Nestled on the Atlantic coast, Porto is Portugal’s second-largest city and has become a thriving hub for businesses looking to expand their global footprint. Known for its stunning Douro River vistas and mix of different eras and styles in architecture — from baroque, neoclassical and modernist to numerous contemporary masterpieces — Porto is also a burgeoning hub of talent and innovation. As the World’s Leading City Destination according to the 29th edition of the World Travel Awards, it seamlessly blends the best of both worlds: rich cultural heritage and a forward-thinking business environment.
Established excellence in Portugal
Since 1999, Foundever® has established a strong presence in Portugal, with three strategically located hubs — one in Porto and two in Lisbon. These centers offer a comprehensive range of multilingual contact center services, showcasing a high level of skill and maturity. Employing over 4,000 associates fluent in more than 20 languages, we are well-equipped to meet the diverse needs of our clients and provide exceptional service on a global scale. Our hubs are favored by local, Pan-European, and global organizations for their cost-effectiveness and the flexibility provided by our native-speaking teams.
Foundever® in Porto
Our Porto location, opened in 2015, is an example of our commitment to excellence. This hub supports seven clients with a dedicated team of 780 multilingual associates. We pride ourselves on maintaining low absenteeism (3.4%) and attrition rates (3.1%), underscoring the supportive and engaging work environment we offer. The average tenure is 1.7 years for associates and six years for management, reflecting our strong retention rates. With a gender ratio of 53% women to 47% men and over 84% of associates possessing higher education qualifications, our workforce is diverse and highly educated.
Our Porto hub offers a wide range of services, including customer care, tech support, content moderation, retention and acquisition, back-office services, and transaction processing. The industries we support are equally diverse, spanning financial services, insurance, healthcare, travel and hospitality, and retail and e-commerce. With +18 languages spoken, including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, English and German, our Porto team is truly global. This diversity and expertise enable us to deliver top-tier services tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients across various sectors.
Top 7 reasons Porto is an outstanding location for brands
1. Strategic location
Nestled on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal offers unmatched proximity to key European, African and American markets. Porto’s position within the Western European Time Zone facilitates communication and collaboration with both European and North American partners. Excellent connectivity through modern transportation networks, including highways and airports, connects Porto to many European, American and African cities and countries, further strengthening its strategic importance.
2. Favorable business environment
Portugal’s stable political landscape and a plethora of government incentives make it an ideal environment for businesses to thrive. The country’s commitment to economic reforms has enhanced its competitiveness, attracting foreign investment and building long-term growth opportunities. Businesses can also access and secure European funding through grants and financial resources available through the PT2030 EU program and other European initiatives.
3. Multilingual support
The Porto hub supports clients with services in over 18 languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, English and German. This extensive language capability ensures that we can provide seamless and effective communication for clients in various markets, enhancing customer experience and satisfaction.
4. Cost-effective operations
One of the significant advantages of operating in Porto is the cost-effectiveness it offers. Compared to other major European cities, Porto boasts a lower cost of living and doing business. This affordability translates into competitive operational costs for Foundever, allowing us to invest more in our employees and technology to enhance the quality of our services. By keeping our costs in check, we can offer our clients superior value while maintaining high standards of customer care.
5. Diverse and skilled talent pool
Porto’s labor market is brimming with multilingual, well-educated professionals. With 27 higher education institutions in the area, the city is a treasure of talent equipped with modern skills essential for various industries. A significant investment in technology infrastructure only amplifies the region’s appeal as a hub for innovation.
6. Commitment to employee wellbeing
At Foundever, we believe that a happy and motivated workforce is key to delivering exceptional customer service. And this is why employee wellbeing is at the core of our Porto hub. With comprehensive health insurance, on-site medical professionals and a robust wellness program, we ensure our associates are well-supported in every aspect of their employment journey.
7. Innovative workplace design
Our Porto location is a space to engage and support our employees and the community. Recognized by Comparably for its cool office layouts, our Porto office is designed to inspire and connect:
- Remarkable workplaces: Cool office layouts and community-centric spaces encourage connection and collaboration.
- Performance and creativity hubs: Centralized zones for performance and creativity promote best practices and innovative ideas.
- Learning and growth opportunities: On-site learning spaces with digital and facilitated courses offer career and personal development.
- Health and wellbeing programs: On-site gyms, health insurance and wellness programs ensure holistic support.
- Family-friendly facilities: Playroom and babysitting services provide peace of mind for working parents.
- Accessibility and amenities: With 24×7 access, a private canteen, meeting rooms and relaxation areas, our Porto hub is designed for convenience and comfort.
Our Porto location’s success is driven by our people. By building a diverse and supportive workplace, we have a highly committed and motivated workforce that delivers consistent and reliable performance for our clients. Through global programs, we engage our teams in every step of their journey, resulting in significant increases in employee satisfaction and engagement. Foundever in Portugal has been recognized as a Great Place to Work® and received a Bronze for Best Employee Experience from the European Contact Centre & Customer Service Awards in 2023, further highlighting our commitment to creating an excellent work environment.
Foundever has a network of +25 multilingual hubs across the globe, helping brands to align and scale their CX strategy with global growth in new markets, without the limitations of traditional in-country operating models. To learn more, check out some of our other multilingual hubs in Cairo, Barcelona and Cape Town.