Philippine Call Center Services for Start ups and SMEs

Prevalent opinion is that outsourcing is only for multinational corporations with big operational budgets and a large number of customers that need specialized call center services. That is not exactly true. Philippine call center services are available for start up businesses and SMEs or small to medium enterprises based anywhere in the world. In fact, the reason why small companies should consider outsourcing their call center need and administrative needs is because they need to save on operational costs.

According to a report from the US Small Business Administration, on an average, about 40% of small business’ time is spent on administrative tasks that could well be delegated to offshore outsourcing business that specializes in these back office business processes. That leaves more time for SMEs to concentrate on what is important in their business which is growth and development.

Philippine call center telecommunications infrastructures were developed to handle transactions from every corner of the world. Corporate clients can rest easy knowing that their business transactions are handled by professionals and experienced agents but at lower costs. Companies specializing in outsourcing services are equipped to deal with variety of services.

Telemarketing Services
Small companies in the US can benefit from the relatively low cost of labor in call center companies in India and the Philippines. Aside the cost, contact centers have already earned a degree of expertise when it comes to selling over the telephone. If the small company had to the cold calling on their own, they would have to interview, hire, and train the new employees that will work exclusively for them.

Customer Service Representatives
In Philippine call center, the agents have a neutral accent that is pleasant and comprehensible to western ears. This is where the Philippines have the most advantage over Indians who have thick Indian accents that are hard to get rid of. SMEs can partner with call centers that also accept small accounts. It is important to get trained people who can speak professionally with customers and can handle difficult situations like customer complaints. Another benefit to partnering with call centers in the Philippines is the natural service oriented personality of the agents.

Administrative and Back office processes   
Many call center offices in the Philippines also handle back office processes and administrative work. Outsourcing companies in the Philippines and other countries employ college graduates who may or may not have previous experience. There is a higher level of education in these countries in response to the growing demand for educated workers in call center and BPOs (Business Process Outsourcing). Small and Medium enterprises can focus on their core strengths after partnering with a reliable outsourcing company. Even if the virtual assistant who answers their emails and calls is far from their main offices, the telecommunications infrastructure and Internet is developed enough that agents can perform these administrative tasks even an ocean away from office headquarters.

While small and medium enterprises would greatly benefit from outsourcing some of their tasks, it is important to do background checks on the company you wish to partner with. A great suggestion is to propose a test run or a pilot run before you fully commit to one company. Evaluate their performance and decide whether to sign a full-fledge contract to minimize the risk on your part.