Hell’s kitchen in Konecta’s call centers in Madagascar?
Should companies make sure their call center agents are well fed? And which caterer do they use, at what price per meal? A food poisoning outbreak hit two call centers run by Konecta, one of the world’s major BPO players, in Madagascar the week of October 9.
Since Jamal Malik, the chaiwala (tea server) made famous by Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, we’ve known that on the floor, agents need to be fed and watered. In Madagascar, what we know is that a fruit salad set off a major uproar and that the catering supplier was most likely not an established company.
Food poisoning outbreak hits konecta’s call centers in Madagascar
A wave of food poisoning struck employees at Konecta’s two call centers in Antananarivo, Ivandry and Ambohimangakely, on October 8, one day apart. A single caterer served both sites. Hospital emergency rooms in the capital were overwhelmed, and some patients waited in hallways. Up to 274 people were treated, according to some sources. Yesterday, Konecta said only three remain hospitalized and expects them to be discharged soon.
The company says it is covering all hospitalization and medical costs, has suspended all contracts with the caterer, and has filed a complaint with the prosecutor. It has hired Le Complexe as a temporary replacement. Konecta’s local management appears reluctant to say who the previous caterer was or what the contract cost.
On October 13, Madagascar’s food safety authority (ACSQDA) released test results. Fruit salads contained fungi and yeasts, and leftover cooked foods (rice, cabbage achard and strawberries) tested positive for E. coli. Inspectors also found irregularities in food storage temperatures. Some employees had reportedly raised concerns about the food quality beforehand, but this has not been confirmed.
The incident has prompted widespread reaction in the local community and the industry. Konecta employs about 2,500 people in Madagascar, and its local head, Guy Foka (CEO Konecta Madagascar), was unavailable for comment.
Corporate catering in Madagascar
The leading corporate catering specialists in Madagascar are Le Complexe, Foodmark and Mada Food.
To learn more about call center agent health and the employee experience, read our reports on India, Colombia and Teleperformance alumni:
- In India, female call center agents were reportedly sterilized without their knowledge.
- In Colombia, at TP, content moderators paint watercolors every day.
Cover photo, Vivetic, Madagascar, 2016 © En-Contact