With the advent of internet marketing in the global community, the need for outsourcing has been exceedingly essential. In this regard, Philippines is one of the countries famous in this aspect. In fact, the country is an ideal outsourcing destination due to its strong cultural affinity with the West; exceptional English language skills of the Filipino personnel; unyielding business, political and technical infrastructure as well as low costs. Over the years, these factors have skyrocketed and caused the rapid expansion of the Philippine outsourcing services.
Yet, before anyone takes a foot forward in considering Philippines as a home for outsourcing business, let us take a background check on this country.
Internet
In outsourcing venture, internet is one of the most vital factors to be taken into account. In fact, it can limit the level of success one can obtain. In the Philippines, internet is not as fast compared with that of the Western countries. The leading internet providers here are PLDT, Smart and Globe. These internet providers vary their internet service cost, but roughly you need to pay $25 a month for a 1mbs portable wifi connection. Yet, this speed can make skype calls unstable. So, if you plan to run a center, you really need a much stable line.
Another option is to choose internet connection up to 10mbs which costs around $90 a month. If you wish to have a much stable and fast connection, you need to pay up to $1200 a month. This plan is ideal for serious call centers. Yet, $90 a month is appropriate only for a single user. It is not advisable for five people using the same connection. The bottom line here is not to cheap out on internet connection for it may only lag your work.
Telecommunications
Since outsourcing deals with hiring and getting people work for you across the seas, the means of communication is also critical. Skype, Vonage, Magic Jack Plus and other VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) are popularly used here in the Philippines. The most popular among them is skype due to its convenience and user-friendly commands and settings.
Culture
If not all, most Filipinos prefer to work full-time rather than project-based type of work. That said, they desire to receive their compensation either every two weeks (bi-weekly) or once a month. So, Filipino workers would prefer to know that they can pay their bills every month and provide for their family rather than hustle every month to make both ends meet. On average, they work for $ 3-10 a day in most trades.
Most Filipinos are paid on the 15th and 30th of every month. There are various means to have them paid instantly even though you are abroad. The most common are Xoom, Moneygram and Western Union. In the event you pay them through paypal, it is advisable to pay them a few days earlier, so that it can be deposited in their bank on the right day. If not most, many online employers fail to notice this very important aspect. Again, Filipinos extremely depend on their salary, and a one-day delay can really stress them out.
Pay Scale
Listed below are the monthly rates for a forty-hour week job (8 hours a day). These prices are equivalent to the level/type of expertise and experience of the Filipino Virtual employees.
It is important to note that the cost of living in a particular city is also a basis for the employee’s rate. Thus, employees living in Manila are expected to have a higher pay than with those living in provinces especially in Visayas and Mindanao.
Data entry – $250 – $350
Article/Content Writing – $200 – $1000
SEO – $450 – $600
Web Designing – $450-$800
Web Development – $500 – $900
PHP Programming – $800 – $2500
Ruby on Rails/Django Programming – $2500 – $4800
Mobile Apps Development – $800 – $1200
Final Words
Choosing to venture your outsourcing business in the Philippines can be your ticket to success. To achieve this dream, there are a handful of things to be reminded of.
- Maintain a healthy and happy working relationship with your employees regardless of the nature and level of difficulty of their work. Filipinos are very loyal employees and you can gain their loyalty by treating them fairly. In fact, you can reward your outstanding employees by giving them Christmas bonus or a paid holiday. That way, they will feel that every hard work they give are equally remunerated.
- Respect your employees. Filipinos are sensitive people. So, to avoid any cultural clash, it is important to be very careful with your words especially when you wish to suggest something to them. Never create a bossy impression or you will lose your employee right away.
In a nutshell, just treat them well and they will do the same to you. Happy outsourcing!
