Concept BPO: Revolutionizing the Industry with the Cooperative Model and Technology

In this episode of Among Entrepreneurs, Alejandra talks with Juan Ruiz, manager of BPO concept. We discovered how an organization can break traditional contact center schemes to become an ecosystem of shared services based on cooperation and technological innovation.

The Cooperative Model: Beyond Traditional Collaboration

For Juan Ruiz, the essence of his success lies in a fundamental distinction: they are not just a collaborative model, but a cooperative model. Unlike the prejudices that call cooperativism obsolete, Concept BPO demonstrates that this system generates substantial results and a unique added value in the real sector.

The company was founded in 2013 through “solidarity cooperation networks”. Thanks to the vision of Confecoop Antioquia, it was possible to centralize cross-cutting services to generate economies of scale, benefiting multiple entities under the same operational umbrella.

From Call Center to Shared Services Center with Analytics

What began as an internal call center for 13 cooperatives has evolved significantly. Today, Concept BPO is a Shared Services Center which serves more than 48 client cooperatives.

Technological evolution and new capabilities

To achieve a “quantum leap”, the company has integrated advanced capabilities that surpass conventional BPO:

• Advanced data analytics: Transforming information into strategic decisions.

• Software Factory: Creating tailor-made technological solutions.

• COP collector: A collections unit that does not use traditional methods, but focuses on reconciliation with the partner.

Human Talent: Antioquia's “Young Contact Center”

With an average age of 24 years old, the organization positions itself as a hotbed of talent. The growth has been exponential: they went from being a small team to having more than 300 employees in the last five years.

“Technology is an enabler, but people are the ones who develop projects,” says Juan Ruiz.

The key to their retention is the empowerment. Many of its current leaders started out as practitioners, growing up in a culture that allows error as part of learning and is measured by constant challenges.

Social Purpose vs. Private Equity

One of the biggest competitive differences is their ownership structure. Concept BPO does not respond to a sole owner or to a group of private shareholders; it responds to A million owners (the members of allied cooperatives).

This focus on the Social capital redefines the purpose of daily work, orienting every action towards common well-being and not just towards financial profitability.

Democratization of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

In Concept BPO, the Artificial Intelligence it is not a threat, but a tool for democratization. It allows small cooperatives to access technologies that would otherwise be unattainable because of their high cost.

The balance between AI and the human factor

Juan Ruiz emphasizes that the use of AI requires a process of education and curatorship. To prevent technology from replacing human value or encouraging “intellectual laziness”, the company encourages:

1. The use of AI for operational agility.

2. Human intervention for the Play Differentiator and the construction of critical content.

3. Constant research into projects to ensure the authorship and creativity of the team.

Organizational Culture and Lateral Thinking

Innovation in this company is defined as that which “Move the register”; that is, changes that generate real economic results. To achieve this, they use techniques such as Edward de Bono's lateral thinking, always looking for disruptive ways to execute traditional processes.

The pillar values are clear: Respect, Cooperation and Innovation.

Wellness and Closeness Leadership

The BPO industry is known for its high levels of stress. Concept BPO mitigates this through a philosophy where the employee is treated as a responsible adult.

Human Management Tools

• DISC Profile: Used to ensure that each person is in the campaign that best suits their personality.

• Internal Outplacement: If a collaborator is exhausted in a role, their internal rotation is sought instead of their disengagement.

• Circles of Trust: The manager keeps monthly breakfasts to hear directly the needs and realities of the operation.

The Future: Towards a Service Broker Model

Currently, the contact center represents 54% of revenues, but software and analytics units are gaining more and more weight. The future vision is to become a broker or intermediate sales force who deeply understands the partner's needs to provide accurate solutions.

Juan Ruiz's final advice for other leaders is simple but powerful: “Seek that your collaborator is happy”. When a person works for a purpose in life and not just out of need, success is assured.