MANILA - Executives of global business process outsourcing (BPO) companies on Tuesday urged their counterparts in the Philippines to start expanding to offer non-voice services that companies in huge economies now require.

In an international summit that gathered BPO leaders around the world, Tholons Inc. Chairman Avinash Vashistha said that the Philippines, although a preferred destination for voice-based BPOs, should also “evolve towards non-voice or IT services.”

He said the country’s population is “substantial advantage,” so it “should plan to scale up that labor force.” For instance, he said, the Philippine BPOs can explore finance and accounting, which could also be “a great source for outsourcing.”

To sustain and broaden the potentials of the country’s people resources, BPO experts suggested creating talent development programs.

Uma Genesh of India said that the local industry, although “it has already built a successful foundation” through its skilled talents, should still “innovate new skill sets through technology.”

College-based training

Case studies in India and Malaysia on training and development, she said, revealed that as “people crave for experts,” the effectivity of using technology as learning experience was highlighted.

Colleges and universities should also be seen as a ground for initial training of probable workforce.

Craeg Peden of the University of Wollongong in Australia said that by incorporating short months of corporate trainings in year-long degrees, “maximum potential would be reached” by trained students.

In this commercial and academic marriage, according to Peden, “schools could contribute to the growth of BPOs.”

There have been such efforts in the country to date, according to Jose Rizal University chairman Vincent Faballa.

Around 26 to 30 colleges and universities in Metro Manila already absorbed pre-employment training programs as part of their curricula. Though Faballa observed that “schools are excited to get involved,” he still sees the challenge in adopting this method outside Manila.

Rising cities

Special interest is highlighted lately in certain places outside Manila, as these places are recognized as emerging locations for BPOs.

The National Outsourcing Association, which named the country as the best off-shoring destination for 2009 and has named Manila as the 3rd best outsourcing city in the world, has named the cities of Cebu, Pasig, Mandaluyong, and Quezon City as emerging cities, while the cities of Davao and Iloilo as new emerging cities.

According to Vashistha, these rising cities in the industry are gaining significance, as already-established outsourcing cities like Manila are getting expensive to handle and maintain. “Emerging locations are trying to build a unique winning value proposition,” he said.

Commission on Information and Communications Technology secretary Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua said that the “spirit of public-private partnership” is being ensured to address the needs of the “next wave” cities.

Chua said that there will be constant support from the government in terms of “spreading the benefits of technology” to these developing localities for BPOs. (Newsbreak)