USA -based business process outsourcing (BPO) company Transparent BPO is expanding its nearshore operations to Jamaica with the promise of some 2,000 jobs for call centre agents.

Transparent BPO, which has been recognised as one of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the US, is adding a new 108,000 sq ft facility to its portfolio of global contact centre capabilities. The facility is being built in the old capital of Spanish Town, St Catherine.

Transparent BPO currently has contact centres in Belize and the Philippines. Commenting on the move into Jamaica, Scott Newman, CEO of Transparent BPO, remarked, “Jamaica is an ideal fit for our nearshore portfolio, offering clients an additional regional option for their contact centres at a competitive price.”

He argued, “BPO providers are well-established throughout the country and Government recognises this industry as a priority segment that provides well-paid careers with training and leadership development.”

Newman articulated that Jamaica’s proximity to the United States, strong cultural affinity with North American lifestyles and purchasing preferences, along with direct travel routes, helped influenced the company’s decision to locate a centre on the island. “A client can be in their US headquarters in the morning and later the same day walk through our facility and visit the agents and local leadership team supporting their customers,” he explained.

Newman pointed to the fact that labour statistics and local market research indicate there is a deep pool of experienced contact centre agents living in Spanish Town or adjacent communities in St Catherine. Labour surveys indicate thousands of Jamaicans work in the BPO sector and commute several hours daily to and from Kingston or Portmore.

The company will be refurbishing an abandoned textile mill in the MJS Technology Park, and expect operations will begin during the second quarter of 2022. Transparent BPO’s Spanish Town facility will eventually house about 1,500 workstations as well as human resource, recruiting and training personnel.

“Our new facility will offer quality careers that are close to home,” Newman added, noting that “our state-of-the-art Spanish Town location will have exclusive access to a deep pool of experienced, motivated candidates”.

The Transparent BPO boss disclosed that the company will be partnering with the top physical education and sports institution in the Caribbean. GC Foster College, located adjacent to the company’s new facility, will make its amenities such as pool, gym and track available to employees.

The company has experienced significant growth since it began operations in 2009 with its first 30-seat site in Belize. Since then, it has opened its flagship 500-seat Seaside facility to complement its Coney Drive location with 230 seats.

In October 2020, the company opened its 700-seat facility in Belize’s capital city, Belmopan. In addition to its nearshore operations, Transparent BPO established a presence in the Philippines in 2019 with 145 work-from-home agents.

Today, Transparent BPO’s 740 agents use the company’s proprietary WorkSecure Suite® offering unmatched security, flexibility and compliance in a work-from-home environment. The company, a premier BPO, provides contact centre support, client acquisition and retention, technical support and data entry services for small, medium and Fortune 500 companies by pushing boundaries, ensuring every person’s experience is better than before.