Conference-expo to showcase RP as key global BPO hub

MANILA, Philippines - It was only a matter of time, but the Philippines is now boldly staking its claim as a leading country of choice for contact center services and a key global hub for the rapidly growing business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. 

This issue will be further validated and discussed by the industry’s specialists and top players at the 2010 International Contact Center Conference and Expo on Sept. 28-29 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.

With its most prized asset — the Filipino workforce — the Philippines has emerged in recent years as a leading and preferred destination for outsourced contact services from around the world. 

The country’s strengths will be highlighted as a provider of employees equipped with a good command of the English language (written and oral), a close affinity with the American culture, excellent service quality, and an inherent warmth and friendliness as a people. 

These advantages were pointed out by Jojo Uligan, executive director of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), the country’s official organization of outsource and in-house contact centers.

“The Filipino workforce is already known around the world as a global knowledge professional. In fact, other countries are even hiring Filipinos to work in their call centers. Last year, we generated about $4 billion to $5 billion in revenue. This has established us as one of the biggest, it not the biggest in the world, with only India as our main competitor when it comes to call center outsourcing,” Uligan said.

Formed in 2001 by seven pioneer member-companies, CCAP now boasts of almost 70 members, representing about 85 percent of the call center industry in the Philippines.

From its infancy stage, the industry has grown to about 300,000 workers with about 220,000 seats nationwide, from Metro Manila to as far as Cebu, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Batangas, Cabanatuan, Bacolod, and Davao.

CCAP’s flagship event is the Contact Center Conference and Expo, which is now on its sixth edition. 

The industry’s latest solutions from leading vendors, suppliers, and service providers, such as call center systems, software applications, telecommunication infrastructure, office space and equipment, recruitment and training, and peripheral services, will be highlighted during the expo-conference.

Invited speakers are luminaries in the field, among them Prabakhar Bisen, president and CEO of WNS Philippines Inc.; David Rizzo, president of Asia Pacific Teleperformance; Tim Scyner, senior security manager of Sykes Asia Inc.; and Benedict Hernandez, senior executive for BPO service delivery operations of the Accenture Delivery Center.

The CEO Forum, where chief executives of the major contact centers will be participating in a free exchange of ideas during panel discussions, is one of the highlights of the event. 

A new panel discussion with heads of small to mid-sized call centers will also be introduced to discuss the topic of building homegrown global BPO brands. 

Analysts, government representatives, and industry practitioners will also be talking about the latest issues and trends in business, technology, and talent management.

Uligan said this year’s convention theme is “The Philippines at Centerstage,” which aims to showcase the country and its capabilities along with its people, when it comes to call center services. 

Interested parties may contact the CCAP Secretariat at 889-7763 or telefax 886-4407 and 844-8341, e-mail at [email protected] or log on to http://ccaponline.org.