How call centers in the Philippines benefit from the Filipino concept of team effort

Wednesday, March 26, 2014


Call centers in the Philippines offer a distinct quality of customer service because of the values and work ethics upheld by the Filipino workforce. With customer service representatives manifesting these traits, foreign outsourcers are guaranteed with incomparable efficiency and productivity derived from a culture-specific moral code.

The Filipino term bayanihan has always been a staple when it comes to discussing values integrated in the Philippine culture. It stems from the term bayan which refers to a country, nation, or community, making the whole term bayanihan connote a sense of communal solidarity or unity in reaching a common goal.

From a simple tradition where community members help a family relocate by voluntarily gathering under the house and carrying it to its new site, bayanihan has emerged as a communal spirit characterized by unity and cooperation used by Filipinos in overcoming challenges.

Philippine call center firms take pride in the team effort practiced by customer service representatives in several ways. Here are some examples:

• Coordination of tasks

Once a contact center representative receives a phone call, email, or instant message from a customer, he must ensure that the customers' needs are met immediately. However, if the case calls for an intervention from a different department or authority, proper escalation procedures must be employed. Tasks must be escalated smoothly and appropriately while putting premium on time conservation.

Complete understanding of the process workflow and reliable judgment call are vital to make sure that the problem raised will eventually be matched with a prompt and commensurate solution.

• Lending a hand to others

Filipinos nurture friendship and build a concept of family even in the workplace. When somebody calls in sick, he is assured that his tasks would be taken care of.

The willingness to help others, especially those having a hard time at work, is always expressed warmly. It extends from devoting time in asking colleagues about how things are going to helping people meet their deadlines without expecting something in return.
The helpfulness of Filipinos in the workplace is a good indicator that the company is comprised of people who have a natural concern for others.

• Keeping communication channels open

Call centers in the Philippines value healthy interaction among their employees. Most companies integrate team building activities in their calendar of activities to improve mutual trust and friendship in each department. Periodic consultation and focus group discussions are conducted to find out growing areas of concern from the employees' perspective.

Conflicts are resolved in a systematic process, and appropriate actions are carried out in the soonest time possible.

The chain of command is often emphasized to remind employees the line of authority being followed by the organization, providing a picture of how escalation of issues should be done. The measures taken by the different customer support outsourcing firms in the Philippines help foster open communication, which leads to a greater sense of unity among the employees.

To ensure success in a customer service delivery, companies must invest in outsourcing firms that offer reliable operation practices. Outsourcing to the Philippines proves to be a wise option for most companies, as reflected by the recognition of Manila as the world's second best outsourcing destination in the Tholons Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations 2014.

The team effort espoused in every outsourcing firm in the Philippines guarantees a natural way of strengthening the companies from within, which is an important factor in selecting the right outsourcing partners for you.

Open Access BPO is an outsourcing firm in the Philippines. We believe that the attention we give in upholding team effort and unity in the workplace contributes to the high quality of inbound customer service that we provide. Know more about our other services by visiting our website and Google+ page.