Datamonitor: Most Call Center Jobs Remain Onshore

Independent market analysis firm Datamonitor says that contrary to the hype, outsourcing of call-center activities is not sending huge numbers of jobs to offshore locations. The London-based organization says that in 2007, 241,000 agent positions will be located offshore, a figure that will represent just 5% of the total global call-center market. "The focus has shifted toward selling outsourcing rather than selling offshore," says Datamonitor's Ryan Powell, author of the report, "Global Offshore Call Center Outsourcing: Who Will Be The Next India?" Mexico, South Africa and Malaysia are growing centers for outsourcing of call centers, according to Datamonitor, and are gaining ground at the expense of India and the Philippines. While the latter two countries share 70% of the offshore market, that percentage will drop to 64% in 2007, the firm predicts.