World’s largest call center to expand operations in RP

The world’s largest call center is planning to double its capacity in the Philippines to 10,000 operators, Malacañang said yesterday.

Convergys Corp. officials met with President Arroyo and informed her of the company’s desire to expand operations here, a Palace statement said.

At the meeting with Mrs. Arroyo were Convergys senior vice-president Frank Kelly of the customer management group, vice-president and country manager Marife Zamora, and customs management group senior director for operations Terry Seaford.

They had a meeting with the President shortly before noon yesterday at the Music Room of Malacañang to convey their company’s expansion plans in the country.

Convergys is a global leader in integrated billing, customer care, employee care and transaction management software and services.

Among its long list of clients are government entities and top companies in telecommunications, Internet, cable and broadband services, technology, financial services and other industries in more than 40 countries.

The President was pleased to hear of Convergys’ expansion plans, which would help her administration attain its goal of creating 10 million jobs in six years, the Palace said.

The Florida-based company has seven call center facilities in the Philippines, six of them in Metro Manila and one in Cebu.

Apart from the current workforce of 5,300 in the Philippines, Convergys has also tapped its first Filipino expatriate to join the company in Jacksonville, Florida.

Filipina Malu Ros, who served as senior manager in the Philippine office, is now the director for global communications and culture training of Convergys.

"Convergys is committed to expansion and growth and wants to translate this to employment opportunities in the country. We are rallying with government institutions and academe to ensure that we continue to have a steady stream of highly skilled, quality people," Zamora said.

Apart from providing employment opportunities for Filipinos, Convergys and the Department of Education have also trained 330 public school teachers in English skills improvement to enable the school system to produce more fluent English speakers who could serve in call centers. — Aurea Calica