Under the agreement Bharti Airtel, which owns and currently operates the Zain brand in 16 countries across Africa, will outsource core customer service functions like call centres and back offices as it prepares for growth in the region. The mobile telecommunications operator currently has over 40 million customers across its African operations and is targeting to achieve 100 million by 2013.
In selecting IBM, Tech Mahindra and Spanco, Bharti Airtel aims to deliver best practices, based on its experience of working with international organisations in the telecommunications, banking, finance, insurance and retail sectors, to its mobile consumers.
Bharti Airtel believes the widespread adoption of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) model across its operations will also have tangible benefits for development of the sector in each country, create additional job opportunities and develop local talent. The partners will provide services in each market which will aim to sustain and build skills, capabilities and resources.
Manoj Kohli, CEO (international) and joint managing director, Bharti Airtel, said: "Our partnership with IBM, Tech Mahindra and Spanco is aimed at redefining and providing a world class and seamless customer experience in all 16 countries. The BPO model has significant benefits for our customers, the countries in which we operate and their economies. Partnering with world class organisations on such a massive scale will galvanise the BPO sector in Africa and be a catalyst for growth in the sector.
"These partnerships will offer career enhancement opportunities to our team in this specialist field as they will now get exposure to global best practices and the latest technologies."
Bharti Airtel has operations in Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
