[kictanet] Out sourcing; where does Kenya stand

Tue Oct 5 10:53:58 EAT 2010

Hi Gilda,

In order to attain a fraction of the employment numbers that we are
envisioning to be created by the sector by 2030, there definitely has to me
a multi-pronged approach to this, and marketing (in any sector) has always
been crucial. The industry leaders throughout the world have leveraged
operator & government/industry-bodies joint marketing strategies- and this
has in turn translated to work being sent to their countries.

The image that a single operations (a BPO) projects out there is that of
"lone ranger". No serious corporate is going to place work in a country that
only has 2-3 operators! Too risky for them, ask them and they will tell you
that. One of the very first questions that a client will ask is "how many
BPOs are in Kenya, and how many staff are employed in the sector and for how
many years". In a nutshell, if your operation had to cease to exist - who
else is in Kenya that is experienced enough to handle the work"?

Edwin

Sales without Customer Service........is like stuffing money into a pocket
full of holes.
DAVID TOOMA

-----Original Message-----
From: kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of godera at skyweb.co.ke
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 10:24 AM
To: Edwin
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Out sourcing; where does Kenya stand

Edwin,

It is very true that much more needs to be done on the marketing and
branding
aspects- much much more.
It appears it is not seen as a priority yet it is key in awakening interest
in
outsourcing to Kenya.
There's some high level sensitisation needed in this area and I believe it
is
"work in progress".

Gilda
Quoting Edwin Onchari <eonchari at lynxbits.com>:

> Marketing and branding Kenya as a BPO destination is yet to be achieved!
So,
> government has yet to demonstrate (to the best of my knowledge) what it is
> doing to that end. IBM, Google, Microsoft, GE, Nokia, (the big IT
> investors), etc; are all Kenya as we speak, when are they going to buy
into
> this grand plan of outsourcing to Kenya? Do we not have the workforce they
> are looking for? What is it that we do not have that they are looking for,
> so that we have it in place before 2030? Just wondering!!
> 
> Edwin
> 
> Sales without Customer Service........is like stuffing money into a pocket
> full of holes.
> DAVID TOOMA
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
> Behalf Of Agosta Liko
> Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 10:30 AM
> To: Edwin
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Out sourcing; where does Kenya stand
> 
> Robert ...
> 
> Once more http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLdA1ikkoEc
> 
> :)
> 
> On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 9:39 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:
> > Hi Liko,
> > Thanks for the insightful post on your experiences it is always
refreshing
> > to listen to new ideas.
> > You made something very clear that for most BPO jobs one does not need a
> > university degree, do you therefore subscribe to the school of that the
> > government should stop promising fresh graduates that the solution to
> their
> > possible unemployment will be the BPO sector.  It is scary when you hear
a
> > minister at a graduation telling the students that they will get a job
in
> > the BPO sector.
> > You have indicated the 3,000 (1,200 at Safaricom) jobs currently
> > created courtesy of the BPO industry yet we will have 450,000 leaving
form
> 4
> > and 30,000 graduating from Universities this year alone making
the  number
> a
> > drop in the ocean.
> > Whatever you believe, I strongly feel the government is not doing
enough,
> > like with any new sector without the participation of government there
> will
> > be sluggish or no growth.  Investing in new sectors is what government
is
> > created for and not participation in mature markets an area that need to
> be
> > divest.
> > How long will it take your company to directly or indirectly create 10
new
> > jobs & long would it take the government to do the same, but in this we
> > digress.
> > The critical question still remains where does Kenya stand in the new
BPO
> > order brought about by the financial crisis?
> >
> > Robert Yawe
> > KAY System Technologies Ltd
> > Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> > Kenya
> >
> > Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Agosta Liko <agostal at gmail.com>
> > To: robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> > Sent: Sun, 3 October, 2010 22:11:11
> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Out sourcing; where does Kenya stand
> >
> > Robert
> >
> > No goal posts have shifted. The field is still the same and one can
> > say it will be better.
> >
> > All those baby boomers who lost their jobs after the global financial
> > crisis are now competing with Indians, Malaysians etc etc etc. Even
> > though the Democrats in US don't like outsourcing, the Republicans
> > should make gains during the mid terms and it will become easier for
> > businesses to get cost effective labor abroad. Same goes for Europe
> > etc etc
> >
> > The thing that concerns me is this focus on "capacity building" ... I
> > don't understand which training one needs in order to answer a phone
> > call :) ... and most of us who went to study abroad would attest to
> > the fact that you could get a customer service job, shadow an
> > experienced person for 3 days and you are picking calls ....  Even IT
> > jobs ... you did industry certs and broke through.
> >
> > As I said, On Outsourcing the buck stops at the operators feet.
> >
> > About "should we just hang our boots and direct our efforts and
> > resources elsewhere?"
> >
> > There are companies still working well in the sector ... and they will
> > keep growing ... I am sure all have seen hard times, but hey - that's
> > business. If we are to move elsewhere ... what about the 3000+ jobs
> > created thus far ?
> >
> > Bottom Line - On outsourcing.... lets not blame the government ...
> > they have done and continue to do their part
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Oct 3, 2010 at 9:12 PM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
> wrote:
> >> Hi Liko,
> >> I think you have misunderstood the question here, we are singing about
> how
> >> the BPO industry will help us meet the objectives of the 2030 agenda
yet
> >> the
> >> entire playing field is changing and we do not seem to be realigning.
> >> As the goal posts keep shifting are we able to continue playing or
should
> >> we
> >> just hang our boots and direct our efforts and resources elsewhere?
> >> Regards
> >>
> >> Robert Yawe
> >> KAY System Technologies Ltd
> >> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> >> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> >> Kenya
> >>
> >> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
> >>
> >> ________________________________
> >> From: Agosta Liko <agostal at gmail.com>
> >> To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
> >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> >> Sent: Sun, 3 October, 2010 17:51:07
> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Out sourcing; where does Kenya stand
> >>
> >> Edwin
> >>
> >> There is a strategy and very true stuff in there. Lots of people are
> >> privy to what the mckinseys hv said etc etc. But to me, the main issue
> >> is execution and patience.
> >>
> >> In my experience, clients don't care where you are (country) all they
> >> care about is can you deliver ?
> >>
> >> Delivery becomes the issue and there is little the govt can do here.
> >>
> >> 3 years ago, a call to USA was 40shs per minute ....... Now it's
> >> 3shs, labor costs the same. Internet was usd6000 per mb (dedicated)
> >> .... I remember spending 400k just to get last mile fiber. Now 1mb is
> >> usd 500
> >>
> >> The buck has to stop at the operators feet .....
> >>
> >>
> >> On Sunday, October 3, 2010, Edwin Onchari <eonchari at lynxbits.com>
wrote:
> >>> Hi Dr. Ndemo,
> >>>
> >>> My apologies for not having highlighted the positives that the
> government
> >>> has made in developing the ICT sector in general such as the Fiber
link,
> >>> upcoming ICT parks, EPZ status for BPOs, skills development, ICT
> >>> frameworks,
> >>> etc.
> >>>
> >>> That said, my response here was in respect to placing Kenya as BPO
> >>> destination on the global stage. The BPO awareness that Kenya has
> >>> received
> >>> over the last 6 years has been largely due to operator efforts (a
> handful
> >>> of
> >>> BPOs). My take is that the government should take up the country's
> >>> marketing
> >>> efforts more aggressively and as below:
> >>>
> >>> 1. Yes, sell to large IT investors and attract the IBMs of the IT
world
> >>> to
> >>> set-up/collaborate in Kenya. We are all aware that there is some work
to
> >>> be
> >>> done in this front to get the capacity to attract such big players,
and
> >>> this
> >>> might take a while.
> >>> 2. But also, target the lower lying fruit: Over 80% of the BPO market
is
> >>> dominated by mid-sized companies from key markets of Europe and North
> >>> America-outsourcing. These organizations outsource small projects
(1-50
> >>> seats), which cumulatively have translated to employing over 250,000
> >>> staff
> >>> in the Philippines/Malaysia for example. That did not come from a
> handful
> >>> of
> >>> big players setting up shop in the Philippines alone at the start, but
> >>> rather many small to mid-sized organizations sending work there.
> >>>
> >>> The global BPO forums and symposiums always have tier3 destination
> >>> governments in attendance, with the sole purpose of showcasing the
> >>> operators
> >>> in their countries, above and beyond, their conscious efforts of
> >>> attracting
> >>> big IT firms to set up shop in their countries. I could be gravely
wrong
> >>> here, but, going through all the major global BPO forums that have
taken
> >>> place in the last 3 years; Kenya has not featured in any of them (not
by
> >>> our
> >>> government agencies at least). This means that very few firms out
there
> >>> consider Kenya as a viable destination to place work, or are even
aware
> >>> that
> >>> fiber landed in Kenya.
> >>>
> >>> I still strongly feel that unless we come up with a collaborative,
well
> >>> thought through BPO strategy, we'll miss creating the kind of
employment
> >>> numbers that we are envisioning in the 2030 blue print.
> >>>
> >>> While it is not my intent to project negative energy, as a seasoned
> >>> operator
> >>> in the industry, I feel obliged to inform where I feel we are missing
> the
> >>> targets.
> >>>
> >>> Best regards,
> >>>
> >>> Edwin
> >>>
> >>> Sales without Customer Service........is like stuffing money into a
> >>> pocket
> >>> full of holes.
> >>> DAVID TOOMA
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> >>> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke]
On
> >>> Behalf Of bitange at jambo.co.ke
> >>> Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2010 10:34 PM
> >>> To: Edwin
> >>> Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
> >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Out sourcing; where does Kenya stand
> >>>
> >>> Fibre Landed in Kenya just last year.  We do not have the facility to
> >>> incubate upcoming enterprises or attract large IT Investors.  We are
> >>> still
> >>> developing capacity.  To go to market one has to have the product.
 GOK
> >>> is
> >>> aggressively digitalizing all its registries to encourage new
> >>> applications.
> >>> GOK has invested heavily on the ICT infrastructure.
> >>>
> >>> If we truely want to succeed and move ICT to another level, such
> negative
> >>> energy is the last thing we need.  Having made his criticism, perhaps
> >>> Edwin
> >>> should elaborate what he would have done under the circumstances or
what
> >>> he
> >>> considers to be the right track to achieving vision 2030.
> >>>
> >>> Ndemo.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Sent from my BlackBerryR
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: "Edwin Onchari" <eonchari at lynxbits.com>
> >>> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> >>> Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2010 22:54:04
> >>> To: <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
> >>> Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Out sourcing; where does Kenya stand
> >>>
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