Distress in Globalization

Global businesses aren’t just concerned with gaining enough revenues and making it to the top, the competition now has fallen on the capability to stay afloat with the stiff competition and the downfall of the global economy. With the help of modernized technology and super computers, business have expanded and developed faster and faster every day.

BPO or Business Process Outsourcing has become one of the few reasons why businesses across the globe have become competitive. Having a virtual call center from a professional and trusted BPO company is your answer to the questions about making it through a globally competitive business world, with a fraction of a cost. You will be able to give your customers the kind of service they deserve plus not burn a whole in your pockets.

Having the aid of a call center is not new; it just evolved into something more beneficial and advanced. Call center services has become the secret of leading businesses, it allows the company to operate in a systematic and smooth manner without the determined costs and payments. It is still a popular plan for emerging businesses with $85 Million of investments. And because of this, there are many who are going into battle with more skilled and proficient call center agents. The proof of this ever popular method is in the way virtual call centers are popping up everywhere.

But the number one reason why the strategy is popular among businesses is the way it reduces the actual spending of money by companies. Outsourcing means not having to pay for an additional room in the company building, hiring new people and buying new equipment. Outsourcing has become popular in countries like India and the Philippines because costs of operations are actually cheaper and there is a steady pool of workforce.

The number of people who are equipped with skills and talents for a call center job are surprisingly huge in these countries. And this is actually a positive thing for big businesses and companies. Handling the multiple tasks of running a business is no easy feat, and you cannot simply ask someone to do all those things. Call centers do all this for you, they hire professionals that have knowledge and skills to address the issues you have to your company. They will be trained and taught how to handle your clients and to give them the best customer service they deserve. Not only that, they will also be in-charge of lead generation and sales for your products. By hiring a virtual call center, it eases your worries about the troubles that come with running a company.

Virtual Call Center

Virtual Call Centers have led the SME’s successful contribution to the economy’s rise. They too have provided the best services according to a recent study. But what is a virtual call center? How different is it that a physical call center? A virtual call center is a call center where in the business or the company agents are physically detached and isolated rather than being stuck in work stations or be in a building, which the company owns, along with other agents of the company.

There are several positive aspects to this kind of arrangement. This is mostly beneficial to the employees since the work schedules are more flexible, there are no strict dress codes to follow and they will be given the comforts of their homes. Having a job in a virtual call center is perfect for those who would want to have stay at home jobs. Second, this arrangement will also be beneficial to the company since the set up will means less costs and expenses especially on housing, lease and equipment.

So why is it to your advantage if you would switch to a virtual call center from physical ones when considering hiring a call center for its services? One, the set up to which virtual call centers are made is designed to ease for both the employee and the employer. Less costs with maximum profits, the number one reason why businesses and companies exist. Second, the company could provide better services through a systematic approach to receiving calls and rendering services. Another is that virtual call centers do not require your businesses to pay for additional accessories.

Some companies do give the illusion of having a physical call center set up when the reality is that they are virtual call centers. This is because it will look more professional, the client or the customer will be led on to think that they are calling a particular department that will cater to their needs the best possible way when in fact they are calling a call center which is outsourcing and catering to multiple companies and organizations.

But despite these, the success rate of a company is sure to increase when a virtual call center handles the outsourcing. More people are calling in and inquiring, lesser payments for the company because of less expenditure of the virtual call center itself and not to mention the performance of the agents will be closely monitored.

This is a proof of the ongoing evolution of the call center industry and because of all the good it brings, the virtual call center will certainly lead the new generation of call centers in bringing the outsourcing industry into a whole new world.

Philippine BPO Firms Expand Social Media Services

Emerging technologies such as social media are not only changing the way people communicate, but are influencing the services offered by business process outsourcing (BPO) firms as well.

According to some BPO firms, their non-voice service offerings are slowly seeing growth. And a fair amount of non-voice BPO, such as back-office email management, chat processing, coupons processing and claims processing, among others. Social media work is also considered back-office. By helping clients in inserting experts into blogs and forums on the web, so that when there's an issue in the social media realm, we insert an expert there to resolve the issue.

Evolving BPO services

Non-voice BPO services are beginning to push the local BPO market to growth, as voice-based BPO services in the country near saturation. In April, the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) said that non-voice BPO sector has outpaced the contact center industry in 2010, as it posted a high 30-percent growth rate last year. Employing more than 100,000 professionals in this sub-sector—with many of these BPO employees coming from financial and accounting, legal, and medical sciences backgrounds. It is only in the past year that the company has started doing social media relationship management, in response to the changing landscape of consumer technologies.

Consumers today are becoming pretty demanding and expect a high degree of satisfaction, adding that consumers now expect the same level of service rendered in different kinds of channels—be it through the phone, email or social media. Putting some attention into our technology business sector, a decisioning tool was developed to help agents personalize interactions with people on other channels, so customers get the same experience no matter what channel they use.

Young workforce

This shift towards multi-channel customer service demands a new set of skills from agents, but fortunately, the current crop of workers are immersed enough in these new technologies. The younger generation of agents have familiarity with texting, chat and social media. They have wonderful multi-tasking skills, and that's important when you're going to serve customers.

Moreover, BPO clients dealing with new technologies such as smartphones and tablets call for more advanced troubleshooting skills.

Integrating Workforce and Quality Management

The centrality of customer satisfaction is a given in today’s ultra-competitive environment. However, the focus on service quality in contact centers slows behind the rest of the business world because these organizations were developed primarily to serve customers in a cost-effective way. Even today, contact centers have become familiar with complex quality management systems designed to drive customer service but have yet to achieve the right balance of efficiency and service quality.

And so at first, contact centers focused on KPIs such as average call handle time (AHT), agent occupancy, agent adherence and efficiency of resources. Agents were evaluated on speed rather than building their company's relationship with customers, and management lacked a complete picture of their contact center’s performance.

Integrating QM and WFM Systems

On the surface, integrating service quality and efficiency may appear to present a conundrum. Efficiency requires speed, but service quality demands more time to understand and meet the customer’s needs. When the principles of cost control still likely to predominate and return the focus to efficiency, so how can contact centers reconcile the two? The best way involves integration of workforce management (WFM) and quality management (QM) systems used by contact centers to drive both efficiency and service quality.

The Areas of Integration

Here are some key areas open to integration between WFM and QM systems:

*Forecasting

*Integration of call classification data, call volume trends and improvement programs avoids unnecessary and repeat calls by enabling increased accuracy within a fluid, changing and more effective contact center environment.

*Scheduling

*Through integration of skill levels based on QM evaluation of agents, the WFM system can be used to schedule more skilled agents for complex call requests.

*Quality Measurement

*Integrating agent schedules with the QM system helps supervisors choose the best calls for evaluation.

*Allocating Training

Often, QM training is scheduled with little regard for the agent’s other commitments or changing service levels during the course of the day. As a result, agents may be penalized for lack of adherence during training, or for failure to improve if they skip the instruction. Training can automatically be scheduled at appropriate times by integrating the two systems – giving agents input to improve their skills without negatively impacting WFM service levels.

Eventually, each organization must determine the best way to retain and grow its customer and revenue base while keeping expenses in check. An integrated view of all drivers will prove essential for management to make informed decisions in this area.

The CRM Theory and the Art of Profit

Management and economic theory teaches us to examine options with relative scientific objectivity to determine the most efficient and profitable processes to increase revenue. Simply put, we look for the quickest and most effective way to make a profit.

What does economic and management theory teach us about CRM?

A psychologist named Frederick Herzberg, found that job-satisfaction and job-dissatisfaction acted independently of each other. The theory states that there are certain factors in the workplace that causes job satisfaction, while a separate set of factors cause dissatisfaction. The factors that cause job satisfaction are called the motivating factors while the factors that cause dissatisfaction are called hygienic factors. In general, motivational factors tend to increase job satisfaction. Hygienic factors are necessary to prevent dissatisfaction, but only serve to de-motivate job satisfaction if these factors are not present.

If we relate this theory to CRM we can safely state that hygienic factors are those things that the customer expects whenever they purchase your goods or services; the phone is answered in a timely fashion, the bathrooms are clean, orders are fulfilled correctly, and the many things customers simply expect from your company every time they interact with you. Factors that motivates can further be defined (in relation to CRM) as those factors that increase your sales; lowering your price, customer loyalty rewards, holiday specials, and so fourth.

In economic theory, the law of demand states that, in general, price and quantity demanded in a given market are inversely related. In other words, the higher the price of a product, the less of it people would be able and willing to buy of it (other things unchanged). The overall purchasing power decreases and consumers move toward relatively less expensive goods as the price of a commodity rises. Other factors can also affect demand; for example an increase in income will shift the demand curve outward relative to the origin (increased demand leads to increased prices and vice-versa).

So we can say that customers have a certain level of expectations and are enticed to purchase our goods and services through sales, marketing, and other factors such as motivational and economic factors.

In other words, the customer is very complex. It is rarely only about price (unless you have a homogeneous product/service with an abundance of substitutes and a perfectly inelastic supply curve). Customers expect a certain level of service to accompany their purchasing experience. The key item here is what kind of experience, how much service, and what and how often they purchase.

So how can CRM provide us with the insight into our customer to determine the best methods to make more money? It’s all about history. The ability to track your customer and review what they have done in the past can give you insight into their new buying behaviors. Why is this important? The ability to review and analyze past behaviors and purchases allow you the ability to do two very important things:

1. Ensure you have resources (product and labor) at the right place and the right time in anticipation of demand for your goods and services.

2. Analyzing and trending information in order to predict future buying patterns.

CRM allows you to track a multitude of information about your customer, including personal information that allows you to build upon your existing relationship. It also ensures that your customer receives a level of service compassionate with their purchasing power by everyone who accesses your CRM. Most importantly, CRM is an essential tool, more so in a sluggish economy, that enables you to do what you do best – offer your goods and services at a price the market will bear.

Generating and Improving BPO Jobs

Knowing that a huge population of the graduating students are in the field of IT, it seems that there will be another group of overqualified graduates who will be engaged in call center. So at present, the BPO industry is a sure alternative for employment opportunity for the newly grads. Since we have a low-cost labor here, most BPO firms have decided to hire a cheaper workforce than losing a business. It's depressing that we're losing jobs, not just here in our country and we know it also happens worldwide. But due to the strength of the BPO industry, it is not a lost for our employees and graduates.K

Most of the new employment opportunities in BPO industry worldwide were created in the Philippines during the last month. This has, in effect, made the Philippines the fasted emerging BPO service hub globally. Industry expert says that altogether there 25,700 new job opportunities were created in the business process outsourcing sector in the Philippines. Among these new jobs, as many as 72 per cent were based in the Philippines, he added. It may be noted that the BPO industry in the Philippines had created as many as 70,000 new employment opportunities during 2009, with the contact center sector having the maximum number of employees – 280,000 agents. Despite, the worldwide economic slump, the BPO industry in this far eastern nation was successful in spawning revenues to the tune of $7.2 billion during the last fiscal denoting an increase of 19 per cent in comparison to the $6.06 billion generated in revenues.

The rate of call center agents that are being hired isn't enough in the large demand of agents in different call centers. Furthermore, there is an estimated 20,000 new jobs per month and on 2010 it will contribute $13 Billion to the economy. However, there are few qualified job applicants. There is only 4% of applicants are hired of call centers. 40,000 fresh college graduates have sub-standard English skills, because of this; Agents' competence must be enhanced to meet the higher demand for new employees of call centers.

There are three strategies for this shortfall: First, industry lead standards are being developed and shared. TESDA and CHED have signed the memorandum of agreement for a good curriculum about call center in all pilot schools. Second, government is supporting training for new-hires. P350 million worth of scholarship grants have been given by TESDA for the training of would be-agents. Lastly, partnerships between academe and companies are being formed. This strategy must helped schools to modernize the curriculum based on the needs of call center development. Also, on-the-job training is relevant in this strategy. Indeed, the three strategies must be done successfully and effectively to sustain the needs of call center on having enough employees.

Virtual Assistance as a Leading Home-based Business

Virtual Assistance is now leading as the most in demand hottest home-based businesses, as published in some articles in BCentral. Com, MSN.com. Virtual Assistance is a new administrative profession. Professionals are called Virtual Assistants or VAs. VAs are small are small-scale business owners who provide administrative and personal support while working in long-term collaborative relationships with only a handful of terrific clients. Using phone, fax and email, VAs support their clients without having to ever step foot inside the clients' offices. It's a fabulous way of working, and opens new doors for administrative professionals.

Virtual assistance becomes the hottest home-based business since it is easy to start and the start-up costs are low, and Virtual Assistants (VAs) provide a much needed and valued services that are easy to know. But before one could start this kind of business, there are two things need to be considered: first, assess yourself if you really have the abilities and qualifications of a VA; and second, examine yourself first before you take another step forward if you can handle the tasks of Virtual Assistants. All could have their own business, but not all are meant for it. And to understand more about this new trend in business.

Working with a virtual assistant is fun and convenient. Philippines call center has unique virtual assistant which can help you in your daily work. It doesn’t just reduce your work load, but also lessen your worries thinking of tasks being done. VH virtual assistants are skilled and capable of doing tasks on time. You wouldn’t be bothered by your deadlines and the quality of work because you are assured that our virtual assistants are there to provide you excellence. No matter where you are, if you’re out of the country or having a vacation trip, our virtual assistant will be there to work for you. With the use of your phone or the Internet, you can instruct your virtual assistant what you want them to do. You can readdress complicated and arduous errands to your virtual assistant to save time and do other tasks to meet deadlines. This would also allow you to spend valuable time with your family and friends. Virtual assistants are flexible and organized. They have complete control of their work and manages time effectively so that they can do several projects instantly. Their initiative and brilliant ideas allow them to do multi-tasking and provide high quality work for their clients.

Offshoring and Outsourcing Jobs in Developing Countries

Offshoring and outsourcing in services from call centres to accountancy and medicine have created good jobs in terms of pay and working hours in developing countries. But the International Labour Organization (ILO) study found that improved work practices in the outsourcing industry could reduce excessive rates of staff turnover. The study gives the lie to claims that outsourcing of such work has created "cyber-coolies" or "electronic sweatshops", said Jon Messenger, an ILO researcher and main editor of the study. He said that the jobs being created in offshore business services in developing countries are reasonably good quality jobs by local standards in terms of wages and working conditions.

Wages are below those for similar jobs in rich countries is one of the main motives for companies to outsource operations but average pay in the sector in India is nearly double that in other areas of the formal economy. In the Philippines they were typically 53 percent higher. The study found that average weekly hours were 46-47 hours in India and 45 in the Philippines, whereas one fifth of workers in developing countries work more than 50 hours a week. But negative factors such as frequent night work to handle customers' different time zones, and demanding targets enforced by electronic monitoring resulting in a low level of worker autonomy, led to extremely high levels of staff turnover. Sometimes the turnover rate in the typically young and well-educated workforce could exceed 100 percent a year, and rates of 30-40 percent are not unusual. A few key changes in policies and practices could actually make these good jobs even better while simultaneously helping to reduce staff turnover which would benefit businesses. These could include steps to improve health and safety for night workers, such as regular check-ups, and more flexibility for workers to organise their time and to meet targets.

Governments would want the industries to develop and innovate to move up the value chain rather than simply replicating imported processes. They would also want to retain skilled workers at home rather than encouraging them to emigrate. The industry is highly influenced by language skills, with India and the Philippines serving English-speaking countries, Argentina serving Spain and Mexico building up operations to serve Spanish-speakers in the United States. Africa is relatively underdeveloped although Nigeria's computer-literate population gives it potential.

Maximizing VoIP Benefits in the Call Center

Almost half of the call centers in Asia will use voice over Internet Protocol systems by the end of next year, according to new research. A report from the Yankee Group says that despite VoIP adoption lagging behind earlier predictions, the call center market is embracing the technology. Forty-seven percent of call centers are expected to roll out VoIP by 2007, compared with just 17 percent in 2005. The key reasons for using the new technology are to manage multiple call center sites cheaply and flexibly, and to be able to place agents anywhere, including at home. The largest call centers--those with more than 500 seats--will see the greatest increase in VoIP adoption from now until the end of 2007, the analyst firm predicts. Though VoIP for the enterprise has been much hyped in recent years, Yankee Group said adoption has not met its predictions.

The new VoIP platforms offer appealing features, such as a quick connect function. This feature helps to reduce abandon rates by connecting the call with the agent prior to connecting with the customer, thus eliminating the lengthy pauses associated with dialer-generated calls that many customers associate with incoming sales calls. Another function that many VoIP switches support is automatic recording, so a company can capture 100 percent of its calls. Companies can also automate many of their internal processes, and use the customer intelligence captured to refine and enhance its customer service and sales initiatives. Contact center agents can be trained via best practice interactions, which are captured and later organized via the VoIP recording component. As a result, improvements in contact center service quality and front line supervisor productivity become more possible.

The potential benefits that unified communications offers include improved productivity and lower operating costs. Employees will be able to respond to messages instantly regardless of where they originate; businesses will be able to cut their communications cost because they will rely on fewer components. Unified communications meshes well with the growing variety of user inputting devices. While there has a great deal of progress with using VoIP in the call center, there are still a few barriers to adoption. Many companies do not have the infrastructure to support the new devices. In many cases, CRM hardware is a long-term investment, one spanning several years, so companies may have to wait months or even years before being able to re-examine their infrastructure. Yet, those shortcomings are viewed as short-term issues. Many companies are now using VoIP to enhance their CRM deployment and many more will be joining them during the new year.

CRMs Part on Call Center Success

Customer Relationship Management being the customer centered strategy of the decade and finding its roots in customer satisfaction and customer focus, has started to play a very prominent role in the call center sector. Call centers are finding that implementing this strategy brings them vast benefits. For example the high potential that call center CRM software has in collecting vital customer data and storing it. This data is entirely essential to the call center and is utilized in its day to day activities. It helps them possess a clearer view of the customer being handled and enables them to give the right answers to customer queries, problems etc. Knowing the customer, his preferences, his purchase history etc all contribute significantly to the better handling of the customer. Call center CRM software benefits the call center through its provision and storage of valuable customer data, increased automation, visible reduction in call center costs and its potential to boost customer service levels thereby increasing productivity and ensuring customer satisfaction. It enables customer databases to be kept up to date at all times.

Philippines call centers is providing integrated CRM solution sets that are cost-effective, highly customizable, and functionally rich, specifically geared to the needs of Philippine enterprises, with complete sensible CRM software. These solution sets are what the majority of Philippine businesses look for and are based on a market research done by FPI's mother company, for the Asia-Pacific region. It is predicted that we are at an innovation trough that we the industry will slowly but surely climb out of in the next few months. This is because of the emergence of some really innovative products. Furthermore, the VoIP space is seeing a tremendous amount of growth right now, and many traditional contact center vendors are IP-enabling their solutions. In doing so, they are creating many new features and increased functionality levels.

Key competency on Philippines call centers relies on its capability in providing end-to-end service, combining its CRM business knowledge, its unequalled technical expertise, and a range of flexible and readily installable products. Its various CRM software products extend the functionality where it is required. The resulting program is a thin-client and as such, can be used anywhere Internet access resides. Users can use BEA Weblogic Portal or a Java interface, among others. This can really help with vitalizing call centers and allowing them to be more easily offshored or 'at-homed,' to coin a new phrase. Offshoring is a touchy subject, but the reality is that most contact centers are looking at the potential of offshore locations to reduce costs, and Jacada helps make this possible. The company is currently targeting centers that are 100 seats or more in size and the system payback can be a matter of months, depending on a company's situation. Contact centers have been around for ages, but there are still many areas for us to improve.