Offshoring 2.0 Technology Services Plc, a local representative of eVentive LLC, a Chicago based consulting and outsourcing firm, is to launch a call centre in Addis Abeba after three weeks, an investment which required seven million dollars, a source disclosed anonymously.

Ethiopian Airlines and Sheger Meter Taxi have become the first subscribers of the service, according to the company source, although Ethiopian’s public relations office could not confirm this.

This call centre, a centralised office used for the purpose of receiving and transmitting a large volume of requests for information by telephone, is expected to operate 24 hours a day seven days a week, according to the sources.

The centre will administer incoming phone calls from customers enquiring for support or information. The call centre could also be used to make outgoing calls for telemarketing, according to this source.

Offshoring 2.0 is taking care of the information technology management for the call centre Zemen Bank has set up at its headquarters for its own use, according to Melaku Kebede, vice president of technology at the bank.

“They handle the ordinary IT related work for the call centre here at our office,” he told Fortune.

Offshoring 2.0 has already set up an office for the call centre near Edna Mall, off Cameroon Street, although the source would not say at which building. The service is said to have already attracted 10 clients.

“We think this centre will enable us to have a professional engagement with our customers,” Biruk Lemma, public relations officer for Sheger Meter told Fortune. Sheger is yet to begin operations.

Trained professionals will answer calls from customers and provide information about routes from point A to point B, in addition to giving information about where they can find supermarkets, beauty salons, and the like, Biruk said, stating his expectations for the call centre.

“We have not yet talked about prices for these services,” Biruk said.

Thirty people have been hired for the call service operation, according to the source, but eventually there might be several thousand vacancies.

Yemiru Chanyalew, founder and CEO of the US based IT service company, eVentive LLC and its offshore outsourcing company in Ethiopia, Offshoring 2.0, was not available for comment because he was said to be out of the country.

Fitsum Abebe, operations manager of Offshoring 2.0 Technology Services, declined to comment on the issue.

Source:http://addisfortune.com/Chicago%20IT%20Company%20to%20Commence%20Call%20Centre%20in%20City.htm