Happy Holidays from Global Hotline Philippines

How Outsourcing Creates American Jobs - Capital Commerce (usnews.com)

How Outsourcing Creates American Jobs - Capital Commerce (usnews.com)

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Lack of mid-level managers hounds Philippine BPO industry - Business World - GMANews.TV - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Ph

The Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) expects the local business process outsourcing (BPO) industry to remain strong through 2010, but remains concerned over the lack of skilled workers needed to sustain growth.

"The better-than-expected growth of the economy in the second quarter is a boost to the BPO industry. Together with BPAP (Business Processing Association of the Philippines), our outlook for this year would be between 15 percent and 20 percent [growth]," Monchito B. Ibrahim, commissioner for cyber services, said in an interview.

Lack of mid-level managers hounds Philippine BPO industry - Business World - GMANews.TV - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Philippine News

Balance in Business, Balance in Life Webinar

Intro to Brio Balance - Webinar

The class focuses on two main topics; the core beliefs of Brio expressed through 4 facts of life and the introduction to the Improvement Cycle, the foundation of all the other classes and programs developed here at Brio.

 4 Facts of life:
#1. We as human beings are amazing and have limitless potential.
#2. We are all unique.
#3. We are each responsible for creating our desired reality.
#4. Change is constant.

 

These are facts of life, they do not change with time, and they apply to all of us. The Improvement Cycle is the application of these facts in our lives and the process that we all need to apply in order to take control of our lives and create the reality that we desire. Find out more about the Improvement Cycle series of classes.

This Intro to Brio class is only $10 and for a limited time if you become a fan of Brio on Facebook we will have a nice new crisp $5 bill (ok it may not be brand spankin new but you get the idea) waiting for you after the class when you attend, Sign up below to reserve your spot at our next Intro to Brio class. The next Intro to Brio class is from 6-8pm on Saturday September 26th.

Intro to Brio class $10 Special. (This price is an introductory offer and is only good for the September Intro to Brio classes)

REGISTER HERE!

How is the Call Center Industry Doing in This Recession?

Companies are looking to contact centers to drive more business value in tough economic times. The contact center industry is entering the next stage of evolution in communicating with customers.

Demonstrating this transition is the 22% increase this year in the number of contact centers that have processes and systems in place to identify sales opportunities during an inbound call. Nearly two thirds (61%) of contact centers now have these systems in place. In addition, the number of organizations that have a strategy in place to reduce the cost of serving customers has increased 9.4% year on year to 67%.

Customer value is king

• Contact centers are gaining a better understanding of the true value of multi-channel customer service and strategies to move consumers away from using the phone as their primary method of customer service have become more selective. Consequently, overall call volumes to contact centers have risen again this year.
• As contact centers search for a balance between personal interaction and cost effectiveness only 11% are offering financial incentives to consumers to use self-service or other lower-cost customer service channels.
• Instead, more organizations are telling their customers about the benefits of using lower cost methods of communication such as the web and self-service  – doubling to 36% of contact centers doing so this year.
• Surprisingly for a recession where cost cutting is rife, one third of contact centers do not measure the cost per interaction of agent assisted calls – the most accurate means to determining the cost effectiveness of an operation.

It’s not the worst job in the world

• Despite regular news reports about high staff churn/attrition in contact centers, the Philippines has one of the lowest ‘agent attrition’ rates in the world: 18% compared to the highest rate of 45% in India and an average of 25% in the USA and Europe.

Prerecorded Messages: The Devil is in the Details

On September 1, 2009, we officially entered the brave new world of prerecorded messaging. As most in the teleservices world know, it was on this day that the FTC's rules regarding express written consent and the delivery of prerecorded telemarketing messages went into effect.

Now there are some out there who say the FTC has created a sort of “death panel” for prerecorded telemarketers, but the fact is, prerecorded telemarketing messages are still allowed under certain circumstances. Under these new rules, telemarketers need to start with the concept that prerecorded messages are generally banned (“it is a violation of this rule for any telemarketer to initiate any outbound call that delivers a prerecorded message”), and then try to work within some very limited carve-outs created by the FTC (i.e., abandoned call messages, express written permission, true informational calls, and healthcare-related calls subject to HIPAA.)

Setting aside abandoned calls and messages that aren't really “telemarketing” - this leaves just one exception: express written consent. The FTC's rules are very clear on what needs to be done to obtain acceptable written consent before delivering a prerecorded telemarketing call:

• there must be clear and conspicuous disclosure that the purpose of the agreement is to authorize the seller to place prerecorded calls to the consumer
• the agreement must be obtained without requiring that it be executed as a condition of purchasing any good or service;
• the agreement must evidence the willingness of the recipient of the call to receive calls that deliver prerecorded messages by or on behalf of a specific seller;
• the agreement must include the consumer's telephone number and signature

Assuming you have managed to fulfill all of the above, you now have what it takes to deliver a prerecorded message without running afoul of federal level rules. This is a good thing - but it's not the ONLY thing that you have to take into account. States have their own rules, and even with express written agreement, there are some issues that need to be addressed - for example, did you know:

• there's at least one state where you can't make prerecorded calls to cell phones?
• there are two states where you will have to register to make such calls?
• there are two states that require you to include, on the form that you use to obtain consent, instructions on how to withdraw consent?
• there are three states that still will not let you make prerecorded sales calls, even with express written consent?
• there are four states that have disclosure requirements that go above and beyond what the federal level rules require?
• there are seven states that have calling time restrictions that are different than the federal level rules?

From an article written by Joseph Sanscrainte, DNC.com

Outsourcing 2009: Procurement

The decision to outsource is just the first step in a series of questions that will need to be answered. One of the first decision points is to answer the question: How will you engage with a set of qualified vendors?

This program will look at two important areas of the procurement process related to this question: 1) will you go through the process of issuing a formal RFI/RFP, and 2) is going off-shore an option you think you want to explore.

Read the entire article:
Atlanta Chapter Event - September 2009 - Powered by RegOnline

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Beyond Efficiency: The Integration of People and Technology in the Call Center by Stephen Dawson

In recent years, the drive for efficiency has been a major factor in business decisions throughout the United States, and perhaps nowhere has this trend been more evident than in call centers. The economic downturn has made the need for efficiency even more acute, driving call centers offshore and increasing the use of self-service tools and technology as means to reduce costs. Such moves are key to remaining viable in times such as these, but if not done properly, they could yield short-term gains and long-term losses through a loss of customer trust and acceptance.

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE: Beyond Efficiency: The Integration of People and Technology in the Call Center by Stephen Dawson

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QUIZ: What's the Best Time to Cold Call?

By Geoffrey James

July 14th, 2009 @ 5:30 am

BNET Insight | Sales Machine

Most sales reps make cold calls when they feel like it. And that’s too bad, because scientific research reveals that timing may be even more important than technique when it comes to cold calling success.

This post tests your preconceptions about timing your cold calls, and then provides you with scientific facts that can help you double or even triple your cold calling success.

Ready to reach your next level of success? Click on the link below to take this three-question “learning” quiz.

CLICK HERE to PAINLESSLY triple your cold calling success… »

Your (Virtual) Operator Is Standing by - FOXBusiness.com

Your (Virtual) Operator Is Standing by - FOXBusiness.com

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Not Enough Facebook Friends? Buy Some New Ones - Science News | Science

Not Enough Facebook Friends? Buy Some New Ones - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News - FOXNews.com

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Asia Economic Institute : Business Process Outsourcing in the Philippines

Recent figures show that business process outsourcing (BPO) firms in the Philippines have managed to grow by one-third in 2008 despite experiencing project delays due to the global economic downturn.

Read Full Article: Asia Economic Institute : Business Process Outsourcing in the Philippines

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Industries That Thrive On Recession

Recessions are hard on everyone - aren't they? Actually, just as wars have their war babies (companies that perform well during war and suffer during peace), recessions have their tough offspring as well. In this article we'll take a look at the industries that flourish in the adversity of a recession and why they do so well when everyone else is struggling to make ends meet. (For related reading, see Recession: What Does It Mean To Investors? and War's Influence On Wall Street.)
Read the whole article here: Industries That Thrive On Recession

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CMO Survey: Marketers Prepare for Better Times Ahead; Increase Focus on Social Media Strategies

August 10, 2009

DURHAM, N.C. -- Chief marketing officers in the United States are increasingly optimistic about the economy and their customers' purchasing activities, and are embracing the power of social media as they seek to promote their brands and attract new customers.

These are some of the results of the August 2009 CMO Survey, conducted by professor Christine Moorman of Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in conjunction with the American Marketing Association. The survey results reflect the responses of 511 top marketing executives of U.S. companies who were polled during the last two weeks of July.

Overall, 59 percent of marketers are more optimistic about the U.S. economy than they were just one quarter ago. They also report improved expectations for revenue growth, with 47 percent feeling more optimistic about prospects for revenue from end customers and 39 percent more optimistic about revenue from channel partners (who resell products to end customers) than they were just three months ago.

Marketers anticipate an acceleration in customer activity over the next year, with 48 percent expecting an increase in purchase volume, 44 percent looking forward to customers buying more related products and services and 35 percent predicting an increase in new customers entering the market.

The recessionary belt-tightening is not over, however. Price remains the most frequently reported top priority for customers, with 34 percent of top marketers ranking it as their customers' top priority, followed by trusting relationships with companies (20 percent) and superior product quality (19 percent).

"These results indicate that marketers believe the tide had begun to turn," Moorman said. "However, they are clearly aware that the recession has caused customers to become more price sensitive and companies are wisely keeping that in mind as they make product and marketing decisions."

Marketers continue to report a shift in spending away from traditional advertising (with a planned overall decrease of 8 percent) and toward Internet marketing, where they expect to increase investments by 10 percent. They report plans to increase spending on social media efforts by more than 300 percent in the next five years, increasing their marketing budget allocations for social media from 3.5 percent to 13.7 percent over the next five years. Social networking (65 percent), video and photosharing (52 percent) and blogging (50 percent) dominated firms' social media patterns. Survey respondents report the five most frequently reported uses for social media tactics are brand building, customer acquisition, new product introductions, customer retention and market research.

CMOs report plans to increase spending on marketing consulting services by 1 percent (compared to February 2009 plans to reduce consulting spending by 5 percent) and a slight uptick (from 2 percent to 3 percent) in planned spending on marketing research and intelligence. Marketing hiring is flat except in the Business-to-Business Services (+3.5 percent) and Business-to-Customer Product (+1.6 percent) sectors.

"When we last polled these companies in February, they were cutting back on all but the most critical functions," Moorman said. "The positive change in spending on market research and consulting services indicates that they are making preparations for future growth in the market."

The survey also asked top marketers to identify firms across all business sectors that they regarded as having exceptional marketing capabilities. The most frequently cited firms, which will receive the August 2009 "CMO Survey Award for Marketing Excellence," were Apple Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company.

"These firms are consistently recognized by their peers for excellence in marketing," Moorman said. "Moreover, they have not sat still through this tough economic period. Instead, they have upped the ante on their value propositions by innovating and getting closer to their customers."

Other key findings of the CMO Survey include:

-- Russia and Eastern Europe are the regions where marketers expect the most future growth to occur, with significant decreases in opportunities in Canada, Mexico and Western Europe.

-- CMOs expect the majority of firm growth to occur internally, with 70 percent of growth spending allocated to internal growth strategies, 13 percent to partnerships, 10 percent to acquisitions and 7 percent to licensing.
-- Despite economic pressures, there has been little turnover in CMO positions this year; top marketers report having been in their positions for an average of 4.3 years -- unchanged from February.

Detailed results, including tabular summaries of results and results by firm and industry characteristics, are available at: http://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/cmosurvey/survey_results/.
_ _ _ _

About the survey: The CMO Survey collects and disseminates the opinions of top marketers in order to predict the future of markets, track marketing excellence and improve the value of marketing in firms and in society. Founded in August 2008, the survey is administered twice each year, with questions repeated over time to discern trends. The next survey will be in February 2010 with a bonus section on Marketing and Return On Investment. The survey will be expanded to include European CMOs beginning in 2011 and Asian CMOs in 2012.

Grow Without Growing Pains

Outsource or hire staff to expand your business's areas of expertise. This will add depth to your company and can increase customer satisfaction. Build a team that includes an attorney, an accountant, a bookkeeper and administrative help, and, hire a web designer to keep your website content current and fresh.

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Proven Tactics for Tough Times

April 22, 2009
By Kim T. Gordon
Read/Post Comments

WITH MARKETING DOLLARS so precious in this economy, business owners need to invest in the best tactics in order to produce sales. Several recent studies confirm that savings and safety--generally obtained by exploring many avenues before making the "right" purchase--factor into most buying decisions. And these studies point to several online tactics that are rated highly by consumers and can lead to online and offline sales.

Proven Tactics for Tough Times

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Updates on the Philippine BPO sector

Real Estate Philippines News Blog shares this article:

We all know that the Philippine BPO sector is one of the key drivers of our economy in the recent years. Despite the global economic downturn, there is still evidence of growth in our local BPO industry. However, for this year of 2009, the construction of Business Process Outsouring office spaces have been trimmed down by half, according to a recent report from local stockbroker Citiseconline and Int’l Property Consultant Jones Lang Lasalle Leechiu.

According to Claro Cordero Jr., head of research at Jones Land Lasalle Leechiu, available Philippine BPO spaces have been sliced in half from 200,000 square meters to 100,000 square meters. This means that there is more chance of these spaces being taken up quickly. However, these figures may not represent the whole picture, as major developers Megaworld and Filinvest Land will be putting up 90,000 and 35,602 sqm of BPO space by this year as well. In addition, Colliers International has reported that more BPO spaces are planning to be rolled out by the next two years. In 2010, 132,279 square meters of space should be put up, while in 2011, 304,295 square meters should be additionally available.

What do all these figures mean? It still goes to show that the Philippine BPO sector will continue to experience growth and contribute greatly to our economy. Also, since there will be more spaces available, prices of these spaces will tend to go down due to more supply in the market. Let’s just hope that this trend continues in the long term so that more Filipinos can provide for their families.

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Global Hotline's co-location facilities provide clients with a plug-and-play solution for their offshore site requirements. Find out what's in it for you here.

Global Hotline is a wholly-owned subsidiary of IA Global, Inc. (IAO: AMEX).

Asian undersea cable disruption slows Internet access

Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service\Singapore Bureau

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

(08-12) 04:23 PDT -- A segment of the Asia-Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN2) undersea cable network between China and Taiwan suffered a serious cable fault on Wednesday, causing Internet traffic to be rerouted onto other undersea cables and slowing Internet access for some users in Southeast Asia.
At about 10:50 a.m. on Wednesday, local time, an alarm signaled a cable fault on Segment 7 of APCN2, which connects Hong Kong and Shantou, China. The disruption caused a temporary loss of service on the undersea link but all customers that use the cable were soon shifted to capacity on other cables, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The APCN2 cable is owned by a consortium of 26 telecom operators from 14 different countries. The cable links Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, South Korea and Japan.
The exact cause of the APCN2 fault was not immediately known. The alarm indicated the disruption was caused by a "single point of failure," which suggests a variety of possibilities, including a technical failure or a cable cut, the source said. One cause can apparently be ruled out: Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau did not record signs of seismic activity around the time that the alarm was received.
The incident was likely the main reason that Internet access appeared slower for some users in Singapore on Wednesday, the source said.
Undersea cables are used to transport much of the world's Internet traffic and can be easily damaged by natural disasters or other causes. In 2006, a powerful earthquake off the southern coast of Taiwan damaged several cables and slowed Internet access to a crawl for users in Southeast Asia.
Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel), which is an investor in APCN2, said its users may experience slower Internet access than normal to some U.S. Web sites, blaming the APCN2 fault on damage caused by Typhoon Morakot.

"The [APCN2] consortium members have started restoration works, and our engineers are in the process of diverting Internet traffic to other cable systems. We expect the situation to return to acceptable levels within the next 24 hours," SingTel spokesman Chia Boon Chong, said in an e-mail statement.

A spokesman for Starhub, another Singapore ISP that holds a stake in the cable, did not return a phone call seeking comment.
The fault that hit APCN2 on Wednesday follows two other service disruptions that recently hit the network. One disruption affected APCN2 Segment 7, between Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the other affected APCN2 Segment 1, which connects Singapore and Malaysia. However, both of these disruptions were deemed to be "relatively minor" compared to the disruption that took place Wednesday morning, the source said.
The cause of the two earlier faults on APCN2 was not immediately clear.
APCN2 isn't the only Asian undersea cable currently suffering from a service disruption.
"The Cable & Wireless Real Time Operations Team have logged multiple cable breaks on APCN2, APCN, EAC and SMW3 in Asia Pacific -- specifically, near Taiwan. Network traffic flow has been adversely affected in and out of the region as a result," said Gavin Tait, director of Asia network planning and implementation at Cable & Wireless, in an e-mail statement provided by the company.
None of Cable & Wireless? customers were affected by these failures, he said.
Efforts are currently underway to repair the East Asia Crossing (EAC) undersea cable after it experienced "double faults" off the coast of Taiwan last weekend, according to Roland Lim, a spokesman for Pacnet, which owns EAC.
The first sign of damage to the EAC cable off the coast of Taiwan came on Aug. 9 at 1:37 a.m., local time, when an alarm signalled that service on EAC Segment D, which links Taiwan and Hong Kong, had been disrupted, Pacnet said in an Aug. 10 Network Event Notification that was obtained by IDG News Service. At the time, traffic on Segment D was transferred to EAC Segment C. However, Segment C suffered a second disruption roughly twelve hours later.
The cause of the faults that hit the EAC cable between Hong Kong and Taiwan is not yet known, but the damage happened at about the same time the southern part of the island and China's southern coast was being pummeled by one of the most powerful typhoons to strike in recent memory. There were no earthquakes recorded by Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau at the time when the disruptions took place.


Souce link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/08/12/urnidgns852573C40069388048257610003CF48A.DTL&type=printable

The 7 Ways to a Successful B2B Email Direct Marketing

A Company’s Goal

All companies have one purpose that is to maintain a progressive pattern of income. Regardless of size, industry, and target market companies must generate favorable amount of revenue. Your company might offer the best goods or services, have the best people working for you, and even a huge fund at your disposal, but your company wouldn’t realize its full potential if not for your customers. Generating new clients and improving your relationship with your existing clientele base is the aim of every business. Maximizing your revenue is not that hard to spell, in fact you only need two words: E-mail marketing.

In this day and age, everything is moving towards digitalization. Why not use the readily available technology to your company’s advantage? E-mail marketing is not new to the business world. It has existed for years and has brought companies to a new era.

An Extra Pair of Hands

B2B E-mail marketing can boost your relationship with your client as it allows them to get familiar with your company. This can build trust between you and your client base whether or not you have previously transacted with them. The more familiar they are with your company, the more they’ll remember you when say they need a product or service you happen to offer. Don’t limit yourself to landing immediate accounts; rather see it as an investment that might take time for you to reap. With keeping this in mind, you no longer create e-mails that seem to pressure them to sign-up immediately instead you create a bond which makes them look forward to your next e-mail.

Whether you’re exploring new potential markets or looking to strengthen your existing stream, e-mail marketing can benefit your company by miles. It is most beneficial for business to business (B2B) transactions to utilize email marketing simply because one response has the capacity to land you an account big enough to sustain your whole company. Imagine the costs and time you can save, not forgetting the income you may generate, just by a click of a button.

Different Types of B2B E-mail Marketing Campaigns

There are different types of B2B e-mail marketing that you can develop. Sending one type that aims to contain all will prove to be lengthy and even boring to your audience. Among the many types, here are four sorts of campaigns that you can develop to a greater extent to fit your e-mail strategies.

1) Quick Announcements

Perhaps the simplest style of B2B e-mail marketing is quick announcements. These are brief messages letting your audience know of special offers, and the like.

2) Email Newsletters

This is a good way to enhance your clientele relationship. Make your e-mails useful to your clients and relevant to their interests. An example would be to send them tips in improving their business or new ideas in your common field. Make e-mail newsletters friendly and avoid too formal content.

3) Catalog Emails

Catalog E-mails lets your client know of your products and services offered. You might feel the impulse to write everything there is to know about your products but instead you should provide them with brief descriptions and include links to your webpage where they can view the detailed products. This avoid taking too much of your audience’s e-mail space.

4) Press Releases

Sending your audiences press releases will let then know of your relevant milestones and accomplishment. This will inform your subscribers of the progress your company is making.

Perhaps you’re already using B2B e-mail marketing but you’re just not satisfied with its outcome. While this internet marketing strategy sounds easy enough to deploy, in several platforms your e-mail marketing strategies might be committing flaws that could drive away your potential clients.

While B2B e-mail marketing is accessible to everyone, there are several no-nos your company might not be aware off.

There are several easy ways to make sure that your B2B e-mail marketing works. It all amounts to internet marketing management. It might not seem productive for your company to assign a whole internet marketing management team to track your e-mails if your company is still small, but it is essential to make it a part of your management functions.

The internet marketing management’s responsibility is to make sure that each e-mail is a possible account closer. To help you further develop your internet marketing efforts here are 7 ways to assure you success in B2B e-mail marketing.

1) Generate valuable subscribers

Sending e-mails to companies you don’t know or have definitely no interest in knowing you might give you your fair share of irritated audience. This is known better as spam. Shooting blind e-mails to recipients without even the slightest potential of interest will land you in a dead end, not to mention you are repetitively wasting precious internet space.

2) Knowing your subscribers

Generating valuable subscribers doesn’t end in collecting a list of interested audience. It follows through with knowing who your subscribers are. By simply adding their names in your e-mails will show them that you are sincere with your mail, and that you know how you can be of help to their company.

3) Ask for their permission

It annoys you to receive unwanted e-mail as much as it does to the next person. Give your audience the benefit of opting out from your mailing list by putting a simple “not interested” option with your e-mails. This would cut-down your uninterested audience by a mile, and would still let you manage subscribers that are sincerely attracted to your company.

4) Always add a preview pane in your e-mails

While you may have great content in your e-mails chances are subscribers at decision making levels wouldn’t have second thoughts about reading your e-mail if they don’t find your preview pane eye-catching enough. Attach a simple summary of what you have in store for them in the preview to get them to read through.

5) Add links to your e-mails

This is a tricky part. Some B2B e-mail marketing campaigns tend to overload each e-mail with links that may overwhelm the reader. Be sparing with your links but at the same time consistent. Add appropriate links only if it is called for. Instead of making each line of the e-mail a link just add a quick link list at the bottom of the e-mail.

6) Let your ISP know about your e-mail marketing campaign

As expressed, B2B e-mail marketing can be confused as spamming if you’re not being careful. With your internet marketing management sending rhythmic e-mails to several clients, your internet service provider may take you as spam and eventually cut you off. To avoid this make sure that your ISP is well aware of your B2B e-mail campaign and that it is legitimate.

7) Write relevant e-mails

Your subscription list maybe composed of interested companies but not to every good or service you’re offering. Review your content and match them with your respective recipients. This simple trick will let you keep track of your subscriber’s interest as well as build a good market.

SRP considers outsourcing to save money

SRP considers outsourcing to save money

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More American Workers Outsourcing Own Jobs Overseas

When Twitter Gets Over Capacity

For some of us who have made it a company-wide initiative to use various social media platforms in its day-to-day agenda, tweetering is not always sweet.

It's interesting how platforms as powerful as Twitter (Google it just a little bit to find out that indeed, most online marketers consider Twitter powerful enough to spread word around like wildfire) --can go down because it has gone over its capacity...

I can't imagine the 'ching'ing sound of a cash register (if you had an online store) suddenly says the transaction can't be completed because there's just plenty of activity and the servers cannot handle the traffic... hmmm... perhaps that's why Twitter is free--and the public can't complain...

I've been on Twitter for barely two weeks... so what, right? and who cares that I want to keep in touch with all 91 followers i have to-date? I don't think I've hit the jackpot yet by establishing a 'trending topic' but the exchanges I've had so far have been either useful, productive or inspiring and to me, that's what's important...

My tweets can wait, sure... it's just addictive! arrggghhh!

Global Hotline Joins ContactCenterWorld.com

ContactCenterWorld.com is the leading global support organization for the contact center industry around the world.

Call Center Pre-Hiring Strategies: An Interview with Kimberly Warrick of New Jersey Shares by Kimberly Warrick

Call Center Pre-Hiring Strategies: An Interview with Kimberly Warrick of New Jersey Shares by Kimberly Warrick

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Veteran Business Process Outsourcing Executive Joins Arise Virtual Solutions Inc. to Lead International Expansion Leading provider of virtual business services poised to address growing demand in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa and the Middle East - Press Releases - CNBC.com

Veteran Business Process Outsourcing Executive Joins Arise Virtual Solutions Inc. to Lead International Expansion Leading provider of virtual business services poised to address growing demand in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa and the Middle East - Press Releases - CNBC.com

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Inbound call center: Why and Why not?

Every successful business reaches a point where they can no longer handle all of their customer requests or calls on their own.

There are many reasons for the same. Some of them are:
1. Too many customers calling at the same time.
2. Customers calling at non-operational hours.
3. You are in an important business meeting.

Now what are the options that you have as a business owner?
1. Have an answering machine or voice mail to greet your customers.
2. Hire more people in your office to attend inbound calls.
3. Outsource your requirement to an inbound call center.

Answering machine would be a cost effective option.
So would you prefer answering machine over an inbound call center?

Let us imagine, today is the final game of NBA, which you absolutely don’t want to
miss. All of a sudden your cable transmission is interrupted. You pick the phone, call your cable company and you get a sweet voice mail. “We are not available right now, please call us Monday thru Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern Time.” How would you feel?

Do you want your customers to feel the same about your services? Or would you like to make their experience better, so that they keep their loyalty towards your product? Statistics show the percentage of hang-ups on answering machines is significantly greater than a live answering service. And 70% of customers switch service providers because of the unsatisfactory support they get from their existing service provider. Do you want your customers to switch services for the same reason?
Hiring more people in your office to attend inbound calls might not be a bad idea;
provided, you have the required infrastructure, resources and knowledge accomplish the same।

You will need more office space, new workstations, chairs, phone lines, phone
instruments, computers, etc. You would also need to spend sometime monitoring
your employees, or hire a manager to monitor them. I think you get the point, it might not be cost-effective.

You need a solution that is cost effective and customer friendly. Here is the answer:
Outsource your inbound calls to an Inbound call center. An inbound call center is often made up of a group of individuals who answer phone calls on behalf of you. Your customers call your company’s 800 number and an expert call center representative attends the call.

How does it benefit you?
1. An inbound call center would utilize manpower depending on your call flow. If
you have 10 people calling at the same time, the inbound call center would be
equipped to handle all these calls, without missing a single call.
2. An inbound call center can be used every hour of the day depending on your
business requirements.
3. You can now invest your time expanding your business rather than handling
queries of existing customer.
4. You do not have to invest on infrastructural costs. The call centers are already
well equipped with state of the art infrastructure to support your business
requirements.
5. You don’t have to spend your time managing additional employees.
6. Not to forget, you don’t have to pay extra hour pay, perks and other employee
benefits.
Basically if your business receives phone calls on a daily basis then an inbound call
center would be beneficial to you.

How can an Inbound call center enhance your Business?

Let us take an example: If you have a website which has your phone number listed
on it, every missed call can be a missed opportunity. An opportunity lost to convert
that phone call into a sale. Whether you need to answer 10 inbound calls in a day, or
1000, you will find an inbound call center to be a professional and cost effective
extension of your business. Invest your time training the call center representatives
and delegate your work to them efficiently. Let them convert all these inbound calls
into sales and you can focus on adding new products and services for your customers.

SWOT analysis | Marketing Donut

SWOT analysis | Marketing Donut

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12 tips to help your business grow | Marketing Donut

12 tips to help your business grow | Marketing Donut

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Best Article Submission Sites for Link Building | WordStream

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10 ways to advertise on a budget | Marketing Donut

10 ways to advertise on a budget | Marketing Donut

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GMANews.TV - BPO workers seek better schedules, not higher pay - Technology - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Philippine News

GMANews.TV - BPO workers seek better schedules, not higher pay - Technology - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Philippine News

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Outsourcing 2009: is the writing on the wall?

One of the biggest issues the outsourcing industry is facing is a major case of the jitters. Despite the natural advantages of outsourcing - cost-cutting, headcount reduction and ability to refocus on core competencies - offering a major positive in troubled times, firms are naturally suspicious of each other, knowing that financial stability cannot be taken for granted.

You can evaluate the quality in terms of processes, but there are concerns on financial integrity and the quality of the company. Is it a family, private or listed company? What is the quality of its auditing? People are looking at the issues of the corporate governance of organizations and reputation.

In its recent report, Global Sourcing Trends in 2009, legal group Morrison Foerster concurs: "Consolidation in the service provider community may mean less leverage for customers in future negotiations, and the recent high-profile Satyam scandal in the Indian service provider market may prompt a ‘flight to quality' by outsourcing customers."

The outsourcing industry has additional battles to fight at the moment, one of those being the problem of rising unemployment. At a time when firms in all industries are shedding jobs at a rate of knots, the notion of outsourcing precious jobs to an offshore provider is losing much of its shine, particularly for those institutions surviving on government handouts.

In the US, as Morrison Foerster comments in its 2009 sourcing report: "The new administration of President Obama has an overt US jobs-creation policy. Combined with organized labor pressure and caps on visas, this could mean more outsourcing solutions biased towards onshore delivery."

Other jurisdictions, particularly in Europe, share this view; labor laws in countries such as Germany, for example, have long made outsourcing challenging. So with the Indian markets already struggling with a tarnished reputation, does this sound the death knell for offshore outsourcing?

The Tower Group's McDowall believes a strategic approach is called for, at least in the short-term. "If some can be done onshore, it sweetens the pill. Companies can outsource within the US, etc. The location where services are provided becomes sensitive due to the job situation. It may not be the most efficient or cost-effective solution for the outsourcing provider, but it may help them to keep business. They need to wait for conditions to change."

There are also other options for outsourcing providers keen to lower their costs and access the skill base they need to provide a competitive service to their clients. There are too many problems now associated with offshoring. "The issues that people have with offshoring are cultural differences, resources that are not as good as expected, creating overheads and communication problems, and people move companies easily for the right money.

Other issues are also putting pressure on the outsourcing providers. At a time when financial firms are putting all their energy into staying afloat, it is difficult to think strategically, and a long-term strategy is fundamental to any outsourcing deal. While firms may look at the cost-cutting benefits and hope for a short-term fix, this is often not the case.

In the current environment, there is a degree of knee-jerk cost-cutting, and there is a danger of jumping in too soon. We recommend that people look at outsourcing as a business transformation. There are still risks to manage including those related to data security and service quality, and we are anxious that clients may try to move too soon without looking at the traditional risks.

So, among all the doom and gloom, are there any rays of light for outsourcing providers? Yes, of course there are. It has often been the case that the trend towards outsourcing has risen during a recession, and although this time may turn out to be the exception, the drivers and benefits are still the same.

Companies are still looking for ways to decrease expenses significantly and quickly, to streamline operations and to reduce head count and save money. Outsourcing offers cost-cutting measures via, for example, offshore labor arbitrage, but also by enabling companies to shed fixed costs in favor of the variable pricing that characterizes many outsourcing deals.

This climate also provides opportunities for start-ups and these firms need to get up and running quickly, committing as little capital as possible to infrastructure.

Where concerns remain over the stability of service providers, some jurisdictions have already put measures in place that allow outsourcing but in a controlled way that affords additional protection for the outsourcer.

There is still much hope for the outsourcing industry, but the next year or two is likely to be a time of treading water. Few people would expect the remainder of 2009 to be a time where firms are able to think strategically enough to enter into long-term outsourcing arrangements. There may be good times around the corner, but it will be a case of who is left standing - providers and customers - to enjoy them when they arrive.

Outsourcing Services

Co-Location Services

Start-ups Speak Up!

Outsourcer 2009: 3rd and 4th September at Cambridge University

Outsourcer 2009 is the Leadership Summit for directors, shareholders and strategic clients in the outsourced CRM and BPO sectors.

I think this is the first of its kind in the industry. Intelligent outsourcing is one key topic that most operators and outsourcers need to discuss.
The Outsource Junction is poised to help the industry by initiating this kind of event. I certainly hope this is just the first of many!

Check it out!

Survey: 2009 non-voice BPO outlook positive

Survey: 2009 non-voice BPO outlook positive

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RP an emerging global IT and ITES leader

Written by Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 22:29

The Business Mirror Online Space

THE Philippines has joined the ranks of the world’s emerging information-technology (IT) and information technology-enabled services (ITES) players which are slowly catching up with India, the world leader in both industries.

This is the assessment of the World Bank, which, in a report titled “Extending Reach and Increasing Impact” in its publication Information and Communications for Development 2009 listed the Philippines, China and Mexico among the world’s emerging IT and ITES leaders.

IT services include hardware and software maintenance, network administration and system integration, help-desk services, application development and consulting, as well as activities in engineering, such as mechanical design, production and software engineering.

ITES are services that can be delivered remotely using telecommunications networks. These include services for industries like banking, insurance and telecommunications, as well as functions that exist across industries such as human-resources management, finance, administration and marketing accounta.

“Developing countries have been very successful in IT services and ITES. Undoubtedly, India is the global leader in both industries. However, China, Mexico and the Philippines are also emerging as potential players in this space,” the study stated.

The World Bank said the global distribution of offshore IT service markets showed the Philippines already accounted for 1 percent of the market. In IT services India accounted for 54 percent, followed by Canada with 29 percent; Ireland, 8 percent; China and Central and Eastern Europe, tied at 3 percent; and other sources, 2 percent.

In terms of the global distribution of offshore ITES markets, the World Bank study showed the Philippines accounts for the third-biggest market share at 15 percent. India accounted for the biggest share with 37 percent, followed by Canada with 27 percent.

ITES markets that trailed the Philippines were Ireland and Mexico with a market share of 5 percent each, Central and Eastern Europe with 4 percent, China with 2 percent, and other sources, 5 percent.

The same study said the Philippines is now considered the leader in the East-Asia and Pacific region, accounting for as much as 56 percent of all Information and communications technology (ICT) goods exports.

Other economies in the East Asia and Pacific also considered leaders in ICT goods exports are Singapore which accounted for 46 percent; Malaysia with 45 percent; Hong Kong, China, 42 percent; and China, 31 percent.

The World Bank said the expansion of IT services and ITES creates significant economic and social benefits, especially for developing countries like India and the Philippines.

India, the World Bank said, exported more than $40 billion worth of IT services and ITES in 2007. This represented one quarter of the country’s total exports and nearly half of its service exports.

The study cited data from the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) that IT services and ITES employed 345,000 people as of mid-2008 and are projected to directly employ close to 1 million people by the end of 2010.

“Employment of this scale means that the sector would account for 27 percent of all new jobs created in the Philippines by 2010” the bank said.

Another important positive impact of the growth of IT services and ITES is on the status of women. The study said that in the Philippines, women account for 65 percent of the total professional and technical workers in IT services and ITES.

In India, women make up 30 percent of the IT services and ITES workforce—a much higher rate of female participation than in the services sector in general—and this share is expected to grow to 45 percent by 2010.

“More than half of call-center employees are women. In both countries, women fill a greater number of high-paying jobs in IT services and ITES than in most other sectors of the economy,” the World Bank said.

One of the advantages of the Philippines, according to the World Bank, is an American-based approach in education. This not only refers to a bilingual education system but in specific areas of study that are crucial in delivering IT services and ITES.

Universities in the Philippines, the bank said, offer courses in finance and accounting modeled after the US’ Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). This has made the Philippines a natural choice for US banks and financial institutions seeking to offshore portions of their operations.

“Developing globally benchmarked skills in partnership with leading standards organizations helps not only maintain a certain level of quality, but also align skills with industry requirements,” the bank stressed.

Services growing globally

The services sector is growing globally—it already accounts for 70 percent of employment and 73 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in developed countries and for 35 percent of employment and 51 percent of GDP in developing countries.

The study said IT services, a component of the services sector, represents a $325-billion annual potential market, according to McKinsey & Co. estimates.

As for ITES, estimates of the size of the market varies. The bank said analysis by McKinsey & Co. suggested that the annual potential market for ITES was $150 billion in 2007.

However, the bank said a Gartner Research in 2008 saw the global market growing from $171 billion in 2008 to $239 billion in 2012. There are more optimistic estimates, the bank said. This included the one from Nasscom-Everest in 2008, which suggested that the global ITES market will be worth $700 billion to $800 billion by 2012.

Communication is Key

In an industry wherein business processes are outsourced, communication is the very essence of survival. Choosing to have a function or two outsourced to an overseas company may be risky, but only if there is no constant communication.

There is a difference between communication in the sense that you have your calls (whether outbound or inbound) outsourced, and communication defined as the bridge between decision making levels. When you engage in the business process outsourcing, you not just hand your functions to a stranger. You make sure that the business you’re transacting with is as reliable as the sun rising come break of dawn.

To some extent you allow the business process provider to make decisions for the benefit of your company; these decisions maybe as miniscule as extending the coffee breaks of the agents, to as massive as penetrating a neighboring market. To be able to make the right decisions, your provider must know you all-through out. One mistake and your company will feel the total weight of consequence.

Communication is the backbone of every BPO service provider. Without it there is simply no use for the industry. How can you be sure that there is enough communication transpiring between you and your BPO provider?

Here are several tips in maximizing communication.

1. Arrange a daily report between management levels of your company and your BPO service provider. Both companies have busy schedules but a 30 minute quick reporting at the end of the shifts wouldn’t hurt.

2. Make sure that problems have been outlined and expressed in each daily report. Have your service provider enumerate the most recurring problems no matter how small they are.

3. Add a weekly brainstorming meeting between you and your BPO provider. This is the time where you put all cards on the table and ask for theirs.

4. Don’t hesitate to ask for ideas from your BPO provider. They are working with your business functions; you should be assured of the direction this is leading to.

5. Assign a monthly review of your short-term and long-term goals. It’s never too early to build expectations for the next month, or the next year. Make sure that it is clear where you want to take your company.

Maintaining an open and constant communication with your BPO service provider may be tricky especially if you’ve gotten used to them making decisions for you. This is one flaw companies outsourcing should avoid. In the end, wouldn’t you want to know how your business processes are doing in the hands of an offshore company?

Quality Assurance in Outsourcing

A company’s most important responsibility is quality delivery. In every product or service offered, there is always the risk of faulty production. Failure to adhere to strict consumer codes can result in harming the clients at the least and society at most. Consumers are not the lone recipient of this harm; the company itself is positioned at the forefront.

In business process outsourcing, the clients are not mere individuals, rather companies, in full trust of your services, as a whole. This trust is not meant to be belittled or ignored no matter the size of the campaign. The fact that your clients are outsourcing their processes and functions to you should never be a gamble. A business process outsourcing service provider should be able to guarantee its clients utmost care in handling its campaigns.

Quality has different attributes measurable in an amount of ways. Excelling in some of these attributes wouldn’t mean much unless you excel in all. Companies can invent/re-invent whole quality modules, but the end result should always spell customer satisfaction.

Being a BPO provider means you work hand-in-hand with your clients to achieve a goal. Unlike other industries, the service BPO provides doesn’t end in fulfilling the scope of work. It is not a produce-and-sell industry, rather a constant review of performance to ensure that the best service is provided. Don’t look at the delivery date as the end of service, for each service will always have a long term effect on your client.

Quality assurance should always be a big component in your transactions. The industry provides endless opportunities for diversifying your services. Having a number of services to offer wouldn’t always be productive for BPO providers if there is lack/no focus on quality. Instead of offering to do everything all at the same time, BPO companies should develop its core services which in turn would open doors for the niche market. Remember it is better to have few satisfied clients, than to have lots of disappointed ones.

Opportunity Amidst Global Crisis

Big players in the Call-Center industry have gone through lay offs of as much as 900, 600, 200 agents at a time since the global recession hit. Some companies have closed; others opted to shrink incredibly in size and manpower.

There have been numerous forecasts of how long will this recession be felt. What we need now are risk takers ready to up the economy. Surely this is a crisis felt by the entire globe, but are the days truly numbered? In this time, few of us could see the opportunity that flows with the economic trend.

How can we take advantage of this phenomenon?

Small BPO Companies!

There are certain advantages open to small BPO companies especially in this time of crisis. Among the many are:

1) Campaign Flexibility – a company sized to handle smaller campaigns could find opportunities from SMEs looking to outsource their operations abroad.

2) Quick Minds, Quicker Feet – smaller companies can deploy information and decisions faster because of the shorter communication routes.

3) Maximized Seats – having a 10 seater operation could be more productive than having 500 seats these days. Think law of diminishing marginal utility; knowing how to match your agents with your campaigns to fit perfectly would reduce (hopefully eliminate completely) idle time.

The BPO industry is seen to surge through the crisis as Oscar Sañez, the new PHILEXPORT trustee for the information technology (IT) services sector, sees a robust 20 to 30 percent growth this 2009 on the back of non-voice outsourcing sector’s increasing share to total revenues. Additionally, Sañez said the call center sector will continue to be the main driver of growth contributing two-third to the industry’s revenues, while that of the non-voice sector has been growing.

Business Process Outsourcing is here to stay, crisis or not. It is up to us to materialize this growth forecast. There is opportunity in every bend, bump, or pothole we encounter.

Why Go for Co-Lo?

A straight from the mold office space is not enough to give BPO companies the right facility for efficient production. Technical problems, prolonged downtime, and sketchy connections could cost you money, and clients. If such problems sound familiar to you, then why not go for Co-Lo?

Our Co-Location Services

Our co-location service provides you with prime local market presence. As a co-location client you not only receive a prestigious business address but also the complete and solid call center infrastructure that is fully-redundant, supported by our own IT and technical support team.

Not all BPOs are the same, each need specific solutions tailored to their needs.

We at Global Hotline Philippines work hand in hand with our clients. We are not merely landlords but business partners. Our goal is to provide you a secured environment, moreover an extra pair of hands.

With our operational expertise and diverse background in end-to-end back office outsourcing, we understand the risks that come with the industry. We assume a proactive stance to provide our clients with outstanding services.

Co- Location Facilities

· PEZA accredited

· Redundant energy systems

· Superior power & data cables distribution systems

· Redundant & precise HVAC system

· Fire detection & suppression system

· Customer centric environment

Our Co-Lo solutions include various prime locations to choose from including PEZA accredited commercial spaces in Makati and Fort Bonifacio Global City. Your pick on suite sizes to fit your growing company, along with 24x7 I.T. & technical support, administrative assistance, security & surveillance video monitoring, and housekeeping & maintenance. We do our best to make sure that your company assumes a steady and hassle-free operation.

Contact us and get a free quotation today!

For inquiries please email us at colo@globalhotlineinc.com

What Makes a Great Call-Center Agent?

The Philippines is the third-largest English-speaking nation in the world. The Philippine government also declares that 75% of the population is fluent in English.

It is a common misconception that to be a great call center agent is to speak fluent English. While having a good command of the English language is certainly a huge component in being a good agent, there are other qualities that define agents worthy of representing your company.

Attitude is one. Communication is heavily influenced by attitude. To be able to form an amicable relationship with your clients, call-center reps must have the right attitude for work. Professionalism is the key in achieving a healthy environment in any work place. Likewise, call-center reps should have a deeply rooted understanding of the virtue -especially when dealing with upset customers.

Flexibility in work paves the path for success, while teamwork mobilizes the direction. Teamwork is a vital tool for surviving the call-center industry. To be able to wear multiple hats is a pre-requisite (almost) set in stone in today’s industry, but call-center reps should know that they are not striving towards an individuated goal. In team play, there has to be a collective effort and cooperation to score. Members should look out for each other, and there is definitely no room for dead weight.

Abigail Adams once said “Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence”. Agents must have the heart for learning. The industry is absolutely not a stagnant community; growth is fast, and learning is a powerful medium for continuous progress.

To be well versed in the age of computers is an advantage. Having the technical skills and vast knowledge in computers applications would afford the agents efficiency and accuracy. Consider multi-tasking to be an art, work as the canvas, and technical skills as the brush. Especially now that work demand on call-center agents is increasing their responsibilities swiftly, computer literacy proves to be a mighty edge.

Communication is the very life of the industry. An agent must possess strong communication skills. As mentioned before, English proficiency is a huge component in being a good call-center rep, and the skill to exercise it accordingly is just as important. Knowing how to communicate well means being able to form and express ideas constructively, listen comprehensively to what is being said, and act upon in correspondence of the situation.

Together, these qualities empower today’s call-center agents for success.

Want to add more qualities, or discuss the post? Feel free to leave a comment!

10 Things To Remember if You're New to Outsourcing

These are important outsourcing compatibility criteria regardless what industry you are in or how large (or small) the business is:

1. Successful BPO companies understand their client's business. This means that they are tuned in to their clients' customer's pulse. Remember that outsourced service providers are actual 'extensions' of every client, therefore how well the outsourcing partner mirrors the client's customer-centricity is critical in ensuring a successful implementation and long-term sustainability.

2. Successful BPO companies are profit centers for their clients. They are able to ride the unpredictability of economic and market conditions and will be willing to work with clients in adjusting operational levels while maintaining focus on continued growth for their clients.

3. Successful BPO companies are agile. They provide quick, easy-to-access, real-time progress reports through advanced technology.

4. Successful BPO companies invest in continuous learning and development for its employees to ensure the highest level of quality service and productivity as well as to retain well-rounded employees and to retain clients.

5. Successful BPO companies build and learn from experience. They take a closer look into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats throughout the outsourcing lifecycle and drives improvement initiatives based on actual scenarios and cases.

6. Successful BPO companies have a solid financial backing which allows them to support their clients' unique requirements from technology upgrade to staffing expansion.

7. Successful BPO companies are managed by experienced decision-makers who have solid track records in the industries they serve.

8. Successful BPO companies invest in talent and in keeping happy and productive employees.

9. Successful BPO companies invest in cutting-edge technology and infrastructure.

10. Successful BPO companies maintain high standards for data and facility security.

Legal Process Outsourcing is the Future of KPO

Legal Process Outsourcing is the next wave of KPO given the Philippines' vast English speaking talent pool of legal professionals. Two of the main areas of concern for outsourcing 'virgins' are confidentiality and data security.

Confidentiality and data security are apparently the key issues which concern the legal process outsourcing (LPO) market. The market will need staunch measures to ensure data security but prior to that their biggest challenge is winning clients' confidence.

Tom Berenguer, Business Development Manager at Global Hotline Philippines states that, "the BPO industry has been trying their best to ensure that they do not face any data security and confidentiality issues by complying with international security standards like ISO and BS7799. Our infrastructure is designed for very tight security at all costs." Being a lawyer by profession, Berenguer adds, "the LPO market is predicted to grow in the years to come, a definite agenda is to enact a laws that deal with such data security and confidentiality matters. Legal software and technology cannot be the only answer, giving way for focus on people and process development as well."

"The Philippines is considered a ripe market for small and medium size law firms and legal departments of big companies willing to outsource coding, research and other legal back office jobs offshore. The Philippines' legal system is patterned after the US legal system which makes the process easier to plan, implement, measure and manage overall. Global Hotline is launching its very own software for litigation support during the first quarter. We consider this a major achievement for the company and we're looking forward to its full roll out by the second quarter of 2009. This goes hand in hand with our ISO certification process."