BPrO is the leading association for business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in Colombia. Among its many objectives to advance the industry in the country, it hosts the CX Summit, which was held in May in Cartagena.
The gathering is not only the most important event for the sector in Colombia, but it has grown into one of the most important BPO events in all of the Americas. It aims to connect the major global BPOs as well as the the local ones and bring together both the large, established players alongside those that are still are in a growth mode.
To learn more about BPrO’s goals and the CX Summit, Cognitive Business News Executive Editor Loren Moss got the chance to sit down with Ana Karina Quessep, the president of BPrO.
Loren Moss: You once again hosted a very successful BPrO event earlier this year in Cartagena. What is the key to all the success of this CX Summit event that you have every year and that seems to be getting bigger and better every year?
Ana Karina Quessep: I believe that one builds important things along the way: the engagement we have with our companies, with our associates, with our clients. But I believe the fundamental thing, the most important thing, is that we make things happen, and that they have a super “wow” factor.
We have worked very carefully in a very dedicated way — in every detail — on an important academic agenda. Because, for me, it is supremely important to invest in the people who come to talk and tell us new things and tell us about different trends. That academic delivery is fundamental for me, and I think it is part of the success.
But, also, being in Cartagena for the second consecutive year is also extremely attractive. To do networking is so important in a sector like this. We are dedicated to relationships, so what better than being able to have that space for networking here? Cartagena is wonderful, and there is a lot of interest in connecting among all the suppliers, all the BPOs and their clients, and this year was the largest commercial space we have so far here in Cartagena.
Loren Moss: Another interesting thing is how you always have world-class speakers, people who are inspirational, and people who talk about the success of various sectors. What is your strategy, or what is your goal, in inviting such high-quality speakers?
Ana Karina Quessep: I believe that we cannot forget that this is a people sector. We have a purpose of impacting more and more the people who work in this sector, so this is the opportunity to have that space to connect. To connect with the emotional side. To connect with that inner being. Because I believe that, more than customer experience, we have to be people-centered, and this is also an opportunity to give people that space to meet again on all the motivational topics and share experiences.
We have a very high level of national speakers — not all the speakers are international — Colombian speakers like Margarita Henao who came to tell us about all her Daviplata experience, Santiago Álvarez from LATAM, and a very special Colombian who grew in the sector and today manages the service side of one of the most important music platforms in the world.
Loren Moss: BPO is a sector where people can start with any history, from any family, with any last name. You don’t need a doctorate from Universidad de los Andes, and you can make a professional career. Tell me a little bit about the importance of the social commitment that this sector has in developing countries like Colombia, as well as in the rest of the world.
Ana Karina Quessep: One is a social commitment with the youth. This is a sector that hires young people: almost 87% of those who work with us are between 18 and 25 years old, and we are the first job for these young people. They are climbing within the company, and since we operate across sectors, they are learning from all sectors and have the opportunity to learn where they want to work professionally, such as telecommunications, medicine, logistics, video, e-commerce, and more. As we serve all these sectors, it is an opportunity for young people to learn and understand where they can find that job opportunity.
That is a social commitment to the country. But we also have another social commitment, — and in this we work hand in hand with the BPOs, with the cities, with local governments, with SENA — to establish ourselves in regions where we can provide employment opportunities.
Through a model that exists in the impact sourcing coalition, and we have established this: in Quibdó, Montería, Tunja and in Pensilvania in the department of Caldas. We have been growing and opening opportunities in those regions where there still aren’t many job opportunities.
Loren Moss: What do we expect for the next year into the future of the annual event?
Ana Karina Quessep: Well, we hope to continue growing. This year, we announced that in the Colombian Association of BPO we are 100 members, 100 associates. The first thing is to invite those companies that are here in Colombia that are interested in strengthening their knowledge, improve their networking, work for their people, and have a relationship that allows the sector to grow. We invite them to come to the association and let them know that we want to accompany them to find more and more opportunities in the country, and take advantage of what is already established.
Secondly, at the event, we must have all the technology providers and all the BPO companies. But, more importantly, we want to have clients who want to make that connection to be able to find partners to work with hand in hand and partners who can help them build that strategic side of the relationship for the client experience.
This is an invitation for them to participate. Here, there is very important knowledge, technology, innovation, relationships, and everything that has to do with human talent and, of course, costumer experience.
Photo: Ana Karina Quessep, president of BPrO, talks on stage at the CX Summit 2023 in Cartagena. (Credit: BPrO)
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