Philippines Call Centers Overtake India And Some Other Interesting Facts

[Old55]

Some interesting facts NY Times; Philippines average call center wage is $300.00 a month some make twice that, call centers make up 4.5% of GDP up from 0% in 2000. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/26/business/philippines-overtakes-india-as-hub-of-call-centers.html?pagewanted=all&src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB

[Papa Carl]

The Philippines over took India in number 1 spot for Call Centre's earlier this year, and have moved up to number 2 spot for BPO (Business Process Outsourcing). Clark won world recognition with Number 1 spot world wide for IT. Things are looking up, now all we need is for the Gov. to wake up and put English back as the only teaching language in all schools at all levels. Not to say English is better than Tagalog, but it is the language of international business, if the Gov. in Singapore can push the importance and I don't see why the Philippines can't. Papa Carl

[Old55]

I was hoping you would comment Papa Carl.Hopefully inflation will remain stable otherwise those jobs will go to India or return to the States.

[Bruce]

I was hoping you would comment Papa Carl.Hopefully inflation will remain stable otherwise those jobs will go to India or return to the States.

Well let me say this as gently as possible..... As per your comments about jobs returning to the US...... As a small business owner, I get a large amount of cold sales calls. As I have a business, and business numbers are exempt from the do not call lists, I have little choice but to answer and see what it is about before hanging up. I get 8+ calls a day. I am of the opinion that the average call center employee in the Philippines speaks English more clearly than do most of the sales people calling me from here inside the US. I can only imagine the vast number of sales that are never made due to the sales person referring to the person answering the call, a 'bid'ness person' or an all time favorite 'let me axe youse a question'. So as an American, I do not like the idea of America loosing jobs. But as a business owner, I can see why jobs are going overseas.

[Papa Carl]

Well said Bruce, when I first started in the Call Centre industry here I used to hear people say, you need to sound like an American. I would say.... and how does an American Sound?Don't get me wrong, I am not having a go at how there are many accents in the US that I could never understand, because the same can be said for the UK, or even Australia for that matter.My point being most of the agents that I know in the industry, speak a better level of "Neutral English" than most Americans, British, or Aussies for that matter.Outbound "cold calling" campaigns are in fact a small portion of the Call Centre and BPO industry in the Philippines, in fact LPO (Legal Process Outsourcing), and Transcription, are becoming much bigger and soon I suspect will over take many areas. But there is also non voice, for web chatting, and gaming, (all those guys who don't have a partner, and spend all their time on the web, playing games), additionally there are PHP programmers, and animation, which are also growing here in the Philippines. In fact if you have watched any of the top animation movies in the past 4 or 5 years, you can almost guarantee some of that work was done by Filipinos. Yes there are things to complain about here in the Philippines, but there are also things to stand up and be proud of. Papa Carl

[Jake]

I was hoping you would comment Papa Carl.Hopefully inflation will remain stable otherwise those jobs will go to India or return to the States.

Well let me say this as gently as possible..... As per your comments about jobs returning to the US...... As a small business owner, I get a large amount of cold sales calls. As I have a business, and business numbers are exempt from the do not call lists, I have little choice but to answer and see what it is about before hanging up. I get 8+ calls a day. I am of the opinion that the average call center employee in the Philippines speaks English more clearly than do most of the sales people calling me from here inside the US. I can only imagine the vast number of sales that are never made due to the sales person referring to the person answering the call, a 'bid'ness person' or an all time favorite 'let me axe youse a question'. So as an American, I do not like the idea of America loosing jobs. But as a business owner, I can see why jobs are going overseas.

Hey Bruce, Yeah, once again I could see your argument. Certain ethic groups have their own "American English" languageand in this case, you're talking about EBONICS. Which is primarily associated with the African-American. Thereare also widespread frustration about here in California, where in some areas (including elementary schools) theEnglish language is secondary. So I could see your point, OK? But when it comes to discussing various topics bordering on prejudice remarks, I must politely warn you that wewill not condone this practice on the open forum. See, even my response is off topic from the OP. Thank you for your sensitivity. Keep posting your comments which has inspired old and new members aboutthe people of the Philippines. Respectfully -- Jake

[MikeB]

How did Ebonics (ebony+phonics) get introduced into this? "let me axe youse a question" is pure Brooklynese or at least used to be when I was living there? We all see things differently, I guess.

[Old55]

How did Ebonics (ebony+phonics) get introduced into this? "let me axe youse a question" is pure Brooklynese or at least used to be when I was living there? We all see things differently, I guess.

We do see things differently, speak differently and even worship differently but in America we work together as best we can. Bruce's post included examples of ebonics IMO but being the forum is written not spoken I could be wrong.

[Bruce]

Well the post was about call centers in the Philippines and their employees. In fact I do remember reading something about Pinays being preferred over Pinoys, (female over male) but I don't see anyone getting their bowels in an uproar over the sex discrimination (?). More below about that. The point I was making is that US companies employing those who speak English to make sales calls in English to American business are actually hurting their own business by hiring, for whatever reason, employess that speak English either differently or to a lower standard than the businesses that are receiving those calls. It is my position that once a caller starts talking in their home slang (is that an acceptable term?) that the person hearing this, shuts down and simply hangs up or cuts off the caller before hearing the actual sales message. This is NOT in the best interests of the business. You can call it ebonics if you want to. But also spanglish comes into play as well as any other slang. But for ebonics, I do remember, speaking of New York City, TIME magazine doing an article on ebonics maybe 20+ years ago and how, the NYC school board had determined that ebonics would actually be taught in school! One teacher was shocked to learn that she now had to tell the class 'dis be da book' (I am not joking here) instead of 'This is the book'. Any Yankee fans remember this? Now, as a small business owner, I assure you that I would not hire anyone who had to be the 'face or voice' of the company that spoke an English slang any more than I would hire a person with orange hair or metal objects in their face or a tattoo across their forehead of a swastika (smilin' Charlie Manson) regardless of any law saying I had to hire them. Label me with any name you want, but I have a business to run and there is no way you or anyone can convince me that hiring a person that spoke to customers in a 'slang' was a good business move! Home is home and business is a place of business, not yo crib. (sorry, just too easy) So, to stay ON TOPIC, I was commenting (in the positive) on the English skills of the Pinay on the phone as compared to Americans who appeared to, in my opinion, speak (main stream) English as a second language. What I do find interesting is the above mentioned sex discrimination. The poster went into details of WHY it is better (in their experience) to hire women rather than men. And no one is raising an issue. But when I mention the English skills or lack thereof, I am somehow wrong! hehehehehehe And just to throw in an American legal curve ball, the post about hiring women vs men is, I believe based on his personal experiences and as such, if he is incharge of a business and hires employees that are 'less productive' than his first choice because the government stepped in and forced him to hire those who are less productive.... is that right? Does not the business suffer? When is enough enough? Now, as (again on topic) there is no such 'law' in the Philippines that I am aware of. So the Philippine based call centers can hire the BEST employee canidates and therefore excell at what they do. Evidently, based on the post and the news report, the Philippine Call Centers MUST be doing it 'right' to get to where they are now. You go girl! (sorry again) Lastly, I have 2 black employees. Both got the job on their own merits and past job performance. Both speak English as well as I and one is better educated than I am. Why did they get hired? Because they can do the job and it made GOOD BUSINESS SENSE, which is again on topic as America is loosing jobs to the Philippines and India because of???? anyone??? why???? Thank you.

Edited November 27, 2011 by Bruce

[Jake]

OK Bruce, your points well taken. My bad, please continue to educate and inspire your fellow members.Have a good one -- Jake