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31st July, 2007
 Botswana International Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Call Centre Conference.

On 31st July, 2007,   the IFSC collaborated with the private sector industry association for BPO’s and Call Centre’s, Outsource Botswana, to host the first ever BPO and Call Centre Conference in Botswana. This event was held at the Gaborone Sun Conference Centre.

 
   

This conference represented the first step in educating key local stakeholders and international investors about BPO operations, Botswana’s value proposition, investment opportunities, and the key elements of getting the industry started.

The one day conference was attended by 180 delegates from the private and public sectors with some delegates attending from South Africa, the United Kingdom and Canada. It was officially opened by the Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr. Duncan Mlazie. The conference topics included various themes starting with a case study from a Johannesburg listed BPO operator called The Dialogue Group who demonstrated the viability of the sector. Various topics were also covered, including: Technologies and Product Pricing for BPO and Call Centre operations; Building the domestic BPO industry, Developing human capital for BPO; Botswana’s competitiveness for offshore BPO opportunities; Developing a national BPO industry; A case study of a domestic BPO operator entering the offshoring market; and Financing opportunities for the BPO sector in Botswana.

CEO’s from various parastatals and private sector companies including IFSC (Mr. Alan Boshwaen), Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (Mr. Vincent Seretse), Public Enterprise Evaluation and Privatisation Agency (Mr. Joshua Galeforolwe), Venture Partners Botswana (Mr. Anthony Siwawa), Peo Holdings (Mrs. Judy Tsonope), Oseg Group (Mr. Majakathata Pheko), and Business Process enabling South Africa (Mr. Mfanu Mfayela).

Other high ranking officials in the programme were Mr. Andrew Planting (Sales Director of the Dialogue Group), Mrs. Constance Matabiswana (Chairperson of Outsource Botswana), Mr. Mathaka Mmapatsi (Quality Assurance Director of Botswana Training Authority) and Dr. Khumo Seipone (Director of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Health Care at the Ministry of Health) and Mr. Colin Caitens (African Academy of Excellence).

The industry experts - both local and international - were united in their view that the most suitable strategy would be that of having a strong local BPO and Call Centre industry while building towards the bigger opportunity that lies in offshoring.

The programme included a site visit of one of the local operators, Oseg Group. The day ended with the launch of Outsource Botswana, the local private sector that is responsible for the development of training and operational standards and the promotion of the industry. The launch was done by Mr. Keabetswe Segole, Deputy CEO of Orange Botswana.

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