Accenture exploring Kenya as new site for offshore operations

The business process outsourcing market in Kenya has received at boost in the arm with Accenture starting a pilot project that is expected to result in an enduring foundation for the global IT giant. In fact, Accenture had taken on the Kenyan government as well as undertaken surveys to find approaches to perk up the market and technological situations during the last two years. It is believed that these moves are likely to result in the leading international BPO firm to set up its maiden outsourcing hub in Eastern Africa.

While the CEO of Kenya ICT board, Mr. Paul Kukubo has described the initiatives of Accenture as a significant move that will boost the country’s economy by attracting other outsourcing firms to set up operational centers there, the head of the IT Strategy and Innovation, Accenture, Jessica Long is camping in Kenya for the past two weeks working with the local business process outsourcing firms for the NetHope summit that has assembled 29 prominent international IT firms and NGOs. In fact, the pilot project launched by Accenture will be an element of NetHope and offer the global IT major an opportunity to work in tandem with the local BPO and call center service providers.

According to a report, the BPO industry in Kenya is likely to get a boost up in the ensuing six months, as the government has plans to launch one of its proposed BPO parks beside the Mombasa Road in Nairobi. Apart from this, East Africa’s biggest technology park is also scheduled to be launched in Malili, around 60 km from Nairobi, sometime within the next two years. Nevertheless, compared to the most favored global outsourcing destinations, such as India, the BPO sector is still in its preliminary stages in Kenya. In fact, this aspect has prompted Accenture to deliberate issues like the global trends, the demands of major clients and the ways and means to clinch deals and assess future opportunities with the local BPO companies.

Meanwhile, Accenture has worked out an outlook for 2010 that envisages that demand landscape will become increasingly demanding with clients insisting on multi-country choice, a wider assortment of internationally dispensed benefits as well as a change from the select IT services dependent on labor. The augmentation will be propelled by the implementation of global deliverance by continental Europe, budding and established Asian economies. Accenture is of the view that while India will continue to be the most favored global offshore site, Japan too will develop into a major offshore market with spotlight on North America and European clients.