Why Albania remains one of the hottest outsourcing destinations across the whole of Europe (no heatwave required)!
David Taylor, Operations Director
If you ever find yourself waking on the streets of beautiful Tirana (Albania’s capital), you may be greeted with the words Përshëndetje! Gëzohem që ju takoj (Hello! Nice to meet you) by one of it’s 520,000 local residents. However, if your Albanian is rusty like mine, then the country offers the ability to tap into other European languages which includes (but not limited to):
- English (especially spoken by the youth of Albania)
- Italian (widely spoken throughout the country)
- German
- French
If you speak to any businesses within the UK/Europe, most will already know about Albania’s proficiency as a nearshore outsourcing destination. But, why is this? To find out we spoke to Albania’s own Gerti Haxhiu, CEO of Simetrix Solutions (a prominent BPO in Albania/Kosovo), on why Albania remains a popular nearshore destination of choice for UK/European businesses:
“Albania continues to be a popular nearshore destination of choice for UK/European businesses due to several key factors. First and foremost, the country offers a strategic geographic location with easy accessibility to major European markets. Moreover, Albania’s competitive cost of labour and favourable business regulations make it an attractive option for companies seeking cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality. The country’s skilled and multilingual workforce further enhances its appeal as a destination for outsourcing services and establishing regional headquarters.”
Like Gerti mentions, there’s some very tangible benefits in outsourcing your customer service operations to Albania.
Speaking with some of our clients who currently outsource to BPO’s within Albania, their top reasons for choosing Albania where:
1. Location
If you board a flight from London Heathrow today, you would be touching down in Tirana within 3 hours (max) – even less if you are based in the likes of France/Germany. This means you can be with your chosen outsourcer the same day if needs be, rather than a 12 hour trip if you chosen partner was based in the likes of South Africa.
2. Competitive Rates
Competitive agent rates makes Albania stand out versus its nearby competitors. Albania has a young and productive workforce (48% of the population are under 30 years old), which means costs can be kept competitive.
3. Access to European Languages
As mentioned earlier, Albania has plentiful access to workers who can speak multiple languages at a very high proficiency level. Couple this with the competitive commercials on offer, you can see why business are opting for Albania.
4. Infrastructure
In the past two decades, Albania has made significant strides in improving its telecommunications infrastructure, expanding internet coverage, and increasing the number of internet users – including a recent project by the Albanian government with the aim to expand its internet coverage in rural areas.
Looking to outsource in Albania? Get in touch, we can help source your next partner.
