nearshore countries approach them.
With Trump’s plans to collapse, or at least disrupt, NAFTA, there implications for nearshore IT services are real, but are they a death-knell for the industry?
When the dust settled after the U.S. presidential election a few weeks ago, the nation of Canada didn’t sit by quietly. Canada’s government put the word out that it would continue to embrace… Read More »
Vinod Narayan, Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Call Centers & BPO Commission under AGEXPORT, explains what is hindering Guatemala’s BPO growth, and what the local industry is doing to change that.
IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno predicted that automation would slash Caribbean contact center jobs by 50%. Vendors in the region weigh in on the accuracy of his statements.
According to Atento and HGS, successful healthcare BPO campaigns require that agents posses a specific set of skills that focus more on empathy and customer engagement.
Technology is causing waves of digital transformation in businesses today, and warranty management is a traditional area not to be left behind in this evolution.
Sutherland Global’s Country Head for Jamaica and VP, Odetta Rockhead is committed to growing not only the company’s head count but the country’s BPO sector as well.
Merida’s high-quality engineering talent pool and SEZ gives companies significant potential to grow and develop a tech company in this corner of Mexico.
Nearshore Americas visited Alorica’s offices in Guatemala, where many of the regional challenges and pressures for Nearshore BPO were revealed.
Leonardo N’Haux, Co-founder and CEO of Qualtop, dissects the similarities, differences, and trends directing the IT talent pools in both Argentina and Mexico.
With a progressive approach to company culture and processes, and through prioritizing architectural design, Beliveo is helping improve attrition rates at its Mexico-based contact centers.
Nearshore Americas today has published a brand new video series that takes a revealing look into Chile’s customer service capabilities and delivery.
As we all start to absorb the result of the U.S. election last night, it’s a good time to get back to the basics – starting with competitiveness. I also have some remarks… Read More »
Created in collaboration with AAJ Technologies, this 20-page report is a guidebook to managing your digital transformation, one smart step at a time.
If you’re confused about blockchain or considering implementing a related solution soon, this primer should help you decide.
We take a closer look at Thomson Reuters’ decision to establish a large tech center in the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor, and what it means for the tech ecosystem in the region.
Many organizations engaged in digital transformation are struggling,so here are some key issues worth keeping in mind if you’re to succeed in the process.
We take a look at JP Morgan’s Global Support Hub in Argentina, the first Latin America-based center of its kind, to find out why the bank is betting big on the South American nation.
We sat down with Stu Stern to find out exactly how the company has been able to grow so fast amid the competitive IT ecosystem of Costa Rica.
Globant’s expansion into India is part of a broader, global strategy, centered on the idea that high-quality, low-cost talent is the key to worldwide growth.
The name similarity between Xerox’s new BPO spinoff “Conduent” and an existing player “Conduit Global” is very likely to cause brand confusion in global BPO.
One of Latin America’s biggest challenges is increasing connectivity and digital inclusion for all. Ernesto Piedras and Carlos Hernández from the CIU provide a snapshot on the region’s progress toward this goal.
There are still huge hurdles that Colombia must overcome to improve Colombian BPO, but with initiatives like this, perhaps other educational institutes will soon start to follow suit.
The scope of possibility when it comes to Internet of Things technology is almost startling. Exploiting the development potential will be an exciting ride, with incredible scope for profit.
Speech recognition technology is often seen as a means to cut costs, improve customer satisfaction, and increase productivity in the call center. But are these solutions worth it?
In an exclusive interview with Aldo Defilippi, CEO of AmCham, we discuss the advantages and incentives for foreign investment in Peru.
As costs remain low and digital services continue to expand across the region, the Latin American IT services market is on track to grow at a steady rate. According to Prashray Kala, Practice… Read More »
Nearshore Americas is proud to unveil our new report, entitled BPO Cost and Physical Security: Ranking the Trade-off, in which we confirm the 10 most secure and cost-beneficial countries for Nearshore services.
We caught up with Juan Carlos Navarro from IDB to find out where Latam stands in its innovation policies, and what would need to change to catch up with the developed world.
In light of growing demand in the U.S. for Mexican software engineers, we’ve complied a plain-English guide to hiring them with a TN visa.
As digital transformation consumes the corporate world, analytics and information management is key, and business analysts are the vital components in bridging the client-developer gap.
Marcelo Lopez, co-founder of the software development outsourcing firm UruIT, explains the five primary reasons why his company chose Medellin, Colombia, to establish new offices.
Workers in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries are paying around two-thirds less tax than those in OECD countries, according to a new report by the OECD Development Center, the OECD Center for… Read More »
Enrique de la Cruz, a chaplain who works exclusively for Qualfon in Mexico City, describes his day-to-day activities and his support of the BPO team.
In this discussion with Ricardo Duran, General Manager and Owner of Outsourcing, S.A., we talked about what the future might hold for Colombian BPO, and how higher-value skills could jettison the country into the big leagues of the nearshore contact center industry.
Getting the real picture on automation can be confusing. The prevailing wisdom seems to be that automation will result in huge job losses, but this techno-pessimism may not paint a full picture. Nearshore Americas examines how you can make sense of the information around automation.
These top five quotes from our Nearshore Cafe podcast series explore topics such as buyer demands, industry equality, political hurdles, the future of talent, and the disruption of automation.
Em meio à crise de talentos da região, ficou claro que somente as novas abordagens de desenvolvimento de talentos resolverão o problema. Conversamos com Fabio Bittencourt Daniel, que acredita ter uma solução.
Startup Mexico is on a mission to keep entrepreneurs grounded, while helping them achieve success, but also has its own plans for expansion within the Americas.
Canada’s relationship with offshoring has not always been a happy one, most recently hitting headlines thanks to Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), which faced fierce backlash in 2013 over an outsourcing arrangement involving… Read More »
As the manufacturing industry moves rapidly into the fourth industrial revolution, Infosys explains how digital manufacturing will play a key part in its Industry 4.0-as-a-service value proposition.
CIOs for large, global enterprises are faced with numerous challenges due primarily to the size and complexity of the business. They have to decide which technology investments will keep the company competitive, align it… Read More »
Wayfair, the Boston-based online furniture purveyor that generated over US$2.25 billion in revenue in 2015, confirmed last week with Nearshore Americas that the company is relying on a BPO provider in Georgetown, Guyana… Read More »
Colombia continues to see upward momentum in the IT services industry, but while talent shortage continues to be a regional threat, how will the country sustain that growth?
As a pioneer in many aspects of Brazilian commercial aviation, Azul Airlines is now following in the steps of other Brazilian airlines by spinning off its customer loyalty program.
Our Commentary section has always been a platform for front-line industry spectators and participants to stand on a digital soapbox and tell it like it is.Here are some killer submissions from this year.
Amidst the region’s talent crisis, it’s become clear that only new approaches to talent development will solve the problem. We spoke to Fabio Bittencourt Daniel, who believes he might have a solution.
Argentina’s economy has been falling short, but with the arrival of President Mauricio Macri, things appear to be on the up. Argentine startup guru, Vanesa Kolodziej, explains how the startup economy will benefit.
To help the business traveler in the Americas, Nearshore Americas has compiled this breakdown of the things you should know about Zika, and how best to avoid catching the virus.
Finding quality talent that possesses the right skills sets in Latin America is currently a challenging prospect, even more so for software development firms with tight customer deadlines. Even when companies already have… Read More »
Are you sure your outsourcing contracts reflect the industry’s contemporary risks? Barbara Melby, Partner at Morgan Lewis, offers some great advice for ensuring your contract is up-to-date.
Before making the jump into a nearshore M&A, many factors need to be considered in order to ensure your investment is smart, sensible, and holds long-term value.
The challenge for nearshore companies is to use an effective English training system that increases the value of their staff in the eyes of their clients. Is that happening, and is it sustainable for a bright future?
These five Q&As highlight some of the most insightful discussions we’ve had with industry leaders about the current and future direction of BPO services.
Amazon is shrewdly capitalizing on Canada’s more open immigration laws and importing engineers from other markets.
Beyond the allure of Cuba’s shabby-chic hotels and the prospect of improving the island’s decrepit roads, there is huge prize for investors with vision: Cuba possesses immense STEM talent.
Representing a collective view count of more than 100,000, these top 10 news stories represent our most viewed of all time, revealing exactly what is so engaging about nearshore.
The unique economic relationship between San Diego and Tijuana defines the entire bi-national region. Mark Field, CTO at Thermo Fisher Scientific, tells how his his company is leveraging those ties.
In an exclusive interview with Ana Maria Badel, Executive Director at ProBarranquilla, she outlines the BPO ecosystem in this understated Colombian city, revealing enticing news for investors.
Ask any IT recruiter about the state of their industry and they’ll tell you the same thing: “along with increasing demand for services, talent is the number one factor for business success.” But,… Read More »
This new white paper from Nearshore Americas and Inflection Point Systems dissects the issues that service providers face when building new partnerships, revealing key techniques to win your partners’ trust.
User experience is quickly becoming the top priority for software development firms, but is nearshore talent ready to meet the demand? We spoke to Belatrix, iTexico, Globant, Wizeline, and Quarksoft to find out first hand.
Due to a number of hurdles, Trinidad & Tobago has always struggled to stake a significant claim in the nearshore BPO market, but is today attempting to increase awareness of its unique capabilities in the industry.
With Donald Trump’s potential presidency looming over the horizon, many U.S. citizens are planning to jump ship if he takes the mantle. Consider these great locations as perfect hideaways from Trumpageddon.
Three experts from Infosys discuss the impact that automation and artificial intelligence will have on the BPO industry and its clients in the near future.
We’ve all heard about Colombia’s tech-centric cities of Medellin and Bogota, but how does the coastal town of Cartagena stack up? We spoke to an established mobile app developer to find out.
Sitel, Convergys, Concentrix, and Accedo Technologies give first-hand accounts on the status of Nicaragua since the US issued its new travel warning.
Nearshore Americas spoke with Bhawesh Tiwari, Senior Analyst at Everest Group, to uncover some encouraging results for Latin America on the world’s digital stage.
Latin American and Caribbean IT outsourcing vendors could be set to benefit from Brexit. Nearshore Americas spoke to three analysts to find out why.
We caught up with CEO and Founder of QualityWorks, Stacy Kirk, to find out what Jamaica has to offer in terms of talent and IT capabilities for nearshore QA operations.
With the Canadian dollar currently valued at US$0.77 (on date of publishing)—a significant drop since hitting par back in 2012-2013—outsourcers north of the border are sitting on an impressive value proposition based on… Read More »
Medellin is well on the way to achieving its ambition as LatAm’s hot new technology hub, but what experiences have IT companies had in setting up operations there?
Millions of Latin Americans aged 15 and above still have no internet connectivity, representing one issue that the OECD’s third Ministerial Meeting on the Digital Economy hoped to address.
In an exclusive interview with IBM’s Manager of Cloud Services in Costa Rica, Nearshore Americas uncovered the details of the new center, as well as IBM’s talent-boosting collaborations with educational institutes.
Innovation is commonly associated with fresh-faced startups developing brand new ideas that challenge our perceptions of the status quo, but innovation can also emerge from within long-established enterprises, especially those with a passionate,… Read More »
Tech accelerators tend to generate a lot of buzz among entrepreneurs, acting as cultivators and mentors for startups, and helping them achieve significant milestones. Silicon Valley is a well-known source of accelerators, largely due… Read More »
Three experts at Nexus 2016 discuss the impact that omnichannel is having on the nearshore, and if contact centers south of the border are prepared to implement it to serve and benefit their core US client base.
To find out more about how the deal will affect the company’s renowned customer service, and to uncover the company’s expectations for the future, Nearshore Americas sat down with Chris Crowley, Alorica’s Chief Sales Officer, in an exclusive interview.
While clients always expect the best deal on an outsourcing bid, they may not always offer enough information during the RFP process to help vendors meet their needs, especially in the case of less mature clients. Consultants weigh in on how vendors and clients can work together for a better RFP process.
Nearshore Americas paid a visit to Cisco’s Global Services Center in Mexico City to find out how the tech giant is utilizing the Mexican talent pool to serve a global customer case.
While Mendoza, Argentina, might be best known for its wines made from Malbec and other premium grape varieties, the city is pinning its hopes on its growing IT sector and, in particular, its expertise in virtual reality, multimedia, and web design.
Getting omnichannel customer care and support right is tricky. Urvashi Sheth of SanDisk, a Western Digital brand, explains to Nearshore Americas how she and her team got it right, how omnichannel is evolving and where she sees it going from here.
Combining low attrition rates with high quality ratings isn’t easy in BPO, but somehow Leroy Reid, Xerox’s VP and Country Manager of Jamaica has cracked the formula. Reid tells Nearshore Americas what he has learned about developing a top-notch BPO team.
Today, nearly 20 percent of contact centers do not even measure the quality of their non-primary language contacts.
Peru needs to develop 10,000 new programmers to meet growing demand in the sector. Although government and private sector initiatives are aimed at increasing the talent pool, more needs to be done to address sector concerns.
Infosys is treading cautiously as it scales up its automation and new Mana AI platform. But it expects the technology to revolutionize the industry as software continues to amplify the ability of the human to perform tasks better.
A new half-hour documentary looking at the technology world in Mérida, Aguascalientes, and Baja California premiered last week at Nexus 2016 conference in San Francisco.
Former President Laura Chinchilla explained that, while Costa Rica may be small, it has a large pool of human resources to drive its nearshore success. “Development is not about a nation’s size or wealth,” she said. “Development is all about talent.”
Qualfon has dedicated more than 31,000 hours of service to community organizations and nonprofits, as well as supporting employees and their families through its Mission Office.
While Trump threatens to build a wall, the benefits of collaboration between the two neighboring nations are vast. And companies in tech, manufacturing, and other sectors are now seeing more and more opportunity across the border.
Previewing the top 11 highlights of Nexus that show why this conference matters so much to the Latin American and Caribbean IT/ BPO markets.
Globant co-founder Martin Umaran speaks about the company’s growth and culture, and how President Macri’s new government might benefit the services sector.
Capital from U.S. investors has been critical to Kueski, and company co-founder Adalberto Flores hopes his success leads to more startups in Guadalajara attracting the attention of Silicon Valley.
Mexico’s Rising States of Innovation will premiere at the Nexus 2016 conference on May 11-12 in San Francisco.
Concentrix is trying to tap the opportunity for higher-level service delivery with growth in Brazil, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Colombia.
“Argentina in the World 2016,” a recent event in New York, highlighted why the IT services sector in Argentina is poised for growth as it moves towards more complex service offerings.
Digital channels are more important than ever for improving customer experience at contact centers. A new report points to greater uptake of hybrid cloud, increased interest in personalization, and a focus on customer analytics.
Though setting up shop in Chile’s lower-populations centers can make scalability hard, several companies are branching out from the capital to explore the nation’s Tier II cities.
IBEX Global was eager to move into the nearshore. So it hired a leader with knowledge of key markets. It’s too early to judge the results of the expansion, but IBEX believes new CEO Robert Dechant has set it up for success.
Julia Taggart of Innovate LSO in Barbados believes that the nation has a unique value proposition in an LPO market that many Caribbean countries are hoping to capture.
Social media and location monitoring allow companies to offer contextualized customer service and sales that truly put the “experience” into user experience.
The concept of full call center automation through artificial intelligence is a non-existent Holy Grail that the industry continues to chase, pouring untold millions and countless hours into a dream that will never come to fruition.
Mexico could become a rich innovation hub in the next five to ten years, at which time the value of innovation will be driving the world.
Even though Brazil has released the Facebook executive it had detained, the incident has reminded global technology firms of the difficulty in balancing security and privacy.
A recent attempt to repeal a key tax incentive for IT companies in Brazil highlights the difficulty of relying on breaks from a government so mired in economic turmoil and political scandal.
Dominica’s emerging call center market offers access to an eager, largely untapped talent pool. But the country’s small size — just 72,000 people — will limit growth and the ability to scale.
Frances Karamouzis of Gartner says that the competitive advantage in sourcing will increasingly depend on adopting automation. But the scarcity in certain skill sets means that the human element isn’t going anywhere just yet.
Uber has entered nearly every major Latin American market only to be met with protest from taxi drivers. Within this heated environment, unions and regulators debate the company’s future in the region.
Gamification startup GRMGamified has the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics as clients, but it must overcome fierce competition and logistical hurdles to get to the next level.
Nearshore Americas is proud to announce the official launch of the 2016 Nexus Illuminate Awards. Nominations will be accepted through April 2.
Right now, about half of Brazilian IT firm Stefanini’s revenue comes from international operations. Within five years, CEO Marco Stefanini wants that number to be 75%.
Regulations in Latin America make compliance notoriously difficult, and recent reforms in Colombia and Mexico have failed to ease the burden. But Argentina’s improving outlook represents great news and opportunity.
The interest in captives in Latin America seems to be increasing, but the investment and upkeep needed for captives rarely make sense given the advances in automation, cloud, and SaaS.
While Anthony Porter has connected many nearshore providers with big-name U.S. companies, firms in Latin America can’t rely on that. They have to get their name out and raise their brand recognition.
The STEM labor shortage in the U.S. represents a long-term opportunity for Mexico and is changing how many employers source their IT projects.
Small firms must know their place in the outsourcing pecking order and avoid large vendors that won’t give them proper attention. But the benefits and opportunities are too vast to pass up.
Nearshore Nexus 2016 is heading to San Francisco in May for a two-day festival of hard-driving dialogue, networking, and revelation around what the nearshore can really offer to U.S. companies.
As one of new President Mauricio Macri’s key undersecretaries, Carlos Pallotti, is pushing Argentina’s plan to add 80,000 jobs to the nation’s ITC and BPO sector — an industry the Macri administration believes can reach $10 billion.
Leveraging overseas suppliers can be invaluable during a digital transformation. But knowing which outsourcing model to choose requires understanding your company’s motivations and limitations.
After signing two large contracts with banks in Colombia and Peru, TCS Latin America CEO Henry Manzano is optimistic about the region’s business prospects.
Growing at double the average rate of the Brazilian IT sector, the state of the Santa Catarina is using its local resources, established firms, and financial incentives to attract more startups.
There is independent staff augmentation talent — developers, programmers, coders — in Latin America, and it is more accessible than companies realize.
As part of a special collaboration between Mexico IT and Nearshore Americas, the newly designed website has a variety of components to enable visitors to get a real grasp of the market, partners, and innovations.
The 19-page study provides detailed information on wages for various IT positions in five key markets: Lima, Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo.
The Internet of Things will grow into a $30 billion industry by 2020 and transform how customer support is delivered as more complex products require human experts who can triage problems.
Parallel 18 is looking to model itself on the success of Start-Up Chile, even tapping its former executive director, Sebastian Vidal, to lead the organization.
All companies will soon be using cognitive solutions in their applications. And as they do, apps will become more and more powerful because they will build on top of each other — just like our brains evolved.
“Companies are going to continue to look at outsourcing to improve their current cost situation” amid the current market turmoil, says Aaron M. Oser of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.
Transcom is no canary in a coal mine. It seems to simply be one firm that couldn’t hack it in Colombia, an anomaly in an otherwise healthy and growing marketplace.
The drive towards frictionless customer experiences requires a change in the way digital touch-points are designed and has major implications for nearshore providers.
Argentina’s call center market is mature with few growth opportunities, so companies like Apex America must diversify their offerings towards BPO and value-added services to avoid stagnation.
Costa Rica is expected to cope with the potential ill-effects of robotic process automation (RPA), a tech tool predicted to kill thousands of jobs in services industry in the years to come.
For an industry as traditional as banking, this kind of disruption is causing a shake-up that is having a knock-on effect on global sourcing.
Haiti is inviting international outsourcing firms to set up office in the Caracol Industrial Park being built in its northern province bordering the Dominican Republic
AGEXPORT’s latest initiative has a goal to triple the number of call center and BPO workers in the nation in the next six years, going from just 35,000 to more than 100,000.
Stefanini does not usually divide nearshore teams themselves and so they tend to have one single site in the nearshore with on-site expertise in the US
Manizales is a medium sized city in Colombia’s Caldas department, located four hours south of Medellín. Though it has traditionally been known as a coffee industry epicenter, Manizales punches far above its weight… Read More »
It is already well known that Costa Rica is a small, but popular destination for IT, BPO and shared services. However, the entire country only has a total population of just under 4.9… Read More »
California-based technology firm Zoho found itself drowning in a flood of complaints from its web service customers as the water level rose on Chennai streets.
Operating in the United States since 2006, Brazilian IT company CI&T has invested in smart computing and the development of customized solutions using the Google Cloud Platform to grow in the U.S. market.
Yachay is a planned city in Ecuador designed to push the nation’s economy away from commodities and towards knowledge-based innovation. Héctor Rodriguez, the general manager of Yachay, discusses the current status of its development.
Although the boom has waned somewhat, there is still growth in the sector and a renewed interest in entrepreneurship in the tech industry.
Growth in mobile Internet connectivity is vital for the development of knowledge economies. Latin America and the Caribbean is on the right track with a steadily increasing uptake in mobile connectivity. The interactive compares connectivity across the region.
Identifying problem providers early on can save you time, money and hassles, but spotting those who are less than honest isn’t easy. Nearshore Americas looks at seven signs that may indicate your offshore provider is not quite telling the full story.
To most in the industry, Santo Domingo’s large English-speaking population and close ties to the United States far outweigh its small talent pool of contact center managers and programmers and the country’s antiquated labor laws.
Prof Ravi Pendse of Brown University explains the technology automation landscape, the need for career security rather than job security, and why human contact is still valuable in the tenth episode of the Nearshore Cafe podcast series.
Atento’s strengthening position in Latin America despite weakening currencies points to its confidence in the region and continuing interest from US clients. US nearshore director Bruce Dawson talks to Narayan Ammachchi about expanding in the region, vertical interests and targeting US clients.
Rosario faces regional competition and economic challenges to become a larger tech hub, but the presence of several strong firms already and its excellent education means “there is only room for improvement.”
A digital transformation will never be seamless, but combining best practices with outsourcing gets the best results. We asked tech and nearshore experts how to reach a balance between driving transformation with in-house staff and external providers.
Focused initiatives that seek to develop IT skills among poor, youth and female groups in Latin America hope to further extend the region’s attractiveness in ITO/ BPO, while also empowering its citizens. The interactive looks at some of the IT training initiatives available in selected Latin American countries.
While Recife still does not attract as much attention as Sao Paulo, it has created enough of a splash for its incubator initiative to start rolling out to other cities in the state. Software development remains core to the city and the IT community is eager to re-ignite a vibrant tech start-up culture.
Accessing skilled talent in a particular geography is core to nearshore’s value proposition, but it is not always so easy for companies to find what they are looking for. This interactive looks at how selected countries in Latin America measure up in terms of talent access and development.
The Yucatan Peninsula is enjoying increased interest from software developers and nearshore clients as talent looks to move from the pricier, more established areas and seed a growing IT community. While infrastructure and incentives still need to develop, the Yucatan has the potential to expand Mexico’s burgeoning IT sector.
Panama City remains well-positioned to meet the needs of the financial services industry and the legal process outsourcing sector, while also growing its software development niche.
Samasource is set to demonstrate how impact sourcing can deliver more than just socioeconomic change; it can also deliver top-class, professional service. Their Haiti project has yielded solid returns for client 360incentives and seen them expand into more complex projects.
Tech start-ups, contact center providers and software development companies are rapidly realizing the value of Baja-Southern California collaborations as the Mega region cements its place as a bi-national tech hub.
Latin America has the highest murder rate in the world, and while some don’t believe this deters companies from operating in the region, others say “it is holding back the industry.” Nearshore Americas examines the impact of perceptions of violence for Latin America.
Interest in Finance and Accounting Outsourcing is growing and countries around Latin America are looking to grab a piece of the pie. This interactive looks at how the ranked universities compare in terms of finance and accounting as well as detailing government and private initiatives.
Interest in San Jose’s BPO sector is increasingly focused on Finance and Accounting Outsourcing, with 10 new openings or expansions in the past year. Challenges, including increasing concerns about petty and violent crime, have not muted demand for talent in the city.
Latin America’s academic institutions need to train more workers, and Nearshore Americas looks at some of the key underlying educational data that shows which leading nations are making the most progress.
The opening of a number of data and innovation centers by multinationals, such as IBM and Microsoft, in Brazil despite the economic recession points to the continued confidence in Brazilian market growth potential.
As Merger and Acquisition activity increases across the globe, the possibility of consolidation looms large. Latin America represents 9% of global M&A outsourcing activity, but is set to grow for 2015 before moving into the seemingly inevitable consolidation phase in the next five years.
Avantica’s use of automation in the Liquid Robotics Wave Glider QA project has realized cost and time benefits for the client and helped the QA team to grow not only in technical skill but also in software skills.
Nearshore expansion into Nicaragua and Jamaica are part of IBEX Global’s strategy for continued growth, following announcements of topline revenue growth of 30%. In an exclusive interview with Nearshore Americas, CEO Robert Dechant talks nearshore, growth and why the shine has come off India.
The resignation of Guatemala’s president following allegations of corruption and the issuing of a warrant for his arrest has plunged the Central American country into the international spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Guatemala’s business community, however, is optimistic about the potential for BPO/ ITO growth.
Navigating the different tax incentives offered by Latin American countries hoping to woo foreign countries to their shores can be a difficult thing. This interactive explores some of the incentives offered by certain Latin American and Caribbean countries.
iTexico is pitching to the enterprise market with its wearable app development. Its recent enterprise project for a mid market client brought time-tracking functionality to employees’ wearable devices and taught the Austin, Texas headquartered developer valuable lessons about wearables for this market.
Ivy Kuperberg came to Haiti to help with the nation’s post-earthquake healthcare crisis, but five years later she is doing more good promoting business and BPO. Jared Wade examines how Kruperberg made the transition from aid worker to BPO promoter.
Candidates often look good on paper, but fail to impress when the real test of programming capabilities comes around. So how can hiring managers assess the prospective employee’s skills beyond the resume — and what do you do when the reality does not match the paper test?
As data breaches rack up, the need to understand the costs of such security issues becomes more important. Data on such costs, however, is often difficult to access and contradictory in nature. Nearshore Americas examines the costs of data breaches in Latin America in an interactive.
HIPAA and the HITECH Act are still not completely understood by some IT vendors servicing healthcare clients. Changing regulations and postponed audit cycles have added to the confusion, but IT vendors wanting to target this growing vertical need to ensure that they make the grade.
Amazon’s grueling culture may work for the retail giant, but many call centers think treating employees well is better for business.
Corruption and Latin America are often seen as synonymous. While much has been done in certain countries, problems persist. Drawing on different data sets, Nearshore Americas explores how each country measures up.
Argentina is ideally placed to service the US healthcare software market and has the skills and experienced workforce necessary, according to a white paper by Nearshore Americas.
Transitioning from a contact center delivery model to an at-home distributed model has numerous benefits – but companies need to navigate the pitfalls before making the move.
Who tops the list of Latin America’s most English proficient countries? Nearshore Americas examines data from a range of sources to look deeper into the issue of where the strongest English language skills lie.
The capital faced little damage, but one foreign IT worker in Santiago said he “would rather live in a country where you can predict when a disaster will likely strike you.”
With perception-breaking findings, a new survey concludes that this generation prefers phone or face-to-face talk over texts, tweets, and chat.
Establishing an internal team as a client in an outsourcing relationship can be full of potential pitfalls without the right blend of ingredients.
The supervisor/agent relationship is critical in BPO, but ensuring supervisors can manage a team and meet client expectations is tricky. Training existing agents for the role can be even trickier. Here’s how to get it right.
GDP is not the only — or perhaps even best way — to measure a “good society” in terms of social and economic development. Nearshore Americas offers an alternative index of progress in Latin America.
Colombia’s currency plunges have created challenges for everyone, but some outsourcing companies are enjoying rapid growth amid economic turmoil. Nearshore Americas spoke to three outsourcers about their experience navigating Colombia’s currency woes.
Ease of movement from Latin America to the USA is difficult to chart, but this interactive draws on several data sets about immigrant and non-immigrant – including H-class visas – movement from selected Latin American countries to the USA to identify the countries that are easiest to transit from.
New NEORIS CEO Martin Méndez told Nearshore Americas about the firm’s plans to open operations in Peru, expand in healthcare and benefit from currency devaluation.
Agile gamification, the use of game thinking in agile software development, could be useful in addressing some of the challenges of agile methodologies. While gamification won’t solve all issues, it can address teamwork, communication and use of technical processes — but is it being used in Latin America?
Companies like Wizeline, ventures like the Agave incubator, and an influx of big firms prove Guadalajara is turning from a hardware factory and IT services center to a true hub of technological creativity.
While the drive towards DevOps is heating up, clients are not looking to service providers for the move to this approach and are instead relying on internal teams. LATAM service providers can capitalize on the DevOps interest. The key is gaining experience and using it to meet client needs.
Navigating the murky waters of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) can be tricky. U.S businesses and individuals transacting in Latin America need to adhere to the requirements and regulations imposed by the fact. Here are four things every U.S business and individual needs to know about FATCA.
The beauty of Latin America demands preservation. A number of Latin American countries have developed eco-friendly initiatives that not only seek to protect the natural resources they have, but also provide alternative modes of energy generation and ways of living. Pravina Chetty looks at three countries that offer eco-friendly developments.
IGATE’s choice of Nova Scotia as the site for expanding North American operations is about more than just cost. While Canada’s falling dollar is meaning savings for companies seeking to invest, Nova Scotia is capitalising on its readily-available skilled labor pool, high university count and incentive scheme to attract IT businesses.
The drive for consistency of experience across channels is paramount in an increasingly demanding consumer world. T-Mobile’s Kerry Sikora discusses the realities of measuring customer experience, listening to the voice of the customer and providing true omni-channel engagement with Loren Moss.
Indian IT companies have their eyes on Brazil — and it is not just exports to North America that have attracted interest. The domestic market, in both software and IT services, has also caught their attention. Here’s why Indian companies are looking to Brazil for growth.
The Nearshore Nexus 2015 “Mexico Leadership Panel” highlighted the nation’s need to confront current trends if it wants to maintain its position.
Are security fears driving jobs back to the US? Maybe, but while demand for cybersecurity specialists in the US is increasing exponentially, potential skills gaps could mean significant opportunities for nearshore providers. Barriers remain, however.
Data scientists are increasingly sought after in the nearshore environment as the needs of SMAC (social, mobile, analytics and cloud) create demand for those who can deal with big data. But what is at the heart of data science and how can it be leveraged in the nearshore?
The dollar is strong, and most of the other currencies in the Americas are weak by comparison. Given this, many are wondering if now is the time to sign new or long-term service contracts. Nearshore Americas looks at five countries where nearshore outsourcers may benefit from falling currencies.
Nearshore Americas’ Director of Research, Sean Goforth, shares key takeaways from the 5th Annual Latin American Association of Service Exporters Convention, which proved a great testing ground to assess where the region is and how it can successfully move forward.
Getting to grips with the legal requirements in terms of layoffs can be tricky, even more so in a foreign country. Nearshore Americas unpacks four things you need to know before laying off employees or contractors in Latin America.
Talk of saturation in key BPO markets is not new. As markets mature, the need to ensure sustainable pools of skilled talent in key areas remains crucial and in some locations may prove difficult. How can Latin American markets address the issue of saturation?
Ensuring you have a clear policy, creating a security culture, addressing physical issues, showing that you know the terrain and demonstrating engagement with government cyber-security initiatives is key to reassuring your clients that their data is secure.
Cuba still lacks high-level Internet infrastructure, but it is full of programming talent. Add in wage, language, proximity and safety considerations, and the island becomes a great option for the IT market.
With different tax laws, exemptions, double taxation treaties and free trade zones for services exports affecting outsourcing operations across Latin America, gaining a solid understanding of the distinct tax obligations in each country is imperative.
The loss of qualified staff can hit a business where it hurts, but in BPO/ ITO attrition is a fact of life. Nearshore Americas unpacks the reasons why BPO providers and clients are losing staff and offers some strategies for dealing with the problem.
The FCC’s latest Declaratory Ruling, which expands the reach of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), will have significant impact on the contact center industry and on telemarketing in general if it remains in its current form.
Draft laws on outsourcing in Brazil could benefit contact center companies by addressing legal uncertainty and clarifying the requirements involved in such outsourcing deals.
The TMF Global Complexity Index 2014 placed five Latin American countries in the top 10 most complex places to do business rankings, with Argentina and Brazil placing first and second as the most complex in the world. Nearshore Americas examines the complexities of these places and the implications for nearshore offerings.
Creating an environment in which innovation can flourish isn’t easy. Nearshore Americas examines four common mistakes Latin American software companies may be making that are hindering innovation.
Bluefields, Nicaragua and Limon, Costa Rica could be excellent BPO sites, yet their potential has not yet been explored. Nearshore Americas examines why these two locations, with their talent pools, acceptable English skill levels and emerging infrastructure have not yet cracked the BPO sector.
Stamping out call center boiler room scams has been described like a continuous game of Whack-A-Mole. Costa Rica’s weak regulation and lack of resources is making it a hot spot for such scams.
If approved, the draft bill will see Brazil finally join the 100 nations with formal online privacy laws
The next-generation Nearshore Americas site is here. Expect more in-depth research as well as regular webinars and podcasts.
This assortment of myths, magic, and superstitions, passed down over generations, are an important part of the culture of Latin America and the Caribbean.
While challenges persist in Mexico’s economy, data on market fundamentals point to a brighter future, as outlined in this exclusive infographic.
Tom Young from Information Services Group helps explain why the days of the stringent, 1,000+ page request for proposals (RFP) might be numbered.
