by: Silver Cepeda
Call center, the most sought
after job in the Philippines. As of March 2011 it ranked as the second (http://businesstips.ph). So there are many thoughts
that go with this job. There are many speculations about its nature.
I can still remember the amazement of a friend’s father when I told the process of my job. He gave me a gaping mouth followed up with a big “wow”. He could
not believe that someone from Cebu can fix an internet connection of a customer
in Texas. Well, it is one positive comment! In another case, I attended a friend’s
party in Manila. I was filled with disgust when someone exclaimed that mostly
call center agents have AIDS. The thought
of using the word “mostly” disgusted me. I am not! I do not hate people who
have this disease. But I also don’t have plans to have one. So what are call
center agents? Are they the new hero for this country or just the average Juan
dela Cruz?
Call center agent, a person who
works in a BPO company that takes call. It might take a long while if I would explain
what BPO is. Let me put in a very simple flow. Say you have a company in
Manila. Let us say the nature of the business is online buying and selling.
Now, people would call on a minute’s basis to buy and sell items. Now you want
to save money by lowering your labor cost. As the owner of the company you know
that people who are hired in Manila has higher pay compared to, if you hire
someone from the provinces. You got the same quality but different pay. So you
look for a person that has a center, say in Eastern Samar. And that center can
provide you with good service in terms of providing you qualified agents to
answer your customers’ calls. As has been discussed previously province rate is
lower that to a city rate (considering the Philippine set up). There is a plus
since you only have to pay them or the site owner in the province and does not
need to worry about facility, etc! Hence, outsourcing is born. And the people
who are taking calls are center agents. Normally, though the term “call center”
is used to address people who are in the outsourcing business. If you
understand it, then we are fine if not I would love a comments!
The world was at its knees during
the recession period not so long ago. Countries like America suffered so much.
Some of its renowned companies that belonged to the fortune 500 lost its luster
or died along the way. However, in spite of this unfortunate development,
Philippines did not suffer that much. Outsourcing became the trend that time. For
a company owner in the United States, it was an assured way to maintain
operation while saving some money or lowering down labor cost. While here in
the Philippines it was an industry that boosted the economy. Dollars were still
dollars and thus we became stable. Now, BPO is an industry worth $14B! This is
second to the OFW’s generated dollar revenue. The industry’s (BPO) growth could
have never been realized if not for those people who stayed up at night and
talk to irate American customers. The industry grew and so did the country.
Sacrifices were made and here we are! A few weeks ago a report was shown in CNN
branding Philippines as the new call Center KING! That is something…
Thus, I can say that call center
agents are not just the average Juan dela Cruz not that I am undermining
somebody or what. I am just expressing an opinion. OFWs get a lot of privileges
because they more dollars. I think a little bit of respect is fine also for
people in the BPO industry. It starts with removing the prejudicial term of “AIDS”
infected. Because come to think of it without them or us, this country could
never be as such at least economically speaking.
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