e-Precision

A Transition to Higher Value Services in BPO Philippines

Christmas Amidst Pandemic

A Transition to Higher Value Services in BPO Philippines At the turn of the century, the Philippines’ outsourcing sector has seen spectacular growth as top businesses throughout the globe have benefited from the high-quality/high-value BPO services offered by the nation. Millions of Filipinos have received good, well-paying jobs thanks to the business. Also, it has boosted the nation’s economic growth and continues to draw foreign investment. To remain competitive, BPO providers in the Philippines will need to change their business model to offer more complicated, higher-value services as outsourcing services develop. “Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the BPO industry globally. The majority of the work performed in offshore locations like the Philippines is simple and repetitive, and soon, AI will handle practically all of these duties. New technologies are already automating many chores, especially with the help of voice assistants that become more intelligent. According to Ralf Ellspermann, CEO of PITON-Global, a multi-award-winning mid-sized BPO in the Philippines, one effective example is the chatbot that replies to client queries on a company’s website. As long as AI is used, businesses will be able to give customers the information they require in a quicker, more practical, and economical manner. There will undoubtedly be a significant increase in the demand for technology-focused businesses, which will have an effect on BPO providers in the Philippines and internationally. To meet this demand, outsourcing companies in the Philippines will need to upskill their BPO staff. “While it won’t happen immediately, BPOs should begin changing the makeup of their personnel immediately. Future jobs that will be delegated to the Philippines are almost certainly going to be more difficult. These will be tasks that are difficult to automate and still require engagement from humans. Naturally, fewer agents will be required to handle activities that are outsourced as they get more complicated. According to Mr. Ellspermann, BPO leaders must make sure they are creating the best BPO workforces for both today and tomorrow. Knowledge process outsourcing will become more popular as AI is used for simple, repetitive jobs (KPO). These are the harder-to-do activities that are frequently quite specialized. They call for agents to have a more specialized or technical skill set, like, for instance, accountancy, research, web design, and digital marketing. In terms of this high-value (non-voice) BPO and KPO services, India still has a significant competitive advantage over the Philippines. The BPO industry in the Philippines is now developed enough to make the move to higher-value services, thus the country does have some benefits. The Philippines already dominates the world in terms of outsourcing voice-related services, and BPOs have started turning their attention to more intricate services. This calls for the use of cutting-edge technologies, data analytics, and difficult-to-automate process design. Moreover, BPO providers are spending more money on internal training programs and developing curricula for institutions to train their workforces on these high-value services. In the past twenty years, the Philippines has become a global leader in offering value-added business processes and outsourcing services as a result of its success as a BPO haven. The nation is ranked first for voice-related services and second overall in the world for outsourcing locations. Yet, with the rise of AI, BPO firms in the Philippines need to keep spending money on resources and training in order to deliver higher-value services. AI will soon replace human agents doing basic, lower-level jobs, much as robots have taken the place of humans in many factory settings. According to Mr. Ellspermann, BPOs in the Philippines must start preparing their workforces for this inevitable change and switching from BPO work to higher-value services in order to keep their position as a worldwide leader into the next decade and beyond.

Workforce Impact of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

Christmas Amidst Pandemic

The Transition of Process Work and BPO This article examines a little-discussed facet of the BPO phenomenon, specifically how the growth of the BPO industry has changed the fundamental nature of process labor. The key point is that, up until recently, graduates from reputable Western institutions were thought to be unqualified to do outsourced tasks. For example, call centers, routine claim processing, and other procedural labor were restricted to individuals with the bare minimum of education and were deemed unsuitable for those with degrees. All of this changed, though, when businesses in India and other Asian nations began investing heavily in the BPO industry. This led to numerous graduates from prestigious business schools and commerce colleges joining the BPO industry in India and the Philippines, indicating that the profession was regarded as a worthwhile vocation to pursue. As a result, the nature of the work has changed, which has had an impact on how the process outsourcing sector has boosted the quality of products. For instance, several studies have shown that organizations in India are able to provide better results while incurring lower operational costs as a result of the implementation of quality frameworks like Six Sigma, TQM, etc. Western businesses have made enormous gains as a result of this, and the work is now done with a certain level of professionalism. It is true that what is regarded as a low-level occupation in the US and Europe is regarded as a dazzling career in India and the Philippines and the preferred option of millions of young professionals. India is wanting to advance up the curve and contemplate KPO or Knowledge Work, which is cerebral and intellectual as the base levels of the ladder have already been attained, as was said above due to the alteration of the nature of process work. The key takeaway is that while high-end knowledge labor generates more value-adding activities, placing a premium on it allows Asian businesses to advance up the value chain. Because there is a sizable pool of competent individuals in postgraduate courses, businesses in India can use this workforce to complete high-end tasks. This is one of the factors that makes Indian businesses more popular for BPO work than those in other nations.   Last but not least, the BPO industry may be held responsible for night shifts and an overreliance on American accents as a means of success. Given the previously covered topics, it is clear that there are other ways to characterize the BPO industry, and the pros by far outweigh the negatives. It is so evident that the next stage of the invention is just around the corner, and it is hoped that Indian businesses would embrace the chance just as they did with prior stages of innovation.

Workforce Impact of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

Christmas Amidst Pandemic

Workforce Impact of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) This was essentially a macro perspective on the effects that the BPO sector has had on various nations. In this essay, we delve deeper and examine how the BPO industry has impacted the workforce’s lifestyles and how working there has impacted their professional lives. The first was that many young people were introduced to the high life with large incomes and enormous perks that included the best of what was available with the emergence of the BPO industry in Asian nations. Consequently, this has resulted in the emergence of a sizable portion of the workforce that is dependent on the western way of life and hence out of step with the norms of the average worker in these nations. This has led to animosity among those who are left out of the global economy and in nations like India; this resentment clearly manifests blatantly numerous times. Even though BPO executives have warned their employees against showing off their wealth, the fact that they work in posh offices and live like Westerners has caused resentment among the general public, who either feel left out because they lack the skills or are unable to take advantage of opportunities because they are unprepared. The other factor that needs to be discussed is the fact that the BPO industry often operates at night in nations like India and the Philippines because to the time zone difference between these nations and the US. This has resulted in health difficulties and issues brought on by irregular eating and sleeping patterns. Furthermore, one of the many concerns that have been stated by the BPO workforce is that they must be rotated between the overnight working hours and the daytime working hours if they are to remain fit and healthy. In fact, many BPO’s use the services of qualified medical personnel to assist their employees in striking a healthy work life balance and to see that they do not burn out prematurely. Regarding the professional effects of the BPO industry, the workforce in these nations is very professional and familiar with western working practices. This is a significant advantage that working in the BPO sector has given the workers compared to the drawbacks that we have previously addressed. The key takeaway from this is that these individuals are now capable of taking on the challenges of world-class work because of the skill development and value-adding work they have done. In conclusion, the BPO business has had both beneficial and negative effects on the workforce. It is the responsibility of the sector leaders to make sure that the positive effects outweigh the negative ones and that the employees have a healthy balance between their personal and professional lives.

BPO and the Global Economy: The East’s Assumption of Power

Christmas Amidst Pandemic

BPO and the Global Economy: The East’s Assumption of Power The BPO phenomenon has changed how the United States and Europe regard the emerging nations of the East in recent years as a result of the growing globalization of the international economy. For instance, the growing trend of businesses outsourcing back office work to the Philippines and India has given the West a favorable perception of the professionalism and work ethic of the Asian nations.   Of course, with the first surge of outsourcing in the IT sector and the manufacturing industries to India and China respectively had done their bit to shift the opinions of the West towards the East. Through the BPO phenomenon, which has destroyed various prejudices linked with Asian countries, Westerners’ perceptions of the East have been significantly enhanced.   The other part of the BPO phenomena is that, in terms of performing work connected to back office operations, more and more Asian countries are advancing up the value chain. With the number of patents being filed on behalf of technology and KPO companies, this has led to a greater emphasis on performing high-end work, and the East is no longer the laggard that it once was; instead, it now competes on an equal footing with the West. It is true that research and development were carried out in South Korea and Singapore even in earlier decades (to name a couple of countries). China and India, on the other hand, were thought to be permanently hampered by resource scarcity and population growth. The fact that these two nations are being discussed seriously by western firms is to their credit.   The third facet of the BPO phenomenon is the growing assurance with which Asian nations like India have been able to foster a group of professionals who are self-assured and feel empowered to think large. India and China do have an advantage in that their labor force is largely young. We discussed how expanding populations in India and China in prior decades were a burden in the previous paragraph. Strangely, it is these very flaws that have helped these nations shift the tide in their favor, and this is an amazing accomplishment.   Last but not least, the BPO phenomenon has also led to India adding a sizeable sum of dollars to its foreign reserves, which is undoubtedly another achievement for the country. It would be logical to assume that the BPO companies would benefit from the recent decline in the value of the rupee because it boosts their competitiveness and at the same time results in higher rupee earnings. All of these changes show a shift in power toward the East in terms of efficiency and competitiveness. The East is no longer regarded as a region of mystics; instead, it is now true that these nations are global leaders in both manufacturing and services.

Benefits And Risks Of BPO

Christmas Amidst Pandemic

Benefits And Risks Of BPO The decision to outsource your business procedures has both benefits and drawbacks. Let’s examine them more closely: Benefits Here are some of the main advantages of using a third-party provider. Prioritize your core competencies Although vital, tasks like data entry and payroll aren’t what your company focuses on. Your organization may concentrate on its core business operations if you outsource these administrative duties to BPO services. If you own a marketing agency, for instance, outsourcing your administrative work can free up more time and resources for you to develop client-specific marketing plans! As a result, your company may concentrate on growing up the value chain, which can provide it a significant competitive edge. Saving Money This is the key justification for why companies use BPO services. 59% of businesses outsource in an effort to reduce costs. Why? When you hire internal staff, you must shell out a sizeable sum for training, supplies, tools, and salary. A workspace or office must also be rented. However, all these expenses are reduced when you outsource a portion of your business. Additionally, the majority of BPO providers are situated in developing nations with lower living expenses. In this method, you may hire top people for much less money! Access to Talented People You can access the best minds on the planet when you outsource your business! Your access to talent is no longer restricted by location! Additionally, they’ll be less expensive to hire than a full-time office staff because you’re simply using them for specialized duties. They will also be entirely focused on their work because they are only engaged for certain services, which will increase their productivity. Risks Despite the benefits of outsourcing, there are also a number of negative aspects: Risks to Data Security You give your data to a third-party vendor when you outsource your task. Since this information is shared outside of your firm, both hackers and outsourced company employees may steal it. When the service provider’s data center is located abroad, maintaining security can be challenging because their privacy regulations might not be the same as yours. It would be challenging to file a lawsuit in the event that something goes wrong. How can you defend your company against these dangers? Have a lawyer establish contracts that safeguard your business and the BPO service if you’re dealing with patents, copyrights, or other sensitive information. Even NDAs and other contracts might be signed to safeguard your privacy. Communicative Problems You can conduct face-to-face interactions with internal staff members in a matter of minutes, making communication with them straightforward. However, giving feedback to staff members of a third party might be a tiresome process. This is what can cause contact with a BPO service provider to be delayed: language differences discrepancies in time zones varying degrees of agency-wide input These flaws might reduce productivity and cause challenges with your company’s operations. How can the communication gap be closed? Consider writing instruction manuals that cover any problem your vendors might encounter. Systems for virtual communication like Slack and Zoom can also be used to communicate more effectively. Monitoring Problems It can be challenging to keep track of your BPO staff’s performance when you outsource. Consider this. Thousands of kilometers may separate you from your BPO provider. How would you confirm: When they are engaged in work If people visit unproductive websites while at work If your tasks really did take that long to finish How do you evaluate their performance then? You may use effective performance monitoring tools.        

8 Guidelines for Effective Outsourcing

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8 Guidelines for Effective Outsourcing A wonderful method to save costs while advancing your company is through outsourcing. As appealing as outsourcing may sound, there are risks involved. As a result, this post will go through eight suggestions for a fruitful outsourcing journey. Think about your requirements, aims, and targets. Consider your needs as one of the first things you should do before joining the outsourcing bandwagon. Which department most needs assistance? Do you require assistance with hiring, bookkeeping, or customer service? Think about your immediate and long-term objectives as well as what you intend to achieve through outsourcing. Select the ideal management group You must be equipped to oversee daily activities for your outsourced workforce. You must take the time to describe your company’s culture, mission, goals, and regular business operations if you want to achieve good outsourcing results. Think about hiring a committed team manager who will work hard to develop, manage, and oversee your outsourced workforce. Small at first One common piece of outsourcing advice is: “Avoid outsourcing everything all at once.” By initially outsourcing just one or two tasks, you may test the waters. Start by assigning duties that you feel confident delegating. You can gradually outsource more duties as soon as you’re happy with the results. By beginning small, you can avoid the pressure or overwhelming feeling of hiring several teams to complete tasks that are outside of your purview. You can assign more jobs or projects to the chosen service provider once you have a better understanding of the procedure from actual outsourcing experience. Select the best contracting model for your projects. The state of Texas hired IBM to provide outsourcing services in 2006 so that 27 state agencies’ data centers could be combined into two. This involved a seven-year, $863 million contract. Sadly, after 4 years, IBM had only finished 12% of the project. The state suffered enormous financial losses as a result of failing to integrate the IT system. Designing a set price model for short-term contracts or a material and time model for longer-term contracts will help you prevent outsourcing failures. A contract with set due dates can also be created. These choices may be advantageous for new businesses or small corporations. Identify potential roadblocks and difficulties Research potential difficulties and hurdles prior to beginning the outsourcing process. Could a barrier result from linguistic and cultural differences? Your data will be safeguarded? Will you be given some degree of control to manage your teams and activities? Make sure you are well aware of the dangers, difficulties, and potential solutions associated with outsourcing. A good service provider will lead you in the right direction. They will give you all the knowledge you require to feel confident about this new business venture. Be upfront and clear with your expectations. The foundation of any successful outsourcing partnership is communication and trust. Understandings can be avoided with good communication with your service provider. Having a clear understanding of your expectations is also essential. Keeping all lines of communication open about every company procedure is one method to guarantee a proper connection built on trust. Have regular meetings every week or month to discuss the most recent information regarding the ongoing operations. This will solidify your relationship, resulting in a smooth and effective outsourcing process. Investigate various outsourcing strategies Choose the outsourcing model that will best fulfill the needs of your business before you begin looking for a partner. You may choose to lease workers. This model allows you to concentrate on managing the outsourced team while the service provider hires your staff and takes care of all office and infrastructure-related tasks. You may choose to outsource projects individually. For short-term projects where you may set fixed cost rates for a set period of time, paying per project is suitable. Pick a dependable service supplier. The security, viability, and profitability of your organization may depend on your choice of service provider. Think about accessibility, location, staff development, and technical capabilities. Additionally, you want to research the company’s standing, level of knowledge, and capability.