JAMPRO is aiming to double the number of persons employed in the business process outsourcing (BPO) market within the next three to five years.

This goal was revealed Thursday by Jampro's vice president of investment promotions Claude Duncan during a tour of its Scotiabank's award winning Contact Centre in Kingston.

"We estimate that some 12,000 to 13,000 persons are employed in the sector right now. We plan to grow the industry and are working towards doubling the numbers in three to five years," said Duncan.

"Jamaica has a proven track record in the sector and has great potential based on our ideal eco-system of people, infrastructure and location," he said.

The Jampro executive added that Scotiabank's achievements in BPO serves as a valuable reference point -- a blue chip bank that is doing work not just for Jamaica but for 17 other countries.

"Scotiabank is really doing BPO work right here in Jamaica and that sector is a potential growth area for us," Duncan said.

The tour of the Scotiabank Contact Centre was led by the firm's CEO, Bruce Bowen. Guests included Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell; Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Anthony Hylton; and LIME managing director Garry Sinclair.

The Contact Centre, which is located on Trafalgar Road, recently won Gold for being the Best Mid-Sized Contact Centre in the Americas Region in the 2012 Contact Centre World's Top Ranking Performers series. The facility, which edged out 1500 companies in the region, services 246 products across 18 countries in the English- speaking Caribbean.

Bowen said Scotiabank's world-class service and methodology are among the reasons its Contact Centre is able to service 18 countries in the English-Speaking Caribbean and provide a range of services, including Internet, telephone and mobile banking support.

"Our team delivers consistent, world-class experience, and our recent awards attest to our position as a centre of excellence and the Best-in-Class standard for the industry in Jamaica and the region," Bowen said.

Paulwell and Hylton commended Scotiabank and proffered that Jamaica's environment is ripe for reaping the benefits from operating more world-class contact centres. Paulwell challenged the group to dream big as "there is no reason that Jamaica can't be the destination of choice for outsourcing within the region."

The Scotiabank Contact Centre started operations in 2000 with seven employees, and has transformed into a Sales & Service Unit currently with over 200 employees.

The facility forms a part of Scotiabank's integrated channel strategy, focusing on delivering outstanding customer experiences and first call resolution, creating capacity in branches, and executing sales and service activities to strengthen customer relationships and engagement.