Outsourcing to Dumaguete: A rising ideal outsourcing location

Should you outsource to Dumaguete?

Yes. Companies that outsource to Dumaguete gain skilled staff, low costs, and a stable English-speaking workforce in the Philippines.

• Dumaguete is a rising BPO hub in Central Visayas, well outside crowded Metro Manila.
• The city offers a highly educated talent pool and low operating costs.
• Firms can send support, market research, telemarketing, and back-office roles here.

Most outsourcing work in the Philippines still sits in the National Capital Region. Still, the government keeps pushing the industry into new areas. Dumaguete is one of them.

Dumaguete City has drawn contact center and back-office work for years now. It later lost its spot in the Tholons ranking. However, efforts to grow the city’s IT-BPO sector still go on.

The city has much more to offer as an outsourcing base. So let us look at what to expect and why you should outsource to Dumaguete.

Dumaguete as an outsourcing location

Outsourcing thrived first in Metro Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Bacolod. As a result, the government chose to spread ICT hubs beyond these leading cities.

Known as the City of Gentle People, Dumaguete began as one of the Next Wave Cities named by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in 2012. It then entered the Tholons outsourcing list in 2016, alongside other rising Philippine cities.

The city missed the list in later years. Even so, more BPOs set up shop there. Meanwhile, public and private groups keep building up the area, with a 174-hectare smart city already in the works.

For a wider view of the sector, see how the Philippine BPO industry keeps growing across the country.

To this day, Dumaguete remains a rising outsourcing spot outside Manila and in the Visayas region.

Quick facts about Dumaguete

• Region: Central Visayas
• Population: about 134,000
• Regional employment rate: 92.9%
• Literacy rate: 99.74%
• Local BPO organization: ICT Association of Dumaguete and Negros Oriental (ICT DGTE)
• Official name: Dumaguete comes from the word “dagit” or “to swoop,” coined for the historic Moro raids on the coast.
• University town: The city is also called a “university town” for its many colleges and universities.
• Best place to retire: In 2014, Live and Invest Overseas named Dumaguete among the best places to retire around the world.

Why companies choose to outsource to Dumaguete

Firms pick Dumaguete as a base outside Metro Manila for a few clear reasons.

Highly educated workforce

Most people in Dumaguete are well schooled, as the high literacy rate shows. In addition, local colleges turn out thousands of job-ready graduates each year.

Many are young workers who know the latest tools and new ways of work. So when you outsource to Dumaguete, you reach a skilled team that can serve your customers well.

Quality infrastructure

The smart city plan is just one part of the story. Meanwhile, both public and private groups keep building Dumaguete into a strong ICT hub.

The DICT again named it one of the Next Wave Digital Cities for its digital growth. As a result, new roads, schools, and other facilities keep rising, while e-communities form in nearby towns.

The city also hosts a few notable IT parks that house BPOs and call centers, including the LinkSY IT Park.

Low operational costs

Dumaguete is a cheaper choice than Metro Manila for labor and running costs. For example, the daily minimum wage in the city stays low, near US$7.

This tracks with the lower cost of living there. Property rates run lower too. As a result, office rent and business setup cost far less.

For more on pay levels, see the average salary in the Philippines. In short, firms that outsource to Dumaguete run leaner while still getting solid service.

Geographically ideal climate

Dumaguete can flood, yet it sees few typhoons each year. The city sits between Cebu and Mindanao. Because of this, nearby storms often miss it.

What’s more, Dumaguete is only a few hours from Manila and Cebu. So tourists and visitors can fly in through the Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport.

Business efficiency

Dumaguete also takes pride in its business efficiency. In 2018, the Department of Trade and Industry ranked it the second most efficient city in the Philippines.

This owes much to the local government. As a result, it nurtures the small and medium firms that invest in the city.

Top roles to outsource to Dumaguete

Businesses can hand off many roles here with ease. These are among the most common roles businesses send to Filipino teams.

Market research

Good market research shows you your target buyers, their habits, and your edge over rivals.

Outsourcing this to Dumaguete keeps costs low. Meanwhile, a focused team studies your market, your competition, and ways to win over your audience.

Social media management

Running company social media takes real time and skill. First, you schedule posts. Next, you track mentions and answer questions fast to build engagement.

By outsourcing this work, you keep your pages fresh and active. As a result, your customers stay engaged day to day.

Customer support

Today, customer support means more than just answering phones. Every call should meet what clients expect and keep them happy.

A Dumaguete team can handle this well. In fact, skilled agents answer questions, fix issues, and find the right solution for each customer. You can also scale these customer support services as your needs grow.

Telemarketing

Finally, telemarketing still works well when paired with other channels. For example, it pairs nicely with social media and website traffic. Many strong firms still use it to learn about buyers and tailor their offers.

Through outsourced telemarketing, you can reach more leads that fit your products. As a result, you turn more leads into paying customers.

BPO companies in Dumaguete

Dumaguete hosts both small and large BPOs that serve clients worldwide. Here are a few of them.

SOPHI

SOPHI is a boutique BPO that offers digital marketing, customer service, and back-office work to young startups. Founded in Dumaguete, it serves the tech and education sectors around the globe.

Straive (formerly SPi Global)

Straive calls itself a global leader in content technology solutions. It began as a content provider to Fortune 500 firms. Since then, it has grown into EdTech and research work for education, healthcare, finance, and real estate clients.

TTEC (formerly TeleTech)

TTEC is one of the country’s pioneer call centers. It blends technology with a human touch to lift the customer experience. In the Philippines, it offers consulting, customer care, and growth services to mid-size and large firms.

Qualfon

Finally, Qualfon builds and keeps strong customer ties through service. It brings solid communications tech and skilled teams to manage each outsourced task. What’s more, Qualfon cares for its staff as a way to care for its customers.

What companies should expect when outsourcing to Dumaguete

Dumaguete now stands out as a real option for offshore services. Meanwhile, more BPOs keep arriving, which opens fresh chances for small and medium firms to invest.

When you outsource to Dumaguete, you can expect the same high quality found in Manila and other Philippine hubs. With the right partner, you can also refine your operations and grow faster.

Finding a good provider is easy given the growing pool of local BPOs. Whether you weigh Dumaguete against outsourcing to Metro Manila or another city, a quick call to a trusted advisory service can help you start.

Frequently asked questions

Why do companies outsource to Dumaguete?

Companies outsource to Dumaguete for its skilled staff, low costs, and stable climate. The city also has strong schools and growing ICT infrastructure.

What roles can I outsource to Dumaguete?

You can outsource customer support, market research, social media, and telemarketing. Back-office and digital marketing tasks work well here too.

Is Dumaguete cheaper than Metro Manila?

Yes. Labor, rent, and daily costs in Dumaguete run lower than in Metro Manila. So you can run your operations for less.

Which BPO companies operate in Dumaguete?

SOPHI, Straive, TTEC, and Qualfon all run operations linked to the city. Many smaller BPOs serve global clients there as well.

Is Dumaguete safe from typhoons?

Dumaguete sees few typhoons because of its location between Cebu and Mindanao. It can flood at times, but major storms often miss it.

Key takeaways

• Dumaguete is a rising outsourcing hub in Central Visayas, outside Metro Manila.
• The city offers educated staff, low costs, and steady ICT growth.
• Common roles include customer support, market research, social media, and telemarketing.
• SOPHI, Straive, TTEC, and Qualfon are among the BPOs tied to the city.
• With the right partner, firms get Manila-level quality at lower cost.