Outsource to the Philippines for these unique Filipino traits

Thursday, September 19, 2013

There are many reasons foreign companies outsource to the Philippines: low-cost labor market, college-educated and English-proficient talent pool, and strong affinity to the Western culture, to name a few.

These aside, there is also one, often overlooked advantage in outsourcing to this Southeast Asian country: the unique traits of the Filipino workforce. While communication and call center skills can be taught, traits are inherent to individuals or culture and thus cannot be replicated.


Here are the traits of Filipinos that make them great agents for customer service:


Malasakit


There is no direct English translation for malasakit; the closest ones would be "compassion" or "genuine care and concern." The Philippines Star describes this trait succinctly in an article: "it basically means doing something well not just because it is your job, but because you are personally involved in what you do."

Call center agents with malasakit are a great asset for companies that outsource to the Philippines because they assist customers out of genuine desire to help. They strive to answer concerns and resolve complaints as quickly as possible because it means helping other people, no matter where they are located. It also entails doing the job with passion and going the extra mile as necessary.

Creativity


The creative attribute of Filipinos is perhaps best embodied in the country's tourism slogan: "It's More Fun in the Philippines." Here, the country's unique culture and values are highlighted, and where serious subjects are portrayed in a light, entertaining manner. The Philippine Daily Inquirer describes Filipino creativity as distinct from other cultures, in that it is altogether artistic, expressive, spontaneous, and humorous.

Creativity helps call center agents think outside the box when assisting customers, rather than just limiting themselves on provided scripts or procedures. In general, this helps the company be more customer-centric in their approach.


Adaptability to other cultures


Three hundred years of Spanish colonial rule and years of American and Japanese governance, economic trading with the Chinese, and Hollywood, among others, exposed the Filipinos to a variety of culture.

Filipinos today are more attuned to the Western culture, although this adaptability remains. They can work with Australians, Canadians, and other nationalities, as apparent in the diverse profile of businesses that outsource to the Philippines. This also helps agents communicate well with international callers for customer service.

These traits distinguish Filipinos from other nationalities that provide the same call center solutions. In general, these help them give customer service rooted on cultural values for better results.

Open Access BPO can help you provide outstanding customer service for your potential and existing customers. We have a team of call center agents with years of experience in the trade and understand the importance of giving support for businesses. Learn more about our company through our website or Google+ page.