SMEs encouraged to prepare for role in $11 Billion Outsourcing Industry

"Last year, the industry employed 200,000 people and generated a combined revenue of $2.1 billion. For most part, this can be attributed to large call center operations of companies like Accenture, Convergys and People Support. This year, we expect  SME-level operations to contribute significantly as BPO becomes attractive even to US-based SMEs," said BPO Services Association Unlimited (BSA/U) Coordinator Candy Gagarin.

"Organizations like the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) and Business Process Association ofthe Philippines (BPA/P) geared for large joint-ventures are a good start, but what we need also are the likes of BSA/U that brings together the SMEs to stregthen their quality of service. This is an urgent matter so as not to jeopardize what the industry has achieved so far. We can achieve much more if we harness the energy of the SMEs in this sector," she said.

The BPO Services Association Unlimited (BSA/U) was formed in 2006 as a private-sector led organization to aggregate the collective interests of the SME-level BPO operations to support the SME Agenda of the Department of Trade and Industry in view of its increasing role.

"We encourage our SME member-BPO providers to strive for higher quality by providing incentives, such as, exemption from membership fees if they have positive testimonials from clients. We also provide client leads to those whom we assess to be commendable. It is a continuous process," she said. 

Philippines currently has about 10% of the market share with the bulk of BPO sevrices being rendered by India. But India may no longer be the first choice according to one of the BSA/U founding members.

"We have an edge over India in terms of quality, productivity and turnover. These have become hallmarks of the Philippines BPO industry and we must make sure that we keep this edge. The key to that is quality - world-class quality - not just for large companies but for SMEs as well," said Red Paredes of Digital Visions, citing a study made by Kelly Services, Inc. based in Michigan. "US$11 billion by 2010 is achiveable," he added.

BSA/U members include Call Centers, Contact Centers, Transcription, KPO, DPO, LPO, Application Development and Maintenance, Animation, Graphics and Web, Engineering and CAD Services throughout the Philippines, with no restriction on size and form of ownership.

BSA/U can be reached at 893-8909. For more information on the BPO industry and BSA/U is available at www.bsau.org.