NEARSOL Contact Center Hubs in Uzbekistan? What an awesome possibility!
NEARSOL Chief Executive Officer Victor Pereda recently concluded an inaugural Digital IT Forum in Uzbekistan. “The people’s warmth, robust infrastructure, and government-led innovation initiatives are truly inspiring. Uzbekistan is swiftly positioning itself as a dynamic player in Asia’s tech sector. Excited to witness their evolution and growth.”, shares Victor Pereda or VP (as he is fondly called) upon his return to NEARSOL’s US headquarters.
The Republic of Uzbekistan, through its Ministry of Digital Technologies, upped the ante by offering tax-free regimes for companies that want to optimize their costs of doing business globally. Currently, IT Parks are continuously being constructed to brace for the wave of businesses. Thus, the big event held from July 7th to the 9th invited the Top Leaders of Tech companies to exchange ideas on how to better promote Uzbekistan as the new IT hub. The goal is to reach an ambitious goal of US$5 billion in IT & BPO export by the year 2030.
For the moment, Uzbekistan isn’t as famous as its notorious neighbors but the global digital industry better brace itself … Uzbekistan is packing a punch.
Thanks to changes in education quality and IT visa options, Uzbekistan asserts that it will soon be able to provide the best conditions for relocation of any global workforce sans the hassle. without any hassle. Over 300 BPO and IT outsourcing businesses, international organizations, entrepreneurs, and over 20 global speakers attended the forum – no mean feat for a country with a young IT industry in Central Asia.
But “who” is Uzbekistan?
Tourism-wise, Uzbekistan is the Central Asian location on every travel vlogger’s bucket list. Magnificent blue-domed mosques, towering minarets, evocative Silk Road towns, and historic bazaars are combined with the greatest lodging, simplest transit, and best value for money in the area. With good cause, it is the most visited of the Central Asian republics.
Uzbekistan had a bad reputation for difficult travel a decade ago. The nation used to be plagued by complicated visa requirements, corruption, and bureaucratic headaches, but all of that has changed considerably in recent years, and it’s now a surprisingly simple location to visit. Further, the digitization of economic sectors and the establishment of a digital government are high on their government’s list. As an observable consequence, IT has quickly become one of the major industries in New Uzbekistan.
As of this writing, around 1,400 companies now occupy Uzbekistan’s IT parks. In 2019 the number had only been 147. In 2022, exports were recorded to be at the $140 million level.
For now, there are 12 established IT parks around the nation with representative offices in the United States and Germany. To further “cement” their status as a force to be reckoned with, remote employment is at an all-time high. There are 45,000 Uzbekistan freelancers working online at any time. Add to that, the 187 BPO centers that have been established in the last seven years.
What can companies expect from Uzbekistan?
Youth is the most valuable resource in the IT industry. To encourage young people to improve their expertise in the area of information technology, incentives were implemented to cover 50% of the expenses of getting their international IT credentials. Thousands of young people who have acquired international IT certificates have had up to 50% of their expenditures repaid. Furthermore, from October 1, 2023, all who acquire such credentials will be compensated for 100% of their expenditures.
Competitions with handsome rewards have also been sponsored by the government. The “President Tech Award”, for instance, grants a $1 million prize to enhance the number of creative young initiatives that can compete in the global IT industry. These contests aim to aid in the recruitment of skilled employees. To date, there are 25,000 skilled IT practitioners in the area of information and communication technology in 2016, and out of that 2,500 IT experts. By the end of 2023, the ICT industry will employ 56,000 people, while the IT sector will employ 65,000.
What does this mean for the Philippines?
This means that while competition to attract investors will be tougher, the scenario is an excellent opportunity for global businesses aiming to scale. For one, services and contract prices will be more competitive and clients will have a range of partners to choose from.
Second, it also means that the stakeholders at NEARSOL is on their toes and on the lookout for ways and means to bring services closer to clients. Customer service has no finish line. It is a continuous endeavor of expanding capacity, offering services clients need, and providing a healthy environment for both service provider and client to thrive.
Stay ahead of the game.
NEARSOL is a US-based BPO and service company that offers clients custom-design solutions. With major hubs in Manila and Iloilo, it began operations in 2011 and has since gained a strong presence in the Latin American regions, the Caribbean, and the Asia Pacific, winning many awards for quality and service along the way. Most recent of which is its Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition, a global accreditation that tells stakeholders what employees think of the company culture.
