The Outsourcing Week in Review: Wednesday, May 30, 2018

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Last week, the news that the government is starting to roll out training programs to assist in the retraining of BPO workers to make their skills more relevant in the face of AI and automation will be welcomed by the industry. The fact that the Philippines was also recommended as a good investment location for robotic process automation start-ups  by one the industry’s leading US players bodes well for a country needing to redefine itself to meet the challenges of the future.

The attendance of a delegation to drum up interest in investing in the Philippines at Japan’s leading IT trade show was also welcome news. The industry has for too long been over-reliant on the US market and targeting a market beyond the US is vital for the industry’s long term security. Swedish-headquartered Transcom, a company that has a large portfolio of European clients, announced that it is substantially increasing its local headcount: arguably an example that the Philippines can service clients successfully beyond those in the US.

Still, despite the news of company expansions and awards, there are concerns. The drop in the country’s business competitiveness in a global poll; worries over the rule of law, and the possible negative impact on BPO businesses as government agencies take action to end contractualization, should all put caution into government policy, particularly over removing tax incentives. The local outsourcing industry must be nurtured, not milked, if it is to remain the country’s leading export service industry.

News Roundup

28 May 2018 
Transcom to add 6,000 people in Philippine expansion – read article…
BPI-Philam Life Assurance targets BPO workers, millennials – read article…
Japanese firms interested in the Philippine software sector – read article…

25 May 2018 
TaskUs appoints Joe Buggy as its first COO – read article…
Negros-based BPOs told to end contractualization – read article…
Philippines drops nine places in global competitiveness ranking – read article…

24 May 2018 
Government plans impact sourcing initiatives to counter AI threat to jobs  – read article…
Healthcare BPO GeBBS opens second center in the Philippines – read article…
Long-term investors want stable legal system – Teneo – read article…

23 May 2018 
Archintel acquires IT-BPM firm e4e Global Services Philippines – read article…
Teleperformance named one of Cebu’s top employers  – read article…
Philippine BPO roadshow set for August to December – read article…

22 May 2018 
Philippines is attractive for robotic process automation investment – read article...
VXI staffs up US$3m BPO facility in Clark – read article…
Philippine unemployment rate declines – NEDA – read article…

Read more Inside Outsourcing Newsletters here:

1. The Outsourcing Week in Review: January 9, 2018
2. The Outsourcing Week in Review: June 6, 2018