In recent years, much drum beating has been raised about call centers as the next big chance for the Philippines to get on the world IT limelight. This is not without basis as more than 40 call centers have already set up shop in the country. Giving jobs to about 30,000 Filipinos with more call centers planning to expand businesses in Manila, Clark, Cebu and soon Davao.
Consequently, more people are flocking to call centers for employment in a fast rising industry. But the Philippines is quickly exhausting its supply of skilled English speakers more than it could graduate them for employment in call centers.
A recent study made by Gartner noted that the acceptance rate for call center agents has fallen from 5% to 3% and latest trend shows this will go down further to 1 percent. If this trend continues, the call center industry will have to screen 3 million applicants in order to fill the projected need for 30,000 call center agents in 2004 alone.
If the Philippine government doesn’t do something fast, this chance to be a global power in business process outsourcing (BPO) will flyby the Philippines and fall into the laps of waiting China, Malaysia and the eastern European countries.
Luckily, the private sector is pitching in to raise the quality of our call centers agents. Some IT schools have already setup courses for call center agents. These enterprising firms are stepping into what new graduates and even those already employed have not learned in school about speech proficiency in English.
Among the most reputable training centers, US-based Tele-Development (TDS) not only boast of world-class training facilities and courses but it is also a leading call center consultancy to call centers around the globe. This uniquely sets TDS apart from other training centers that are mainly IT schools with no hands-on experience nor R&D facilities to show. TDS is not the typical IT school you’ll find around the corner, it is a call center consulting and training firm.
TeleDevelopment parades a list of clients that dot Fortune 500’s list. It is also a consultant for BPO companies in India, China, Japan, the US and of course, the Philippines. With the kind of clients TeleDevelopment has been getting, it is no surpise that it has garnered vital industry awards such as the Telo Award for Teleservices Excellence, Call Center Pioneer Award and named one of the "Stars of Our Industry’’ by CallCenter Magazine.
Jon Kaplan, president of TeleDevelopment and among the call center industry’s known spokesperson said, ‘The Philippines is still the planet’s hottest star among companies engaged in business process outsourcing. And that’s why TDS is here, so that we can ‘walk’ our clients through as they set up shop and grow their businesses in the country.’’
