So the fight for that title isn’t over yet. The Philippines tends to be more complacent after receiving the title of top emerging business process outsourcing (BPO) destination. This is merely an icing on the cake. As an emerging destination, there is still much that Filipino call centers need to work on. Our title is a far cry from being the top call center in the world. Although revenue-wise we might have taken India by surprise, our visibility and saleability on the internet are only second to their efforts. 
Try to go to Google AdWords and type in all possible keywords used to search for call centers in the Philippines or call centers for that matter. Google will provide all the related keywords, even those that you have not yet encountered. Estimated data on how many global and local searches are there for each keyword will also be provided by the search engine’s keyword tool. Once you have generated the list, try to click that little magnifying glass at the corner of each keyword. It will redirect you to an analysis of that particular keyword, such as what category is that keyword usually searched under, which websites or pages that utilized it have gotten the highest searches for the last twelve days, and which regions in the world have gotten the most searches out of this certain keyword. You will be astounded with the results.
Compared to Filipino call centers, India has higher number of searches. Broad keywords like BPO, call center, and outsourcing are already their turf. Insights from the Google AdWords Keyword Tool show that there is more regional search interest in India’s BPO industry than in Filipino call centers. Websites and articles about India’s outsourcing activities are on top of almost every popular broad-based keyword. Not to be disheartened completely, however. The Philippines shows a lot of promise when it comes to online marketing and has already made great progress so far.
Several BPO firms in the country rely on the reputation of their parent firms abroad, so their marketing strategies are also less inclined to BPO. These big-time firms can get thousands and millions of clicks without much effort, having run the race earlier than and ahead of the others. However, how do you level the playing field with these biggies? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or, in simpler explanation, is a composite of strategies that enhances a website’s visibility in the Internet. Indian BPOs and, of course, the United States were among the first to apply SEO as a means to promote information about their products and services online.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a relatively new concept for the toddler BPO industry in the Philippines. Firms here are mostly reliant on traditional marketing methods such as news paper advertisements, radio commercials, job fairs, and the like. The Internet has not been neglected, but neither is it the lifeblood of these firms. They usually leave business development and partnership concerns to the management abroad. But for the few that do not have a base in foreign shores and were founded and nurtured on Philippine soil, they put all their efforts on SEO. Thus, it is apt to call them ‘Filipino call centers.’
So perhaps there is little basis for comparing call centers in India and Filipino call centers, since the two industries emerged from different contexts. While Indians have been trying to prove to the rest of the world their prowess as a modernizing nation and achieve the growth that has long since been overdue. Filipino call centers, on one hand, have felt the same calling, but its first brushes with outsourcing was not so much a deliberate effort. It was more like an accidental discovery that led to the sudden growth of the local outsourcing industry. It is also undeniable that the Philippines is a late player; we ent
ered the marathon at a time when most runners have almost crossed the finished line.
But the great thing about BPO is that the finish line is actually just temporary, and the race can go on for decades, centuries or for as long as the contending firms still stand. So no matter where one is in the race, it is guaranteed that with the right amount of marketing, especially one that takes into consideration digital strategies (in accordance with the present era), Filipino call centers would soon get to where the US and other Asian outsourcing giants can get to. So basically, given the fact that in less than a decade and despite being a late contender, Filipino call centers and BPO companies already overtook the total revenue of India’s industry counterpart, then it only proves that when it comes to outsourcing, there is no fixed finish line.
That is why Filipino call centers should increase their SEO efforts to stay resilient in the midst of an unstable BPO race. The continuous nature of SEO provides a solid armor to fluctuating consumer demands. It can also support traditional marketing strategies and serve as an alternative marketing tool should call centers and other BPO firms decide to cost-cut or focus more on their core functions. Through SEO, Filipino call centers stand a great chance of leading the BPO race through SEO as it backs up existing plans and sustains when all else fails. So they should start to think digital, to exhaust the Internet and all that it has to offer, as much as they can.
More than a century has past and English still is being taught in schools to Filipino students. English, since the American period up to the present, is the official language of the Philippines – the medium used not only in the academe but also in government offices, businesses, courts, in the media, and other functions. Philippine English, a variety of English, is an integral part in the Philippine BPO industry and a skill primarily needed by Filipino call center agents. They must have good English communication skills and they must be able to connect and relate with American callers effectively. Notably, the Philippines, being the third largest English speaking country, is known to have excellent English speaking call center agents – with a neutral accent mostly preferred by American callers/customers.
depends greatly on how the academe or the schools train and teach the students the English language. It must start from the basic education to the college level. The nation needs competent and knowledgeable teachers who will teach the students with English grammar and communication – an indispensable tool not only in the BPO industry but more so in globalization.
d therefore appreciate the beauty of customized metrics. Flexible metrics increase opportunities for more projects. Clients want their business needs to come first, thus most of them would prefer a Filipino call center that gives these needs priority. They want a partner firm that can change with the changing times and keep up with global trends. This is one of the reasons why some clients would prefer 