The robustness of any industry can be measured not only by the number of large vendors seeking to shore up their market-share, but also through the upstart firms aiming to carve out their own position. In the case of front-office BPO, the extent to which the small to mid-sized vendor segment is challenging establishment players is notable. This trend is likely to continue, as enterprises explore alternative partnerships with smaller outsourcers that are hungry for a presence in the contact center services sphere.
What is driving these current levels of enthusiasm among smaller contact center services providers? An obvious factor has to do with the addressable client market; over the past five years, more enterprises have moved toward partnering with outsourcers for their contact center needs, thereby increasing the size of the opportunity. Another reason is the commercial approach among small and mid-market players, which have become much more aggressive in winning business from clients of all sizes and across verticals. Anecdotally, these outsourcers indicate that much of their success can be attributed to their ability to move quickly in response to changing client needs or evolving market dynamics.
Probably one of the most important facets distinguishing small and mid-sized outsourcers is their willingness to expand their offerings; traditionally, these vendors have chosen to offer a small number of functions or targeted delivery locations as a means of differentiation. This is no longer necessarily the case, as there has been a realization among many of these same outsourcers that client growth will only come through a comprehensive front-office offering. In order to be taken seriously by today’s prospective clients, this is an approach that vendors must be ready to adopt.
A prime example of a player in this market segment that is making a splash using a multidimensional model is Florida-based Golden Gate BPO, which has been operating since 2006. As an organization, Golden Gate BPO has focused heavily on delivering quality interactions for its growing number of clients through a robust network of domestic and offshore/nearshore locations, using both voice and non-voice means. This is in addition to a strong analytics back-end that so many prospective clients are demanding from their vendor partners. That Golden Gate BPO has been able to offer their front-line services in Spanish and English has also been a factor in their growth, which has been substantial. In fact, this mid-sized vendor’s revenue performance has been so pronounced that at the end of 2016 it was recognized by INC. Magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing companies. While perhaps not yet a household name in the front-office outsourcing space, Golden Gate BPO is a clear example of the rising numbers of mid-sized vendors that are winning business on flexibility, ability and diversity.
In 2017, the contact center services space will almost certainly be disrupted by a small to mid-sized segment of vendors committed to delivering as effectively as their global counterparts. Focusing on agility, broad lines of service and responsiveness to client needs will be the foundation for their success. As demonstrated by Golden Gate BPO’s recent recognition by INC Magazine, this segment of outsourcers is well-positioned to succeed in the current market.
Written by: Peter Ryan | Ryan Strategic Advisory
