The fast business world of today requires companies to be as efficient as possible if they are to be market leaders. As an entrepreneur, we understand that you consistently brainstorm new ways to give your business a competitive edge.
One effective way is to outsource different aspects of the business so that
your in-house team can concentrate on other high-value priorities that give your
business the most significant forward velocity it requires.
Customer service has recently become the most critical business growth
determiner, and nothing drives customers away from your business better than
inefficient customer support. Even in the age of AI and automation, human
interaction remains at the heart of effective customer relationship management.
The Philippines is the go-to destination for global companies looking to
outsource their customer service. In this blog post, we dig deeper into why this
phenomenon exists and how your business can gain its own customer loyalty “cheat
code” when you outsource your customer support to a
Philippines customer service outsourcing
company. Read on.
How The Philippines Became the Global Leader in Customer Service Outsourcing
Every success story has a beginning, for the Philippines to be the global leader it is in customer service outsourcing, it needed the vision of entrepreneurial minds, favorable government policy and dedicated citizens. Here is a detailed breakdown of this ascend to prominence.
Where It All Began
The shift by most businesses to prioritize customer relationships over profit
in recent years has led to the popularization of the word “outsourcing” on the
Internet. However, outsourcing has existed for many years but gathered pace when
the Philippines became the hub for outsourcing services.
The year is 1992, and the Accenture Global Resource Center is launched by a
visionary entrepreneur, Frank Holz. This single contact center becomes the first
of its kind in the Philippines, and the genesis of outsourcing services happens.
Fast forward to 1995, the Philippine Congress passed the Special Economic Zone
Act establishing the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). The founding of
PEZA gave tax incentives to foreign investors, most of whom flocked to the
country and established several business process outsourcing companies.
To date, business process outsourcing companies in the Philippines hire more
than 1.3 million people and contribute at least 9% to the country's total GDP.
This significant contribution is made possible by a vast clientele of American,
New Zealand, Australian, British and Canadian companies that trust BPO companies
in the Philippines to handle various business processes on their behalf.
A high literacy rate of 96% (ranking among the highest in the world) has made
the Philippines an asset for businesses looking to outsource their processes.
With educated Filipinos boasting multilingualism as one of their skills, it
makes partnering with businesses that serve an English-speaking customer base
viable.
Filipinos are also famed for their hard work and flexibility, allowing them to
adapt to working according to clients’ time zones.
Current Outlook And The Future Of Customer Service Outsourcing In the Philippines
The rapid development of AI and automated CRM tools have changed and will
continue to influence how businesses relate with their customers. To keep up
with this, customer service outsourcing companies in the Philippines are
deploying AI tools to help them become more efficient and help their clients
offer an exemplary experience to their customers.
Data analytics has become a central part of customer service improvement by many
BPOs in the Philippines. Regular tracking and reporting on crucial metrics help
clients know what their customers feel about their operations and provide
insights on optimizing their operations.
At Loop Contact Solutions, we are utilizing a plethora of data tools to track
the efficiency of our customer service agents. Doing this allows us to
continuously improve your customers' experience when interacting with our
personnel. This initiative allows us to prepare your business for the future and
help it compete effectively in a rapidly changing economic landscape.
What Makes Outsourcing Customer Service in the Philippines Different?
At the heart of each business’s goals is creating value and delivering it
effectively to its target customers. Customer service ensures this value
creation and delivery process works seamlessly and helps retain your customers.
Customer retention is cheaper and more effective than acquiring new ones hence
the need to partner with a BPO that guarantees exemplary customer service.
This section explores what makes outsourcing customer service in the Philippines
different and better than in any other country.
a) Tax Incentives
The establishment of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority saw the
government relax most of the previously existing tax barriers that made it
impossible or too expensive for foreign investors to pitch camp in the country.
With financing flowing into the Philippines, many customer service outsourcing
companies were set up at a fraction of what it would cost to set up in other
countries. To date, this is still the case and is the reason why outsourcing
business processes to the Philippines is more cost-effective than in America,
Europe or down south in Australia.
b) Excellent Internet Connection
The Philippines ranks among the top 100 countries globally with the most
reliable internet connection. When you outsource your customer support needs to
the Philippines, you get the benefit of a team that will always be available to
address your customers' needs.
Excellent internet connectivity is also the reason behind the Philippines
leading in BPO provision worldwide, as it allows the workers in the industry to
research newer and more effective ways to serve businesses and their customers
once assigned to them.
c) High Literacy Levels
The literacy levels in the Philippines are among the highest in the world and
rank well above other countries in Asia. This highly knowledgeable population is
also bi-lingual, with English-speaking proficiency at an impressive fluency
level.
When you outsource your customer service tasks to a BPO in the Philippines, you
are guaranteed that your customers will be dealing with a team that understands
their needs and can communicate effectively with them.
The first step to excellent customer service is understanding the customer's
needs and pain points. With no language barrier, the Philippines is your best
bet for transforming the customer service arm of your business.
d) Vast Experience
The Philippines has been the center of BPO providers since the early 90s when
the first ever call center was set up here. This rich experience that spans over
three decades is what businesses are looking for when outsourcing their customer
support services.
Having been in the BPO industry for long, many Philippine countries have learned
to evolve as the business landscape changes.
At the onset of the internet in the late 90s, BPO providers in the Philippines
helped many companies in the US adapt their operations to leverage this new
technology. The same thing happened in the 2000s and 2010s as social media
became a mainstay.
Now in the 2020s, Filipino BPO providers are leading the innovation in customer
service provision as AI and automation take root. Outsourcing these services to
the Philippines helps position your business well for growth, ensuring that your
customer gets reliable human support powered by AI and automation.
e) A Large and Dedicated Workforce
As of 2023, up to 1.3 million people are employed in the BPO industry in the
Philippines. It is estimated that more than half a million new jobs are created
in the BPO industry each year, meaning your business can rely on a continuous
flow of highly-skilled agents to serve your customers.
Flexibility and dedication are key traits that Filipinos are known for. This
self-drive is behind the success of many businesses that outsource their
customer service to the Philippines. The country will continue to be a top
destination for outsourcing customer service for businesses looking to scale
sustainably.
Why You Need to Outsource Customer Service with Loop Contact Solutions In the Philippines
At Loop Contact Solutions, we have vast experience helping businesses enhance
customer relationships and increase loyalty. We offer bespoke customer service
for businesses looking to outsource in the Philippines.
Over the years, we’ve distinguished ourselves by having an extensive training
program that ensures we have team members ready to serve you and your customers
to their specific needs. Our employees are constantly learning and will invest
themselves in understanding how your business works, so they can offer
exceptional support to your customers.
We’ve invested in high-end technology that enables our team to be available for
your customers whenever they need customer support. We can generate reports and
analyses that will improve your decision-making through these tools.
Final Thoughts
A business is nothing without its customers. Ensuring that you routinely find
ways to support them as they use your service and products is critical to
keeping them happy and retaining them long-term. This need is especially
important now that the threat of the economy failing is causing many businesses
to lose their treasured customers.
Since the 90s, the Philippines has established itself as the go-to destination
for businesses looking for reliable BPO providers to outsource their customer
service needs. The impressive infrastructure, vast experience and high
illiteracy levels make Filipino customer service agents a must-have for your
business.
Contact us at Loop Contact Solutions today, and let us help you improve customer
retention with top-of-the-shelf customer service.