When outsourcing to a call center in the Philippines, it’s important to make sure they speak your language and that when they say they speak English it actually means English to the level you require.

Business Process Outsourcing, or BPO, has become a major global industry and contact centers in the Philippines have established themselves as global leaders, in part because of the high level of English fluency in the nation. English is one of the Philippines official languages and there are more people in the nation’s islands who can speak English than there are in the United Kingdom. The country’s historic association with the US and ongoing cultural affinity with the West, combined with the high level of college education has ensured that English remains spoken, and spoken well, by the majority of Filipinos.

However, the range of skill of English speakers in the Philippines varies greatly. From those who can communicate using basic language to those who are highly fluent and familiar with the slang and idioms of native English speakers from the USA, UK and Australia. When you choose a call center in the Philippines you need to make sure their staff have the fluency you require for your customers. The reason for this: the biggest cause of complaints about call centers are from customers encountering communication difficulties.

The success of BPOs in the Philippines has resulted in many being set up across the country. While some smaller companies, often working in rural areas, can provide reasonably good services, they tend not to attract the most fluent English speakers. If fluency is important to your company and customers, then you need to use one of the premier call centers in the Philippines. These tend to be based in metropolitan areas, particularly Manila, and while they may be a little more expensive, the higher quality staff will provide far better value than the extra they cost.

Of course, not all functions need the highest level of fluency. A contract to offer customer support, usually requiring lengthy conversations and a rapport with the customer will require a higher level of fluency than a contract to collect routine and standardised data from customers. But whatever your precise need is, it’s always best to use the premier BPOs in the Philippines. This will ensure high-quality customer service, and not just the lowest possible costs, are what drives staff recruitment and placement.