CAREER GROWTH
THE CONTACT CENTER INDUSTRY: WHAT CAN IT DO FOR YOU?
OCTOBER 08, 2019
The Philippines: A Global Player in the IT-BPM Industry
The contact center industry in the Philippines has skyrocketed in growth over the last few years. What started out as a trend and business opportunity has now developed into an established and globally competitive industry, and over time, it has proven that it is here to stay.
The Philippines now holds up to 18% of the global Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) market which totals USD$81–83 billion. According to Sunstar Cebu, the real estate taken up by the industry rose up 126,000 square meters from January to April alone. In this, it isn’t just small fish in a big ocean, but it is a major and world-class player providing an essential service.
The growth of the industry has profound multiplier effects. In 2018, with the Philippines' IT-BPM industry growing faster than the world market at 5.1%, it provided 1.23 million people with direct employment.
This growth is not going to stop any time soon. According to Benedict Hernandez, the Chairman of the CCAP (Contact Center Association of the Philippines), there is a projected industry growth of seven percent in 2019.
The Philippines is becoming just a bigger and bigger player in the IT-BPM industry that must attract more and more BPO and knowledge workers. But how is it exactly to work at a contact center? What benefits are there, and does it serve as a platform upon which to build a career.
What Does work at a Contact Center Entail?
Due to the size of the IT-BPM industry, the types of work are diverse, varied, and touch upon different fields of expertise. Not all are telemarketers or customer service agents. In fact, according to Sunstar Cebu, 30% of the jobs are considered high-skilled jobs while 55% are deemed mid-skilled. Jobs under these categories range from fields such as medicine and technical support, to business analysis, artificial intelligence devs, and enterprise tech support. Only a smaller 15% of the workforce actually make up the so-called low-skilled jobs, which include the telemarketers and customer service agents.
Usually, contact centers distribute work in eight-hour shifts with one or two days off per week. These shifts, however, can be at any time of the day, due to the global market which these centers serve.
What Are the Requirements, Perks, and Benefits?
Depending on the type of work, contact centers will require a high school degree, vocational degree, or an undergraduate degree. Sometimes, although very rarely, they may require a postgraduate degree.
They offer the usual benefits required by law for full-time positions such as HMO healthcare, thirteen-month, overtime, and holiday pay. In addition, many offer a free meal, other types of insurance, allowances for transportation, food, and sometimes even education.
The basic salary can range from around Php 20,000 a month for the lower-skilled jobs to up to around Php 250,000 per month for the higher-skilled jobs. In addition to basic pay, companies will offer performance-based bonuses and incentives that can significantly increase earnings.
The Right Foot Forward
Given the many benefits offered to employees, it is clear why many graduates will start out their careers at a call center. Entry requirements are low, job security is high, and the basic pay, benefits, and bonuses meet or even surpass many of the other entry-level positions at other industries. The IT-BPM industry is here to stay and opportunities abound.
Check out this link on Recruitday for a comprehensive list of openings at top companies in the contact center industry ranging from IT developers and technical support to marketing and healthcare specializations. Discover the wide range of possibilities that await you. Come and see what a contact center career can do for you.
OCTOBER 08, 2019