Business process outsourcing company IBEX Global Jamaica is expanding its business operation in Portmore Pines Plaza, St Catherine, by some 30,000 square feet as it seeks to fulfil its commitment of 5,000 jobs to Jamaica.

The company, which currently occupies 10,000 square feet of space across three floors in Portmore Pines Plaza, has now taken over the space formerly operated by Empire Supermarket.

Chief Strategic Accounts and Marketing Officer Julie Casteel, in an emailed response to Jamaica Observer queries, said the outsourcing company has entered into a lease agreement with Real Properties Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of PROVEN Investments Limited.

IBEX’s new location is slated to be opened September 25 and will create space for agent production, additional training and conference rooms, and common areas for employees. The expansion will also result in the employment of an additional 600 people, including agent- and management-level positions, bringing total employment numbers of the company to 1,200.

The company officially opened its Portmore location last October with two principal accounts — Amazon and AT&T. Since then it has been on target to reach its projection of 1,200 workers by mid-2017 on the heels of securing a contract with a Fortune 10 client.

“IBEX has made a strong commitment to Jamaica. In fact, we committed 5,000 jobs in Jamaica to Prime Minister Holness and, as a result, are offering this unique, near-shore opportunity for growth with our US-based clients,” Casteel told the Business Observer.

“Our clients are very interested in expanding their English as a First Language locations, and Jamaica provides what they are looking for. The highly trained workforce, appreciation for job opportunities and lack of BPO expansion all make Jamaica a very attractive market for our clients,” she continued.

IBEX Global has invested $1.5 million in the expansion. The company anticipates that the expansion will improve its ability to service clients as well as increase current client numbers.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, IBEX Global delivers onshore, near-shore and offshore solutions in five countries across 18 call centres. The company, however, notes that its growth in Jamaica has been phenomenal and as such client requests necessitate the current expansion. It had forecast growth potential of US$10 million for its first year ending July, and thereafter US$20 million annually.

“We are not just going to expand in the current location. We are actively pursuing additional space in other areas of Kingston and look forward to further growth in the area,” Casteel said.

The BPO company provides contact centre services, specialising in voice and other business process outsourcing solutions, to blue-chip customers. It delivers services in 11 languages.

Services include inbound technical support, inbound customer care, inbound sales, inbound customer retention, and outbound customer acquisition. More than 90 per cent of the group’s revenues derive from contact centre market segments.