NEAR / OFFSHORING
BY MELODY MOREHOUSE, GRYPHON AI
FCC NPRMs TARGET NEAR / OFFSHORE CALL CENTERS
AGENCY, LAWMAKERS ARE ALSO AIMING AT OUTBOUND DIALING.
For years, companies- including many in the business process outsourcing( BPO) space- have relied on nearshore and offshore call center staffing to cut costs, deal with U. S. staffing shortages, and offer services around the clock. However, a series of Federal Communications Commission( FCC) Notices of Proposed Rulemaking( NPRMs) is putting this model at risk.
These proposed regulations cover:
• Call branding( FCC 25-76), including – and notably- from outside of the U. S.
• Call center onshoring( FCC 26-16). 48 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE IMAGES
Both have a common thread: foreign traffic, near / offshore agents, and call centers that route U. S. campaigns through international providers, all of which are now squarely in the FCC’ s sights.
But these proposed changes could impose a real operational and compliance burden on not only customer service, but also on marketing campaigns and debt collection outreach efforts( see BOX 1).
The new rules, should they go into effect, likely will affect how companies and their BPO partners operate and comply with regulations.
Consequently, companies relying on near / offshore call center staffing should be ready to make necessary adjustments to avoid compliance exposure.