“The BPO industry in the Philippines has grown and matured since its start at the turn of the century. The early days of outsourcing were simple. Decide what you were outsourcing and go with the lowest offer. This was generally followed by the problems that inevitably came with choosing an operator that could not afford to deliver the quality required. Despite being an obviously short-sighted approach, it still is remarkably common. Even today, many stories of bad call centre experiences are directly related to low-cost outsourcing,” says Ralf Ellspermann, CEO of PITON-Global, an award-winning BPO provider in the Philippines.
“Today the decision must be customer-focused. While savings, and significant savings at that, are still possible, low-cost providers are unlikely to provide the quality required. Focusing on the customer needs and experience means that the chosen BPO provider has to be able to provide a seamless, world-class experience across all customer touch points. It goes without saying that premium support comes at a cost. But paying a few pounds more per hour for a premium BPO can spell the difference between success and failure, especially in an offshore environment,” says Ellspermann.
Industry-leading outsourcing providers such as PITON-Global in Manila offer some incredibly sophisticated operations. The facilities are frequently purpose-built, and the infrastructure is designed around customer experience. Premier operators, for example, use AI to help at every stage of the customer lifecycle—from acquisition to management and retention.
Leading BPOs in the Philippines tend to specialise in a limited number of industries, investing in the best people, processes, technologies, and state-of-the-art facilities to serve clients in these sectors. An outsourcing provider in the country that works with the financial sector, for example, will have to meet different regulatory compliance requirements to one working in healthcare.
“Choosing a BPO provider in the Philippines is like any other procurement decision you might make. In the same way you are likely to purchase different computers for your finance team and design team, each geared towards the function they are intended to perform, you will want to ensure that the BPO provider you choose is suited to the service you want your customers to receive,” says Ellspermann.
An outsourcing choice should be a long-term decision. Ultimately, it will lead to cost savings, but the primary objective should be on establishing a high-quality, sustainable operation that will benefit customers through better and more efficient processes and interactions.
“The focus must remain on the customer experience. Cost savings are meaningless if the customer experience takes a hit. A well planned and executed offshore business process outsourcing strategy with a capable BPO partner in the Philippines will always lead to cost savings. But these cost reductions should be considered as a welcome side product,” says Ellspermann.
“When customers are happy, they return, which helps the bottom line and keeps shareholders happy. BPO to the Philippines done right can be a game changer for any business, regardless of size or industry.”