Where is CEE on the global map of locations for BPO

Since 2012, every year I look forward the Tholons’ report, where the authors present the recommended global BPO locations. I must admit this is one of those publications where the locations are grouped together, are put in the certain ranking and present in one place the overall look of the sites for operation centres.

Already few years ago I started to wonder what is wrong with this ranking. Of course the authors have full right to use their own methodology and prepare whatever ranking they like, but knowing a little bit the reality of BPO/SSC business in Poland and other CEE countries I must say this report every year looks more and more strange.

Why there is no Vilnius on the map?

Everyone who is interested in BPO business in Europe is aware of the growth of this industry in Lithuania. Vilnius is well known location with a number of operation centres who grow in the Lithuania’s capital within last few years. Only in 2016 there were already 50 BPO/SSC centres located over there and this number is growing. Tholons – I believe you should take a closer look at Lithuania.

What happened with Ukraine?

OK, I understand that war conflicts have impact on the way how we think about potential business locations, but we cannot allow not to see the already existing and well developed cities, where the outsourcing industry is one of the key industries in general – this is for example how it is in Lviv. In this city, especially ITO industry is on the top of businesses having impact on the business development. Kiev is another one. Both of those cities have been present on Tholons map few years ago but never came back. I guess it is high time to take a closer look at those destinations and correct the rankings.

Poland – undiscovered map

Hmm. With Poland it is not so bad. Krakow, Warsaw and Wroclaw have their presence on the Tholons Top 100 BPO locations list, but here few questions are worth to be asked. For example – why Wroclaw in the last report lost 20 positions vs last year? Within this time city has won new BPO investments, grew the office space, is one of the most preferred locations in Poland and suddenly Tholons positions the city below Bratislava (who also went down in the ranking) or Vancouver (who was never present in the ranking before)?

I wonder if Tholons is aware of other very fast developing BPO locations in Poland like for example Lodz, Poznan, TriCity or Katowice. Only in Poznan there are already 82 operations centres. In TriCity there are already over 100 of BPO, SSC and ITO centres. I’m not very much aware of how many centres are located in Nassau, Novosibirsk or Santa Rosa who take 98, 99 and 100 locations in the recent Tholons report, but I would be interested to understand the real methodology of analysing the data by Tholons, especially that the worldwide media are very much depending on data provided by this company.

And what do you think? What are the Top BPO/SSC sites in CEE Region? Feel free to share your thoughts, information about the number of operation centres located in those locations, employment and any other pros and cons. I am really curious of your opinion.