Call Centre Operation in Australia - Market Research Report (2013-2028)
Melbourne, Australia
Last Updated: August 2023
ANZSIC N7294Revenue
$1.8bn
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
$XXX.Xm
Employees
9,660
Businesses
471
Wages
$XXX.Xm
Call Centre Operation in Australia industry analysis
The Call Centre Operation industry has performed moderately well over the past few years, stemming from strong demand growth in some years, mixed demand for services and information associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and intensifying competition from offshore operators. While some client businesses outsourced their marketing, information and customer interaction services to call centres in countries like India and the Philippines, others have brought these call centre services back to Australia because of concerns about language barriers and customer interaction. Call centres in low-cost countries operate with far lower labour and overhead costs, and these cost savings can be passed on to Australian client businesses through lower prices.Initially, the COVID-19 outbreak disrupted call centre operations, either through lockdowns closing call centres or restricted international tourism and hospitality and entertainment venue closures reducing demand. However, a raft of pandemic policies, including the JobKeeper wage subsidy, created a surge in demand for call centres from the public sector to manage high volumes of inbound calls to agencies like the ATO, Medicare and Centrelink. While government agencies have started to scale back demand, it remains above pre-pandemic levels. That's why industry revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 1.9% over the five years through 2022-23, to $1.8 billion. This includes an anticipated fall of 4.6% in the current year, as falling business confidence and the end of government pandemic policies reduce demand.Call centre operators are forecast to benefit from rises in business profit and increased business outsourcing trends over the coming years. These trends are set to continue boosting demand for call centres, with competitive pressure from offshore call centres also influencing the industry's performance. Offshore providers can operate with lower wage costs and undercut local service prices. To compete with call centres based in countries like India and the Philippines, many domestic call centres are forecast to increasingly provide value-added services and product upselling over the next few years. Industry revenue is forecast to increase at an annualised 1.8% through the end of 2027-28, to reach $1.9 billion.
Trends and Insights
- Offshoring remains a threat, but larger clients are moving back towards local providers. A rising stigma around overseas call centres has led many clients to request local call centre operations as a marketing tool to consumers.
- Chatbots and online support portals have reduced demand for customer service call centres. Companies are integrating support services into apps across online banking, shopping and entertainment platforms, limiting the number of inbound calls received.
- Large populations and strong telecommunications infrastructure drives the distribution of industry businesses. Call centre operators prefer to base themselves near metropolitan areas with large workforces and provide services to other states remotely.
- The largest firms have rapidly consolidated market share. They have largely done this through major contract wins. The market for smaller contracts is still highly fragmented and the larger companies often overlook it.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2013-2028)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.8bn in 2023.
Trends and Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic had mixed effects on the industry
- The initial effects of the COVID-19 outbreak was to reduce revenue. Lockdowns and restrictions disrupted call centre operations, and led to some downstream retail, hospitality, tourism and entertainment clients to ending their contracts as they were forced to close. This contributed to revenue declines in the two years through 2020-21.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Offshoring trends will drive some firms out of the industry
- Overseas call centres will continue providing services at lower pricepoints. While larger companies may shift to more local services in response to consumer frustration with foreign customer service lines, small-to-medium enterprises are more likely to continue offshoring their services.
Biggest companies in the Call Centre Operation in Australia
| Company | Market Share (%)
2023 | Revenue ($m)
2023 |
|---|---|---|
Probe | 299.5 | |
Datacom Australia Holdings | 250.3 | |
Serco | 130.6 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Customer service, Sales and customer acquisition and Other services. Customer service is the largest segment of the Call Centre Operation in Australia.
Trends and Insights
Surging calls to government agencies handling pandemic-related policies have boosted demand for customer service
- Customer service, or relationship management, is the industry's largest service segment. This segment includes customer care, help desk and customer retention services.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- There are no industries to display.
Complementors
- Market Research and Statistical Services in Australia
- Temporary Staff Services in Australia
- Debt Collection in Australia
- Facilities Management and Other Office Administrative Services in Australia
International industries
- Telemarketing & Call Centers in the US
- Customer Care Centers in the US
- Telemarketing & Call Centres in Canada
- Call Centre Operation in New Zealand
- Call Centres in the UK
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Industry firms primarily answer telephone calls and relay messages to clients. Companies also provide telemarketing services on a contract or fee basis, which includes promoting products and services, taking orders, soliciting contributions or donations and providing information to clients. Telemarketing companies do not own the products or provide the services that they represent.
What's included in this industry?
Customer serviceSales and customer acquisitionTechnical assistanceAddress validation, information checking and surveysCompanies
ProbeDatacom Australia HoldingsSercoPurchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
CROSS-SELLOFFSHORINGUPSELLCLOUD COMPUTINGCHATBOTIndustry Code
ANZSIC 7294 - Call Centre Operation in Australia
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Offshoring remains a threat, but larger clients are moving back towards local providers. A rising stigma around overseas call centres has led many clients to request local ca...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
- Employees, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
- Businesses, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
- Profit, including historical (2013-2023)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Chatbots and online support portals have reduced demand for customer service call centres. Companies are integrating support services into apps across online banking, shoppin...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2023
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2023
- Major market segmentation in 2023
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
Large populations and strong telecommunications infrastructure drives the distribution of industry businesses. Call centre operators prefer to base themselves near metropolit...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2023
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2023
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2023
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2023
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2023
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
The largest firms have rapidly consolidated market share. They have largely done this through major contract wins. The market for smaller contracts is still highly fragmented...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2018-2023
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Surging call volumes at government call centres led to a boom in industry revenue. Firms were asked to increase staff numbers at government call centres as Australians floode...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2019 through 2023
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2023
- Overview of Probe's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
- Overview of Datacom Australia Holdings's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
- Overview of Serco's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Probe, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Datacom Australia Holdings, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Serco, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Advances in AI technology are threatening to reduce call centres’ relevancy. AI technology will allow companies to develop highly effective and dynamic technical assistance c...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2013-2028)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2013-2028)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Despite labour shortages leading to higher salaries, industry wage costs have declined as a share of revenue. Rising productivity has reduced labour requirements, while impro...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2013-2028)
- Revenue per Employee (2013-2028)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2013-2028)
- Employees per Establishment (2013-2028)
- Employees per Enterprise (2013-2028)
- Average Wage (2013-2028)
- Wages/Revenue (2013-2028)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2013-2028)
- IVA/Revenue (2013-2028)
- Imports/Demand (2013-2028)
- Exports/Revenue (2013-2028)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2013-2028)
- IVA (2013-2028)
- Establishments (2013-2028)
- Enterprises (2013-2028)
- Employment (2013-2028)
- Exports (2013-2028)
- Imports (2013-2028)
- Wages (2013-2028)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Australia include:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics
- Australian Taxation Office
- Australian Securities & Investments Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia in 2024?
The market size of the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia is $1.8bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Call Centre Operation in Australia industry in 2023?
There are 471 businesses in the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.8 % between 2018 and 2023.
Has the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2018 and 2023.
What is the forecast growth of the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Call Centre Operation market in Australia?
The biggest companies operating in the Call Centre Operation market in Australia are Probe, Datacom Australia Holdings and Serco
What does the Call Centre Operation in Australia include?
Customer service and Sales and customer acquisition are part of the Call Centre Operation industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Call Centre Operation in Australia?
The company holding the most market share in Australia is Probe.
How competitive is the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Call Centre Operation industry in Australia.
