Author Archives: Yoni

Island Outsourcers Officially Opens in Grand Bahama

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Photos by David Mackey Mackey Media Ltd/ TheBahamasWeekly.comFreeport, Grand Bahama Island – The Jamaican-based company, Island Outsourcers officially opened the first phase of their call centre on Thursday, January 9, 2014 at Trehl Plaza on West Atlantic Drive in downtown Freeport. On hand for the opening was the Rt Hon. Perry G. Christie, Prime Minister of the Bahamas, along with other government officials and Grand Bahama business persons.

Along from the Prime Minister, offering remarks was the the Hon. Obie Wilchcombe, Minister of Tourism; Ian Rolle, President, Grand Bahama Port Authority; and Yoni Epstein, Island Outsourcers’ Founder and CEO.

The Freeport centre has 65 persons personnel providing inbound and outbound customer service and telesales services, and aims to increase its employee headcount to some 600 persons as it expands in the future.

Island Outsourcers is a comprehensive, business process outsourcing (BPO) solution that manages contact centre and back office functions for local and US-based companies, with the UK and Canadian market in its sights.  As a BPO provider, they provide planning, workflow, real-time monitoring and reservation functions for their vendors/clients, many of whom operate within the travel and tourism industry.

With government’s plans to establish Grand Bahama as the base for the Ministry of Tourism’s digital platform, the new BPO will facilitate the relocation of the ministry’s former Miami-based call centre to Grand Bahama.

“Although the labour cost is a little higher in Freeport, business costs are lower,” said Yoni Epstein, Island Outsourcers’ Founder and CEO.  “Additionally, The Bahamas boasts an educated workforce with a strong work ethic far surpassing many other countries – the workforce is polished and professional, with excellent communication skills.”

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Photos by David Mackey Mackey Media Ltd/ TheBahamasWeekly.com

“This is momentous for our island and country as a whole,” stated GBPA President, Ian Rolle in a previous announcement. “We look at the BPO industry as a huge supplier of jobs. It isn’t seasonal and as the world economy gets tighter and more competitive, this industry will continue to thrive.”

Rolle further revealed that after months of negotiations with GBPA’s Business Development team, Freeport was chosen as the ideal location for Island Outsourcers’ expansion due to its geographic proximity to the North American mainland and a free trade zone area boasting competitive costs for operation of a call centre in the English speaking Caribbean.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe is also pleased with the company’s entrance into the Bahamian market as part of his ministry’s plans to relocate its former Miami-based call centre to Grand Bahama. “For a very long time we have aimed to bring this important and needed call centre to The Bahamas and to Grand Bahama in particular,” he stressed.

“We see Grand Bahama becoming the base of the Ministry of Tourism’s digital platform involving Bahamian companies and employing hundreds of Bahamians. Island Outsourcers brings invaluable experience and will enhance the new thrust for tourism growth and development in The Bahamas,” he further added.

Rolle further revealed that after months of negotiations with GBPA’ s Business Development team, Freeport was chosen as the ideal location for Island Outsourcers’ expansion due to its geographic proximity to the North American mainland and a free trade zone area boasting competitive costs for operation of a call centre in the English speaking Caribbean with costs that are 20 to 30 percent lower than in the US, UK or Canada.

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Photos by David Mackey Mackey Media Ltd/ TheBahamasWeekly.com

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe is also pleased with the company’s entrance into the Bahamian market as part of his ministry’s plans to relocate its former Miami-based call centre to Grand Bahama. “For a very long time we have aimed to bring this important and needed call centre to The Bahamas and to Grand Bahama in particular,” he stressed.

”We see Grand Bahama becoming the base of the Ministry of Tourism’s digital platform involving Bahamian companies and employing hundreds of Bahamians. Island Outsourcers brings invaluable experience and will enhance the new thrust for tourism growth and development in The Bahamas,” he further added.

The Bahamas boasts an educated workforce with a strong work ethic far surpassing many other countries the workforce is polished and professional with excellent communication skills. Unlike call centres on the other side of the world, The Bahamas is in line with Eastern time zones, easily handling all call traffic through the US business day without the need for off-shift hours. Additionally, Freeport has access to many international gateways including direct flights from major cities, allowing clients easy access to visit the local facility.

”We believe in The Bahamas and its potential and look forward to partnering with GBPA and the government in pioneering a vision to establish a local BPO industry for the growth and development of Grand Bahama,” said Yoni Epstein, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Island Outsourcers.

Island Outsourcers Freeport management team introduced –

About Island Outsourcers & itel-BPO Solutions

Island Outsourcers/itel-BPO Solutions is one of the Caribbean’s most dynamic business process outsourcing service providers. It operations began in Jamaica in June 2012 with a subsidiary operation established in Grand Bahama in November 2013. A private owned venture, Island Outsourcers/itel-BPO Solutions manages contact center and back office functions for local and US based companies. Island Outsourcers/itel-BPO Solutions specializes in inbound/outbound sales and customer service, data entry, quality assurance management and back office support services.

Island Outsourcers/itel-BPO Solutions has expanded and diversified its solutions and services over the past year with the launch of its sister brand in October 2013, itel-BPO solutions. Under the itel-BPO solutions division, the entity has expanded its range of solutions and support services to include the telecoms, online retail, utilities, health insurance, and medical industries. The Island Outsourcers brand has deepend its focus on the travel and tourist industry which comprises rent-a-cars, airlines, hotels, sales and reservations.

Island Outsourcers services and solutions are delivered through a set of standardized best practices and sophisticated technologies by a highly skilled workforce of approximately 200 employees supporting customers in the Caribbean and North America with two centers. Island Outsourcers build its outsourcing excellence on the premise of its core values – the 4Y’s:

•Quality: the executive team prides itself in selecting the right people, providing them with the highest standards of training and empowering them to work effectively on or off script. Island Outsourcers maintain a 1:12 supervisor to agent ration so as to ensure the best quality and service standards are maintained.

•Integrity: each client relationship will be independent of each other for confidentiality, security and efficiency; individual attention will satisfy the client knowing that their product is never sacrificed.

•Reliability: Island Outsourcers uses the most robust network and telephony equipment to maintain its current 99.99% up time. Our team is also reliable and ready to provide exemplary customer service and meet all service level agreements.

•Family: we pride ourselves by treating our team members and our clients like family.

Lifestyle Pulls BPO To MoBay

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Published: Friday | January 3, 2014

Epstein
Epstein

Avia Collinder, Business Reporter

With 20 of 32 of Jamaica’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies located in Montego Bay, St James, members of the industry said the city’s appeal is connected not just its status as a tourist resort, but also a labour force with low attrition rates.

“As opposed to Kingston, which is the island’s economic, commerce and financial hub with a vibrant nightlife, Montego Bay is the tourism mecca boasting lavish resorts, pristine beaches and golf courses,” Yoni Epstein, president of the Business Processing Industry Association of Jamaica said.

Montego Bay, he said, “depicts a work-play proposition wherein executives can bring their family on a business trip, take care of business, but at the same time, enjoy the visit. Other factors include proximity to the world’s largest market for outsourcing services, the United States; great quality of life and competitive business costs.”

The area also has a low worker turnover, said Epstein, referring to what he described as a “dedicated and productive workforce”.

On average, it is estimated that Jamaica’s labour costs is 40-60 per cent lower than the United States.

“In terms of wages and salaries for Montego Bay, in comparison to Kingston, the wages are within the same range. In comparison to other countries, according to Zagada’s 2012 report, Jamaica’s agent daily labour costs is US$24, which, when compared to Panama’s US$38, Puerto Rico’s US$38, and the emerging BPO locations in the Caribbean such as Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, which is at US$26, is considered very competitive,” Epstein said.

However, there are some locations which are cheaper because of the size of the labour force.

Labour costs in countries such as Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic is at US$21 and it can be argued that size and availability of talent influence the cost, Epstein said..

However, Jamaica retains its appeal because of its English-speaking population. The only drawback to the Montego Bay area, Epstein said, is a limitation in skillsset among workers, which is being addressed through the siting of training institutions in the western region.

He said that “in establishing a call centre in Jamaica, the labour pool oftentimes influence the preferred location.” Montego Bay is currently hosting a majority of the contact centres in Jamaica, “but in terms of the higher value-added services, it can be argued that such entities are found in Kingston, given it’s the corporate centre of Jamaica,” he added.

Epstein explained that firms engaging in legal-processing outsourcing, human-resource outsourcing, software development, among others, can be found in Kingston.

widening of labour skills set

With the expansion of major tertiary institutions to Montego Bay and the provision of programmes to meet the industry’s need, it can be argued that there is a widening in terms of labour skillset in the western region,” he said. Kingston, however, still has a majority of the graduates and a wider variety of available skills set, he added.

Epstein cited a lack of space as a major challenge facing growth of the industry. “Lack of readily available space is a major challenge, with respect to accommodating investment and expansion within the industry. However, the Government of Jamaica and the private sector have been making strides in this aspect, and we do hope to see new developments in the coming months with respect to addressing this issue,” he said.

The total number of persons currently employed by the BPO sector is 13,250 and the association is projecting annual growth of 25 per cent.

avia.collinder@gleanerjm.com

Island Outsourcers nabs top employer award poised for growth

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ISLAND Outsourcers has been awarded the 2013 Employer of the Year by the Montego Bay Free Zone company for the highest percentage staff growth at 171 per cent for the year.

The firm has become a major business process outsourcing provider, offering services to both local and international clients, since starting operation in Jamaica in June 2012.

Yoni Epstein (right), founder and CEO of Island Outsourcers, receives the Montego Bay Free Zone 2013 Employer of the Year Award from industry minister Anthony Hylton. (PHOTO: ACEION CUNNINGHAM)
It started with five employees and now employs approximately 165 workers across two countries with further anticipated expansion and growth.

Yoni Epstein, founder and CEO of Island Outsourcers, expects the company to ascertain a further triple-digit growth in the 2014 calendar year, among rapid changes and expansion in operations both locally and regionally.

“Our expansion locally and regionally rests solely on the pillars of robust infrastructure, experienced management team and qualified frontline professionals, which builds the solid foundation enabling our organizational success in delivering services at a bigger scale and to a wider market,” Epstein said.

“Our growth as a group has been significant in the Caribbean region, taking our two sites into consideration, and we therefore seek to increase that growth further in 2014,” he added.

Island Outsourcers recently established a customer support centre located in Freeport, Grand Bahama. The first phase of the Grand Bahama operation was launched in November 2013 with 65 personnel providing inbound and outbound customer service and telesales services.

The Montego Bay location is currently being retrofitted to represent the recent addition of a new brand, ITEL BPO, bringing a sense of brand identity to those working on specific accounts. Additionally, Island Outsourcers has acquired an added 5,500 square feet at the Montego Bay Free Zone to accommodate new clients starting the first quarter of 2014. The BPO firm intends to tap into available funding sources geared towards financing the expansion of operations within the local ICT/BPO industry, thus developing its own ICT/BPO space as well as to further expansion in Grand Bahama.

According to various industry estimates, the BPO industry is growing rapidly and so are the opportunities in the sector. As such, Island Outsourcers said it is positioning its operations to embrace these opportunities.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Island-Outsourcers-nabs-top-employer-award–poised-for-growth_15670521#ixzz2oDeNoLPn

BPIAJ plans to construct US$900,000 business incubator at MoBay Freezone

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Big boost!

BPIA plans to construct US$900,000 business incubator at MoBay Freezone

BY MARK CUMMINGS Editor-at-Large, Western Bureau cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com

Thursday, November 28, 2013

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Chairman of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ), Yoni Epstein says his association plans to construct a 200-seat incubator at a cost of US$900,000 in the Montego Bay Freezone next year, in a bid to attract more companies who want to enter the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector in the resort city of Montego Bay.

The bulk of the funding to make the incubator — which is a call centre facility with cubicles containing requisite infrastructure — a reality, he said, will be made available through a grant from an overseas-based agency.

EPSTEIN… It will be a revolving door with either persons renting small portions of it, or the entire space for a short period of time

“This incubator will help put the already available call centre space into the market where existing growing players that may have a fast ramp-up can rent the space for a short-term period, while it builds out somewhere else, or in a situation where a new entrant is coming in and wants to ramp up quickly and test the market, they can rent space in this facility for a short period of time while it builds out a space,” he explained.

“It will be a revolving door with either persons renting small portions of it, or the entire space for a short period of time,” added Epstein, who was earlier this year recognised among the 50 most influential executives in nearshore outsourcing in Latin America and the Caribbean.

He said the facility will also assist in the training of employees; help to create more awareness of the association — not only locally but globally — that Jamaica is a true player in the BPO sector in the region.

“This no doubt will drive more foreign direct investment and more growth for our local players as well, so that we can see more growth and success in the industry,” said Epstein, who was recently re-elected chairman of the one-year-old BPIAJ.

Players in the sector have long argued that growth in the industry, which currently employs 14,000 persons in Kingston and Montego Bay, is being hampered mainly because of the unavailability of space to set up call centres.

Complaints, too, were made about the non- availability of trained workers, but Epstein noted that that matter is now being addressed through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the HEART Trust/ NTA, which will result in an injection of roughly 3,000 trained workers in the market.

Meanwhile, Epstein, who is also the CEO of Island Outsourcers, told the Observer West that some 2,000 more jobs will be created in the ICT sector at the Montego Bay Freezone during the course of next year.

So far this year, he added, some 1,500 jobs in the BPO sector were created in the Montego Bay Freezone, which now accounts for roughly 9,000 of the 14,000 persons employed in the sector in Kingston and Montego Bay.

According to Epstein, the additional seats will be created mainly through the expansion of the existing 30 BPO companies operating in the Montego Bay Freezone, as well as the addition of new companies entering the sector.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/regional/Big-boost-_15535201#ixzz2m3jWCP5L

Grand Bahama Job Fair This Weekend for New Call Centre Positions‏

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CALL CENTRE JOB FAIR: Port Authority and Island Outsourcers’ officials are excited about the opening of a call centre in Grand Bahama and a job fair scheduled to be held on Saturday to fill key positions. Pictured during an inspection of leased premises for the new call centre are (left to right): GBPA President, Ian Rolle; Yoni Epstein, founder & CEO, Island Outsourcers; GBPA Vice President, Ginger Moxey; GBPA Business Development Manager, Derek Newbold; and Troy Cotton, COO, Island Outsourcers.

Freeport, Grand Bahama – Island Outsourcers will host a job fair this weekend for over 100 positions in their new call centre that is set to begin operations in Grand Bahama, in early November.

Excited about the upcoming event is Ian Rolle, President, The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA).  “Last week we made a formal announcement regarding the opening of the new call centre and now the principals are here to begin the actual selection process of their initial hires.  This certainly bodes well for skilled individuals on the island,” Rolle expressed.

The full-day event is scheduled for 8am to 4pm, Saturday September 28, at the Pelican Bay Convention Building.  Positions offered include: call centre agents, business unit supervisors, workforce managers, training managers and operations managers.  Candidates should possess at least 5 BGCSE’s, including Math and English and must have proficient computer skills, as well as leadership and motivational skills.  Individuals are also reminded to bring copies of their current resumes to Saturday’s job fair.

Island Outsourcers is a comprehensive, business process outsourcing (BPO) solution that manages contact centre and back office functions for local and US-based companies, with the UK and Canadian market in its sights.  As a BPO provider, they provide planning, workflow, real-time monitoring and reservation functions for their vendors/clients, many of whom operate within the travel and tourism industry.

With government’s plans to establish Grand Bahama as the base for the Ministry of Tourism’s digital platform, the new BPO will facilitate the relocation of the ministry’s former Miami-based call centre to Grand Bahama.

According to Yoni Epstein, Island Outsourcers’ founder and CEO, he is confident about his company’s expansion to this island nation.  “Although the labour cost is a little higher in Freeport, business costs are lower,” he expressed.  “Additionally, The Bahamas boasts an educated workforce with a strong work ethic far surpassing many other countries – the workforce is polished and professional, with excellent communication skills.”

The BPO firm will launch its operations with over 100 personnel and aims to increase its employee headcount to some 600 persons as it expands in the future.


Call Centre Creates New Industry for The Bahamas

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#contactcenterworld
Freeport, Grand Bahama, Sept 18, 2013 — The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) and government officials are pleased to confirm that Island Outsourcers will begin operations on Grand Bahama Island this fall.

As the Jamaican based company expands its call centre services to Grand Bahama, career opportunities for 100 individuals will become available at the onset, with the possibility of further employment for 600 persons.

Island Outsourcers is a comprehensive, business process outsourcing (BPO) solution that manages contact centre and back office functions for local and US-based companies, with the UK and Canadian market in its sights. As a BPO provider, they provide planning, workflow, real-time monitoring and reservation functions for their vendors/clients, many of whom operate within the travel and tourism industry.

“This is momentous for our island and country as a whole,” stated GBPA President, Ian Rolle. “We look at the BPO industry as a huge supplier of jobs. It isn’t seasonal and as the world economy gets tighter and more competitive, this industry will continue to thrive.”

Rolle further revealed that after months of negotiations with GBPA’s Business Development team, Freeport was chosen as the ideal location for Island Outsourcers’ expansion due to its geographic proximity to the North American mainland and a free trade zone area boasting competitive costs for operation of a call centre in the English speaking Caribbean.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe is also pleased with the company’s entrance into the Bahamian market as part of his ministry’s plans to relocate its former Miami-based call centre to Grand Bahama. “For a very long time we have aimed to bring this important and needed call centre to The Bahamas and to Grand Bahama in particular,” he stressed.

“We see Grand Bahama becoming the base of the Ministry of Tourism’s digital platform involving Bahamian companies and employing hundreds of Bahamians. Island Outsourcers brings invaluable experience and will enhance the new thrust for tourism growth and development in The Bahamas,” he further added.

The Bahamas boasts an educated workforce with a strong work ethic far surpassing many other countries – the workforce is polished and professional with excellent communication skills. Unlike call centres on the other side of the world, The Bahamas is in line with Eastern time zones, easily handling all call traffic through the US business day without the need for off-shift hours. Additionally, Freeport has access to many international gateways including direct flights from major cities, allowing clients easy access to visit the local facility.

Hundreds of jobs coming for Grand Bahama

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The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) and government officials are pleased to confirm that Island Outsourcers will begin operations on Grand Bahama Island this fall. As the Jamaican based company expands its call centre services to Grand Bahama, career opportunities for 100 individuals will become available at the onset, with the possibility of further employment for 600 persons.

Island Outsourcers is a comprehensive, business process outsourcing (BPO) solution that manages contact centre and back office functions for local and U.S.-based companies, with the UK and Canadian market in its sights. As a BPO provider, they provide planning, workflow, real-time monitoring and reservation functions for theirvendors/clients, many of whom operate within the travel and tourism industry.

” This is momentous for our island and country as a whole,⠝ stated GBPA President, Ian Rolle. “We look at the BPO industry as a huge supplier of jobs. It isn’t seasonal and as the world economy gets tighter and more competitive, this industry will continue to thrive.” 

Rolle further revealed that after months of negotiations with GBPAâ s Business Development team, Freeport was chosen as the ideal location for Island Outsourcersâ expansion due to its geographic proximity to the North American mainland and a free trade zone area boasting competitive costs for operation of a call centre in the English speaking Caribbean with costs that are 20 to 30 percent lower than in the US, UK or Canada.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe is also pleased with the company’s entrance into the Bahamian market as part of his ministry’s plans to relocate its former Miami-based call centre to Grand Bahama. “For a very long time we have aimed to bring this important and needed call centre to The Bahamas and to Grand Bahama in particular,”  he stressed.

” We see Grand Bahama becoming the base of the Ministry of Tourism’s digital platform involving Bahamian companies and employing hundreds of Bahamians. Island Outsourcers brings invaluable experience and will enhance the new thrust for tourism growth and development in The Bahamas,”  he further added.

The Bahamas boasts an educated workforce with a strong work ethic far surpassing many other countries the workforce is polished and professional with excellent communication skills. Unlike call centres on the other side of the world, The Bahamas is in line with Eastern time zones, easily handling all call traffic through the US business day without the need for off-shift hours. Additionally, Freeport has access to many international gateways including direct flights from major cities, allowing clients easy access to visit the local facility.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Island Outsourcers, Yoni Epstein is optimistic about the move. “From 2005 to 2008, the number of call agents in the Caribbean rose from 24,000 to 65,000. This growth rate is on target to rise to an additional 80 percent to over 100,000 agents, with revenues from BPOs in the Caribbean approaching $1.5 billion,”  he stated.

” We believe in The Bahamas and its potential and look forward to partnering with GBPA and the government in pioneering a vision to establish a local BPO industry for the growth and development of Grand Bahama,”  Epstein added.