Experts say Hungary could develop as major player in outsourcing .a more up-to-date education system, and joint promotion efforts by government and companies, are among the things needed to help Hungary take advantage of international outsourcing opportunities. Such was the opinion expressed to The Budapest Times and Budapester Zeitung by a global outsourcing expert and a local executive in the industry.

Multinational companies often choose Hungary as a site for specialized divisions of their business. In a more advanced form of outsourcing, a firm moves processes entirely off its own hands by entrusting them to specialist companies. These specialized outsourcing companies establish their bases around the world to offer services and are increasingly picking Hungary as one of their bases.

According to Ian Marriott, a vice president of international consultancy company Gartner, there is a lot of foreign investment from user organizations, and service providers using Hungary as one of their centers. Global players decided to move their call centers to Hungary because of cost savings and an increase in quality. The Hungarian operations form the best-shore network aimed at ensuring clients’ needs are done under optimal conditions, in terms of time zone, culture and skill set.

The processes outsourced include internal ones, like IT systems, and ones serving clients, such as helpdesks. The biggest category of outsourcing currently in Hungary is the contact centre type, i.e. call centers and customer relationship management. Next is finance and accounting, while the third most important is outsourcing business processes related to human resources management.

There are lots of good IT professionals, but it is difficult to find ones who also have good language skills, that’s why Hungarians have to learn the right skills including languages to garner outsourcing investments. To create the right combination, there has to be a concentration on language skills, as well as IT skills. The flow from universities does not meet the demand with professionals who can do these things to an international standard. A good secondary-educated person with good language skills with IT skills as well is the kind of combination that is on demand.

 Companies outsourcing processes to Hungary are German, Swiss, British and American. One of Hungary's attractions for American companies is because of its close proximity to West European clients. Hungary also has more cultural compatibility with Germany, and there is a benefit in terms of time zone, and enjoys the advantages of being in the EU. It can handle information which, under privacy regulations, should not leave the EU.

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