Call centres in the Philippines – The rise of an offshore nation
Millennia ago, the weather carved out the gorgeous islands of the Philippines full of beautiful scenery and kind people.
In recent years, the Philippines has carved out a name for itself within the global business processes outsourcing (BPO) industry. A mere twenty years ago, the industry barely existed within the country’s borders. In the years between then and now, the industry has grown exponentially, creating a booming economy, jobs, and so much more.
The Philippine BPO industry was founded on the hard work of a handful of call centres. If it had not been for these few startups at the turn of the century, the industry might have never gotten up off the ground. In 2002, less than ten call centres existed in the Philippines. Most of them were still in the start-up phase. Entrepreneurs based in the United States founded the large majority of these companies. Someone saw the potential of this island nation in Southeast Asia. What seemed like an unrealistic outsourcing destination turned into one of the largest and most influential BPO powerhouses in the world. The first ten call centres left no doubt that they were excellent at the service they provided. They demonstrated that the Philippines could be the leading destination for outsourced call centre services. These ten contact centres were joined by many more over the last seventeen years. As the workload increased, more call centres opened their doors, which allowed for an even greater workload. The cycle repeated. Today, there are almost a thousand contact centres and BPOs operating within the Philippines, generating a multi-billion dollar revenue stream each year.
The industry has not grown out of whim. It is a much-needed industry in today’s world. A clear indication of this is the large number of contact centres that have been established in the Philippines over the last twenty years. This growth would have been impossible without the ever-increasing global demand. The world economy is continuing to grow. A person’s buying power is bigger than ever before. As the economy expands, so does the need for call centre services as the predominant means of communication between company and customer.
In an age where skilled labour in the UK comes with a hefty price tag; the need for quality is high; efficiency reigns king, outsourcing call centre services has never been so appealing. Companies around the world need to provide the best customer service possible. Outsourcing to the Philippines has proven to be the answer. The Philippines has the infrastructure and qualified workforce to handle the quantity of work needed.
The Philippines also has a huge overlap in culture and language with English-speaking countries. In conversation, language and culture play a huge factor in the success and satisfaction of a dialogue between representative and customer. The first ten call centres in the Philippines demonstrated how adept Filipinos are at handling issues that may arise, treating customers with kindness, efficiency, and skill.
Before call centre companies entered the Philippine economy, The Philippines and their cities did not appear the way they are today. The country has a booming industry and economy. Manila, the capital of the Philippines, has seen a huge increase in their population and the way the city functions over the last twenty years. Since 2000, the metropolitan area has grown by almost 4 million people and is projected to continue growing. What used to be a city flourishing by day, has transformed into a busy city at all hours of the day because of the BPO industry. Workers head to work at all hours of the day depending on the area they’re working with. What was once a city that went to sleep with the moon, it is now a city that never sleeps.
Contact centres in the Philippines are continuing to prove their worth. Even mid-sized call centre outsourcing providers, like Piton-Global, have won awards and are gaining global recognition. It is a booming industry and economy with no signs of slowing down.
