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.