Vodacom Business, in partnership with Anani Technologies and Unisa, has launched a call centre designed to respond to the country's severe unemployment crisis.

This was one of the good stories of the month, made more pertinent by  dark cloud of the fact that South Africa’s official unemployment rate has increased to 33.5%  in the second quarter of 2024 – the highest since 2022.

However, the companies noted that through this partnership,  the silver lining is that now much-needed jobs are being created, uplifting families and communities while serving the staff and students of Unisa. At launch, more than 50% of the employees at the centre are women, a milestone that aligns with Vodacom’s purpose pillar of inclusion for all.

Since the call centre went live, it has exceeded standard call centre metrics, boasting a 98% service level, an 85% first contact resolution score, and an abandonment rate of only 0.74%, a result of extensive training of Anani consultants, who are well-equipped to meet the needs of Unisa’s students and staff.

Videsha Proothveerajh

“At Vodacom, we partner with like-minded brands with a shared vision and purpose to create an impact in our communities and the country. Through partnerships such as this one, we wanted to tackle the scourge of unemployment that the country is currently facing,” commented Videsha Proothveerajh, Director of Vodacom Business, a division of Vodacom South Africa.

“Not only are we aiming to create employment, but we also want to create transformative opportunities for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) through the use of technological solutions, thereby advancing socio-economic progress in South Africa. We are proud of the number of women this initiative has onboarded, especially during Women’s Month. We remain committed to making impactful changes in our communities for the greater good, ” continued Proothveerajh.

Vodacom Business has invested in Anani as an SME partner and reseller of desk support for Unisa’s mobile internet services – a critical component for enabling distance learning. This forms part of Unisa’s ongoing partnership with Vodacom Business, which includes supporting SMEs in contract fulfilment to align with national development goals.

“At Unisa, we are proud of the partnership we have forged with Vodacom Business, which has now resulted in a call centre launched with Anani Technologies. The call centre aims at bridging the gap between the university and our students. Unisa students are scattered around the continent, and the only way to reach them, is through this call centre initiative,” enthused Sibusiso Mthembu, Director of Supply Chain Management at Unisa.

“Through our partnership with Vodacom and Unisa, Anani Technologies has built a customer experience centre that supports mobile internet services to enable distance learning to Unisa staff and students. 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. At Anani, we are proud to be at the forefront of crafting innovative connectivity solutions with the support and investment of Vodacom,” added Derrick Kupa, Managing Director of Anani Technologies.

Sitho Mdlalose - Vodacom SA CEO, Videsha Proothveerajh - Director of Vodacom Business. Derrick Kupa - Director - Anani Technologies, and Sibusiso Mthembu, Director of Supply Chain Management Vice President at Unisa

In the past financial year, Vodacom invested R8.8 billion in enterprise development and preferential procurement of small enterprises, with R7 billion spent on 1 037 qualifying small enterprise (QSE) and exempted micro enterprise (EME) suppliers, such as Anani Technologies.

As Vodacom celebrates its thirtieth year anniversary this month, the company stressed that it ''remains committed to taking its communities further together, leaving no one behind. ''

Vodacom Business further called on all businesses, big or small, public or private, to turn to it as a trusted partner, to help them transform their businesses, thereby turning challenges into possibilities that will ultimately benefit South Africa.

“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,” concluded Proothveerajh.