Philippines Call Centers: Why is it the best job for Filipinos?

Around five years ago, Philippines call centers where just beginning to grow. Now, the industry has reached such great heights. It has proved to be a popular job choice for a lot of Filipinos.

The call center industry only requires a few months of training. You don’t really need much more than 3 months. Sometimes even just one month will do. This of course depends on the call center account. Some very technical troubleshooting accounts or medical accounts for example need a lot more training. But still, you do not need a specific college degree to get a job as an agent. This also appeals to many new graduates to build up some work experience while earning a lot of money in the process. Smart high school graduates who are in need of money also find the call center industry appealing. There are a lot of Filipinos who are in dire need of income. These people are usually competent English speakers since English is a second language taught in all schools.

The thing is, the competitive pay of Philippines call centers are unmatched by most sectors. For instance, a lot of nurses earn less money than the average call center income. Even some medical technicians earn less money in most hospitals than the average call center agents whose starting fees are usually around fifteen thousand pesos as compared to the usual eleven thousand pesos starting salary rate in a lot of Philippine hospitals. This is a pretty strong incentive for Filipinos to consider getting a job as an agent especially with the country’s perpetually sluggish economy.

However getting a job in Philippines call centers is not as easy as some might think. Aside from good communication and problem solving skills, you also need great patience. Since this industry primarily customer service, one will have to deal with the complaints of customers who are pissed off and will more often than not bite an agent’s head off on the phone. Dealing with these irate customers everyday takes super human patience. Also, the late hours can lead to health issues for some people who are not used to changing shifts.

It is not simply necessity that makes jobs in Philippines call centers best suited for Filipinos. Aside from English speaking skills and the awareness of American culture, Filipinos are also very courteous. This, I think, is one of the biggest yet least acknowledged reasons why Filipinos are great at handling customer service. Courtesy, hospitality, and respect has long been ingrained in the country’s culture and it is a major boon for the Philippines call centers that handle irate customers twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.