Local contact centre equipment suppliers should look to the small and medium enterprise (SME) market for new growth opportunities, says global analyst firm Frost & Sullivan.
According to research analyst Spiwe Chireka, the high end of the South African contact centre equipment market is reaching maturity and saturation.
"The fiercely competitive market is dominated by less than 30 players, most of them global brands," she says. "This has limited the sound development of local brands."
The local contact centre equipment market is also characterised by suppliers anticipating consumer needs rather than meeting an existing demand, says Chireka.
Vendors need to take stock of this situation and develop solutions that meet the needs of the existing market, rather than trying to anticipate consumer needs, she explains. The biggest gainers in implementing this strategy are likely to be the local suppliers, as they have a cost advantage over their international counterparts.
Chireka says vendors could offer technology rental options or easier payment plans to overcome the financial concerns of SME owners. Future growth opportunities are in provision of IP-enabled services, multimedia contact centres and self-service contact centre solutions.
Vendors should also look for collaboration opportunities with government in its promotion of the contact centre and business process outsourcing sectors, she adds.
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