Top 12 Reasons Why You Should Outsource to the Philippines
The Philippines is one of the top outsourcing destinations in the world. In fact, the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is a major economic pillar of the country. In 2019, the Philippine economy gained 26 billion dollars from the BPO industry alone, employing 1.3 million professionals in over a thousand companies. It is quite a rapid growth, considering that the industry only had 101,000 workers in 2004. And the numbers continue to rise to this day.
Why Should You Outsource to the Philippines?
Offshore outsourcing is a huge part of this growth. Businesses from every corner of the globe are choosing to outsource to the Pear of the Orient, and for good reason. We’ll explore those reasons here, and why you should also outsource to the Philippines.
1. Language proficiency
English is one of the official languages of the Philippines, and it’s a primary mode of instruction in the nation’s educational system. In the 2020 EF English Proficiency Index, the Philippines ranks second in Asia, following Singapore. Filipino English speakers also have a neutral accent, which is an edge they have over other outsourcing destinations like India, China, and Mexico.
2. Cultural affinity
The Philippines has a long history of colonization by several countries, most notably Spain, Japan, and the United States. As a result, the country has a robust mix of Asian and Western cultural influences. They are highly exposed to US pop culture in particular. And with over 2.2 million migrant workers, Filipinos are also exposed to diverse international cultures.
3. Timezone flexibility
Most BPO companies in the Philippines strive to provide services 24/7/365. These businesses provide ample compensation to their staff and, on top of that, they also offer incentives for working graveyard shifts and holidays. This guarantees round-the-clock operation for any business function that you’ll outsource to the Philippines.
4. Highly skilled and diverse talent
With a population of over 110 million and a literacy rate of 98.18% (higher than India at 74.37%, Mexico at 95.38%, and China at 96.84%), the Philippines offers a vast pool of highly skilled and educated talent. Colleges and universities produce at least half a million professionals every year. And call center is not the only process that you can outsource there. Filipino professionals are adept at a multitude of fields, such as graphic design, digital marketing, human resources, IT services, and financial services, among others.
5. Young and savvy talent
In addition to being highly skilled and educated, the Filipino workforce is also young. The median age in the country is around 25 years old, and a huge chunk of this demographic is working in BPO companies. This means that, when you outsource to the Philippines, you’ll get a team of young, talented, and tech-savvy workers who can easily learn new skills and systems.
6. Exceptional work ethic
Filipinos are known for being hardworking, resilient, and resourceful. And studies show that this is especially true for Filipino millennials. They easily find effective solutions to get work done in the best and fastest way possible. Filipino workers value efficiency and quality, which they will never sacrifice for quantity or speed. They work well in teams and individually, and even under pressure or with minimal supervision.
7. High quality and cost-effective services
A booming BPO industry means tighter competition. And this drives companies to constantly streamline and improve their services while offering the best prices. You can get quality results regardless of price point, especially with the right outsourcing partner in the Philippines.
8. Up-to-date industry technology
For most workers, automation is a huge threat to their job security. But the Filipino BPO workforce embraces automation. Outsourcing companies in the Philippines recognize the need to keep up with the latest tech advancements. They consistently upgrade their systems and easily adapt to new technology. In turn, their clients gain instant access to the best tech innovations.
9. Data privacy and security
Data privacy and security can be compromised when entrusted to a third party. But you don’t have to worry too much about it when outsourcing to the Philippines. Almost a decade ago, Congress passed Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012. It places strict regulations to protect confidential information from unauthorized access and punishes any individual or organization that violates this law. Meanwhile, other famous outsourcing destinations, such as India, are yet to implement data protection laws.
10. Accessible infrastructure
Commercial real estate is fairly accessible in the Philippines. Major cities, especially in the National Capital Region, are filled with high-rise buildings, office spaces, and chair rentals. And new infrastructure is always being constructed. Most of these spaces are occupied by BPO companies. Businesses can easily set up BPO operations in any of the country’s bustling cities, even outside the capital.
11. Government incentives
Since the BPO industry is a huge part of the economy, the Philippine government offers incentives to BPO companies. The Philippine Economic Zone of Authority (PEZA) provides support to registered outsourcing companies. All qualified businesses are entitled to several tax incentives, such as Income Tax Holidays and a 5% gross income tax.
12. Well-established BPO industry
The BPO industry in the Philippines has been around for almost three decades. It started in 1992 when Frank Holz established Accenture’s Global Resource Center in Manila. This is an early start, considering that the BPO industry in most countries began in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
How to Choose a Service Provider in the Philippines
Your outsourcing partner can make or break your offshore venture in this country. The right one can help you to maximize the advantages of outsourcing to the Philippines and give even more benefits. But an unfit service provider might compromise your entire business.
To choose the right service provider, you have to…
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- Evaluate your needs. Establish factors, such as the type of service to outsource, your budget, the size of the team you need, and for how long you might need them.
- Be clear about your goals and expectations. Set clear goals and objectives, and detail how you want to achieve each of them. You also need to be extremely specific about your deliverables, and how and when you want to receive them.
- Research potential service providers. Generate a list of potential service providers, and look into their profiles and track records. Check the reviews from their former and/or existing clients. Also, check their retention rate, and see what employees are saying about the organization. Doing all of these would give you a general idea about the quality of their services.
- Ensure compatibility in communication. When selecting a service provider, you should evaluate the way they communicate with you. Ask yourself — are they easy to understand? Do they give sufficient details? And how long does it take for them to respond? Make sure that your communication style is compatible, and that there’s little to no barrier between you.
- Learn how they guarantee high-quality services. An ideal outsourcing partner knows the best metrics to gauge performance and the best ways to train their teams. They should also have a strong quality assurance and monitoring system. Learn what you can about their process, and see if it aligns with your business goals.
A Trustworthy Outsourcing Company in the Philippines
Booth & Partners is an outsourcing service provider based in the Philippines. We offer Staff Leasing and Managed Services for a vast array of roles and business functions. And we cater to businesses of all sizes and industries around the world.
At Booth & Partners, we pride ourselves on being a trustworthy and responsible company. Our services are tailor-made especially for every client, including our recruitment and onboarding processes. Compared to other BPO companies, we have a high retention rate, as we care for the wellbeing of our employees so they can deliver high-quality results.
We are passionate about environmental and social responsibility, as well. We’re supporting and working with the following environmental organizations that allow us to make our sustainable impact more than just customer work:
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- 1% for the Planet – One of our major goals as a company is to make sure we live up to our environmental commitment. As a 1% for the Planet member, we found an innovative way to make a positive impact on the environment and usher in the low-carbon future that our planet needs by giving a percentage of our profits to environmental organizations we support each year.
- Climate Neutral – We are a Climate Neutral Certified business that allows us to offset our greenhouse gas emissions as a company, helping us achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Partnering with us also gives you the opportunity to take part in reducing the global carbon footprint and restoring the climate.
Get in touch with us now to learn more about our business and how we can help yours.
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