The US firm Influent confirmed investments for US$ 2 million to set a multimedia call center in Panama. The company will generate 800 labor posts, and will start operations in February. With Influent¿s arrival, there will be 18 call centers operative in Panama. Dell Computers, with over 1,000 employees, and Sitel, with over 700, struggle for leadership.

The panorama looks good for the segment early in the year. The National Direction of Investment Promotion within the Trade and Industry Ministry (MICI) voiced negotiations with other four US firms also assessing the possibility to deploy call centers in the country this year. However, prospects may vanish if no measures are taken to train staff required. In 2003, some US$ 3.5 million went to grants and training of individuals to meet the needs of firms, and keep attraction before other markets region wide.

In Central America, the Investment Promotion Agency in El Salvador (Proesa) started a series of actions to foster deployment of call centers in the country. For the body, local industry upgrades, bilingual labor, time zones, and neutral accent positioned El Salvador as a profitable market for the business.

Proesa¿s performance rendered results immediately. Before the end of last year, Skyes Enterprises announced it will devote US$ 8 million to deploy its call center in El Salvador. The company -that counts on 42 call centers worldwide- is to hire over 400 employees in a first stage, but forecasts expansion in the mid-term. The President of the firm, John Sykes, traveled to El Salvador to speak to representatives from the Government about the investments to be made in the country.

Growth expectations in the call center market also reach other Latin American countries. In Mexico, IT providers forecast growth of around 30% and 35% in contact volumes, and  25% in the payroll, according to the Mexican Telemarketing Institute (IMT). Some 72% of the mid and big firms already operate through “remote channels”. From 1997 to 2003, companies with phone centers went from 1,450 to 8,200. In total, this industry employs some 200,000 people, and this year, another 50,000 posts will be added.

In turn the Colombian Association of Call Centers, that gathers most of the expert firms in the sector in Colombia, started a series of actions devoted to increase corporate export service levels. Currently, only 10% of the total calls received in the switches come from abroad. The industry posted sales for US$ 76 million in 2002, and keeps annual sustainable growth of 112%. In Colombia, there are some 8,100 work stations for call center, employing 12,000 people.

Given low costs, as a consequence of currency devaluation in 2002, and the qualifications of human resources, Argentina has also become an attractive place, also including the cultural tradition the country has. Business representatives consider that the call center industry may generate some 100,000 labor posts in five years. The aim is to snatch market from leaders such as India, Ireland, and the Philippines.