A quick search on the internet directs you to plenty of posts and resources talking about the advantages of Outsourcing to the Philippines. All of them have their merits, especially since it is well-established that the country is among the top outsourcing nations of the world. The amount of BPO companies and the rapid growth rate of the entire industry show why the Philippines earned the moniker “BPO capital of the world.
Listing down the advantages of Outsourcing to the Philippines is a routine process. However, expounding on them is a road less traveled. Detailing how and why the Philippine workforce offers more upside than its rival nations is necessary. The explanation gives business owners a clear idea of how genuinely advantageous it is to partner with Philippine-based companies that provide outsourcing and offshoring solutions.
This collection of meticulously detailed advantages aims to convince entrepreneurs of the rich and valuable resources they can expect from the Philippine outsourcing services.
Outsourcing and offshoring nations cater to clients worldwide, making it necessary to establish mastery of the globally recognized language of the business world. The Philippines is a land full of indigenous people, home to at least 175 known and recorded local dialects. Most of those native tongues fall within or under the most widely spoken language, which is Tagalog.
It shouldn’t be surprising that Tagalog is the Philippines’ one of two official languages. The rich history of the native tongue is enough to warrant its spot. However, what catches people off guard is finding out that English is its partner.
English became an official language in the Philippines thanks to the early American influence on the educational system. Amid the tensions surrounding the American colonization from 1898 to 1946, Americans aim to spread the language across the nation. The strategy shaped Philippine academic institutions to welcome English as much as the native tongue. The free education system introduced American teachers that helped developed the Philippines into becoming an English-speaking country.
In 1946, the United States recognized the valiant Philippines as an independent nation. A long-standing friendship between the two countries remains strong to this day. The Philippine locals’ affinity for Western culture also helped keep English part of the culture beyond education.
Besides being known as an outsourcing hub for businesses, the Philippines is also a hot spot for travel and tourism. Whether part of the outsourcing industry or not, locals usually interact with people from different cultures and countries.
Communication in both business and social aspects has never been a problem because of the significant grasp of the English language. 98.2% of Philippine workers know how to speak the language, further supporting its stance as one of the top English-speaking countries in the world. The country’s English proficiency ranks second in Asia, scoring high marks in Education First’s 2020 English Proficiency Index.
All other lists that discuss the advantages of outsourcing in the Philippines stop at this point. However, they missed out on a significant feature that could prove vital for business owners. Among the many outsourcing nations that boast proficiency in the English language, the Philippine workforce has a distinct accent advantage.
Philippine workers learn to Americanize their accent and words through an established ESL (English as a Second Language) educational system. There might be a hint of Spanish in the accent due to another colonization period. However, the combination of three distinct cultures makes for a pleasant accent easily understood by locals and foreigners.
The high proficiency resulted in the Philippines earning another moniker: “The Call Center Capital of the World.” The mastery of both language and accent makes Philippine workers more attractive to English-speaking companies than other outsourcing nations. Communication problems are at a minimal rate when foreign business owners seek outsourcing services in the Philippines.
It takes a lot of success and history before earning the reputation of being an outsourcing giant. For a long time, the Philippines established itself as a cost-efficient space and recruitment pool for foreign businesses to thrive. However, there remains a misconception about the abilities of Philippine workers beyond call center capabilities.
While the Call Center Capital of the World comes with great benefits, the monicker makes it hard to shake off the limitations that foreigners expect. As a result, other high-demand skills and business functions experience less and less of the spotlight demanded by customer representatives and call center agents in the Philippines.
Fortunately, the Philippine national government recognized the rapidly growing BPO industry and showed its full support. Besides creating laws that entice more foreign businesses to set up shop in the country, the government provided BPOs with initiatives. Those programs sustain outsourcing infrastructure and bolster education to feed more workers to the BPO workforce. The list of business functions outsourced by foreign companies grew transcendently, even if call center services retained the top spot.
Contrary to popular belief, outsourcing and offshoring do not only help companies reduce costs, the primary reason why they seek to hire remote Philippine workers. Outsourcing to the Philippines allows businesses to invest in the best talent and the right staff.
The digital age makes outsourcing a popular solution for many businesses since physical barriers have fewer effects on how a company runs its operations. The number of mid to high-level jobs outsourced to the Philippines for the IT industry in 2020 rose to 19%. The statistic represents the potential that a talented Philippine workforce can provide. As long as the BPO industry remains the primary economic pillar of the country, the national government support and the education system will continue to improve.
It is challenging to create metrics to establish how we can determine an individual’s work ethic, much more an entire country’s population. It is an inexact science despite the many attempts to grasp the multidimensional components present in every situation. The truth is: there is no definite explanation on how to measure work ethic.
Employees can have a bad day and still produce high-quality results. However, a preview into the Philippine culture can help foreign business owners understand why locals established a reputation of having high work ethics.
Outsourcing companies that cater to foreign businesses know that adjusting to different time zones should be part of the complete package. For Philippine workers, it means having to work on flexible work hours, even leading up to night shifts.
Most BPO employees must also work during Philippine holidays, working for foreign companies that might not recognize those dates as non-working occasions. Take a look at the top countries that outsource to the Philippines the most:
Despite the challenges with time differentials, outsourced Philippine employees remain willing to adjust their respective lifestyles. Much of the reason why is that most people working for BPO companies are relatively young and active. The entire population regards the outsourcing industry as a stepping stone to shape their respective careers, carving a path to long-term success within the field.
Philippine workers, especially those in their 20s, value experience. Working for multinational or foreign companies is an attractive opportunity for them to showcase their talent and adaptability. The BPO industry shapes them to become more valuable and experienced future leaders. High work ethics are the definition of Philippine workers, and time zone differential is only a short challenge.
You can download our educational brochure about Philippine culture
High work ethics are also present outside of the BPO industry. You might have heard stories about Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Philippine employees leave their motherland to find jobs, not to improve themselves but to provide for their families at home.
If there is one thing that Filipinos value more than work, it is ensuring that their loved ones are safe and thriving. Going abroad to find a high-paying job by yourself is challenging in itself. However, having to ship most of the income to your family at home is a heartbreaking routine, but it works.
Ten million Filipinos have to endure the hardships of separation, depression, and unfamiliarity to provide meals for their respective families. Those situations give a visual representation of the high work ethic of Philippine employees, something that tons of research papers and metrics will never identify.
If cutting costs is your primary reason for outsourcing and offshoring solutions, the Philippines should be among your top choices. A remote Philippine team is a long-term partnership with a high-value asset for your company and an organization that welcomes and conquers all challenges.
Recruiting these kinds of Philippine workers requires you to find offshore partners that know their value, where iSupport Worldwide excels. You can book a call with us for your outsourcing needs, ensuring that every candidate has those outstanding qualities.
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