Atento Strengthens its Clear Leadership Position in the Latin American Contact Center Outsourcing Services Market

NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018  /PRNewswire/ -- Atento S.A. (NYSE: ATTO), the leading provider of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing services (CRM/BPO) in Latin America, and one of the five top providers worldwide, announces that Frost & Sullivan, the global consulting company specialized in growth strategies, has identified Atento as the clear leader in contact center outsourcing services in Latin America according to its annual study, "Analysis of the Contact Center Outsourcing Services Market in Latin America and the Caribbean, Forecast to 2023."

The same research, that Frost & Sullivan publishes each November, identified that the contact center outsourcing services market in Latin America and the Caribbean attained $10.51 billion in revenue in 2017, the year base.

In addition of being the leader at the regional level, Atento is also the market leader in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Mexico (in Mexico when considering the domestic market¹). In Brazil, the largest market in the region, which accounts for nearly 40% of the revenues in the continent, Atento's share reached 26.6% of the total market in 2017, an increase of 1.9p.p. vs the previous year and 12.3p.p. above its closest competitor.  Atento also experienced increases in market share in Argentina, Colombia and Chile.

When considering just the Latin American aggregated domestic demand (domestic market and the LATAM-Shore segment), Atento's market share reaches 23.7%, an increase of 1p.p. vs previous year and 16.2 p.p. above its closest competitor. The aggregated domestic demand accounted for $7.5 billion, 71.6% of the total market in 2017.

Alejandro Reynal, Atento's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Atento's sustained leadership position in the Latin American contact center outsourcing services market over the years is a direct result of our Company's long-lasting client relationships, deep vertical expertise, differentiated customer experience solutions and highly motivated employees. In an increased digitalized environment, we contribute to this leadership position by developing customer experience solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and generate competitive advantages to our clients." Mr. Reynal added "I would like to thank all of our clients and employees for their ongoing support which has helped us maintain the top position in this regional market and its key geographies over the years."

Other takeaways from the Frost & Sullivan report include:

• By vertical markets, telecommunications and banking and financial services generated 66.5% of the market revenue, while travel & hospitality, retail & consumer goods, healthcare, and high-tech verticals are forecasted to experience the highest growth rates in the forthcoming years
• The three technologies top of mind for contact center service providers in 2017 were: 1) AI-based automation tools (including RPAs and bots); 2) omnichannel systems; 3) big data analytics. Many providers in the region are streamlining its value proposition based on one or a combination of the above-mentioned solutions
• By service function, over half the market (52.6%) is comprised by customer care activities, although back office, sales, and non-voice BPO services are expected to experience the highest growth rates in the forecast period
• By channel of interaction, voice accounts for the 84.4% of the front office revenues in 2017, still the largest channel of contact within the region, although it is expected to keep lowering its market share gradually because of the migration to digital channels, with social media and chat & web collaboration expected to gain a larger portion of the pie in the forthcoming years
• The increasing use of big data analytics focused on the customer is allowing more context-rich interactions and a growing efficiency in sales campaigns and increasing satisfaction levels in customer care services
• As customers get progressively used to interact with automated interfaces, live agents will increasingly perform more complex tasks and transactions which require unique human capabilities                                                             

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "intends," "continue" or similar terminology. These statements, including as relates to the timing and payment of any dividends, reflect only Atento's current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competition in Atento's highly competitive industries; increases in the cost of voice and data services or significant interruptions in these services; Atento's ability to keep pace with its clients' needs for rapid technological change and systems availability; the continued deployment and adoption of emerging technologies; the loss, financial difficulties or bankruptcy of any key clients; the effects of global economic trends on the businesses of Atento's clients; the non-exclusive nature of Atento's client contracts and the absence of revenue commitments; security and privacy breaches of the systems Atento uses to protect personal data; the cost of pending and future litigation; the cost of defending Atento against intellectual property infringement claims; extensive regulation affecting many of Atento's businesses; Atento's ability to protect its proprietary information or technology; service interruptions to Atento's data and operation centers; Atento's ability to retain key personnel and attract a sufficient number of qualified employees; increases in labor costs and turnover rates; the political, economic and other conditions in the countries where Atento operates; changes in foreign exchange rates; Atento's ability to complete future acquisitions and integrate or achieve the objectives of its recent and future acquisitions; future impairments of our substantial goodwill, intangible assets, or other long-lived assets; and Atento's ability to recover consumer receivables on behalf of its clients. In addition, Atento is subject to risks related to its level of indebtedness. Such risks include Atento's ability to generate sufficient cash to service its indebtedness and fund its other liquidity needs; Atento's ability to comply with covenants contained in its debt instruments; the ability to obtain additional financing; the incurrence of significant additional indebtedness by Atento and its subsidiaries; and the ability of Atento's lenders to fulfill their lending commitments. Atento is also subject to other risk factors described in documents filed by the company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. 

These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. Atento undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Atento
Atento is the largest provider of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing (CRM BPO) services in Latin America, and among the top five providers globally, based on revenues. Atento is also a leading provider of nearshoring CRM/BPO services to companies that carry out their activities in the United States. Since 1999, the company has developed its business model in 13 countries where it employs 150,000 people. Atento has over 400 clients to whom it offers a wide range of CRM/BPO services through multiple channels. Atento's clients are mostly leading multinational corporations in sectors such as telecommunications, banking and financial services, health, retail and public administrations, among others. Atento's shares trade under the symbol ATTO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In 2016, Atento was named one of the World's 25 Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work® for a fourth consecutive year. For more information visit www.atento.com

Press relations
Maite Cordero
+ 34 91 740 74 47
atento.media@atento.com

Investor relations
Shay Chor
+55 11 3293 5926
shay.chor@atento.com 
Fernando Schneider
55 11 3779 0967
fernando.schneider@atento.com

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SOURCE Atento S.A.