If you want to get a real taste of the Philippine call centre culture, then go out in the city of Cebu at 3 A.M. Cebu has a reputation for attracting the most technologically savvy Filipino call centre agents. This young workforce filled with competition, is the foundation on which the booming Filipino call centre industry relies on. Continue reading on if the Philippines could potentially be the home of your future call centre. Having knowledge of the inner workings of way Filipino call centre agents live will enable you to have a leg up on the competition when setting up a call centre business.
Firstly, it's good to know that all applicants for call centre jobs have at least two years of education at a university. For the most part, employees in the Philippines' call centre industry are young professionals. These workers aren't in this business for the income, they're in it for a much-needed career boost. The drive to accomplish good work is one of the main reasons that people want to set up shop in the Philippines.
Upon arrival in Cebu, it might surprise you to see the large number of agents at coffee shops while on break. Do not interpret this as poor work ethic on the Filipino's part. This is due to the fact that Filipinos don't see their free time as linear, and thus, they tend to venture out of the call centre during breaks. Combine this with their love of coffee (which we'll speak about soon) and that is why many of them will be found at the closest coffee shop during their time off from work.
So although it may seem like slacking off, it most definitely is not. In fact, Filipino's are very aware of the quality of work they must achieve and will do what it take to accomplish it (for the most part). The next large aspect of Philippine call centre culture is coffee- Filipinos love it. Because of their work schedule (which is most likely to be at night), most agents depend on coffee to get them through their shift.
Filipino's are known for being considerate and respectful people, and this part of their culture carries over into the call centre. While on calls and even throughout the work place this can be seen. An example of this would be a younger agent typically showing respect to an older one even though one is no higher in position than the other. First time visitors of the Philippines are usually caught off guard by this. Philippine call centre culture does seem to be different from other call centre cultures in other countries, but by knowing these things when entering this particular industry within the Philippines, you will acclimate more easily.
As with any foreign country, culture clashing may occur if a company decided to move to the Philippines or start a business there. Knowing these things will give you realistic expectations before arriving so that there is one less obstacle during your venture into BPO. As long as you can handle these aspects of their culture, the Philippines will have a lot to offer for those in the call centre industry.
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