TOM,
ASPT - Did you see today's news. It is awesome. I am buying here.
Eastern Time
INTERVIEW-Aspect sees Asia revenues tripling
By Andrea Tan
SINGAPORE, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Asia's contribution to Aspect
Telecommunications Corp (Nasdaq:ASPT - news) global revenues is expected
to soar 300 percent this year, a senior company official said on
Wednesday.
''Our future growth will come from Asia-Pacific and the international
business, but clearly the new markets will be substantially more,''
Asia-Pacific Managing Director Andie Rees told Reuters in an interview.
He said Aspect's revenues in Asia, excluding Japan, although it was
still a small and new player in the call centre industry, would soar by
about 300 percent in 1998.
Rees said the growth would be less in future.
''You don't expect to see that year on year though. But in terms of
dollar value, the figure will still increase,'' he said.
For the year ended December 31 1997, international operations, of which
Asia is a part, generated 28 percent of Aspect's turnover of US$391
million. The firm does not have a specific figure for Asia.
Rees said total turnover would hit about US$500 million this year.
The San Jose, California-based group stepped into Asia about 18 months
ago, before the region's economic upheaval started, and has not looked
back.
''We have done nothing but grow in this recession. Having said that, I
think the outlook ahead is a little gloomy,'' Rees said.
He said although once-bright markets like Thailand and Indonesia were
now crisis-stricken, Aspect's plans for the region had not been
affected.
''It hasn't affected our plans because we came here with the focus on
Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia,'' Rees said.
He said Aspect was not deterred by the regional crisis and had laid its
foundation and infrastructure to position itself for a turnaround in
Asia's economies.
''From those three hubs, we've already springboarded into the
Philippines and done well there. We see things happening in Taiwan and
looking quite exciting for us.''
Rees said the firm was not looking to huge geographical markets but to
value markets like Singapore and Hong Kong.
''We are fairly selective in the types of business that we work on. We
don't chase every piece of business,'' he said.
''When you have 35 people, you can't anyway.''
Rees said opportunities abound in Asia as it had a high percentage of
call centres in the infancy stage and with lots more room to advance.
Further deregulation in Asia's telecommunications industry would propel
Aspect's growth, he said.
-- Singapore newsroom 870 3080; Fax 776 8112
-- Email: singapore.newsroom@reuters.com
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