U BASE, South Korea's foremost business process outsourcing (BPO) company announces its entrance into the South East Asian region. With the entry into the Malaysian market, U Base aims to provide cost-effective solutions and higher efficiency in the local BPO industry to propel the nation's efforts in tapping into the RM 7 billion global BPO market, whilst creating up to 2,000 jobs locally by the end of 2025.

In 2021, Malaysia ranked third as the world's leading digital innovation and outsourcing hub, thanks to its strategic location and investments in infrastructure. With forecasts of the industry growing to a 1.5 billion USD market by the end of 2024, Malaysia is expected to face fierce competition as it claws its way to the top of the pack. Through the introduction of U BASE, the Malaysian BPO industry will be supplemented by a framework that has been optimised and refined for over 2 decades, thereby putting Malaysia on the fast track to success within the field.

Citing Malaysia's resilience, resourcefulness, and mastery in different languages as the nation's forte, U BASE's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Song Kheehong believes that Malaysia is poised to be the region's leading BPO provider in the very near future, stating that: "Malaysia's strengths lie in its highly talented workforce and strategic location. This is a unique trait that is rare in other parts of the world, which provides Malaysia with a unique edge over its competitors. Furthermore, due to Malaysia's fluid immigration policies, it is also easy to hire people from other parts of the world should there be a demand for a language that isn't conversed in the country."

Thanks to Malaysia's focus on development, digitisation, and nation-building efforts, Song Kheehong believes that Malaysia is a vital and strategic location for companies looking to set up shop in the South East Asian market. This, coupled with the fact that UBASE is helmed by people with years of managing and handling high-demand clients, Song Kheehong is certain that UBASE Asia can replicate UBASE Korea's blueprint and find success in the region.

While potential remains, there are still some hurdles to be considered as the country reaches for the top spot as a digital development hub - one of these being the rising costs of sustaining operations. While necessary, the costs incurred may ultimately lead to business owners foregoing the practicality of and, by extension, the benefits of a call centre altogether. Without establishing a strong customer support system, the risk of losing market share to competitors - who may offer more holistic support services - remains.

"Regardless of industry, customer interaction is a very important aspect of running a business, and should be one of the top priorities to ensure continued satisfaction, and positive public image. U BASE strives to provide a service that is comprehensive, scalable, and sustainable," added Song Kheehong.

While equipping clients with customer support remains their bread and butter, Song Kheehong believes that BPO companies' role should not be relegated to mere surface-level support, and can instead bring additional value to their clients through different metrics and avenues. Leveraging on the data and information garnered from customer calls and inquiries, Song Kheehong's belief is that BPO companies can offer meaningful marketing insights, which can be used to enrich client's offerings.

"By looking and consolidating the number and quality of calls and inquiries, we are able to identify company growth, customer interest and trends, all of which are crucial in ensuring continued growth and share of voice in the market," added Song Kheehong. He is certain that U BASE's entry into the Malaysian market will not only elevate the economy in terms of job creation and opportunities, but also empower their clients with data backed by statistics and customer feedback.

Founded in 1998, U BASE is South Korea's largest BPO provider, with 9 service centres across Asia. As Korea's largest player in the industry, the company is looking to replicate their tried and tested blueprint in the South East Asian market. Besides high-quality customer service, U BASE also offers data management, order processing, and customer acquisition services, among others. Having established its foothold in Malaysia, U BASE is keen on imparting its knowledge and providing the Malaysian BPO with a much-needed boost.