Sunday, May 11, 2008

OFFSHORE OUTSOURCING : Are we good enough?

I work with SITEL for 3 years now. SITEL is known as one of the big call centers in the Philippines that countries like the US would like to employ to provide technical assistance and customer service to their US customers.

I am a team lead for AT&T account, one of the accounts that Sitel Baguio cater to. It is an account that I daresay...gave me the backbone that I have now. Aside from the fact that it is the bread and butter of Baguio site...it is also the toughest account.

We have agents that would usually be so eager to join us...and then be so eager to leave as after 3 months time on the floor.

As a team lead, we get to do brain storming sessions...how do we lessen attrition? Is our people here ready to the culture that this industry requires? Are we hiring people that can withstand American bluntness (as well as rudeness)?

When I get to see the number of people that gets employed because of outsourcing (according to Reuters: 320,200 Filipinoes at the end of year 2007), I can help but feel optimistic. In general, outsourcing and the call center industry is a young industry in the Philippines. It may be shaky at first...especially when we usually cater to different countries with different "culture"...but we are good enough...we're good enough to deal with it.



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