To the dismay of French unions, reports surfaced in December of the company’s plans to enact a massive restructuring, including provisions for 400 layoffs and the outsourcing of business functions.

France’s 3 Suisses received authorization to outsource a number of its call centers to Tunisia. T3 Suisses is France’s second largest long-distance seller, specializing in clothing and household goods, financial services and office supplies. Layoffs are expected at the company’s headquarters in Roubaix, as well as at call centers located in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, Rouen, Marseille, Nantes, Nancy and Lyon.

Outsourcing call centers in Tunisia requires the transfer of sensitive information from the company’s database of clients and prospective clients, including marital and familial status, mailing address and living situation, lifestyle, and financial information. In a new ruling, the Commission on IT and Civil Liberties authorized 3 Suisses France to transmit client data outside the European Union, paving the way for the company to open hotlines and call centers in Tunisia. Mezzo Tunisia, a subsidiary of 3 Suisses International, will be entrusted with management of the company’s databases. 3 Suisses is expected to formally announce the strategic cost-cutting move later this month.

Recent developments in telecommunications in North Africa have made countries like Morocco and Tunisia extremely attractive offshoring destinations, in particular among francophone countries. Inexpensive labor, low office rent, government-sponsored investment incentives, and close cultural and geographic ties are added enticements for companies looking to slash expenses and boost competitivity. Offshoring destinations, in return, benefit from jobs-creation, foreign investment, and the transfer of knowledge.

Hannah Armstrong