Yes, it is true. Despite of its economic instability, the Philippines has opened its market for business process outsourcing and is now regarded as one of the two global leaders in this industry, alongside India. In outsourcing industry, it joins four other Southeast Asian countries in the top 15, according to the Global Location Services Index of 2005.

But what is business process outsourcing anyway? Business process outsourcing, known as BPO, was regarded as one of the fastest growing industries in the world. It is the ascendancy of technology or expert process providers to supply and regulate a segment of business processes and functions. It means that part of business tasks of the outsourcer is transferred to a third party. BPOs exist in different forms such as accounting and payroll outsourcing, medical transcription industry, call centers, animation and human resources.

In 2002, the BPO industry employed about 2400 Filipinos, bringing in revenues of US$24 million. Just three years after, the industry grew rapidly and its revenues increased to US$1.12 billion, providing jobs for about 112 000 employees.

At present, the Philippines is regarded as the most competitive adversary of India in the global call center market. A Michigan-based company, Kelly Services, Inc. stated that US companies now prefer Philippines than India in offshore backroom operations. This is largely because aside from being a former US colony, the Philippines and the American education system are so much alike which includes comprehensive English language studies, giving Filipinos a neutral American accent. On the other hand, India currently faces criticisms due to their British accent, a barrier in dealing with American customers.

Likewise, in other BPO industries, the country still excels. This is mainly because of Filipinos’ proficiency in English and Spanish. Also, among all Asian countries, the Philippines has the greatest number of accredited accountants which are acclaimed for their adaptability in multiple accounting standards.

Many studies showed that Philippines have great potential in global leadership when it comes to BPO. The neoIT’s 2005 Mapping Offshore Markets Update ranked Philippines as the third in the world for top BPO destinations. In 2004, the country was cited by the Philippines’ Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions as among the 10 global leaders in offshore operations. AOL, Chevron, Dell, HP, IBM, Intel and Motorola are among the multinational companies that already operate offshore operations in the Philippines.

These substantial developments in the BPO industry prove that the country has not made a mistake in opening their market for global outsourcing. As the Philippines exhibits a world-class, powerful workforce, this “established success story”, as stated by the Kearney 2004 Attractiveness Index , is likely to continue in years to come.

Sources:
1. http://www.offshoring-digest.com/outsourcing/24.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_process_outsourcing

The call centers in the Philippines can reply on a highly educated population, that are in big demand for skills across the globe. But the Philippine government has realized this and launched an education program to turn things around.

The call center Industry in the Philippines drew up a Benchmarking Study, by the company: callcenters.net 3 years ago, and found some startling facts. There are over 200 call centers in the Philippine, operated by over 150 companies. Most of the working population are women, taking up 20,000 call center seats, but this true figure for employment is twice this. This brings in around $260 million to the outsourcing market. This is a very young market, with most of the new companies being set up in resent years. However most annalists agree that this market will more than double in the next few years.

Am education center was set up in Cebu to cater for the growing need to bring education standards for call centers in the Philippines up to world levels. There were some problems in the early days, as it is difficult to motivate a country that has only been looked upon in the past, as an exploited labor force.

The Clark Aerotropis was once known as the largest US air base in the region. When it was handed back in 1991, business was not slow to utilize the potential of this huge and valuable resource. The best know transport company to use this site was the US firm UPS. With excellent transport links to the rest of the world, this is where the call centers in the Philippines are choosing to set up their base.

Like many countries around the world that want to embrace the commercial revolution, one of the best ways of encouraging them, is to offer incentives on tax rates.

Call centers in the Philippines are offered 5% on the tax rate for all equipment.

This has caught the eye of even Japan, who are pouring in over $9 million to set up call centers in the Philippines.

By far the biggest catch for the country, is the fact that AOL have even set up call centers in the Philippines. With a company as big as this, there can be little doubt as to the driving intentions of the market.

(Steven Lambert) is a featured writer for CallCentersWorldwide.com. CallCentersWorldWide.com offers free consultation and access to over 100+ call center vendors around the world. For consultation on (call centers in the Philippines) call 888-863-6680 or email newbiz@callcentersworldwide.com .

The Republic of Philippines an archipelago in the south East Asia was a Spanish colony for more than three and a half centuries and thereafter an American colony for about 50 years. The country has 7000 and odd islands of which only 700 are inhabited. Philippines owe much to Spain and USA to its cultural bondage. The Europeans invaded the islands originally occupied by the locals and the Christianity became the major religion of the country. Though Spanish was the official language until the early seventies English took over the status during the rule by the USA and is presently taught as second language in schools.

The economy of the country largely depends on the agriculture. The progress of the country was sluggish until recently due to the frequent political turmoil and unrest and large-scale unemployment and economic morbidity being faced by the country. It has some inherent advantages in the matter of call center jobs. First is the cultural affinity and the command over the US English by the local population on account of the 50 years rule by the latter. It was only recently the government found the immense scope for the call center jobs in the country exploiting the large work force and the English knowing and communication savvy people. As a result many call center and BPO firms has been opened by the MNCs in this island nation to the advantage of the job hungry young population. Today Philippines have one of the most vibrant and fast developing BPO industries in the continent.

The large population of the country with more than 86 million people and consequent unemployment problem that has touched an alarming rate of 12.7 percent has made the nation to explore about the vast untapped potential in the BPO industry that has started paying rich dividends in the recent years. As per the recent survey USA has lost more than two million jobs in call centers and BPO industry to few of the Asian countries of which the Philippines ranks on the top.

The Call Center industry in Philippines is all set to face the emerging challenges from the Asian countries of Taiwan, India and China and the country is striving hard to emerge as the major call center and BPO outsourcing destinations of the continent.

Subhasis Chatterjee is a featured writer for CallCentersWorldwide.com. CallCentersWorldWide.com offers free consultation and access to over 100+ call center vendors around the world. .Hope the article provided you with the basic details on the subject of call center jobs in the country For more information and consultation on Call centers in Philippines please call 888-863-6680 or email newbiz@callcentersworldwide.com .

The Philippines is often reckoned as a global hotspot in terms of agriculture, with sheer numbers of flora and fauna exported around different countries around the globe. However, as the Information Age continues to evolve rapidly, the Philippines undergoes a transformation from being an agriculture-oriented country to a cyberPhilippines. It is at this point in history that the Philippines, aside from being a paradise blessed with exquisite landscapes, is building its own name in the call center industry.

Among the growing markets of Asia, India and China have long utilized their labor forces in the call center industry, thus providing the fuel for their economic growth. Since India had been under the British colonial rule for decades, most of their citizens speak English, the so-called lingua franca of the modern world, making India seem such a perfect location for outsourcing. On the other hand, the Philippines had been struggling for the political, economic and social crises it faces. Yet, albeit the different criticisms it receives, many international firms recognize the Philippines, particularly its strong workforce of brown people with neutral American accent, as a potential haven for call center industry.

A survey of multinational companies by a foreign consulting firm reveals that Philippines ranks as one of the most favorable locations for call center operations. In fact, out of forty countries regarded as propitious locations for offshoring, the Philippines ranked fourth, according to the Global Services Location Index 2005 of AT Kearney, following India, China and Malaysia. It jumped two places higher from its last year’s ranking.

Southeast Asia dominates the list of the 2005 index, with Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines filling up the top 15 positions. Additional reports by the survey states that the Philippines awaits foreign investments for offshoring because of its English-proficient workforce, despite its political fluidity and infrastracture frailty. The language skills of its natives also provide endless opportunities for worldwide exposure.

Meanwhile, a Canadian market research company stated that Philippines is capable of exceeding India in call center industry. XMG Inc. revealed that as early as 2008, the Philippines could overtake the current market leader if it will converge on brood over administering higher value services enforcing excellent English efficiency and frontline service support affairs. Cesar Toletino, an XMG analyst, said that if headed in the right path, the Philippines could earn $3.46 billion in 2008 in call center industry, surpassing India’s estimated income in the same year of $2.87 billion.

With such definite and abundant advantages of Philippines over other countries, the Philippines truly faces a bright future in call center industry. It is no exaggeration to assert that in a matter of years, call center industry in the Philippines will be at its zenith in international influence and prestige.

Sources:
1. http://www.prnewswire.com/
2. http://www.manilatimes.net/national

What makes the Philippine call center outsourcing service better than the rest? This is the question that is clinging in the mind of most people who want an outsource service. And we will definitely help them out for them to answer their own question.

Based on Wikipedia, being a former American colony, the Philippines’ education system is patterned after the American education system and this includes American-style diction and pronunciation of the English language. This gives the Filipino people a neutral or an almost American accent. Having this ability is an assurance of a better understanding with mostly American clients and as well as an advantage in dealing with them.

Beside the fact that these people are good English speakers, most of them as well are college graduates.

In the global BPO market, the country is considered to be the most intense rival of India. But since India is a former British colony, Indians are educated in British-style English that is compounded by the heavy Indian accent, resulting to a language barrier.

According to Wikipedia, Filipinos are said to be the best outsourcing site outside North America since the accent is nearer to that of American consumers.

In line with that, there has been a research conducted by the Michigan-based global staffing firm Kelly Services Inc. and the Singaporean market research outfit ACA Research Inc. which shows that Filipino call center employees worked harder, were easier to train, had better language skills and were more devoted than their counterparts in India.”

Truly, Filipino workers attach importance to and love their works so much. They are truly hard-working people who are ready to exert great endeavor in whatever they love doing. Also, they as well are very dedicated when it comes to work they have to do.

Besides being dedicated and devoted in their jobs, Filipinos are totally fast-learners. Being naturally intelligent people, they also know how to listen and that’s the best thing about it. They know how to follow instructions and are very willing to learn no matter how hard the task is.

Last year, 2005, the country ranked 3rd in the world for top BPO destinations, according to neoIT’s 2005 Mapping Offshore Markets Update(Wikipedia).

With all the information mentioned above, surely, people who doubt are now able to answer the question that has been in their minds. Why outsource to the Philippines? Surely, you know it by now!

“The difference between good, better and best is justified by the unlike quality and worthiness of the work done.” Philippines is known globally as one of the second largest-speaking nations in the world. Yes, you’ve heard it right, not the ‘only’ but ‘one of’.

There is the strong contender for the title which is India who is currently leading the race in terms of the number of workforce it produces in the outsourcing biz. The only difference we possess, I guess, is that we are more proficient with the English language.

We also have the closest alignment with the western culture since we have been under the American ruling for quite a long time in the past years. We have also acquired the accent of various nations as proven by Filipinos’ great passion in impersonation and practice of imitation that is why we don’t need accent neutralization as it is being practiced by Indians.

During the call center industry’s break through several years back, the agents that are being hired were college graduates and were among the finest speakers in the country. But sad to tell, the industry has been saturated with less-competent and under graduates which have no as much experiences in the field as the pioneers have.

It is proven that Filipinos speak the western language well, but the supply of prospective excellent call center agents is lesser than the demand’s necessity. Due to the saturation of less-competitive agents in the industry, the transnational companies are now beginning to open up their centers in various provinces in the country.

It is apparent in the present day situation that the pioneers of the industry are frustrated in giving their best to upraise the benchmark and to assure agents’ persistent training in the field of outsourcing.

The scarcity of enthusiasm and well-understanding of the call center industry and the slow development of ramps have been a great hindrance to maintain and meet customer expectations.

With this realization, it should be a call up to call center managers to create a strong edifice for all the accounts being raised, make continuous trainings to the agents for them to be the best they can be and most importantly, employ better English speakers not just because they can speak good English but because they are a good conversationalist as well which means they can deal with clients in a very pleasing manner.

The best way to succeed in this industry is not just to fill the tiers completely but to engage with workers who have met the standard of an excellent call center agent.

Source: http://www.callcenterscript.com

This is the question lingering in the minds of many business professionals, especially those engaged in the latest global business prevalence. In the 2005 neoIT’s Mapping Offshore Markets Update, Philippines exchange places with other countries which had long before engaged in the business process outsourcing industry.

Philippines is included as one of the BPO destinations with the largest industry size in outsourcing in 2004, along with Canada, China, India, Mexico and European countries such as Poland and Ireland. The countries were selected based on the present and future potential sizes of their offshore industry. In the Offshore Attractiveness Index focusing on BPO, the Philippines ranked second, following India. Completing the top ten are Poland, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, Czech Republic, Malaysia, China and Hungary, respectively.

In the BPO Evolution of Offshore Markets providing a perceptible manifestation of the current and the predicted future attractiveness, the country retains its position as the second. The study asserted the the BPO market growth in the country has something to do with its colonial past and strong cultural ties with the US. These result to the country’s high rate of proficiency in the English language, thereby becoming more productive service providers.

On the other hand, though India constitutes a huge skilled labor pool, superior service maturity, strong governmental support and cost competitiveness, it faces future threats resulting from its poor infrastructure and bureaucracy. Canada and European countries encounter problems of high wage rates despite the excellent business environment they have. While China boasts of its cost-competitiveness and large labor pool, it receives criticisms of low service maturity, difficulty in English language and negative perception of geopolitical risk. Meanwhile, Malaysia is also threatened by problems like the unpopularity of BPO jobs.

Mexico is another country growing as a strong competitor but some companioes hesitate to consider it since its workforce specializes only in low-end jobs. Though Russia emerges as another rival, its poor infrastructure and linguistic capabilities in languages like English and Spanish hamper the BPO industry.

Philippines, however, also affronts barriers like the unfavorable geopolitical situation. However, the country is currently undergoing political changes to resolve this issue and developments are presently evident. Still, Philippines takes pride in its good telecom infrastructure, cost competitiveness and excellent English language proficiency. Also, another advantage of the Philippines over all the other competitors is its familiarity with American cultural framework and Spanish language.

At present, India still excels most in the BPO market, but as criticisms arise, it is about to lose its position. What exists today may not be true in the future. Having the second position in the global BPO market, the Philippines has more to offer. Perhaps the answer to the question above is crystal clear. Can Philippines defeat other BPO global leaders? The answer is probably. As they say, the best has yet to come.

Sources:
1. http://www.indobase.com/bpo/competitors-of-india.html
2. http://66.218.69.11/search/Offshore

Some two to three centuries ago, huge social and economic advances marked the worldwide evolution from a conservative agricultural and commercial worldwide society to an experimental industrial civilization. Manufacture of new mechanical innovations to ease the tasks of mankind had replaced manual labor and conventional tools our ancestors had used long ago. Perhaps you recall from history books how in just a few decades of this period, the global village competently accepted the countless innovations made like the electricity, automobiles and telephones.

However, this phenomenal spread of knowledge called Industrial Revolution had not made a rapid progress in the global market. But in 1830, it eventually developed gradually and quickly reached every corner of the globe. Along with its worldwide expansion, it underwent a huge regional expansion. Every area in the world enhanced their specialized fields in the industry. The global economic power and technological superiority entailed by the Industrial Revolution had eventually reached the Philippines.

Located in the heart of the Orient, it took time for technological innovations to penetrate the Philippines. Until the 21st century, Philippines gradually developed at a remarkably slow pace. Nonetheless, the 21st century marked the paramount of Philippines’ own “Industrial Revolution”, as multinational companies become more and more interested to invest in the Philippines in the field of offshore outsourcing, particularly in the call center industry.

Philippines’ workforce has long been known worldwide for the efficiency it presents. Thousands of overseas Filipino workers are hired every year. This proves how foreigners feel satisfied at the service of Philippine natives. In fact, a study has been conducted by the Swiss International Institute for Management Development in 2004 which reveals that Philippines ranks number one in Asia in terms of availability of skilled workforce. Aside from being naturally smart and respectful, Filipino workers are also efficient in speaking English. Also, labor in the Philippines is priced markedly low, compared to equally qualified employees from other countries. These are the main reasons why the Philippines seems to be a potential location for call centers.

Most call centers are used by international companies for interacting with their customers. Such interactions may involve customer support for computer software and hardware and mail order catalogue firms. Other companies are using call centers for their internal functions such as help desks and internal support. Such tasks suit the positive disposition and patience of Asian natives. Among the growing markets in the call center industry, India and the Philippines are the two strongest industries in call centers.

Judging by its present role of expansion, call centers provide substantial benefits to the Philippines. Likewise, those multinational firms continues to discover manifold advantages of putting call centers in the Philippines. Once confined to agriculture, the Philippines is now undergoing an Industrial Revolution, a significant transition from being an illiberal society to a home of an industry continuously developing through the years—the call center industry.

Sources:
1. http://www.bartleby.com/65/in/IndustR.html
2. http://www.callcenter-guide.com/call-center.php