The Outsourcing Week in Review: Wednesday, June 12, 2019

News released last week on BPO employment figures was encouraging. Amazon announced that it will be looking to recruit about 3,200 skilled jobs in its dedicated customer service centers in Cebu and Manila. Customer experience solutions firm ibex said that it will open three new sites in the Philippines in the next few months providing 3,000 jobs.

On the training front, Oracle Academy in the Philippines is in talks with educators as to how it can assist them in introducing artificial intelligence, data analytics, and machine learning into their computer science courses and curricula. Two Japanese firms have also signed an MoU with Philippine electronic and semiconductor subcontractor EMS Group to send at least 3,000 skilled Filipino workers to Japan for work experience and training as future manufacturing managers. Such initiatives to equip Philippine workers with higher technology skills (and so earn higher pay) will be reassured from employment data recently released from other English-speaking countries in Asia. Singapore and Malaysia clocked up impressive employment growth rates for their BPO/ITES industries in April of 39% and 43%, respectively, according to the Monster Employment Index.

It was also a good week for local players picking up plaudits. Customer experience firm VXI Global Solutions has won multiple awards at the 13th International ICT Awards 2019 in the Philippines, entering the ICT Hall of Fame. Accenture has been recognized for its commitment to the environment and its employees, and was given the Environmental Performance Award by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Accenture also announced it has purchased Boston-based consulting and systems integration company BRIDGE Energy Group.

Overseas, Caribbean Export recognized Qualfon as BPO Investor of the Year at the recent Outsource to the Caribbean Conference 2019 for its work in Guyana. Operations management and analytics firm EXL was given a “leader” status in the Everest Group PEAK Matrix Assessment 2019 for Healthcare Analytics Services.

In local developments, Colliers International Philippines senior manager Kevin Jara has tipped Iloilo City to become the next top destination for BPO expansion outside Manila. Sitel Philippines has partnered with HIV advocacy organization, Project Red Ribbon Care Management Foundation to launch the Comprehensive Corporate HIV Program, aimed at improving the quality of life of people affected with HIV. In Cebu, the Entrepreneurs’ Summit and Cebu Innovation Expo due to be held this week, will be looking to attract innovators in the BPO space to join various stakeholders from the city’s business community. In Batangas, AboitizLand has just completed its new industry city, Lima. The 607-hectare mixed-use project will soon host office developments suited to BPO companies.

Finally, news that QuickBooks accounting software giant Intuit is offering “live” accounting services as a test, has elicited a concerned reaction from the accounting outsourcing industry that it really intends to enter their space. Intuit claims, however, that it is only a test aimed at understanding small business interest and behavior.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

NEWS THIS WEEK

10 June 2019

• ibex adds three new sites in Philippines, offers thousands of jobs – read article…
• VXI Global Solutions listed in Hall of Fame at International ICT Awards 2019 – read article…
• Accenture gets government, industry honors – read article…

7 June 2019

• Amazon to offer over 3,000 customer service jobs in Philippines this year – read article…
• Online recruitment for BPO and telecom roles in Singapore rises 39% – read article….
• Sitel teams up with advocacy group to combat HIV – read article…

6 June 2019

• Qualfon named BPO Investor of the Year – read article…
• Industry stakeholders to meet at entrepreneurs’ summit, innovation expo – read article…
• AboitizLand’s mixed-use project to host BPO firms – read article…

5 June 2019

• Oracle Academy orients educators about AI, analytics, and machine learning – read article…
• EXL granted leader status by Everest Group – read article…
• Accenture buys BRIDGE Energy Group – read article…

4 June 2019

• Intuit likely to offer live bookkeeping services – read article…
• Iloilo poised to become top BPO expansion destination outside Manila – read article…
• Japanese, Philippine firms ink pact for training of Filipino workers – read article…

Read more Inside Outsourcing Newsletters here:

1. The Outsourcing Week in Review: June 5, 2019
2. The Outsourcing Week in Review: June 19, 2019