Speech Applications Feature Article

The National Association of Call Centers has released its second report on the state of the call center industry with the zingy title "The State of the Industry Report: Call Center Market Share and Employment Growth by Industry Sector 2002-2005."

 

It finds that that the global call center industry is in a state of growth, occurring in most countries, not just offshore and nearshore. And of the ten identified call center industry sectors only one is shrinking both globally and within the United States -- Fulfillment, Distribution. It's declining not due to a collapse of the call center market, the NACC concludes, "but instead due to the adoption and spread of self-service technologies such as online ticket purchasing, online car rental, self-service check-in" and similar technologies.

 

The call center industry has rebounded fully from a lull in the 2^nd and 3^rd quarters of 2004, the report says, and is "growing at a strong and steady rate."

 

"The core mission of the NACC is to produce unique and valuable research information for our membership and the call center industry," said NACC executive director Dr. David Butler, who describes the "State of the Industry" reports as "the starting point for understanding this dynamic industry and where a dialogue for the future evolution of the industry should begin.

By the way, it's mighty refreshing to get press releases from places like Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where the NACC is located. Kind of like the news from Bozeman, Montana for RightNow, or when you were a kid getting something from Battle Creek, Michigan.

The report examines data gathered for the 36 month period from July 2002 through July 2005. It investigates the openings, closings, expansions and contractions of call centers throughout the world in 400 pages comprising two volumes. Volume 1 examines the global market and volume 2 focuses exclusively on the United States market.

 

The study reports data by country, US state, by quarter and by 10 identified call center industry sectors. Findings show growth in the call center industry in 9 of the 10 industry sectors both in the US and globally. Findings also show an overall growth in the industry.

The report says data from the past 36 months indicates that the global call center industry will continue to grow simultaneously within the more mature markets within the US and UK as well as nearshore (Canada, Ireland) and offshore (India, Philippines) due to "business expansions within the US and UK" and "the cost savings associated with moving front office activities to back office operations."

 

Moreover, it is expected that the call center industry third party outsourcing will likewise continue to grow both domestically within the US as well as nearshore and offshore. 

 

 

David Sims is contributing editor for TMCnet. For more articles please visit David Sims' columnist page.