The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Sector of the Philippines has announced that the multi-billion dollar industry now employs a million people since its inception in the early 1990s. The BPO Industry has anchored itself as a huge contributor in the Philippine economy since 2004 after posting a whopping $1.5 billion in revenues with only 103,500 employees. Not only that, predictions abound that its revenues will increase up to 25 billion dollars by 2016. (Agence France-Presse, 2014). These numbers aren’t just arbitrary sets of digits; these tell us a simple concept of hiring highly-skilled staff, harnessing the power of the internet and providing quality service for clients. These numbers also indicate a win-win situation for both the outsourced company and the business owner seeking to outsource as they incur fewer costs for simple tasks.
Here are 4 reasons why you should invest in getting manpower from this lovely country:
1. Cultural Compatibility.
If you’re looking for workers that would be able to understand the nuances behind every task you ask them to do, then Filipinos would be a good fit as our culture is compatible with Western ones. The Philippines was governed by the United States from 1899 to 1946 and traces of American culture can still be seen in the lifestyles of Filipino citizens. English is the primary language for business and education. And not to mention, they have a distinct neutral accent when speaking the English Language which gives them edge when communicating with offshore clients and customers.
2. Low Costs For Quality Work.
India is a good and obvious choice for foreign business owners to get a steady supply of offshore workers (as they are larger in population and charge lower rates). However, the Philippines can offer a balanced package of excellent customer service and high level of English proficiency. Most of all, Philippine outsourcing offers not just services in the IT department, but also in animation, medical transcription, paralegal services, proofreading and eCommerce (Now that’s quality over quantity right there!).
3. Government Support.
The Philippine government has responded to these by offering support to the sector’s endeavors. For example, the government grants fiscal and non-fiscal incentives such as a 4-year or 8-year income tax holiday to BPO companies. The Philippine government is also fully supportive of tapping into other cities outside of its capital Manila – like Cebu, Pampanga, Bacolod, and Davao as BPO Hubs in order to bolster the improvement of local government units.
4. Attitude.
Filipinos are known for being able to balance fun and productivity. They are flexible and able to tackle not just small tasks but big ones as well. They are honest, morally upright, and strive to bring out the best out of every situation.