From Honduras, El Salvador and Beyond: ICC’s Human-Centered BPO Vision

Since the pandemic, many companies have had to change the way their employees work, making big decisions such as allowing their employees to work from home. This was the great challenge we decided to take on at Interactive Contact Center (ICC), 2 years ago, to venture into the call center and BPO market while keeping in mind that our employees and their integral development are our main priorities. Taking care of our staff has brought us several advantages, one of them being that they are more motivated and customer-focused, because they know their work and effort are being valued. 

Human-centered growth 

Although we have established nearshore offices in Honduras and El Salvador during our two-year journey, Interactive Contact Center takes pride in being a company that operates differently, which has enabled us to achieve rapid growth and expansion. As part of our human-centered philosophy, we emphasize the value of our employees’ work and contributions towards our success in the industry. Additionally, we have a global presence with partners and collaborators in over 15 countries. 

At ICC we highlight our commitment to diversity and inclusion. The company is pleased to have employees from different cultures, perspectives, backgrounds, and identities. We understand that this diversity enriches our identity and that is why we make it part of what builds us as a company.   

In addition to our commitment to providing a great work-at-home environment for our employees, we also recognize the importance of supporting their overall wellness. That’s why we offer a comprehensive wellness program that is free for all of our collaborators. This program includes a range of services to help support our employees’ physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Some of the services included in the program are legal support, financial wellness, psychological counseling, nutrition counseling, health education, and more. We believe that by investing in our employees’ wellness, we are not only helping them to lead healthier, happier lives but also creating a more productive and committed workforce. 

Why do we trust remote work? 

In the case of Honduras and El Salvador, remote work was already an option in many industries before the pandemic, but it became more widely adopted due to the need for social distancing and other pandemic-related measures, and companies needed to continue their daily activities. However, in these two countries as in the rest of Latin America, it has not yet completely positioned itself as one of the work trends. According to a report issued in 2020 by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), there are still very few sectors that are developing practices to achieve remote work models, among these are: professional, scientific, and technical services, which have 85% more likely to telework, followed by education with 62%; finance and insurance, 80%; real estate, 60%; in fifth place, the media with 53%. 

This is why ICC has been betting for the last two years on our greatest conviction of being a remote organization. So far, the results we have had in these countries have been the best and this has provided us with a competitive advantage, enabling us to attract and retain exceptional talent from several countries around the world.  Our CEO Pablo Paz Hernández mentioned that “in this new post-Covid era, remote work is here to stay and somehow it is becoming a new trend which companies will now be forced to look for talent without being restricted by actual borders because now the best talent can choose whether to work on physical site, in a hybrid environment or fully remote”.  

In addition, according to the 2023 LSP Index Top 10 report by Slator, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote work and digital transformation, leading to an increased demand for our services. As businesses have shifted to remote work models, they have had to rely more heavily on digital communication channels to connect with customers, which has created new opportunities for ICC providers. As shown in the same report, ICC is expected to grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 15.3% from 2021 to 2026. This growth is driven by several factors, including the increasing demand for customer-centric services, the need for cost-effective customer support solutions, and the growing adoption of automation technologies. 

Understanding mutual benefit 

Today ICC offers services that are already well known such as customer support, technical support, interpretation, and digital experience, but we also understand that although our employees are in different teams, their needs are similar to each other. We also understand that this remote work model undoubtedly offers benefits not only for them but also for the company, which makes it an increasingly attractive option in today’s world. 

On one hand, employees have the chance to: 

1. Work on their country of residence: although our offices are located in Honduras and El Salvador, we have a team of over 1000 collaborators from all over the world.  
2. Work at home: with this, we are eliminating the need to commute to the office every day, which saves time and money on transportation. Which are the principal matters for some of the employees. Running your work from home increases your presence grateful. 
3. Better work-life balance: Remote work can also result in improved work-life balance, as employees can better balance their work and personal life. With more time to spend with their families and friends, and less time spent commuting, remote workers are often more fulfilled and happier in their personal lives. 

And on the business side, companies will: 

1. Lower Costs: Remote work can result in lower costs for companies, as they do not need to provide office space or cover the costs of commuting for their employees. This can result in significant savings, especially for companies with large numbers of employees. 
2. Increased Productivity: working remotely can also result in increased productivity, as employees are often more focused and efficient when working from home. With fewer distractions and interruptions, remote workers are often able to complete tasks more quickly and effectively. 
3. Attracting Top Talent: Remote work can also make it easier for companies to attract top talent, as they are no longer limited by geographic location. We see it at Interactive Contact Center, it allows us to access a wider pool of talent and hire the best employees, regardless of where they live. 

We are proud of being able to create new job opportunities for the new generation of people who want to feel good and happy at work. Employees, such as Silvia S., Interpreter at ICC, have expressed how they feel working with Interactive Contact Center “My journey in ICC has been sweet, I have had the opportunity to grow as a person, putting my skillset to a better use, though service and collaboration, as well as, allowing me to feel the happiness and sorrow our customers feel and celebrate or to be with them with our interpretation.” 

Results are the reflection of our commitment 

During this two-year journey, we have witnessed the great growth and scale that ICC has achieved. We can see this in part because we were ranked among the fastest-growing translation, localization, interpretation, and language technology companies in the world by The Slator Language Service Provider Index (LSPI) in 2022 and 2023. We have experienced a 60% growth rate, moving up 179 positions on this Index from #300 to #121 worldwide. This impressive achievement highlights the company’s commitment to providing exceptional language services to our clients. The Slator Language Service Provider Index is an industry benchmark that ranks the world’s top language service providers based on annual revenue, growth, and other criteria. It is widely recognized as a valuable tool for businesses looking for reliable and reputable language service providers. So, to be recognized in these ranks is very important and valuable to us. 

Moreover, to emphasize the company’s dedication to its employees, we have also been recognized as a Great Place to Work from October 2022 to October 2023. This recognition is a result of the company’s focus on creating a positive work environment and providing our employees with opportunities for growth and development. In addition to the growth and recognition as a great place to work, we have also gained 15 clients in the past two years. This is a testament to the company’s ability to provide quality services and meet the needs of our clients. 

Interactive Contact Center has achieved remarkable growth and success over the past two years. With an amazing team of collaborators, not only from Honduras and El Salvador but from around the globe, and a growing client base, we are poised to continue with our upward trajectory and maintain our position as a top BPO company.