Lean Solutions Group acquires SupportZebra, expands AI-enabled outsourcing

Lean Solutions Group (LSG) is expanding its business process outsourcing operations with the acquisition of SupportZebra, a move that will push the company's workforce in the Philippines to over 2,000 employees.

The Miami-based company announced the acquisition on Aug. 24, saying the deal strengthens its service model in automotive, fintech, e-commerce, software and health care while adding SupportZebra's customer support and back-office capabilities to its existing technology platform.

Founded in 2011, SupportZebra has more than 1,300 employees in the Philippines and Mexico combined, while serving more than 40 clients. The company provides outsourced customer experience and business support, including customer service, technical support and back-office functions. Its employees work as an extension of clients' existing teams, handling customer interactions and other day-to-day tasks that companies would otherwise have to staff internally.

The acquisition will give LSG more than 2,000 employees across three Philippine markets: Metro Manila, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu. LSG said its Philippine workforce has grown more than 12-fold in two years, reflecting what the company described as increased demand for outsourced business and technology services in the country.

SupportZebra is based in Cagayan de Oro, where it was founded in 2011. The company began as FBC Solutions, a 15-seat call center, before expanding its workforce and services.

SupportZebra initially built its business around outsourced customer support before expanding into technical support, virtual assistance and other business-process services. Today, its clients include companies in e-commerce, software, fintech, health care, insurance and other sectors, which fit into LSG's desire for growth beyond the logistics industry.

The company said it is seeing rapid expansion, especially in automotive and fintech.

"While transportation and logistics remains Lean Solutions Group's core market, the company is seeing rapid expansion—especially in automotive and fintech," LSG said in an August 24 press release.

Its expansion in automotive includes a partnership with Carparts.com Philippines that was integrated within the last six months and has since been extended through a new multiyear services agreement.

LSG sees SupportZebra as a way to extend that model into those markets by combining its existing service teams with LSG's technology and global footprint.

"By combining SupportZebra's expert service teams with our global footprint and AI, we are extending our expert-in-the-loop model into new markets and verticals that few companies in the world can serve at this scale," LSG CEO Jack Freker said.