The Philippines call Center: How it is Slowly Becoming the Force to Reckon with

The world is abuzz with the fact that the Philippines are indeed creating quite a ripple in the BPO sector! Call centers in the Philippines are ensuring that they keep the investors happy and interested.

The Reasons why the Philippines is Crowned The King of the BPO Sector

The following reasons would throw some light why the Philippines is regarded as the hub of the BPO Sector,

• Call Center- It is the most important and the reason why foreign investors are attracted in the first place in the country. Plush offices are scattered all over the country and give evidence in itself that the BPO Philippines means big business!
• IT services- IT services like programming and software development are also rising up the popularity charts and hence a reason for outsourcing to be the reason why foreign investors are queuing before the Philippines.
• Marketing with the help of internet- This industry is gaining steady momentum. The Philippines offer nominal rate in comparison with other countries.
• SEO- This is industry is fast climbing the popularity charts, in terms of outsourcing.
• Virtual employees- Companies choose Filipino workers because they work for less pay.

India vs. the Philippines

It is the battle between these two Asian nations, India and Philippines to be the frontrunner in for tasks for the Business Process Outsourcing Centre. Why has the Philippines gained in importance and almost nudged India out of competition? Going by the huge population in India, according to sources, India has a working population of 484 million as against the Philippines meager 38 million. But still, the Philippines is almost breathing down India’s neck. So what could be the reason behind BPO Philippines steep rise to success?

The growth of the BPO sector in the Philippines

So what is the Philippines doing right and the other Asian nations are failing to notch up? The Data Privacy Act which keeps all information handled by the Philippines calls centers, private especially sensitive information like details of bank etc. This has helped the Philippines score big in the BPO sector.

Support of the Philippines Government

The Government supports the Philippines Call Centres completely by ensuring implementation of programmes which would be conducive to the mushrooming of business centers in the country. Breaks in taxations are provided for organizations that operate in Special Economic Zones known as Ecozones. The government is further ensuring that the workforce is just right and ready for the booming call centers in the Philippines. The government is building a strong infrastructure for the BPOs. Some of the things which are really helping the industry are:

Ideal Location

The Philippines is located in the business hub of Asia. The location is ideal for western countries to have dealings with not only the Philippines but rest of Asia as well owing to its strategic location. The ASEAN free trade agreement(AFTA) has ensured that countries, which want to trade with the ASEAN market, Philippines could be the gateway for them. BPO Philippines can get a shot in the arm.

Minimal Labour Rates

Salaries are way lower than the United States, almost 50% less. Coupled with wages electricity, communication and housing rents are much lower than the USA. But it does not necessarily mean that quality is compromised. The yawning gap between labor cost, the effectiveness of operations and benefits can make the Philippines a lucrative proposition in comparison to other countries. So unlike other countries in Philippines companies can expect more even if they pay less. Either way, it is a win-win situation for business owners.

Talent Galore

The success of the Philippines CallCentres can also be attributed to the fact that there is a teeming population who are really talented and apt for the job. They are ensuring that there is a boost in the growth towards the upward direction by recognizing this growth and ensuring that it keeps that way. An online learning platform by the name of Kalibrr is tapping this pool of talent to ensure further growth.

Affinity to American Culture

Filipinos have a strong affinity towards American culture and hence they have the greater adaptability to emulate their culture and accent better. Their spoken English is much better and hence, they have a better chance of speaking the language and making themselves understood. They are far more compatible with the American culture, given that they were colonized before by a host of countries like Portugal, Spain, Japan and, of course, The USA. This makes them a country more adaptable and susceptible to other cultures. They were influenced by other cultures and their cultures, ethics, values and so on. This helped them construct their character which is helping them to stand them in good stead today and the BPO Philippines is enjoying a place under the sun.

Work Ethics Par Excellence

Professionalism seems to the Filipinos buzz-word. Yes, their values, culture, work ethics and general bonhomie creates the right kind of work atmosphere. They don’t compromise on fun and yet don’t let that tower over integrity and responsibility. That is why the call centers in the Philippines are enjoying such a good run in the market.

Time Difference does not matter to Filipinos

The reason that the country is enjoying such an elevated status in BPO Philippines is that Filipinos are very flexible and night shifts and erratic schedules do not matter to them. They are accommodating to the requirements of the clients residing in different countries.

The destination is Ideal for Work as well as Play

A country which is not only not only equipped with world-class technologies but also scores pretty high on scenic beauty. Investors can enjoy a jolly good time enjoying the beaches and also business prospects. Investors are as much attracted to the virgin beaches and historical sites as the business opportunities. Naturally, Philippines call centers get a major boost as a result of that.

It is Start-up Conducive

Not only big business can reap the benefits of the outsourcing business but also small companies which are about to start can also benefit. Salaries of full-time workers can start from as little as $200 to $ 400 and the entire team can provide services for as paltry a sum as $2000. That’s pretty small compared to other countries, providing similar services.

Economic Stability and Growth

Philipines as a country has been fairly stable for the past decade. Though it’s history has been marred by instances of conflicts largely owing to the dictator Marcos. But that is indeed history now, the government is ensuring that the current problems like poverty bureaucracy do not shackle the growth of the Philippines Call Centers. Also, its economic growth is quite steady growing 5% every year. It has cushioned itself from the rising fuel prices and food prices, market volatility in general. The global recession has not been able to create a dent in the economic stability of the country.

The success of the BPO Philippines industry has given an impetus to major growth spurt to the economic growth of the country as well clearly shooting almost 6% growth in Gross Domestic Product. This unprecedented growth has given rise to other industries as well creating millions of job opportunities for the people. This has prompted from young job-seekers to stay put in their country instead of moving out to other countries for seeking jobs.