Guatemalan contact centres and BPO firms serving US clients: collecting dollars in full
Guatemala City has become a nearshore hub for US customer service and back-office work, built on bilingual staff and a US-friendly time zone. Clients pay in dollars. Payroll is in quetzales. How the dollars travel decides how much of the margin survives.
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A Guatemala City contact centre with 400 bilingual agents handles customer service for two US companies. It invoices US$148,000 a month and pays most of that out in quetzales: salaries, rent, utilities and social security contributions. Its clients pay by international wire, which arrives three to five days later, sometimes lighter by an intermediary fee.
A nearshore hub
Guatemala's BPO sector grew on bilingual talent, Central time zone hours and lower costs than the US. Most of its clients are American companies, and they pay in dollars.
How US clients pay
American companies pay suppliers by ACH. Paying a Guatemalan bank means an international wire, often a separate approval step in their accounts payable process. Some batch foreign wires weekly or monthly.
US account details in the contact centre's own name let clients pay by ACH, like any US vendor. The full invoice amount arrives in one to two business days with a reference.
Dollars and quetzales
Guatemalan companies can hold dollars. The quetzal has moved less against the dollar than many Latin American currencies, but conversion still costs a margin. Converting a planned amount ahead of each payroll, rather than every receipt, gives control over the rate.
Invoicing through FEL
Guatemalan invoices are issued through FEL, the SAT's electronic invoicing system, with authorised certifiers. Export invoices identify the foreign client and can be in dollars. Services exported may be zero-rated or exempt for IVA when the conditions are met.
Where Rivet fits
A Rivet business account accepts registered companies after verification, including Guatemalan companies. Approved companies get US account details in their own name on every plan, so US clients pay by ACH, euro and sterling details from the Growth plan, and payouts in 120+ countries, including to their Guatemalan bank. Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold the funds.
Questions people ask
Can Guatemalan companies hold dollars?
Yes. Guatemala allows companies to hold foreign currency accounts, and dollars are common in export businesses.
Why do US client payments arrive late?
International wires pass through correspondent banks and often need separate approval at US companies.
Do BPO services exported to the US carry IVA?
Exports of services can be zero-rated or exempt when they meet the conditions in Guatemala's IVA law. Check with your accountant.
What is FEL?
Factura Electrónica en Línea, Guatemala's electronic invoicing system run with the SAT. Invoices are certified by authorised certifiers.
Sources
Rashidatou writes Rivet's guides to how money moves between countries: the payment rails, what each one costs, and the account details a company needs to get paid in another currency. Every figure in Rashidatou's articles is traced to the scheme rulebook, the regulator or the provider's published price list, and those sources are listed at the end.
More from Rashidatou K. →This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; check the sources above and the provider’s current terms before you act on them.
- guatemala
- bpo
- contact centres
- usd
- gtq
- fel
