The Contact Center as Diplomat in the Middle East

March 7, 2005

A fascinating report appeared from analyst firm IDC today:

IDC Envisions U.S. Firms as ''Virtual Diplomats'' in the Middle East of the Future

IDC feels that the establishment of�contact centers in the Middle East can serve as a pacifying force -- IDC claims that this has already been the case in Northern Ireland.

This reminds me of some of the thinking of Thomas L. Friedman in his book The Lexus and the Olive Tree. Give people a stake in the globalized economy and they will be more supportive and protective of its interests.

Today's release quotes Stephen Loynd, a senior analyst in Services Research at IDC:

"Virtual diplomacy really has a chance to forge new connections at a confusing time. The precedent was set in Northern Ireland over the course of the 1990s, but perhaps not enough U.S. corporations recognized the multifaceted quality and potential of contact centers as ambassadors for change. Not only does a company that pursues a Middle East sourcing strategy gain in business process efficiencies, but it also has the chance to forge meaningful links with appreciative populations and governments, opening up a whole new set of opportunities for the future."

IDC says that these themes from the Northern Ireland experience could benefit companies considering outsourcing to the Middle East:

-- Smart contact centers - "virtual diplomats" - can become important force multipliers, both for American business and diplomacy.

-- Government involvement and support can play an important role in helping contact centers grow and flourish in the Middle East.

-- Colleges and universities can play a powerful part by helping foster new ideas and alliances.

-- Networks of influential individuals with relevant skill-sets and expertise can help build real momentum for change in a region long mired in conflict

AB -- 3/7/05