Voice BPO sector continues generating employment opportunities
High-value business process outsourcing (BPO) services provider StarTek announced that it will immediately hire 400 agents to service new voice engagements, accelerating ramp up of its first facility in the Philippines.
The announcement provides further indication of the resilience of the BPO industry, and support for growth projections for the year.
BPA/P projects that in 2009, BPO revenues will grow between 20% and 30%. Last year, the BPO industry grew 26% to US$6 billion in revenues from $4.9 billion in 2007, according to the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P).
StarTek provides high-value non-voice and voice BPO services from a Makati facility which was formally launched earlier this year. Ed Mallari, StarTek managing director, expects the 1,100-seat Makati facility to be at full capacity by the end of the year.
This recruitment effort will approximately double StarTek’s employee base in the Philippines, which includes agents, supervisors, and managers. According to Joyce Peñalosa, StarTek HR director, StarTek primarily relies on cost-effective, highly successful non-traditional HR sourcing methods that leverage viral marketing tools to recruit agents.
Peñalosa explained that recruitment is strongly anchored on word-of-mouth, and involves all applicants, including those who are not initially offered a position. “We ensure that we provide potential recruits with a positive, first-hand experience of StarTek culture by focusing on what’s most important to them, such as a truly enjoyable place to work and long-term career opportunities. Applicants then share this experience with their personal network of friends.
“We also have display advertising at street level in a high foot traffic location to attract applicants that are actively looking for work,” said Peñalosa. “During the hiring process, we closely monitor how each applicant found out about StarTek. As a result, we know that word-of-mouth and “point-of-interest” visuals are our most effective recruitment channels.”
Peñalosa said StarTek receives and processes walk-in applicants daily. In fact, that’s been the case since the facility opened its doors. As a result, she expects the 400 new positions will be filled as forecasted.
Besides recruiting agents, StarTek takes retaining agents very seriously, according to Mallari. He believes that providing long-term career opportunities is a critical factor for agents delivering quality services.
“While the attrition rate in the BPO industry is perceived to be high, StarTek has comparably low turnover based on industry benchmarks. Our company believes that it is our responsibility to provide a work environment that promotes development as well as enjoyment. With a lower attrition rate and a high hiring success rate, we’re confident in meeting our ramp-up and on-going staffing requirements,” said Mallari.
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About StarTek
When it really matters, communications companies look to StarTek (NYSE: SRT), a leading provider of high-value business process outsourcing services. Since 1987, StarTek has partnered with its clients to solve strategic business challenges, improve customer retention, increase revenue, and reduce costs through an improved customer experience. Known for creating the highest customer service for clients and their customers, StarTek services include customer care, sales support, complex order processing, accounts receivable management, technical support, and other industry-specific processes. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, StarTek operates 18 facilities in North America and one facility in the Philippines. For more information, visit www.StarTek.com or call +1 303 262 4500.
Showing posts with label BPO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BPO. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Headstrong Recognized as Best Mid-sized BPO Company of the Year
Photo shows Don Felbaum, Head of the ICT Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, awarding the trophy for Best Mid-sized BPO Company of the Year to Nora Terrado, Headstrong Philippines president.
Global IT services firm Headstrong Philippines was recently awarded as Best Mid-sized Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Company of the Year at the third International ICT Awards Philippines 2009 organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P).
Headstrong Philippines competed against four other finalists for the award.
“The Philippines has truly become the BPO destination of choice for software services, which we will ensure, as a company, to maintain by further strengthening and developing our unique differentiators and core processes and by consistently delivering value to our clients,” said Nora Terrado, Headstrong Philippines president. “This award recognizes our commitment to fulfill our mission to help our clients improve their business performance with better and more relevant service and at the same time further drive growth in the company.”
The criteria for the award include the size and growth in revenue and employees; size, quality, and diversity of its international clients; depth and breadth of competencies through industry recognitions and certifications; management capabilities reflected by the accomplishments of the company’s top leaders; involvement in corporate social responsibility initiatives, and strong evidence from industry and other stakeholders supporting the International ICT industry in the Philippines.
Headstrong has 25 years of experience and a rich James Martin and Co. heritage of proven methodologies and program management capabilities that they leverage in servicing their clients around the world in optimizing their business and technology initiatives. Composed of 500 technology practitioners and 150 process experts, Headstrong Philippines delivers a range of strategic and tactical advantages in systems integration, application development, BPO, and onshore/offshore management services.
The company has obtained the ISO 9001:2001 and was assessed as CMMi Level 3. Headstrong is further recognized as one of the top 100 outsourcing leaders by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals and awarded with the Pioneer Cyberservices award by CICT in 2006.
Global IT services firm Headstrong Philippines was recently awarded as Best Mid-sized Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Company of the Year at the third International ICT Awards Philippines 2009 organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P).
Headstrong Philippines competed against four other finalists for the award.
“The Philippines has truly become the BPO destination of choice for software services, which we will ensure, as a company, to maintain by further strengthening and developing our unique differentiators and core processes and by consistently delivering value to our clients,” said Nora Terrado, Headstrong Philippines president. “This award recognizes our commitment to fulfill our mission to help our clients improve their business performance with better and more relevant service and at the same time further drive growth in the company.”
The criteria for the award include the size and growth in revenue and employees; size, quality, and diversity of its international clients; depth and breadth of competencies through industry recognitions and certifications; management capabilities reflected by the accomplishments of the company’s top leaders; involvement in corporate social responsibility initiatives, and strong evidence from industry and other stakeholders supporting the International ICT industry in the Philippines.
Headstrong has 25 years of experience and a rich James Martin and Co. heritage of proven methodologies and program management capabilities that they leverage in servicing their clients around the world in optimizing their business and technology initiatives. Composed of 500 technology practitioners and 150 process experts, Headstrong Philippines delivers a range of strategic and tactical advantages in systems integration, application development, BPO, and onshore/offshore management services.
The company has obtained the ISO 9001:2001 and was assessed as CMMi Level 3. Headstrong is further recognized as one of the top 100 outsourcing leaders by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals and awarded with the Pioneer Cyberservices award by CICT in 2006.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Corporate culture fuels call center employment retention—ExcelAsia
While other industries face the challenges of the global financial crisis, business process outsourcing (BPO) service providers are facing what can be called as a “good problem” in light of current layoffs—employee retention. In 2008, attrition rates in the call center industry were pegged at an average of 18% according to the Call Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP).
With the 82% of BPO expecting a positive employment growth rate, companies need to strengthen corporate strategies to attract career hopefuls and retain their people. According to the recently released survey by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, at least 66% of respondents from the industry expect up to 50% growth in labor requirements.
ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte explains that preventing an unhealthy rise in attrition rates is more than just a matter of monetary compensation. Trillo-Ugarte said that fostering an excellent professional culture is one of the main reasons
ns that motivate people to stay in BPO companies.
“Although salary plays a big role in considering a new job, people also leave because of the culture within the company. Employees’ relationships with their colleagues and management, and potential for career growth increase the possibility that they consider a long-term tenure with a company,” Trillo-Ugarte said. Trillo-Ugarte notes that stress of the hours and requirements in the customer service profession require healthy professional relationships to sustain career growth.
“Call center companies should definitely keep an eye on employee performance and make sure that they are recognized for doing a great job,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “Regular coaching sessions and meetings must be maintained to be updated about employee concerns. The management should definitely try to balance the corporate environment and young workers’ expectations of the job.”
As a recruitment and training company, ExcelAsia screens applicants for call center readiness and equips them not just with the needed technical skills but also with the right professional skills that can help them excel in a call center profession. At present, ExcelAsia continues to recruit and train around 1,500 people monthly in all of its sites nationwide.
“Our trainers emphasize the importance of building good professional relationships with the company,” Trillo-Ugarte added. “It’s really about motivating them to work not just for the compensation but also for stable career growth.”
visit this site:
http://www.fusionbposervices.com
###
About ExcelAsia
ExcelAsia provides industry-leading human resources (HR) solutions to more than 30 multinational companies in the Philippines. The firm is staffed by training and recruitment experts who provide end-to-end HR solutions: sourcing and recruitment, executive search, training and development, and HR and business consultancy. ExcelAsia is a professional and reliable service-oriented company that addresses the growing HR needs of contact centers and other business process outsourcing sectors. At present, ExcelAsia is headquartered in Manila with offices in Cebu, Bacolod, and Alabang. It has trained and deployed over 16,000 Filipino jobseekers.
With the 82% of BPO expecting a positive employment growth rate, companies need to strengthen corporate strategies to attract career hopefuls and retain their people. According to the recently released survey by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, at least 66% of respondents from the industry expect up to 50% growth in labor requirements.
ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte explains that preventing an unhealthy rise in attrition rates is more than just a matter of monetary compensation. Trillo-Ugarte said that fostering an excellent professional culture is one of the main reasons
ns that motivate people to stay in BPO companies.
“Although salary plays a big role in considering a new job, people also leave because of the culture within the company. Employees’ relationships with their colleagues and management, and potential for career growth increase the possibility that they consider a long-term tenure with a company,” Trillo-Ugarte said. Trillo-Ugarte notes that stress of the hours and requirements in the customer service profession require healthy professional relationships to sustain career growth.
“Call center companies should definitely keep an eye on employee performance and make sure that they are recognized for doing a great job,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “Regular coaching sessions and meetings must be maintained to be updated about employee concerns. The management should definitely try to balance the corporate environment and young workers’ expectations of the job.”
As a recruitment and training company, ExcelAsia screens applicants for call center readiness and equips them not just with the needed technical skills but also with the right professional skills that can help them excel in a call center profession. At present, ExcelAsia continues to recruit and train around 1,500 people monthly in all of its sites nationwide.
“Our trainers emphasize the importance of building good professional relationships with the company,” Trillo-Ugarte added. “It’s really about motivating them to work not just for the compensation but also for stable career growth.”
visit this site:
http://www.fusionbposervices.com
###
About ExcelAsia
ExcelAsia provides industry-leading human resources (HR) solutions to more than 30 multinational companies in the Philippines. The firm is staffed by training and recruitment experts who provide end-to-end HR solutions: sourcing and recruitment, executive search, training and development, and HR and business consultancy. ExcelAsia is a professional and reliable service-oriented company that addresses the growing HR needs of contact centers and other business process outsourcing sectors. At present, ExcelAsia is headquartered in Manila with offices in Cebu, Bacolod, and Alabang. It has trained and deployed over 16,000 Filipino jobseekers.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Outsourcing Industry Offers Career Opportunities for Laid-Off Employees
Retraining helps facilitate a successful career shift—ExcelAsia
(Manila, Philippines, February 9, 2009) – Despite increased company retrenchments, the outsourcing sector remains strong and can potentially help laid-off workers find new employment opportunities despite the global economic crisis. ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte explains a different industry background is not a hindrance to beginning a career in business process outsourcing (BPO).
ExcelAsia, a full-service human resource solutions company, is currently experiencing an increase in workforce demands among their outsourcing clients. Existing partnerships are being renewed and new clients are expected to relocate in the country. This resulted in new ExcelAsia sites in Sta. Rosa and soon in Eastwood, in addition to its existing sites in Makati, Alabang, Cebu, and Bacolod.
“Voice positions remain the bulk of vacancies we are filling up but we are starting to get an increasing number of manpower requests for back-office positions too,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “These include accounting and finance practitioners, graphic designers, and bilingual candidates, to name a few.”
As a full-service human resource solutions company, ExcelAsia conducts free training for applicants tagged as near-hires to prepare them for an outsourcing career. ExcelAsia’s training curriculum is duly recognized and facilitated in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and usually runs for two or more weeks, depending on the trainees’ readiness for client endorsement.
“ExcelAsia is in need of almost 4,000 jobseekers a month for our clients, who all seem to be ramping up and expanding despite the crisis,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “We expect more and more companies to outsource their service-oriented businesses to BPOs in the Philippines.”
ExcelAsia has an 85% hiring rate for trainees who finish their comprehensive training program, which consists of Basic Communication and Comprehension Skills as well as Customer Service 101. ExcelAsia currently has a roster of over 50 local and global clients from various industries.
“Individuals with export, retail, or electronics industry backgrounds will fit into most of our clients’ needs,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “They can handle a huge variety of accounts since some clients require IT experience, while some require sales or retail background. For example, workers from the export industry can capitalize on the work experience they gained in terms of liaising with offshore clients and supervising quality control.”
(Manila, Philippines, February 9, 2009) – Despite increased company retrenchments, the outsourcing sector remains strong and can potentially help laid-off workers find new employment opportunities despite the global economic crisis. ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte explains a different industry background is not a hindrance to beginning a career in business process outsourcing (BPO).
ExcelAsia, a full-service human resource solutions company, is currently experiencing an increase in workforce demands among their outsourcing clients. Existing partnerships are being renewed and new clients are expected to relocate in the country. This resulted in new ExcelAsia sites in Sta. Rosa and soon in Eastwood, in addition to its existing sites in Makati, Alabang, Cebu, and Bacolod.
“Voice positions remain the bulk of vacancies we are filling up but we are starting to get an increasing number of manpower requests for back-office positions too,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “These include accounting and finance practitioners, graphic designers, and bilingual candidates, to name a few.”
As a full-service human resource solutions company, ExcelAsia conducts free training for applicants tagged as near-hires to prepare them for an outsourcing career. ExcelAsia’s training curriculum is duly recognized and facilitated in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and usually runs for two or more weeks, depending on the trainees’ readiness for client endorsement.
“ExcelAsia is in need of almost 4,000 jobseekers a month for our clients, who all seem to be ramping up and expanding despite the crisis,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “We expect more and more companies to outsource their service-oriented businesses to BPOs in the Philippines.”
ExcelAsia has an 85% hiring rate for trainees who finish their comprehensive training program, which consists of Basic Communication and Comprehension Skills as well as Customer Service 101. ExcelAsia currently has a roster of over 50 local and global clients from various industries.
“Individuals with export, retail, or electronics industry backgrounds will fit into most of our clients’ needs,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “They can handle a huge variety of accounts since some clients require IT experience, while some require sales or retail background. For example, workers from the export industry can capitalize on the work experience they gained in terms of liaising with offshore clients and supervising quality control.”
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
ExcelAsia Receives Top Vendor Recognition from Citigroup BPS, TELUS Philippines, and IBM Daksh
Year 2008 ended with more awards for industry-leading human resource solutions company ExcelAsia as it collected commendations from existing global business process outsourcing (BPO) clients. ExcelAsia was one of the top vendors awarded during the ceremonies held by Citigroup Business Process Solutions Pte. Ltd. (Citigroup BPS), TELUS International Philippines, and IBM Daksh last December 2008.
During the Vendors’ Night conducted by Citigroup BPS, ExcelAsia was named the BPO firm’s Partner of the Year. ExcelAsia has consistently produced the committed number of endorsements for Citigroup BPS since their partnership began on January 2008. By producing the most number of hired endorsements throughout the same year, ExcelAsia bagged this prestigious commendation from Citigroup BPS.
“By achieving a 100% fill rate for our hiring accounts, we were able to meet the targets set by our own clients for 2008,” Citigroup BPS Assistant Manager for Sourcing Maurice Ryan Bevera said.
Bevera also added that through ExcelAsia’s endorsement turnout, Citigroup BPS was able to meet its client requirements and effectively address the erratic call volumes that usually arrive during the holidays.
IBM Daksh also commended ExcelAsia as one of its top partners for 2008 based on overall endorsement scale and productivity. Aside from this award, IBM Daksh also highlighted the quality of services ExcelAsia has provided by naming it the Most Ambitious Partner of 2008 and Most Responsive Contributor to Ramp.
ExcelAsia was also awarded TELUS’ Most Progressive Performer for 2008. TELUS International Philippines gave a plaque of recognition to ExcelAsia, citing it as one of their top performers for the said year.
In the midst of all these developments, ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte shares that the company is looking forward to roll out client service developments this 2009.
“The awards and recognitions ExcelAsia received in 2008 testifies to the high level of commitment the company is offering among its roster of clients,” Trillo-Ugarte said.” By continuously exceeding client expectations and working closely with them to make sure we give them the right fit, ExcelAsia hopes to usher in 2009 with an even better approach to ensure continued service excellence.”
###
About ExcelAsia
ExcelAsia provides industry-leading human resources (HR) solutions to more than 30 multinational companies in the Philippines. The firm is staffed by training and recruitment experts who provide end-to-end HR solutions: sourcing and recruitment, executive search, training and development, and HR and business consultancy. ExcelAsia is a professional and reliable service-oriented company that addresses the growing HR needs of contact centers and other business process outsourcing sectors. At present, ExcelAsia is headquartered in Manila with offices in Cebu, Bacolod, and Alabang. It has trained and deployed over 16,000 Filipino jobseekers.
During the Vendors’ Night conducted by Citigroup BPS, ExcelAsia was named the BPO firm’s Partner of the Year. ExcelAsia has consistently produced the committed number of endorsements for Citigroup BPS since their partnership began on January 2008. By producing the most number of hired endorsements throughout the same year, ExcelAsia bagged this prestigious commendation from Citigroup BPS.
“By achieving a 100% fill rate for our hiring accounts, we were able to meet the targets set by our own clients for 2008,” Citigroup BPS Assistant Manager for Sourcing Maurice Ryan Bevera said.
Bevera also added that through ExcelAsia’s endorsement turnout, Citigroup BPS was able to meet its client requirements and effectively address the erratic call volumes that usually arrive during the holidays.
IBM Daksh also commended ExcelAsia as one of its top partners for 2008 based on overall endorsement scale and productivity. Aside from this award, IBM Daksh also highlighted the quality of services ExcelAsia has provided by naming it the Most Ambitious Partner of 2008 and Most Responsive Contributor to Ramp.
ExcelAsia was also awarded TELUS’ Most Progressive Performer for 2008. TELUS International Philippines gave a plaque of recognition to ExcelAsia, citing it as one of their top performers for the said year.
In the midst of all these developments, ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte shares that the company is looking forward to roll out client service developments this 2009.
“The awards and recognitions ExcelAsia received in 2008 testifies to the high level of commitment the company is offering among its roster of clients,” Trillo-Ugarte said.” By continuously exceeding client expectations and working closely with them to make sure we give them the right fit, ExcelAsia hopes to usher in 2009 with an even better approach to ensure continued service excellence.”
###
About ExcelAsia
ExcelAsia provides industry-leading human resources (HR) solutions to more than 30 multinational companies in the Philippines. The firm is staffed by training and recruitment experts who provide end-to-end HR solutions: sourcing and recruitment, executive search, training and development, and HR and business consultancy. ExcelAsia is a professional and reliable service-oriented company that addresses the growing HR needs of contact centers and other business process outsourcing sectors. At present, ExcelAsia is headquartered in Manila with offices in Cebu, Bacolod, and Alabang. It has trained and deployed over 16,000 Filipino jobseekers.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Filipino Managers See Rewarding Career with StarTek
StarTek Culture, Work Environment Offer Personal, Professional Growth
StarTek chose the Philippines as the location for an offshore facility for a number of reasons: The large talent pool of highly literate, college-educated English speakers; reliable communications infrastructure providing dedicated connectivity to the U.S. and ensuring high voice quality; and a cost-effective operating environment.
Among these motivations, according to a senior company executive, people and the Filipino talent for sincerely and credibly engaging customers deserve special mention. “Filipinos are genuinely interested in solving customer’s problems,” said Susan Padley, StarTek general manager and vice president. Padley leads the pioneer team based in the StarTek Philippines facility located on Jupiter Street in Makati City.
StarTek began operations in its Makati City facility in October. In the months before the opening, Padley recruited a team of Filipino managers with extensive experience in contact center operations. “We initially hired coaches, team leaders, and operations managers to put a leadership team in place along with IT and human resources (HR) professionals,” Padley said.
The company’s strategy for successfully launching its Philippines facility is anchored on that pioneer management team, which numbers about 20 individuals who Padley says view the industry as a career.
A former barista at a popular international coffee shop, Francis Fuentes, 31, spent his first five years in the industry with two other major call centers. Fuentes had no plans of working in a call center when he spent his days serving coffee back in 2002.
“No one knew about call centers then,” Fuentes said. “But eventually, I began to suspect that this new industry would become something big someday so I tried applying and the rest is history.”
Fuentes first handled inbound and outbound sales for a variety of accounts as a customer service representative. “This opened a lot of opportunities for me. My call center experience allowed me to better engage with customers and other individuals,” he said. His hard work paid off when Fuentes was promoted to team leader and he began learning the ropes of effective management. “It was a difficult but rewarding experience. I learned to manage people not only to produce results but to make life better for them.”
As a pioneer Team Leader at StarTek, Fuentes has big plans for his team of 18 agents. “We’re a start-up, and StarTek has a lot of room for growth,” he said. “I want to support my agents so that they are successful and achieve early regularization and begin mapping out their own career development plans.”
Ted Melendres, 29, also wants the best for her “power team” of agents. A pioneer Team Leader like Fuentes, Melendres is also keen on motivating her team and honing their skills through specialized training and development opportunities. She says that as pioneer leaders and agents, she and her team envision a bright future in StarTek.
“There are tremendous opportunities for growth when you’re part of the pioneer group. Contact centers pay a lot of attention to the pioneer agents because they know they are so critical to the start-up facility’s success,” said Melendres, who was also part of a pioneer group in her previous company.
An avid scuba diver and yoga enthusiast, Melendres used the discipline she developed pursuing those pastimes to excel as an agent. In her new role as a StarTek Team Leader, Melendres is eyeing a similar development path for her team. “I want to mold agents to become ‘star advisors’ for the company,” Melendres said.
That’s also true for StarTek’s pioneer Recruitment Supervisor, Kooky Luis, 29, an ex-band member who values the opportunity to develop other people’s skills. Before joining the call center industry, Luis served as a teacher in the Sacred School Jesuit pre-school for three years after graduating with a degree in BS Psychology from the University of San Carlos in Cebu in 2000.
“After teaching, I wanted to expand my horizons,” Luis said. “This is what call centers gave me—an opportunity to reach out to more people and improve their knowledge and skills. I really saw a future in it.”
Luis served in call centers in Cebu, Bacolod, and Roxas City, where she gained valuable experience in HR management, and moved up the corporate ladder from recruitment specialist to HR officer. She has worked in five call centers and has been consistently recognized for excellent customer service. As Recruitment Supervisor for StarTek, Luis is developing policies and programs to support the individual needs of agents.
“I want them to grow with us and share in our success,” Luis said. “StarTek has been around for 21 years and they’ve established 22 sites including the Philippines, which is very impressive for a contact center,” Luis said. “It speaks of excellent performance and stability as a company.”
According to Padley, people who join StarTek typically find a life-long career with the company. “This is the pattern for achievers in this company. We have been in the industry for 21 years and just that record ensures our employees a future.”
“The main reason employees stay with StarTek is the culture,” Padley adds. StarTek’s culture values the contribution of individual employees to the organization and provides programs and benefits for personal and professional growth.
Melendres concurs. “StarTek is big on recognizing agents as front-liners because they spearhead the company’s success. That’s exactly what I want in a workplace. This is one of the reasons why I joined the company.”
StarTek’s open-door policy is a visible example of the highly interactive culture in the company, and the high regard employees at all levels have for others. Luis says this is why StarTek stands out among other call centers. “What struck me the most about StarTek is that our superiors allow us to voice our concerns and ideas. This is one big factor why I joined the company.”
In the months following the soft opening of the StarTek Makati facility, the pioneer management team has focused on making StarTek a positive and healthy work environment. As operations ramp up, their focus will be on sustaining and leveraging that culture to deliver the superior customer experiences StarTek is known for, said Padley.
StarTek chose the Philippines as the location for an offshore facility for a number of reasons: The large talent pool of highly literate, college-educated English speakers; reliable communications infrastructure providing dedicated connectivity to the U.S. and ensuring high voice quality; and a cost-effective operating environment.
Among these motivations, according to a senior company executive, people and the Filipino talent for sincerely and credibly engaging customers deserve special mention. “Filipinos are genuinely interested in solving customer’s problems,” said Susan Padley, StarTek general manager and vice president. Padley leads the pioneer team based in the StarTek Philippines facility located on Jupiter Street in Makati City.
StarTek began operations in its Makati City facility in October. In the months before the opening, Padley recruited a team of Filipino managers with extensive experience in contact center operations. “We initially hired coaches, team leaders, and operations managers to put a leadership team in place along with IT and human resources (HR) professionals,” Padley said.
The company’s strategy for successfully launching its Philippines facility is anchored on that pioneer management team, which numbers about 20 individuals who Padley says view the industry as a career.
A former barista at a popular international coffee shop, Francis Fuentes, 31, spent his first five years in the industry with two other major call centers. Fuentes had no plans of working in a call center when he spent his days serving coffee back in 2002.
“No one knew about call centers then,” Fuentes said. “But eventually, I began to suspect that this new industry would become something big someday so I tried applying and the rest is history.”
Fuentes first handled inbound and outbound sales for a variety of accounts as a customer service representative. “This opened a lot of opportunities for me. My call center experience allowed me to better engage with customers and other individuals,” he said. His hard work paid off when Fuentes was promoted to team leader and he began learning the ropes of effective management. “It was a difficult but rewarding experience. I learned to manage people not only to produce results but to make life better for them.”
As a pioneer Team Leader at StarTek, Fuentes has big plans for his team of 18 agents. “We’re a start-up, and StarTek has a lot of room for growth,” he said. “I want to support my agents so that they are successful and achieve early regularization and begin mapping out their own career development plans.”
Ted Melendres, 29, also wants the best for her “power team” of agents. A pioneer Team Leader like Fuentes, Melendres is also keen on motivating her team and honing their skills through specialized training and development opportunities. She says that as pioneer leaders and agents, she and her team envision a bright future in StarTek.
“There are tremendous opportunities for growth when you’re part of the pioneer group. Contact centers pay a lot of attention to the pioneer agents because they know they are so critical to the start-up facility’s success,” said Melendres, who was also part of a pioneer group in her previous company.
An avid scuba diver and yoga enthusiast, Melendres used the discipline she developed pursuing those pastimes to excel as an agent. In her new role as a StarTek Team Leader, Melendres is eyeing a similar development path for her team. “I want to mold agents to become ‘star advisors’ for the company,” Melendres said.
That’s also true for StarTek’s pioneer Recruitment Supervisor, Kooky Luis, 29, an ex-band member who values the opportunity to develop other people’s skills. Before joining the call center industry, Luis served as a teacher in the Sacred School Jesuit pre-school for three years after graduating with a degree in BS Psychology from the University of San Carlos in Cebu in 2000.
“After teaching, I wanted to expand my horizons,” Luis said. “This is what call centers gave me—an opportunity to reach out to more people and improve their knowledge and skills. I really saw a future in it.”
Luis served in call centers in Cebu, Bacolod, and Roxas City, where she gained valuable experience in HR management, and moved up the corporate ladder from recruitment specialist to HR officer. She has worked in five call centers and has been consistently recognized for excellent customer service. As Recruitment Supervisor for StarTek, Luis is developing policies and programs to support the individual needs of agents.
“I want them to grow with us and share in our success,” Luis said. “StarTek has been around for 21 years and they’ve established 22 sites including the Philippines, which is very impressive for a contact center,” Luis said. “It speaks of excellent performance and stability as a company.”
According to Padley, people who join StarTek typically find a life-long career with the company. “This is the pattern for achievers in this company. We have been in the industry for 21 years and just that record ensures our employees a future.”
“The main reason employees stay with StarTek is the culture,” Padley adds. StarTek’s culture values the contribution of individual employees to the organization and provides programs and benefits for personal and professional growth.
Melendres concurs. “StarTek is big on recognizing agents as front-liners because they spearhead the company’s success. That’s exactly what I want in a workplace. This is one of the reasons why I joined the company.”
StarTek’s open-door policy is a visible example of the highly interactive culture in the company, and the high regard employees at all levels have for others. Luis says this is why StarTek stands out among other call centers. “What struck me the most about StarTek is that our superiors allow us to voice our concerns and ideas. This is one big factor why I joined the company.”
In the months following the soft opening of the StarTek Makati facility, the pioneer management team has focused on making StarTek a positive and healthy work environment. As operations ramp up, their focus will be on sustaining and leveraging that culture to deliver the superior customer experiences StarTek is known for, said Padley.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Specialization Fulfills Non-voice BPO Requirements
In a recent study conducted by the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPA/P), 96 percent of survey participants representing non-voice BPO services providers indicated that 2009 business prospects are good, excellent, or outstanding, and 51 percent of respondents indicated excellent prospects for 2009.
“As global companies continue to look for cost-efficient ways to do business, they will begin to explore opportunities such as outsourcing to address workforce concerns that impact competitiveness,” ExcelAsia President Trillo-Ugarte explained. ExcelAsia is a market-leading full-services human resource solutions provider. More than 50 percent of its client base comes from the BPO industry.
Trillo-Ugarte cautioned, however, that if the surge in demand for non-voice services accelerates as expected, it will be necessary to provide specialized training to prospective employees to develop the core skills required to deliver these services. “Since non-voice BPO tends to be more technical and specific, training will become a significantly more important consideration for these sectors than for the voice sector” Trillo-Ugarte said.
Despite the positive outlook for non-voice BPO services sectors, 88% of the survey respondents expressed concern over the difficulty of hiring qualified personnel. Forty-four percent indicated that the impact of the recent global financial crisis is a critical impediment to growth.
To help address this impediment, ExcelAsia has developed a dedicated sites strategy to address non-voice BPO client concerns related to expansion. “We’re doing a number of things to help our clients meet non-voice services demand,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “One of the most important is what we call a dedicated site strategy in which we provide entire facilities devoted to training prospective employees for just one client.
“Of course, to do this, we are developing our own qualified workforce with the specialized skills required by the non-voice sectors. This provides our clients with a reliable pipeline of candidates trained by functional experts,” Trillo-Ugarte explained.
Under the dedicated sites strategy, each BPO client benefits from focused delivery of services. ExcelAsia also provides its dedicated sites strategy for voice BPO clients. Account executives, recruitment officers, and trainers are assigned to service a specific client to meet ramp-up demands and other workforce requirements. Trillo-Ugarte expects the greatest demand in non-voice BPO to come from companies offering financial and risk assessment services.
“As global companies continue to look for cost-efficient ways to do business, they will begin to explore opportunities such as outsourcing to address workforce concerns that impact competitiveness,” ExcelAsia President Trillo-Ugarte explained. ExcelAsia is a market-leading full-services human resource solutions provider. More than 50 percent of its client base comes from the BPO industry.
Trillo-Ugarte cautioned, however, that if the surge in demand for non-voice services accelerates as expected, it will be necessary to provide specialized training to prospective employees to develop the core skills required to deliver these services. “Since non-voice BPO tends to be more technical and specific, training will become a significantly more important consideration for these sectors than for the voice sector” Trillo-Ugarte said.
Despite the positive outlook for non-voice BPO services sectors, 88% of the survey respondents expressed concern over the difficulty of hiring qualified personnel. Forty-four percent indicated that the impact of the recent global financial crisis is a critical impediment to growth.
To help address this impediment, ExcelAsia has developed a dedicated sites strategy to address non-voice BPO client concerns related to expansion. “We’re doing a number of things to help our clients meet non-voice services demand,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “One of the most important is what we call a dedicated site strategy in which we provide entire facilities devoted to training prospective employees for just one client.
“Of course, to do this, we are developing our own qualified workforce with the specialized skills required by the non-voice sectors. This provides our clients with a reliable pipeline of candidates trained by functional experts,” Trillo-Ugarte explained.
Under the dedicated sites strategy, each BPO client benefits from focused delivery of services. ExcelAsia also provides its dedicated sites strategy for voice BPO clients. Account executives, recruitment officers, and trainers are assigned to service a specific client to meet ramp-up demands and other workforce requirements. Trillo-Ugarte expects the greatest demand in non-voice BPO to come from companies offering financial and risk assessment services.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Sitel Partners with ExcelAsia to Support Business Growth
Sitel, the top-ranking global contact center, renewed its partnership with award-winning human resource solutions firm ExcelAsia. ExcelAsia also announced that it is launching a new recruitment and training strategy: purpose-built, dedicated training centers for major business process outsourcing (BPO) clients to meet increasing recruitment demand.
ExcelAsia has served as a human resource provider for Sitel since 2005. The renewed business partnership rolled out on November 3, and ExcelAsia began operating a dedicated site for Sitel to guarantee 200 or more successfully placed call center agents every month.
Sitel is confident that the firm will meet its recruitment needs. Dan Reyes, President, Sitel Philippines said, “We expect that ExcelAsia will provide the resources necessary to give Sitel the number and quality of human resources required for its growing business.”
To meet the monthly guarantee for Sitel, ExcelAsia is expanding its training facility in Makati. ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte said that its existing Makati facility will continue to serve other BPO clients. However, to meet demand by these clients, ExcelAsia plans to develop other dedicated facilities as well, with each facility exclusively serving a major BPO.
“Our dedicated site strategy will also be implemented for our other BPO clients,” Trillo-Ugarte explained. “For each dedicated site, clients will have around six account managers, six trainers, and training classes operating solely for them. This allows the dedicated site to focus on only one client, thereby getting more hires. All recruitment and training processes will be customized to that specific client’s needs to help boost passing rates among endorsed applicants.”
ExcelAsia plans to roll out dedicated centers to their Alabang, Cebu, and Bacolod sites. Demand for ExcelAsia’s services has increased and dedicated sites will cut the delivery time of human resource solutions without sacrificing quality, according to Trillo-Ugarte.
Reyes expressed confidence with the firm’s plans, saying “ExcelAsia has been one of the most consistent and strongest HR providers for Sitel. I believe the new partnership will further enhance our relationship and work to benefit both parties. There will be more cooperation between the two organizations to increase the yield of qualified applicants into the Sitel system.”
ExcelAsia has served as a human resource provider for Sitel since 2005. The renewed business partnership rolled out on November 3, and ExcelAsia began operating a dedicated site for Sitel to guarantee 200 or more successfully placed call center agents every month.
Sitel is confident that the firm will meet its recruitment needs. Dan Reyes, President, Sitel Philippines said, “We expect that ExcelAsia will provide the resources necessary to give Sitel the number and quality of human resources required for its growing business.”
To meet the monthly guarantee for Sitel, ExcelAsia is expanding its training facility in Makati. ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte said that its existing Makati facility will continue to serve other BPO clients. However, to meet demand by these clients, ExcelAsia plans to develop other dedicated facilities as well, with each facility exclusively serving a major BPO.
“Our dedicated site strategy will also be implemented for our other BPO clients,” Trillo-Ugarte explained. “For each dedicated site, clients will have around six account managers, six trainers, and training classes operating solely for them. This allows the dedicated site to focus on only one client, thereby getting more hires. All recruitment and training processes will be customized to that specific client’s needs to help boost passing rates among endorsed applicants.”
ExcelAsia plans to roll out dedicated centers to their Alabang, Cebu, and Bacolod sites. Demand for ExcelAsia’s services has increased and dedicated sites will cut the delivery time of human resource solutions without sacrificing quality, according to Trillo-Ugarte.
Reyes expressed confidence with the firm’s plans, saying “ExcelAsia has been one of the most consistent and strongest HR providers for Sitel. I believe the new partnership will further enhance our relationship and work to benefit both parties. There will be more cooperation between the two organizations to increase the yield of qualified applicants into the Sitel system.”
Survey: 2009 Prospects Good to Outstanding for Non-voice BPOs
Business prospects in 2009 for non-voice providers of business process outsourcing (BPO) services are good to outstanding according to respondents participating in an industry survey. Almost 65% of respondents said 2009 prospects are excellent to outstanding, and 30 percent said prospects are good. Only five percent of respondents said 2009 business prospects are only fair, and none responded that prospects are poor.
The survey results confirm that despite the impact of the global financial crisis on business activity in major markets, providers of non-voice outsourced business process services are optimistic that their businesses will continue to grow next year. A total of 188 respondents participated in the survey, which was sent to 583 BPO executives, providing a 32% response rate. Eighty-four percent of respondents provide non-voice outsourced business process services.
The survey was conducted by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) and Outsource2Philippines (O2P) and managed by strategic marketing communications firm TeamAsia. The complete results of the survey will be presented in a breakfast briefing December 3 for senior industry executives. The briefing is being organized by BPA/P and O2P with the support of TeamAsia, human resource solutions provider ExcelAsia, and recruitment consultant World Pacific.
Non-voice business process services include animation and graphics, back office services such as HR administration and accounting, customer care, engineering services, financial services, software development and other services and tech support. Most respondents, 91%, said the value add of their services was moderate, high, or very high, indicating that most non-voice BPO services provided in the Philippines are at least reasonably sophisticated.
Delegates attending the December 3 breakfast briefing, “Going Voiceless: The State of Philippine Non-Voice BPO,” will receive a detailed summary of the survey, which consisted of 20 questions ranging from current and anticipated employee base to projected revenue growth in 2009. Information on the briefing is available at http://www.teamasia.com/events/Going_Voiceless/ or e-mail LA Limjoco at lllimjoco@teamasia.com.
The survey results confirm that despite the impact of the global financial crisis on business activity in major markets, providers of non-voice outsourced business process services are optimistic that their businesses will continue to grow next year. A total of 188 respondents participated in the survey, which was sent to 583 BPO executives, providing a 32% response rate. Eighty-four percent of respondents provide non-voice outsourced business process services.
The survey was conducted by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) and Outsource2Philippines (O2P) and managed by strategic marketing communications firm TeamAsia. The complete results of the survey will be presented in a breakfast briefing December 3 for senior industry executives. The briefing is being organized by BPA/P and O2P with the support of TeamAsia, human resource solutions provider ExcelAsia, and recruitment consultant World Pacific.
Non-voice business process services include animation and graphics, back office services such as HR administration and accounting, customer care, engineering services, financial services, software development and other services and tech support. Most respondents, 91%, said the value add of their services was moderate, high, or very high, indicating that most non-voice BPO services provided in the Philippines are at least reasonably sophisticated.
Delegates attending the December 3 breakfast briefing, “Going Voiceless: The State of Philippine Non-Voice BPO,” will receive a detailed summary of the survey, which consisted of 20 questions ranging from current and anticipated employee base to projected revenue growth in 2009. Information on the briefing is available at http://www.teamasia.com/events/Going_Voiceless/ or e-mail LA Limjoco at lllimjoco@teamasia.com.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
ExcelAsia, TeamAsia, ATR KimEng Sponsor BPAP and O2P Executive Forum
Photo shows (from left) Jose Antonio Vilar, PSE Assistant Head for Marketing Services – Capital Markets Development Division; Rita Trillo-Ugarte, ExcelAsia President; Gillian Joyce Virata, BPAP Executive Director for Information and Research; Clarish Barundia , TeamAsia Program Assistant, and Oscar Sañez, BPAP President.
Human resource solutions firm ExcelAsia, strategic marketing communications firm TeamAsia, and full-service investment bank ATR KimEng are sponsoring a breakfast briefing, “On the Road to Going Public: A Forum for Corporate Executives Considering Equity Funding.” The briefing is being organized by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines ’ and Outsource2Philippines with the support of the Philippine Stock Exchange.
Human resource solutions firm ExcelAsia, strategic marketing communications firm TeamAsia, and full-service investment bank ATR KimEng are sponsoring a breakfast briefing, “On the Road to Going Public: A Forum for Corporate Executives Considering Equity Funding.” The briefing is being organized by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines ’ and Outsource2Philippines with the support of the Philippine Stock Exchange.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Alternatives for Equity Funding Available to Support Growth of O&O Companies
To facilitate expansion plans, local offshoring and outsourcing companies have the option of equity funding through initial public offerings and other means, an industry spokesperson said.
“Many O&O companies are planning to expand their operations in the Philippines ,” said Oscar Sañez, chief executive officer of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines.
“And of course any expansion plan requires capital. Equity funding, through IPOs and other means, can be leveraged to support these strategic development initiatives.”
According to a survey BPA/P conducted with Outsource2Philippines, 65 percent of 81 respondents—executives of companies in the local O&O industry—are considering options for equity funding to fuel expansion plans. The majority of respondents hope to generate between PHP100 million to PHP500 million in investment capital, either through private placement, venture capital, initial public offering, or angel investment.
“This data clearly shows that the idea of accessing equity funding is being considered by a significant number of industry players,” said Sañez. “Accelerating growth through equity funding will benefit the industry,” he said.
By 2010, BPA/P’s O&O industry roadmap projects that the Philippines will capture 10 percent of the global O&O market with revenues of US$12 billion. “Naturally, our chances of reaching and exceeding that goal will increase if local services providers expand quickly.” said Sañez. “Equity funding can play a core role in providing the resources to expand.”
BPA/P and O2P, in association with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), will present a senior executive business briefing on equity funding September 18, 2008, from 7:30 am to 10:30 am, at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. Entitled, “On the Road to Going Public, the forum will focus on equity funding alternatives for companies in the O&O industry. Aside from industry executives, delegates from the finance, legal, and investment sectors are also expected to attend the briefing.
On the Road to Going Public is sponsored by ExcelAsia, ATR KimEng Capital Partners, and TeamAsia. Aside from Sañez, other confirmed speakers for the event include Frank Holz, CEO, O2P; Atty. Francis Lim, president, PSE; Luz Lorenzo, regional economist, ATR-KimEng Securities Inc.; Joey Gurango, chief executive officer, Gurango Software; and Rainerio “Bong” Borja, president, PeopleSupport Philippines Inc.
“Many O&O companies are planning to expand their operations in the Philippines ,” said Oscar Sañez, chief executive officer of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines.
“And of course any expansion plan requires capital. Equity funding, through IPOs and other means, can be leveraged to support these strategic development initiatives.”
According to a survey BPA/P conducted with Outsource2Philippines, 65 percent of 81 respondents—executives of companies in the local O&O industry—are considering options for equity funding to fuel expansion plans. The majority of respondents hope to generate between PHP100 million to PHP500 million in investment capital, either through private placement, venture capital, initial public offering, or angel investment.
“This data clearly shows that the idea of accessing equity funding is being considered by a significant number of industry players,” said Sañez. “Accelerating growth through equity funding will benefit the industry,” he said.
By 2010, BPA/P’s O&O industry roadmap projects that the Philippines will capture 10 percent of the global O&O market with revenues of US$12 billion. “Naturally, our chances of reaching and exceeding that goal will increase if local services providers expand quickly.” said Sañez. “Equity funding can play a core role in providing the resources to expand.”
BPA/P and O2P, in association with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), will present a senior executive business briefing on equity funding September 18, 2008, from 7:30 am to 10:30 am, at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. Entitled, “On the Road to Going Public, the forum will focus on equity funding alternatives for companies in the O&O industry. Aside from industry executives, delegates from the finance, legal, and investment sectors are also expected to attend the briefing.
On the Road to Going Public is sponsored by ExcelAsia, ATR KimEng Capital Partners, and TeamAsia. Aside from Sañez, other confirmed speakers for the event include Frank Holz, CEO, O2P; Atty. Francis Lim, president, PSE; Luz Lorenzo, regional economist, ATR-KimEng Securities Inc.; Joey Gurango, chief executive officer, Gurango Software; and Rainerio “Bong” Borja, president, PeopleSupport Philippines Inc.
ExcelAsia Taps Bacolod as the Next Wave BPO Hub
ExcelAsia, a rapidly growing HR solutions provider, recently tapped Bacolod as one of the next wave cities to emerge as a Business Process Outsourcing hub. As plans of expansion rolled out, ExcelAsia chose to position its first new site this year in Bacolod and formally opened it this September.
Bacolod was identified by the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project as one of the most competitive cities in the country in terms of infrastructure, business potential, and overall quality of life. Also this year, the Institute for Development and Economic Analysis Inc., or Idea, also cited Bacolod in its Outsourcing Study as one of the best alternative locations to expand outsourced services.
With clients such as Teletech and Convergys operating in Bacolod, ExcelAsia expects to train approximately 300 call center near-hires every month in this new facility. ExcelAsia provides free call center training for applicants certified as “near-hires” by potential employers. Near-hires are applicants who require remedial training to qualify for employment.
According to ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte, the new Bacolod site will serve as one of their chief offices strategically situated within the Mindanao region. Prior to this, ExcelAsia already positioned its training and recruitment operations in Cebu and in Makati City.
“To provide for crucial ramp-ups happening in our BPO clients, ExcelAsia has positioned itself to be within our clients’ reach.” Trillo-Ugarte said. “Our expansion plan is also our way of bringing more jobs to Filipinos who wish to start their career in this industry.”
ExcelAsia is accredited by TESDA to provide training services under PGMA’s Training for Work Scholarship Program. The program provides free skills training for Filipino job-seekers who wish to work in the BPO industry. With a hiring rate of 80% after training, ExcelAsia brings their free training service to Bacolod to leverage call center skills among its potential hires.
Trillo-Ugarte also said that her company’s nationwide expansion plan demonstrates the success ExcelAsia has attained since beginning operations in 2005. “We have consistently exceeded our year-on-year targets from our first year of operation,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “Later this year, we also plan to increase our capacity in the Cebu site and also plan to open a facility in Baguio.”
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About ExcelAsia
ExcelAsia provides industry-leading Human Resources Solutions to more than 30 multinational companies in the Philippines. The firm is staffed by training and recruitment experts who provide end-to-end Human Resource solutions: sourcing and recruitment, executive search and business consultancy, and employee training and development. ExcelAsia is a professional and reliable service-oriented company that services the growing HR needs of Contact Centers and other Business Process Outsourcing sectors. At present, ExcelAsia is headquartered in Manila with offices in Cebu, Bacolod and Alabang. It has trained and deployed over 16,000 Filipino jobseekers.
Bacolod was identified by the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project as one of the most competitive cities in the country in terms of infrastructure, business potential, and overall quality of life. Also this year, the Institute for Development and Economic Analysis Inc., or Idea, also cited Bacolod in its Outsourcing Study as one of the best alternative locations to expand outsourced services.
With clients such as Teletech and Convergys operating in Bacolod, ExcelAsia expects to train approximately 300 call center near-hires every month in this new facility. ExcelAsia provides free call center training for applicants certified as “near-hires” by potential employers. Near-hires are applicants who require remedial training to qualify for employment.
According to ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte, the new Bacolod site will serve as one of their chief offices strategically situated within the Mindanao region. Prior to this, ExcelAsia already positioned its training and recruitment operations in Cebu and in Makati City.
“To provide for crucial ramp-ups happening in our BPO clients, ExcelAsia has positioned itself to be within our clients’ reach.” Trillo-Ugarte said. “Our expansion plan is also our way of bringing more jobs to Filipinos who wish to start their career in this industry.”
ExcelAsia is accredited by TESDA to provide training services under PGMA’s Training for Work Scholarship Program. The program provides free skills training for Filipino job-seekers who wish to work in the BPO industry. With a hiring rate of 80% after training, ExcelAsia brings their free training service to Bacolod to leverage call center skills among its potential hires.
Trillo-Ugarte also said that her company’s nationwide expansion plan demonstrates the success ExcelAsia has attained since beginning operations in 2005. “We have consistently exceeded our year-on-year targets from our first year of operation,” Trillo-Ugarte said. “Later this year, we also plan to increase our capacity in the Cebu site and also plan to open a facility in Baguio.”
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About ExcelAsia
ExcelAsia provides industry-leading Human Resources Solutions to more than 30 multinational companies in the Philippines. The firm is staffed by training and recruitment experts who provide end-to-end Human Resource solutions: sourcing and recruitment, executive search and business consultancy, and employee training and development. ExcelAsia is a professional and reliable service-oriented company that services the growing HR needs of Contact Centers and other Business Process Outsourcing sectors. At present, ExcelAsia is headquartered in Manila with offices in Cebu, Bacolod and Alabang. It has trained and deployed over 16,000 Filipino jobseekers.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Symposium on Outsourcing Sector Set on September
Local IT heroes to speak on equity funding alternatives for local startups
Outsource2Philippines and Business Processing Association of the Philippines announced that an executive business briefing, “On the Road to Going Public”, will take place September 18, 2008, from 7:30 am to 10:30 am, at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. Organized in association with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), the forum will focus on equity funding alternatives for companies in the Offshoring and Outsourcing industry.
On the Road to Going Public is a joint undertaking by BPA/P and O2P to support development of the Philippine O&O industry. The forum will feature presentations by high-level executives representing major industry players, including PeopleSupport Philippines Inc. president Rainerio “Bong” Borja and Gurango Software CEO Joey Gurango. Investment experts such as ATR-KimEng Securities Inc. regional economist Luz Lorenzo are also featured.
Considered a driving force behind the massive growth of the call center sector in the Philippines , Borja is a highly respected figure in the O&O industry. A member of BPA/P’s Board of Trustees, he is president of PeopleSupport Philippines Inc.—a fully-owned subsidiary of one of the world’s leading BPO companies, PeopleSupport Inc.
Last month, PeopleSupport Philippines announced that it is being acquired by Indian business conglomerate Essar Group for US$250 million. The company is scheduled to merge with Essar Group’s Aegis BPO, combining PeopleSupport Philippines ’ seven facilities (7,000 seats) with Aegis’ 25 facilities (14,000 seats).
Borja will participate in the briefing as an industry panelist. He played a major role in PeopleSupport’s initial public offering on the NASDAQ exchange in the United States . Borja is also well-versed with local and regional markets and is a member of the US-ASEAN Business Council and the Makati Business Development Association. He travels extensively in support of PeopleSupport’s global operations.
Software entrepreneur Joey Gurango will discuss his experience founding and preparing companies to go public. Gurango Software is an award-winning Microsoft Dynamics partner that develops and distributes products for the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem. Founded in 2003, the company has developed into a multinational software company, with offices in the US , Singapore, Australia, and South Africa aside from its local headquarters in the Philippines .
Lorenzo is an economist for ATR-KimEng Securities Inc.—a subsidiary of Philippine-based investment holding company, ATR KimEng Financial Corporation. ATR-KimEng Securities facilitates research, sales, execution capabilities for its institutional and retail clients worldwide. The company is considered the leading Filipino-controlled stock brokerage firm. In 2006, it was ranked sixth in total trading volume in the PSE.
O2P and BPA/P officials said the On the Road to Going Public breakfast briefing will serve as a venue for O&O company executives to acquaint themselves with the rules governing and processes involved in acquiring equity funding.
Other confirmed speakers for the event include Oscar Sañez, CEO, BPA/P; Frank Holz, CEO, O2P; Atty. Francis Lim, president, PSE; Karen Batungbacal, president, ICT Group Philippines; James Donovan, CEO, ADEC Solutions; Roberto Juanchito Dispo, chairman, First Metro Securities; Varvie Roldan, office of the general counsel, PSE; and Justina Callangan, corporate finance department director, Securities and Exchange Commission.
Outsource2Philippines and Business Processing Association of the Philippines announced that an executive business briefing, “On the Road to Going Public”, will take place September 18, 2008, from 7:30 am to 10:30 am, at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. Organized in association with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), the forum will focus on equity funding alternatives for companies in the Offshoring and Outsourcing industry.
On the Road to Going Public is a joint undertaking by BPA/P and O2P to support development of the Philippine O&O industry. The forum will feature presentations by high-level executives representing major industry players, including PeopleSupport Philippines Inc. president Rainerio “Bong” Borja and Gurango Software CEO Joey Gurango. Investment experts such as ATR-KimEng Securities Inc. regional economist Luz Lorenzo are also featured.
Considered a driving force behind the massive growth of the call center sector in the Philippines , Borja is a highly respected figure in the O&O industry. A member of BPA/P’s Board of Trustees, he is president of PeopleSupport Philippines Inc.—a fully-owned subsidiary of one of the world’s leading BPO companies, PeopleSupport Inc.
Last month, PeopleSupport Philippines announced that it is being acquired by Indian business conglomerate Essar Group for US$250 million. The company is scheduled to merge with Essar Group’s Aegis BPO, combining PeopleSupport Philippines ’ seven facilities (7,000 seats) with Aegis’ 25 facilities (14,000 seats).
Borja will participate in the briefing as an industry panelist. He played a major role in PeopleSupport’s initial public offering on the NASDAQ exchange in the United States . Borja is also well-versed with local and regional markets and is a member of the US-ASEAN Business Council and the Makati Business Development Association. He travels extensively in support of PeopleSupport’s global operations.
Software entrepreneur Joey Gurango will discuss his experience founding and preparing companies to go public. Gurango Software is an award-winning Microsoft Dynamics partner that develops and distributes products for the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem. Founded in 2003, the company has developed into a multinational software company, with offices in the US , Singapore, Australia, and South Africa aside from its local headquarters in the Philippines .
Lorenzo is an economist for ATR-KimEng Securities Inc.—a subsidiary of Philippine-based investment holding company, ATR KimEng Financial Corporation. ATR-KimEng Securities facilitates research, sales, execution capabilities for its institutional and retail clients worldwide. The company is considered the leading Filipino-controlled stock brokerage firm. In 2006, it was ranked sixth in total trading volume in the PSE.
O2P and BPA/P officials said the On the Road to Going Public breakfast briefing will serve as a venue for O&O company executives to acquaint themselves with the rules governing and processes involved in acquiring equity funding.
Other confirmed speakers for the event include Oscar Sañez, CEO, BPA/P; Frank Holz, CEO, O2P; Atty. Francis Lim, president, PSE; Karen Batungbacal, president, ICT Group Philippines; James Donovan, CEO, ADEC Solutions; Roberto Juanchito Dispo, chairman, First Metro Securities; Varvie Roldan, office of the general counsel, PSE; and Justina Callangan, corporate finance department director, Securities and Exchange Commission.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Photo shows (from left) Annie Trillo, ExcelAsia’s Vice President; Gloria Cejero, Director for HR Consulting Services, PeopleSupport; Monica Feliciano, Senior Recruitment Manager, PeopleSupport; Naomi Oliver-Alleje, Communications Training Supervisor, ExcelAsia
PeopleSupport named ExcelAsia, a leading human resource solutions provider, as one of its best partners for 2007 in its first-ever Vendors Appreciation Night. The recent event recognized excellent service from the contact center’s third party providers.
“This event was held in recognition of the services rendered by all of our recruitment partners,” said Diego Castro, PeopleSupport HR Recruitment Marketing and Communications Manager. “It’s our own way of giving back to our partners that have rendered outstanding services.”
PeopleSupport best partner awardees were chosen based on high endorsement numbers and hit rates last year, Castro added.
PeopleSupport first engaged ExcelAsia’s services in 2005, when the human resources solutions firm had just one facility in Cebu. When the company expanded to Makati City in 2006, PeopleSupport extended the relationship for agent-level hiring.
To meet client demand for volume hiring and frequent agent ramp-ups, ExcelAsia trains and endorses near-hires—job candidates who come close to qualifying for a job but need additional skill development—following completion of a special skills training program, which is conducted in partnership with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Training for Work Scholarship Program under the auspices of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
As an accredited provider of the program, ExcelAsia conducts two- to three-week training programs on basic computer skills and English proficiency. “On an average, we train around 500-700 near-hires a month.” ExcelAsia President Rita Trillo-Ugarte said.
“This award from PeopleSupport validates how our system has become an important tool enabling our clients to meet increasing agent-hiring demand.” Trillo-Ugarte said.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Headstrong Boosts IT Delivery Services with Integrated Solution
Manila--Headstrong, a global consulting and IT services company, is undertaking a “global process harmonization” initiative to integrate process asset libraries from Global Delivery Centers in the Philippines and India. The harmonization will not only provide a common process asset library but will combine the best practices and process strengths of all delivery centers into one global standard.
The company’s process asset libraries provide a centralized knowledge base for defining and deploying processes to address client requirements. Harmonization of the libraries will ensure that the delivery centers will be following the same set of quality processes.
Ongoing process harmonization has already contributed to an enhanced ISO certification for the company. Headstrong is currently certified for ISO 9001:2000 and scheduled for re-assessment for CMMi Level 3 in Q1 2009. Headstrong Philippines was previously certified for CMMi Level 3 and is looking forward to a simultaneous re-assessment of all Global Delivery Centers early next year.
“In harmonizing these process libraries, we ensure clients that they receive the Headstrong standard of quality in IT delivery from any of our Global Delivery Centers. This provides the client the flexibility to outsource the work in many Headstrong locations and still be assured that the high level of service quality will be same,” said Salud Domagas, Delivery Assurance Group head. Harmonization started in March and Headstrong expects to roll out its integrated process asset library for all GDCs next month.
The integrated Process Infrastructure, called the One Process Asset Library or OnePAL is the process foundation that enables Headstrong’s project managers and consultants to develop effective solutions for its clients. OnePAL was undertaken in response to the clients’ demand for a service delivery that is at par with globally recognized quality standards for software and IT solutions.
The Manila and India GDCs are collaborating on the development and implementation of One PAL. “The real challenge to completing the process integration is to get the all the process areas defined and enhanced with the best practices while ensuring the full coverage of the individual centers needs. The communication among the various Task Forces needed to be closely coordinated and seamless, considering the different time zones of the locations. The greater challenge remains the simultaneous roll-out in all GDCs in the coming months,” she said.
Headstrong, through the Delivery Assurance Group, is also working on further strengthening its capability in offshore outsourcing services through the major initiatives in the areas of knowledge management, tools and automation and further certifications in information systems security, CMMi and towards Six Sigma.
“DAG is focused on being a proactive partner to the Delivery Groups - to go beyond the standard compliance and facilitation activities, rather, to actively improve overall productivity and capability of the delivery centers," said Domagas.
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About Headstrong
Headstrong is a global consulting and IT services company that applies its expertise in business processes and technology across key verticals in the Capital Markets Industry. Headstrong’s client base in the financial services industry includes the top 10 investment banks. It provides domain focused solutions across capital markets business areas – Wealth & Asset Management, Prime Brokerage & Securities Financing, Equities (Cash and Derivatives) and Fixed Income (Mortgage Backed Securities, OTC Derivatives and Commodities). Headstrong delivers solutions in Business Process Definition, Systems Integration, Application Development, Application Outsourcing, QA and Testing Services and Knowledge Process Outsourcing. Headstrong helps its clients realize value from their business and technology initiatives while leveraging a steadfast heritage (as James Martin + Co) of strong methodologies and global program management. Headstrong is headquartered near Washington DC, with a global presence across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
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