Sarah Leff - Interact CC - Why the Eastern Cape Could Be South Africa's Next CX Powerhouse

Sarah Leff - Interact CC - Why the Eastern Cape Could Be South Africa's Next CX Powerhouse

From CX Files by Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan

April 16, 2026 · 23 min · Episode 412

About this episode

Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the expansion of Interact Contact Centers into the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa.

In this episode of CX Files, Peter Ryan speaks with Sarah Leff about Interact CC's expansion into South Africa's Eastern Cape, exploring why the region is emerging as a compelling alternative to traditional CX hubs like Cape Town and Johannesburg. Leff explains that while South Africa has long been a natural partner for UK-based customer experience delivery - thanks to cultural alignment, language, and time zone compatibility - the Eastern Cape offers a distinct advantage: significantly lower attrition, abundant untapped graduate talent, and greater cost stability. The conversation highlights how Interact's people-centric, employee-owned model aligns well with a region where jobs are valued as long-term careers rather than stepping stones, resulting in stronger engagement and performance. Together, they argue that as CX buyers move beyond cost-driven outsourcing toward value, resilience, and talent quality, newer locations like the Eastern Cape represent the next evolution of Africa's role in global service delivery. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-leff-5338124/ https://interactcc.com/ Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the expansion of Interact Contact Centers into…

People in this episode

Hosts: Peter Ryan, Mark Hillary

Guest: Sarah Leff

Topics covered

  • customer experience
  • business expansion
  • employee engagement
  • talent acquisition
  • outsourcing
  • South Africa

Keywords

  • customer experience
  • Eastern Cape
  • Interact CC
  • attrition rates
  • graduate talent
  • outsourcing

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Interact CC

Places: Eastern Cape, South Africa, Cape Town, Johannesburg

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