South African youth is caught up in an unideal situation. The current unemployment rate is at 33,5 %, and although decreased levels of loadshedding are improving consumer confidence, the economy will take some time to recover. But in true South African fashion, businesses are filling the gaps and working towards improving the lives of citizens through job creation and strategic partnerships. In fact, Vodacom Business has joined hands with Anani Technologies and the University of South Africa (UNISA) to change the lives of the unemployed.
The Anani Call Centre is the fruit of the partnership between the three companies. This project has created much-needed jobs that are uplifting families and communities while serving the staff and students of UNISA. Additionally, Vodacom Business has invested in Anani to become an SME partner and reseller of desk support for UNISA’s mobile Internet services. In this way, students are assisted further as these services enable distance learning.
Encouraging Inclusivity with the Anani Call Centre
With the launch of the call centre, it was ensured that more than 50% of the employees were women. This was a vital goal for Vodacom to achieve as it forms a part of its purpose pillar of Inclusivity.
Since the call centre’s launch, it has exceeded all expectations. It boats with:
- A 98% service level,
- an 85% first contact resolution score,
- and an abandonment rate of only 0,74%.
“Not only are we aiming to create employment for young people, but, we wanted to also create transformative opportunities for SMEs through the use of technological solutions, thereby advancing socio-economic progress in South Africa,” says Videsha Proothveerajh, Director of Vodacom Business, a division of Vodacom South Africa. “As the call centre scales, we aim to employ more people to respond to the unemployment crisis in the country.”
Answering The Call of Staff, Students and SMEs
Service delivery is an important function of the Anani call centre. UNISA find itself in the unique position of being the largest university by number of enrolled students, featuring a count of 400 000 individuals.
“UNISA students are scattered around the continent, and the only way to reach them, is through this call centre initiative,” said Mr Sibusiso Mthembu, Director: Supply Chain Management at UNISA. “The call centre aims to bridge the gap between the university and our students.”
Being focussed on long-distance learning, UNISA staff and students benefit from the call centre’s mobile Internet services. It also supports a full suite of Mobile and Internet services for Prepaid, Postpaid and Business Enquiries.
The partnership between Vodacom and UNISA further serves Anani as an SME through investment in partnering with a start-up and SME end-users. It acts as a support channel for their business-related support enquiries that can quickly be addressed by call centre representatives who are trained to execute this task.
“This call centre represents Vodacom and UNISA’s commitment to supporting SMEs and creating tangible opportunities for economic growth through enterprise development and youth employment. As Anani, we are proud to be at the forefront of crafting innovative connectivity solutions with the support and investment of Vodacom” says Anani Technologies Managing Director, Derrick Kupa.
“We believe SMEs are critical for economic growth and employment. By providing them with business support and innovative technology, we aim to build an inclusive, sustainable, and trusted digital society where individuals and businesses can thrive,” concludes
Proothveerajh.
