The benefits of outsourcing are extremely well known. Having the ability to tap into the highly experienced and talented Filipino workforce allows you to realign your focus back towards growing your business. Outsourcing truly is a viable option for businesses of all sizes to further their growth.  

However, for your business to actually see tangible results it is important you find a quality outsourcing provider. Over the past few years, I’ve seen the number of Philippine-based BPO providers increase tenfold. While this competition has given customers more options to choose from, it has also meant that some firms are willing to take shortcuts and make outlandish promises in order to secure your business.

Below I’ve put together a list of what I believe are the key indicators of a quality BPO firm compared to a bad one.

Recruitment campaigns

Clearly, the first sign of a poor BPO partner is the recruitment campaigns they run for your business and the candidates they uncover as a result. There is no shortage of high-quality candidates in the Philippines but if your partner is unable to present you with candidates that, firstly align with your requirements, and secondly are capable and experienced enough, then the results may be less than desirable.

For most of these firms, it is all a numbers game. It is unfortunate but some firms, especially the larger ones, are mostly concerned with filling seats and collecting their monthly fee. It is common to see firms operating one campaign for a group of several clients who are trying to fill the same role. While this would not necessarily be a bad thing if they took into account each individual clients needs, it is common to see a blanket approach. Resulting in low-quality hires that potentially do not fit the needs of your business.

Local compliance

While it is important your BPO firm meets your requirements, it is just as important they look after the candidates they hire and house. In the Philippines, BPO providers are legally required to keep up to date with all government mandated labour rules and regulations.

However, it is not uncommon for some firms to neglect their responsibilities. Obviously, this can cause massive issues for the staff of those firms, as it can leave them vulnerable to not being able to access maternity leave, apply for loans or receive health care.

It is critical you partner with a firm that keeps up to date with all governmental requirements and ensures their staff are enrolled in the appropriate systems. Although the paperwork can be time-consuming and highly detailed, it could cause huge issues down the road for your company and the employees’ welfare if miss managed.

Modern offices

In my time living and working in this beautiful country, I’ve been lucky enough to witness the massive growth and development that cities, such as Manila, have experienced. As part of this development, the cities business district is truly on par with other world-leading economic hubs.

As a result, we now have access to high-quality modern office facilities and IT infrastructure that provide BPO providers with an excellent location to provide a quality service.

Partnering with a provider that has access to ample office space and quality IT infrastructure, should be one of your top priorities. As not factoring it in, could leave your business open to communication and collaboration issues later down the road.

Support services

At Deployed, we view our client’s more as partners than customers. We understand that in order for us to succeed as a business, we need to build solutions that will help your business grow. As a result, we play an active role in doing everything we possibly can to facilitate this growth.

Partnering with a firm who do not take this view is setting yourself up a failure. If a firm is only concerned with putting ‘bums on seats’ we guarantee your offshore team will struggle.

We put support systems and processes in place that allow you to get the most out of your team. Whether this is our dedicated team who are on hand whenever you require, managing all admin and HR duties, and even helping organise team outings, we do everything we can.

While outsourcing is unquestionably a great means of generating real growth for your business, a large portion of that growth will be determined by the partner you select. With competition being strong it can be hard seeing the trees through the wood.

However, we recommend doing your due diligence and taking your time to make the decision. Do not rush into a decision based on a flashy sales pitch or a large client base, because in our experience they are generally hollow.

If you would like to discover how Deployed can help your business grow, I’d love to hear from you.