Call Centers Are for Cebuanos Too

Friday, June 29, 2012 Unknown 3 Comments

Who said Cebuano agents are limited to taking calls from foreign clients only?

It was not yesterday that Call Centers in Cebu also offer voice services in its local dialect. Although the Philippine BPO Industry requires fluency in speaking English, there has also been a demand (since 2010) for call center agents who can speak various Philippine dialects.

For years, call center agents in Cebu have been answering international calls, speaking to people of foreign races and nationalities. We thought that providing customer services to local clients was out of the question, let alone answer their needs using the local dialect. Now, we ought to reconsider that thought.

Globe Telecom, Inc., a telecommunications company in Cebu, Philippines, has launched the first Visayan-speaking customer support department. This is to ensure that the customer concerns of its local clients are properly addressed and easily answered.

Philippines does not speak only one dialect; rather, it has 175 ethnic languages spread all over the country. Globe Telecom has offices all over the country as well, but why choose the Visayan dialect?

Over 20 million Filipinos use the Visayan language. Cebu also became the first location to offer such service because the city has a vibrant local economy, strong consumer spending, and is a premier business and tourist destination.

“Service revenues increased by 9% ending the year 2011 with Php 67.8 billion. Globe made significant headway in its mobile business during the year anchored on personalized postpaid plans, revitalized prepaid brands offering unique, value-for-money services and differentiated customer service,” reported Ernest Cu, Globe Telecom president and chief executive officer.

Due to the positive results of the company’s efforts and actions last year, they were encouraged to partner with a local call center in Cebu to provide them voice services (customer and technical support).

They have employed 50 call center agents to operate under the Globe Telecom call center. They will be using the Visayan language in taking calls and assisting other concerns made online. The number of agents will grow depending on the changing need of the telecommunications company.

This move by a major telecommunications company here in Cebu proves that the local community is open to adapting to the changing trends of taking care of customers.

This gives a guarantee to local patrons of the service that their customer concerns and needs will be answered, and that service providers are willing to acquire new technologies to ensure that optimum service is given to the local customers as well.

Service providers have made the initiative to make the local clients also experience the kind of customer support Cebu call center agents have been giving foreign customers. This provides a sense of equity among local and foreign customers.

For now, a company from the telecommunications industry has initiated the action. We can anticipate that in the next few years, other local industries will do the same.

After all, everyone is entitled to experience quality customer support, and what better way to experience that than from Cebuano call centers.

About the Author

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Publish on 06/29/2012
Jane is a freelance copywriter, with majority of her work focusing on the outsourcing industry.

• Cebu: IT-Certified Destination
• Let’s Work Overseas in Cebu
• A Round Table Discussion of the IT - BPO Industry in the Philippines

Cebu: IT-Certified Destination

Thursday, June 21, 2012 Unknown 0 Comments

Cebu, Philippines – a prime destination for business, leisure, travel, commerce, and . . . IT?

The queen city of the south of the Philippines has long been known as a great location for businesses, creating opportunities for job seekers, professionals, and business owners. Cebu City has also been the home of thriving businesses and major players of different industries.

One of the industries that have established roots in the province of Cebu is the IT-BPO industry. Since the early part of 2000, the BPO industry has encountered many obstacles and changes, yet it has overcome them and has been one of the main drivers of the economy of Cebu. As of 2011, it has become one of the most preferable IT-BPO (information technology and business process outsourcing) destinations in the world.

The provincial government gives its full support for the development of the industry, since the latter has greatly contributed to the rising employment rate in Cebu. In turn, the IT-BPO industry has also been a major factor in the province's economic growth.

In order to sustain the growth of the industry, some private organizations and government sectors have established ties with Metro Cebu's educational institutions. These partnerships are creating programs that will mold or prepare the graduates to become suitable for the industry. Colleges and universities are now making adjustments in their curricula to incorporate specialized trainings that will enhance the skills of the students in meeting the requirements of the IT-BPO workforce.

Organizations like Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (CEDF-IT) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have pledged to strengthen the academe-industry linkage to improve recruitment and answer the escalating demand for IT, BPO, and KPO (knowledge process outsourcing) jobs in Cebu.

Their main drive is to help high school and college graduates develop the skills and talents needed by the outsourcing industry.

“The demand is growing. We still need to prepare our graduates especially that companies here are diversified and each has specific requirements. Although CEDF-IT has already helped bridged the gap of the academe and the industry, we cannot simply rest on our laurels. These companies are banking on Cebu’s huge and rich talent pool. We need to constantly upgrade and equip our graduates with the right skills and knowledge so they could adjust or keep up with the demands of these companies,” said Jun Sa-a, executive director of CEDF-IT.

To help IT-BPO companies recruit more people, the CEDF-IT promotes the Philippine Information Technology General Certification Examination (Phil-IT GCE). It is a two-hour online exam for graduates of IT- or computer-related courses, assessing their knowledge, skills, and attitude pertinent to the IT industry. IT-BPO companies may use the results of the Phil-IT GCE in selecting their applicants.

CEDF-IT was established after the first Cebu IT Summit in March 2001. Since then, it has forged partnerships with various industries and universities in Cebu and has now allied with TESDA for grants on various training programs on technical and non-technical skills trainings.

Cebu City has indeed stepped a notch higher with its competitive drive in being a major player in the IT-BPO industry. The city has taken the necessary measures to have an IT-BPO workforce comprised of certified IT professionals, making a difference from other major cities in the country, but still shares the aim of contributing to the whole BPO Industry of the Philippines.

About the Author

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Publish on 06/21/2012
Jane is a freelance copywriter, with majority of her work focusing on the outsourcing industry.

• Let’s Work Overseas in Cebu
• A Round Table Discussion of the IT - BPO Industry in the Philippines
• Making Cebu a Venue for Growth

Let’s Work Overseas in Cebu

Thursday, June 14, 2012 Unknown 7 Comments

Many Filipinos dream of greener pastures in other countries such as the United States, Australia, and Europe or in the Middle East. For most of us, setting foot in another country promises the start of a better life.

Many have judged the country hopeless. Several Filipinos think that the ultimate way to provide for the needs and wants of their families or to solve all financial problems is by working abroad.

In one recent article of The Sauce, overseas jobs are the main preference of Filipinos—especially IT and engineering professionals—seeking gainful employment. These professionals are also in demand in Business Processing Outsourcing companies; however, the option comes second to working overseas.

According to Yoda Buyco, marketing director of regional job portal Jobstreet.com, IT and engineering are still the top jobs available in the Philippines and Asean region. He said the four key areas of IT—hardware, software, networking, and administration—continue to rack up the most number of job postings registered on the site.

The high demand for IT experts and engineers abroad is one of the major factors that contribute to the high attrition rates of these professionals here in Cebu.

Cebu, despite being titled by foreign investors as one of the most preferred locations for outsourcing, is still alarmed by the high percentage of employee turnover.

The IT-BPO (information technology and business process outsourcing) industry—both local and abroad—is in constant need of increasing the number of its skilled employees to make it continuously functional and productive.

Working abroad or in a local BPO company each has its pros and cons. Assessing the factors can help professionals determine which path can be most fruitful for their careers.

The following are common factors involved in working for the IT-BPO industry locally or abroad:

1. Job Description and Compensation

Clarifying the basic tasks or responsibilities of the job is a must; the focus should not be limited to an offer of a competitive salary.

For many professionals who have gone abroad, disregarding this factor has made them come back to the Philippines sooner than planned. A specific example is the case of IT experts who were assigned to the hardware sector, when their expertise lie on the software sector; this then leads to the expert being tagged is incompetent for the job and thus ordered to go back home.

Should a case like this take place in a local BPO company, resolutions are promptly underway. A simple report to the management can resolve the problem, that is, reassigning the employee or providing training so as to widen the scope of his/her expertise.

2. Employer Profile

Studying the background or track record of an employer is key to having a satisfactory employer-employee relationship. Taking note of achievements, means of handling the company, or even complaints against the employer can make a difference between lasting in a job or quitting at the drop of a hat.

Apparently, professionals who hastily went abroad and failed to consider this factor have found themselves returning to the Philippines with much disappointment, if not regret.

In finding employment in the local IT-BPO industry, a simple face-to-face interview can help an applicant find out the facts (or fiction) about an employer's profile. The IT-BPO industry abroad, on the other hand, will allow one to come to grips with "harsh realities" only upon getting there; in turn, means of getting out of the situation may hardly be at one's disposal.

3. Support Groups

As to what kind of support group is needed by a professional depends on the location of the industry—local or abroad. A professional working abroad needs a support group that can give psychological or emotional support, curb feelings of homesickness or loneliness, and basically fill the hours (or days or weeks or months) of solitude.

For a professional working in the local IT-BPO industry, on the other hand, the support group present is one that functions to increase the professional's expertise and proficiency. This kind of support group is readily formed by many BPO companies in the Philippines.

Fortunately, the local IT-BPO industry has made itself more favorable to IT and computer engineering professionals. In fact, specifically Cebu and its outsourcing industry in general has become an option more viable than working abroad.

The Cebu outsourcing industry has been an economic growth driver since 2010. It presently employs 50,000 workers and has an estimated monthly payroll of at least Php 2 billion. In 2011, the Cebu outsourcing industry accounted for 40 percent of the positions posted in a job listing site. Also, it has recorded a 20 percent growth for 2011.

With these numbers in tow, the Cebu outsourcing industry has positioned itself as a more ideal provider of jobs for professionals not only in the field of IT and engineering but also in other knowledge-based areas.

Many Cebuano professionals fail to maximize the opportunities Cebu outsourcing companies offer because of having fixed their eyes on better-paying overseas jobs. Many fail to recognize the local jobs that offer good benefits (not only for the professionals but also for their family) and sufficient compensation.

A second look at Cebu's growing economy can change its professionals' idea of a better or more promising location or situation, envisioning Cebu to be the place of greener pastures.

About the Author

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Publish on 06/14/2012
Jane is a freelance copywriter, with majority of her work focusing on the outsourcing industry.

• A Round Table Discussion of the IT - BPO Industry in the Philippines
• Making Cebu a Venue for Growth
• Let The Queen Do The Job