BPO Industry Expects to Generate 170k More Jobs this Year

Jobs in the Philippine business process outsourcing (BPO) sector this year are forecast to grow by a fifth from last year.

Danilo Reyes, who chairs the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), said the industry is aiming to grow its workforce to 1.2 million this year after jobs climbed to 1.03 million in 2014 from 900,000 in the previous year. The target headcount translates to another 170,000 jobs.

Speaking during a forum today on its prospects, Reyes said the industry is on track to meet its goal of 1.3 million jobs and $25 billion in revenues or 8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by next year.

He said BPO revenues increased by 19 percent from $15.5 billion in 2013 to $18.4 billion last year, representing 6 percent of the Philippine economy.

“All sectors are growing,” Reyes said, adding that all segments – global in-house centers, healthcare, mobile applications development, gaming and call centers – are expanding.

For 2015, revenues are forecast to increase to $21.3 billion, as Reyes expects growth from both the voice and non-voice segments.

“Healthcare is becoming big. It is the fastest growing now in terms of revenues and employees,” he said.

To address challenges in sustaining its talent pool, IBPAP is pursuing the Service Management Program (SMP), a 21-unit specialized course designed to provide students the skill sets needed to work in the industry.

The program is being offered in 17 universities across the country.

IBPAP also is adding three or four cities to its list of next wave cities by the middle of the year. To date, the next-wave cities include Baguio, Davao, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Lipa, Metro Bulacan, Metro Cavite, Metro Laguna, Metro Naga and Metro Rizal.

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IT-BPO Industry Expected to Grow by $25 Billion in 2016

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry produced one million jobs in 2014 and generated $18 billion (P805.5 billion) earnings, which could grow to $25 billion (P1.118 Trillion) in 2016, an association official said on Wednesday.

Danilo Reyes, Chairman of the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), said the BPO industry aims to create 12.3 million jobs in the Philippines by 2016.

“BPO industry reached one million BPO jobs in 2014. This is significant, especially when the BPO industry began in the Philippines with only 2,000 employees 16 years ago,” Reyes said during 2015 Asia BPO Summit.

Reyes said the industry was optimistic it would continue to grow given the diversification of the services offered and their contribution to the overall performance of the IT-BPO sector.

According to Reyes, the contact center sector is still the biggest revenue  contributor, but new sectors are stepping up. These include the healthcare information management, which was the fastest-growing segment last year.

In the meantime, the group is targeting  to begin this year the crafting of a new road map for the industry beyond 2016  to set new targets and  strategies that will secure the leadership of the Philippine IT-BPO industry in the global offshoring space.

According to Reyes, the new road map is likely to cover six years up to 2022.

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Factors to Consider When Choosing an Outsourcing Destination

Thinking of finally improving your business by taking advantage of the benefits of outsourcing?  It is an attractive strategy for businesses but it is not an easy process. Outsourcing will require a great deal of decision making and thorough planning. Aside from costs, there are three other factors that you should consider before sealing the deal with your chosen outsourcing company.

1. Quality of Service

Quality is probably the next big thing to consider after costs. As they say, you get what you pay for. The cost may be cheap but quality should not be sacrificed. The decision in this case may be influenced by choosing which tasks to outsource. If an outsourcing company has an abundance of skilled workers in a field that your company lacks, might as well grab the deal for that task.

2. Communication and Culture

This factor can be a big deal breaker in choosing your outsourcing partner. Not only does this mean their ability to speak English, but also how the culture can affect the client- provider relationship. Nobody wants to offend anyone specially in the business world. When it comes to difference in language make sure your documents instructions, and even manuals come in clear and easy to understand. Information can easily get lost in translation and that can pose a serious problem in the entire workflow.

3. Company Dynamics

Look around. Do the employees look happy to be working in the outsourcing company? The air may be filled with negative vibes and that can be a red flag. A good company has excellent teamwork, employees who smile and a leader who motivates his team.

Be sure to get feedback from other clients the company has worked with, if possible. Things may look bright and cheery on the outside but there may be hidden skeletons somewhere. Outsourcing is an investment as well so better be sure to put your money on the best possible business partner.

Outsourcing solves the need to control and reduce cost. When carried out properly and done with the right outsourcing company, your business will reap the benefits greatly. Look at the top countries for outsourcing and weigh the pros and cons before signing the deal. Find the right people to deliver real solutions to help you grow your business.

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Starting up a Software and Creative Hub Digital Outsourcing Boutique

Fred Tshidimba, managing director of Eastvantage shared his exciting ventures in Expat Travel and Lifestyle Magazine Philippines. Read on as he harbors the days when living offshore and having an international working experience were just part of his dreams. And let's witness how he motivates his fellow expats to dream further as he shared the story behind "Starting up a Software and Creative Hub Digital Outsourcing Boutique". 

"I came to the Philippines three years ago with my wife and kids. We had always dreamed of having an international working experience, discovering new horizons and living in another continent. 

Manila was expecting us with a new challenge for my wife, who started teaching at the British School Manila, and myself, freshly promoted housedad after 10 years working in marketing management at Coca-Cola and Nestle. I didn’t know exactly what to expect but I was ready to experience Asia." - Fred

Click here for full story. 

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Getting Started with IT Outsourcing: Factors to Consider

Many businesses pursue IT outsourcing arrangements nowadays for various reasons. One of its primary reasons is cost reduction, especially during the previous years of recession. Next is that IT outsourcing can be a great way to achieve the desired expertise in information technology needed to deliver services more effectively. There are cases when internal IT consultants or staffs don’t have the desired skills, and sometimes IT leaders don’t have the resources that will help them quickly enough to meet the demands of the business. There are also organizations that devote much of their time more on the core competencies of the business rather than in the resources to the hiring process.

Click the link below to read more:

Getting Started with IT Outsourcing: Factors to Consider

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Project Management Outsourcing: Online Tools to Help Maximize Time and Productivity

Companies who venture ­in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry face unique challenges when it comes to organizing, planning, and managing clients, service providers, and projects. Working remotely in an offshore setup requires effective project management skills, strategies and tools. Starting out with ordinary filing system might work for the first client or two, but using more modern tools when handling multiple projects at the same time might be more sensible, not to mention easier and less time-consuming.

Click the link below to read more:

Project ManagementOutsourcing: Online Tools to Help Maximize Time and Productivity

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Understanding the Difference of Business Process Outsourcing and Offshoring

Business process outsourcing has advanced to become one of the largest industries around the world. Most often, companies offshore find business process outsourcing ideal when there are internal problems arise. This can include lack of time to focus on company’s growth and core competencies, lack of knowledge advancement in employees and concerns with operational costs. The third-party company that are sub-contracting a service will function as extensions to perform business processes like design, telecommunications and even back-office jobs, with limitless prospective.

Click the link below to read more:

Understanding the Difference of Business ProcessOutsourcing and Offshoring

Eastvantage | IT Outsourcing | Offshoring Services

For business inquiries email info@eastvantage.com