Outsourcing Executives: Investing in Value-Added Services Enhances Customer Experiences
A number of professionals in Egypt’s outsourcing services sector have collectively emphasized the importance of investing in new value-added services to enrich the customer experience.
This includes expanding the use of data analytics and AI applications for instant responses and rapid problem resolution, as well as creating systems to protect the confidentiality of sensitive data in compliance with European standards.
They stated that Egypt possesses competitive advantages, including its prime geographic location and highly qualified human resources, to meet local market needs and transform into a central hub for serving regional and global markets.
Omran: Must Be Managed as an Integrated Service, Not Just Answering Calls
Yasser Omran, General Manager of Alorica Egypt, said that the local market needs new value-added services to enrich the customer experience.
These include Data Analytics to provide deeper customer insights, developing Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platforms to increase efficiency, and providing Omnichannel support services that combine chat, email, and phone.
He also stressed the importance of managing the Customer Experience (CX) as an integrated service, not just answering a call.
Omran explained that technology can transform the outsourcing sector by using AI to shift service from a reactive approach to a predictive one.
Additionally, delegating routine tasks to technology allows employees to focus on handling complex and emotionally charged issues.
He added that outsourcing companies face challenges in developing innovative services related to investing in modern technology, a skills gap between available talent and the requirements of new technical roles, and maintaining data security and privacy while innovating.
He also noted a growing culture of fear of change within some companies.
Omran stressed the importance of companies investing in both human capital and new technologies, considering that investing in developing human skills to use technology is the crucial factor for the success of the system.
Yassin: The Future is in Customer Intent Prediction Systems… and AI Model Accuracy is the Biggest Challenge
Khaled Yassin, General Manager of the UK-based Skybound outsourcing company in Egypt, confirmed that improving the customer experience requires using tools to assist employees in providing quick solutions during calls, known as Agent Copilot.
He also highlighted the need for expansion in instant voice translation, allowing a customer speaking Arabic to hear English and vice versa simultaneously.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of companies investing in Predictive Routing systems and activating full call review systems and smart chatbots.
Yassin pointed out that technology currently plays a role in automatically recording and summarizing inbound voice calls and subjecting them to a quality analysis process.
This transforms the role of a customer service agent from merely answering inquiries to providing AI-supported solutions to customer problems.
He noted that AI Agents can now perform entire operations, such as processing refunds or modifying orders, without any human intervention.
He believes that the Egyptian market is qualified to provide innovative, value-added services in the outsourcing sector, especially since it is 20-30% less expensive than other countries like India and the Philippines.
It also possesses multilingual talent and a prime geographical location near Europe and the Gulf region, with easy access to North and South America.
Lastly, he mentioned the governmental support provided by the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) and the “free zones.”
However, he stated that outsourcing companies face difficulties in developing innovative services, including the accuracy of AI models.
He also stressed the importance of investing in systems to automatically protect the privacy of sensitive customer data.
Other challenges include the need for legislation like the European AI Act and convincing employees that new tools will help them with their tasks, not monitor or replace them.
Fouad: High Cost is a Major Obstacle
Shaimaa Fouad, CEO of Winners Outsourcing Services, stated that Egypt has become a regional and global hub for outsourcing, thanks to the availability of trained human resources and competitive operating costs compared to other markets.
Fouad explained that there is increasing demand from global companies for outsourcing services in Egypt, especially for Multilingual Services, Tech Support, and value-added services such as advanced analytics and Omnichannel customer service.
She added that global digital transformation has pushed companies to adopt modern technologies like AI, Cloud Computing, and data analytics, which has made customers expect a faster and more personalized experience.
This creates significant opportunities for outsourcing companies to develop and innovate new services.
Regarding the challenges facing the sector, Fouad pointed out that the most prominent one is the high cost of technology.
Implementing AI or Omnichannel solutions requires massive investments. Additionally, there is a shortage of highly skilled talent in some specialized areas, such as rare languages (German, French, Spanish) or advanced technical skills.
She also noted other obstacles, including internal resistance to change from some employees or departments who fear that technology will replace humans, and the rising expectations of customers who no longer compare service to just local companies but to the global standards provided by companies like Amazon and Apple.
Fouad stressed that the intense price competition among outsourcing companies creates additional pressure.
Lowering prices reduces profit margins, which limits the ability to inject new investments into innovation.
Furthermore, data protection regulations like GDPR remain a major challenge, as they require strict adherence and precise standards to ensure full compliance.
Allam: Technology Has Become a Fundamental Element in Reshaping the Customer Experience
Ahmed Allam, Business Development Director at Octopus Outsourcing, believes that the sector needs to integrate AI and predictive analytics into the customer journey.
For example, AI can be used for real-time quality monitoring or to support customer service agents with a virtual assistant, which speeds up the resolution process.
He also stressed the importance of specialized services in specific fields like e-commerce, travel, and tourism.
Allam explained that technology has become a fundamental element in completely reshaping the customer experience.
He suggested that companies adopt a Hybrid model that combines human interaction and automated support in customer service, which contributes to reducing wait times and increasing quality.
This approach allows companies to focus on providing higher value instead of wasting time on routine tasks.
He noted that the Egyptian market has competitive advantages, including a young, educated, and multilingual workforce, along with competitive operating costs compared to other countries.
However, the biggest advantage is its flexibility and adaptability.
He pointed out that Egyptian companies have been able to prove their capabilities by quickly entering new markets and providing diverse, high-quality services to clients in Europe, North America, and the Gulf.
Allam said that the most prominent challenges facing outsourcing companies in providing value-added services are the rapid changes in customer expectations versus the innovation cycle, the difficulties associated with investing in modern technology, especially since it is very expensive, and the ability to attract and retain talent amid regional and global competition.
He commented that technology without a trained and aware human element will not create added value, and vice versa.
He considers investing in modern technology necessary to increase efficiency and speed, but human resources remain the most critical factor.
