paulry

But as the international call centre market widens I wonder if the main decider to success will turn out to be more of a PR thing. What I mean is currently people have less issue with outsourcing to nations where the beneficiaries are less bolshy/arrogant. For example I don't hear people moaning about call centres outsourced to The Philippines, South Africa, etc. And I never come across people from these two nations with the "Up yours!" attitude that we're getting from India. So if the price and level of service is the same between India, The Philippines and South Africa it doesn't take much to work out who will be least likely to get the contract.

Paul B

The Philippines was 'run' by the Americans for a hundred years or so. Maybe not directly, for the whole hundred years, but by the lure of the mighty dollar through several military bases kept a rolling stock of several hundred thousand Filipinos employed continuously for decades.

English is the political language of the country too, and all government business is supposed to be conducted in English.

Over 10,000,000 Filipinos work overseas, nurses, seamen, drivers, labourers etc. Virtually every family in the Philippines has one or more members working overseas at this very moment. To not be able to speak English in the PI means you won't be getting a job overseas, as English is the main universal working language of most of the world.

I bet there is not a city in the world where you won't find a Filipino band playing live music on a Saturday night. The buggers get everywhere.

slapphead_otool

and they are bloody good too.

Amazulu

I work with Filipinos - they are good workers and are, generally, very nice people.

Paul B

Interesting, thanks. I was convinced the partition happened before the Brits handed over, a year earlier, but just today I was researching and browsing for the book mentioned earlier and it said the exact opposite to what I had believed for so long.

Paul B

I've been married to one for fifteen years now, plus I work offshore with a bunch of them. They are generally very happy and little industrious souls.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Don't remember seeing too many in the working mens clubs in Northern England.

Rambi

I'll give you that. About 50 years plus another 50 economically. They do speak English with an American accent.

Rambi

Sorry. It was a bit of a rash suggestion on my part. I guess I thought their use of English was a more recent phenomenon.

Swerv-o

I'll mirror this too. I bank with both Citi and HSBC, and it is much easier to get things done with Citi than with HSBC when it comes to telephone banking services.


S

ozzieeagle

LOL... I didnt realise that. I just thought Hell there must be a lot of Saffers in Perth !

Paul B

You've got be a brave and hardy soul to survive the British working mans club, and Filipinos are far too timid to venture there.

Paul B

The Spanish were in there for 400 years before the Americans, which is what their main language,Tagalog, is based on, so historically speaking you are correct.

Even the Brits were in power there for 2 years I think.

Deancm_MKII

Say that to Manny Paquiao.

Deancm_MKII

The Phillipines was where modern day boxing came from (bit of trivia for ya!).