Sales was referring to the 'multiplier effect' the outsourcing industry has had on other businesses including real estate, restaurants, convenience stores, and transport companies, even consumer goods stores at the receiving end of buying power of employees especially those in call centers.

Ibrahim, meanwhile, is confident that the industry will sustain its growth next year.

'We would like to see more locations qualified to accept locators,' he said, adding that this would not only decongest urban cities but would also spread development in other locations.

Sales, meanwhile, expects to be able to verify the trajectory of the growth of the contact center and other BPO industries by next year.

'I want to be able to verify whether it's true that we could have 1 million people in contact centers by 2010,' he said.