Despite growing global competition Phl remains top call center destination

By Richmond Mercurio (The Philippine Star), July 9, 2016 – 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines remains the world’s top call center destination despite growing challenge from other countries, the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said.

“The Philippines continues to be the most preferred offshore destination worldwide. Despite the challenges, the preference is still the Philippines for voice, as a compelling value proposition differentiated from any other market out there,” CCAP president Benedict Hernandez said.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), countries such as Vietnam, Turkey, Egypt and Canada are emerging to give the Philippines’ voice services a run for its money.

CCAP, however, said the local industry’s sustained growth in terms of employees and revenue continued to tighten the country’s grip as the global leader in the voice segment.

By 2017, the Philippine information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector is projected to be the country’s largest source of income.

From 525,000 employees in 2010 and $8.9 billion in revenue, the industry is expected to generate 1.3 million jobs and over $25 billion in revenue this year.

To further accelerate the industry’s growth trajectory, CCAP said over 150 foreign investors are being invited to explore opportunities in the local market as it holds the International Contact Center Conference and Expo in September. “We are bringing, for the first time, around 150 investors from Europe, US, Japan, Australia and more, to come to the country to see first-hand and see for themselves, why the Philippines has become the ultimate customer experience paradise,” Hernandez said.

“For the first time, delegates from different parts of the world will meet each other and see for themselves how innovation and excellence come together with our warm and genuine service,” he added.

CCAP said one of the primary goals of the upcoming International Contact Center Conference is to equip contact center professionals with the proper knowledge and skills set for the ever-moving trends in the industry as well as innovations and new technologies they can apply to the workplace.

The IT and Business Process Association Philippines earlier said it is confident the country would maintain or even improve its position globally as an IT-BPM destination on the back of continued government support.

The group, however, cited the country’s need to address the quality of talents coming in to the industry to sustain its global leadership.