The call center industry in the Philippines has generated significant interest from the rest of the world. Its ability to work as a solution for the outsourcing needs of companies abroad has become an attractive option for many, with major American corporations turning to the Philippines as the solution to their staffing woes.
As the interest in the industry has grown, so has the industry itself, and
with that growth has come significant changes and trends. These changes have
been made to compete with other outsourcing options in the communications
market.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the current and emerging trends in the call
center sector in the Philippines, from the impact of new technologies to changes
in customer behavior. We will also discuss how businesses can benefit from these
trends and why they should consider the Philippines as a viable outsourcing
option.
Top Trends Shaping the Call Center Industry in the Philippines
Technological Advances
Call centers in the Philippines have been committed to following the lead of
international technological advances. These include dedicated campaign
management systems which help to organize customer data, interactions with
clients contacted, and records of those contacts. In addition, call centers in
the Philippines have also invested in call recording software for quality
assurance purposes as part of their all-inclusive training programs, which we
will expand on later in this article.
Another form of technology that the Philippines call centers have invested in is
known as computer telephony integration. This technology allows Philippines call
centers to cut out unnecessary time wasted on finding clients' phone numbers in
a database and then physically dialing their numbers on a phone. Instead, they
can call clients from the convenience of a database that also contains relevant
client information.
Finally, Philippines call centers have invested in heightened security measures
to adapt to the privacy requirements of their foreign clients Prioritization of
the security of customer information has never been higher at call centers in
the Philippines, and trends in technological advancements show that this
prioritization is key to the future of call centers in the Philippines.
For example, Loop Contact Solutions uses only state-of-the-art tech, such as
RingCentral, VICI, Zendesk Ticketing, Zendesk Chat, Salesforce, Advantage CS,
Braintree, and Stripe.
Emphasis on Proper Training and Employee Acquisition
An emphasis on proper training for associates is one of the rising trends in
the Philippines call center industry. The workers at call centers in the
Philippines endure rigorous, structured training that is designed to ensure that
employees are fully comfortable with performing all of the duties of the job
before interacting with live clients.
Additionally, in Filipino call centers, careful care and attention are taken to
train employees specifically for the businesses that they will be helping as
call associates. The employees become familiar with the expectations that their
client’s customers have for them, creating seamless customer interaction.
In many call centers, training is not seen as just an expectation for new
employees. For example, Loop Contact Solutions mandates monthly refresher
training programs that ensure that information stays fresh, up-to-date, and
relevant.
As well as training, HR teams are also a trending priority in call centers in
the Philippines. Filipino HR teams prioritize talent acquisition as a mechanism
for saving money down the line. Acquisition and training can be costly
processes, but call centers like Loop Contact Solutions enforce a strict 4-layer
screening process that analyzes the skills and strengths of potential employees.
Improvements to Customer Satisfaction
An emphasis on analytics is another trend that has risen in popularity among
Filipino call centers. The collection of statistics set call centers in the
Philippines apart from other foreign competitors in the outsourcing market.
Filipino call centers collect data surrounding customer satisfaction in order to
record and set goals to perfect the customer interactions that they have.
Being results-focused has contributed to the sophistication of centers like Loop
Contact Solutions, which allows them to prove their excellence through quality
assurance. Statistics measured include conversion rates, revenue, upselling,
quality score, and return on investment scores. These scores are used to measure
the efficiency of employees as well as find any ways in which the center can
rework its strategy to help improve the numbers.
For example, the overall numbers of Loop Contact Solutions for its clients
currently are 90% inbound conversions, 25% saves, 95% quality score, and 150%
return on investment.
Loop Contact Solutions also regularly sends these reports to their clients,
updating clients on any data points that may need work, strategy changes, or
improvements. These improvements are prioritized and swiftly made according to
updated plans that are readily shared with the business.
Personalization to Brands and Businesses
Another trend in call centers in the Philippines at the moment is adding an
element of personalization to call center services. Though these call centers
are an outsourcing option, they employ somewhat drastic measures to avoid
feeling like one.
These measures include building specialized plans and business processes for
individual clients. These plans are created after studying the business, its
products, customers, marketing, and website. The plans include goals,
communication styles, strategies, and standards.
Some call centers even go one step further. At Loop Contact Solutions, teams are
hired specifically for clients who Loop acquires. They are then assigned to the
business as agents after being specifically trained to embody the business or
brand voice of the client, how to talk to its clients, and what messaging is the
most important.
In this way, companies can enjoy a fully trained and personal team without
having to worry about overhead, hiring, management, or other inconveniences. The
team works together to achieve the goals of their client, whether they be
improved customer satisfaction, increased conversion rates, or client retention.
Higher Value Contact Centers
Call centers in the Philippines are not just focused on providing
top-of-the-line customer service to their clients. In fact, they have created
centers that act as all-inclusive subscriptions to a variety of services, such
as customer acquisition, customer retention, subscription management, and sales.
Typically, these services are offered on a flat fee subscription rate that is
individually catered to a business and its needs.
Rather than being a too-specific service of customer support, Philippines call
centers are a one-stop shop. This is a much more preferable option for
businesses looking to outsource. They do not need to invest time and effort in
looking for another company to handle other aspects of their business, educating
that company on its practices and relying on it. Instead, they can entrust one
company with this information and expect expert results.
Businesses needing sales and retention services as well as customer service can
rely on these call centers to provide them with sufficient results in both
areas. There are also options to hire just customer service or sales and
retention teams, which allows a level of flexibility for prospective clients.
Broadening Horizons and Subject Matter
Our final trend that the Philippines call centers have been following is that
they have become indiscriminate in which types of businesses they take on as
clients. Any companies that need to acquire new customers or help their current
customers with support are welcome to use the services of most Filipino call
centers.
This change has come partially as a response to the employee shortages in other
countries, which come from industries such as healthcare, e-commerce, and
tourism. These industries still have customers with concerns and sales needs,
and they can save money by outsourcing with Filipino companies. According to
LinkedIn, companies can save up to 60% on labor and 40-50% on operating costs by
outsourcing their customer support and sales needs to the Philippines.
Filipino call centers also do not typically discriminate against businesses for
being too small in size to be their clients. Loop Contact Solutions takes on
clients of every kind and size. There are no minimums for agents because the
call center realizes that its goal is to help businesses grow and see their true
potential. As a business goes, Loop Contact Solutions can work with its clients
to adapt the contract to add more agents to handle increased call volume or
sales needs.
What is Next for Philippines Call Centers?
These rising trends and changes have been made in order to compete with other
foreign outsourcing options directly, and these trends have ultimately made the
Philippines call centers stronger.
All in all, the trends and tactics that Filipino call centers have followed have
set them apart. The Philippines is quickly becoming the number one option for
outsourcing locations in the world for customer interactions and sales.
The world has taken notice of their commitment to keeping up with technology,
prioritizing the safety of customer information, perfecting hiring processes and
training, and providing more value to its clients. These qualities make call
centers in the Philippines highly coveted for outsourcing potential that can
help businesses save substantial money.
If you are interested in receiving a quote for services with a Filipino call
center, consider Loop Contact Solutions. Loop Contact Solutions offers decades
of experience and a client list of dozens of reputable brands, as well as a free
60-minute consultation with an outsourcing expert. Click here to set up your
free consultation now.