Historically, outsourcing has been leveraged by people to achieve expediency in their growth goals. In the modern era, with the advent of technology capable of bridging the gaps in communication and location, outsourcing has an opportunity to thrive. CrewBloom is radically disrupting the industry, helping organizations of all sizes be more competitive by leveraging the global talent pool.
Roots in the Far East
You can’t talk about outsourcing without mentioning India. Say what you will about the divisiveness that remained in the country after the Second World War, but India came out of it with a robust constitution that placed great emphasis on quality education. Of particular note to our narrative is the focus on developing a solid foundation of technical skills.
The wisdom of this became apparent when the country’s educational institution prioritized IT and computer science in the 1980s and onward. You only need to look at the steadily growing list of global IT firms — one soon to include the likes of Google and Facebook — banking on the country to know how far they have gone.
A Gap Too Large
In spite of the skill set that is clearly available coming out of India, there are many people who complain about the results of their outsourcing efforts. Often times the problem lies with the culture gap more than anything else. There seems to be so much that is different in mindsets, traditions, culture, attitudes, personalities, and even accents that make it tough for Westerners to communicate with Easterners.
What’s funny is that the problem isn’t in the quality of the work, it’s miscommunication. Outsourcing has thrived because many times the quality of work from within the US is bad without the excuse of miscommunication and misunderstanding. It doesn’t really help too, that there are agencies out there which prey on those who aren’t discerning in their choice of outsourced workers.
Addressing the Quality and Culture Gap
The Philippines made its first steps into outsourcing with the opening of the first Accenture contact center in 1992. Once the viability of the sector in providing quality jobs was proven, many proponents in the Philippine government moved to enact measures that would provide the necessary economic and legislative support that the industry needed to thrive. This included significant tax breaks that lowered the barrier of entry for many. The success of these moves was evident when PeopleSupport became the first US-based company in history to completely move its base of operations to the Philippines in 1995.
It shined a light on the obvious talents of the Filipino workforce, cementing a reputation for global competency. It also proved that there was a potent return on investment in this market.
Today, countless other US-based organizations including AT&T, Verizon, and other telecom giants have outsourced their many business processes to Filipinos often sparking a fierce debate in America from those whose jobs were being sent overseas. But who could blame them? Filipinos added their characteristic unique sense of duty, willingness to succeed, and confidence into the mix–ensuring success for these organizations.
Today, the BPO industry is the biggest one in the Philippines. It provides over 1.5 million jobs and generates 55 billion USD in annual revenue. Those numbers are expected to grow more significantly in the coming years.
Part of the appeal of hiring Filipinos is that they make bridging the culture gap a far more painless experience. Having been a colony of the United States prior to the outbreak of World War II certainly has had a strong influence. That’s manifested today in several key ways. First, the Philippines is one of the few prominently English-speaking countries in Southeast Asia which has bred a neutral accent.
Second, the Philippines is one of the most prolific consumers of American popular culture. Filipinos thoroughly enjoy American TV series, movies, and sporting events, allowing a deeper insight into American culture. This has allowed Filipinos to better acclimate to American attitudes, mindsets, and consumers.
The Big Shift
The problem isn’t that outsourcing isn’t effective, nor that there aren’t people capable of competently handling outsourced tasks. The problem is that many smaller businesses that would benefit most from the cost-effective nature of outsourcing simply don’t think that it’s “for them”. It’s most likely because any news bits associated with outsourcing are often talking about it as connected to the big business it’s tied to.
The truth is that there is much more than cost-effectiveness to consider when small businesses outsource. For one thing, you don’t necessarily need to outsource an entire team–a single person for a single job is enough. For another thing, outsourcing opens up small businesses to talent and skill sets they would not otherwise be able to afford. This is especially true when it comes to IT-related work within a growing company.
With a shift in mentality towards the capability of just about anyone to outsource, comes the opportunity for even smaller businesses to enjoy the agility of upscaling that would otherwise not be open to them. And the key to achieving this new kind of thinking is to engage the right company for the job.
The Right Company Plays Its Own Game
Another benefit of reinventing the wheel has been to allow CrewBloom to explore the very same questions its potential customer base is likely to ask. How do you ensure that you get the top talent? CrewBloom’s rigorous selection process includes ensuring potential contractors are equipped with a capable home office setup that includes high-speed connectivity and even backups. CrewBloom not only takes into consideration professional accomplishments but also the right attitudes towards work and cultural fit.
What’s most noteworthy, however, is that CrewBloom has Success Teams tied to each of their clients and even prospective clients. Not only do these teams set and manage the expectations of those they work with, but they exist as an effective bridge between the client and remote talent. This hands-on support does much to ease any worries that may arise as well as provide recourse to ensure satisfaction is guaranteed.
Now, when asked why Filipinos specifically, Brianna Carney had this to say: “Filipinos are customer-centric, service-oriented and energetic. They are not only able to deliver at an incredibly high level professionally but they also are culturally aligned, our clients love working with them.”
So who benefits from better outsourcing? It’s an important question to ask, and the short answer is that everyone benefits. To be more specific, every organization whose growth depends on top caliber, notable talent at a more affordable price. CrewBloom provides all of that and is certainly worth checking out.
