Highest Paying Call Center Companies In The Philippines

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The business process outsourcing industry has been there as early as the 80’s but not until 2000 that the Philippines experienced a surge of hundreds of call center companies gradually put up within the next five years. This has prompted the industry to hire thousands of locals to meet the labor demand. However, with the ever increasing competition to pool in the best qualified candidates for specific call center accounts, there has also been studious candidate qualification requirements put in place. Along with it, better benefits, perks and privileges that varies among companies.

It has been observed that the most popular call center companies offer the best salaries and compensation. While it is a generally known fact, it is not quiet completely true. Garnering a survey from the latest call center salary spending among the different companies, we will now be able to gauge the current salary grade of an entry level candidate for a basic telemarketer position. Although it would not be accurate to nail down the specifics, consideration must be taken into account that call center companies base their pay grade on numerous factors like tenure, experience, account specifics, evaluation performance, capabilities, sales and metrics. And since I’m not at a liberty to discuss confidential salary agreements, we can only indicate here the range of salary and compensation packages of some of the highest paying call center companies in the Philippines.

I’ve experienced working for numerous call center companies ranging from the top tier corporate industries to call center start-ups. Not much has change in terms of salary and compensation however they do give premium pay for experienced telemarketers. And if we can make out any difference, there are a lot of call centers simply unnoticed that pays even much higher than those presumably on the top five in the industry.

But before we delve into that, let’s take a look at the entire call center system from the application process to its basic candidate portfolio.

Requirement:

A decade ago, applying in a call center company was a breeze. Today, stringent hiring mechanics are in force to only pool in high quality agents. The following are what they’re generally looking for:

1. Candidate must possess at least a vocational diploma or short course certificate or a bachelor’s and college degree. N.B. Top tier call center companies only accept candidates who have rendered for at least two years in a bachelor’s degree.

2. Must have an average 35 word-per-minute typing score.

3. Willing to work in a graveyard shift including regular and special holidays

4. Must have a good personality

5. Must have good listening skills

6. Must be proficient in written and oral English

The above mentioned is technically required however, some call center accounts would place additional requirements to tender account specifics, for example, the willingness to sell, amenable to be relocated, 1-4 years customer service experience and others.

Application Process

There are currently thousands of call center applicants each day and only a few hundred are ever get hired. Be sure you know how to make a resume. Call center companies have a huge resume database and it would take a couple of days, sometimes more than a week for your resume to be sorted out. And that’s when the first step of the evaluation process begins. Human resource personnel try to do a job matching profile with your resume. Here’s an overview of what happens during the application process.

1. If you are shortlisted, be ready for the testing and initial interview. It is advisable that you know your resume firsthand especially when asked to cite references or experience.

2. You will then submit yourself to a second set of interview if you pas the first one, an English grammar test and a psychological exam. This would take for about 2-3 hours.

3. If you pass the exams, you then proceed to a call mock-up or call simulation. Basically they’re gauging your communication skills at work.

4. Finally, if you pass this too, you go through a panel or the final interview. When all goes well, you receive the job offer wherein you can negotiate for a higher pay if applicable or simply sign the contract for immediate training or deployment to your specific account.

Take note. Different call centers have various means of screening applicants. Others will just conduct the interview by phone. Some are also known to jot out applicants right after the initial interview which is usually conducted one-on-one or either set in a group. The testing would also differ. Most commonly used is the online grammar and I.Q. test. The result is almost immediate. You will know that you have not passed a certain test because you will receive a letter right after the test telling you politely that you did not meet their criteria and can reapply again after 6 months. There are however instances that you have passed everything yet there are no current vacant positions. You will have to wait then for a final call for the job offer and contract signing. This is the part I hate most…the waiting part.

Compensation Package

While call center companies differ in terms of salary and compensation packages, there is however a standard compensation plan amenable to the majority of these companies as accorded on law and on employee retention trending. Compensation is the primary purpose as to why an employee would work for a particular company. Applicants would scout for call center companies which have, more or less, have the following industry standard benefits package:

1. A minimum of Php12,000.00 for an 8 hour shift, excluding 1 hour unpaid lunch break.

2. Night differential ranging from 15%-20%.

3. Health care card inclusive of personal and immediate family coverage

4. Government benefits like PAG-IBIG, SSS and PhilHealth.

5. At least an annual salary increase

6. Leaves upon regularization

7. Performance incentives and bonuses

Call center companies offer more than the average company in the Philippines. A lot are known to go as far as doling out non-taxable allowances, money incentives for referrals, monthly parties and raffle giveaways, yearly outing and others. Ideally, this is intended to increase the rate of retention. But in the end, however, it is best to root for a call center company that is stable and has been there for years.

Known High Paying Call Center Companies

Note, as of this writing, many variables can influence the pay grade of a call center employee. This serves only as a general guide and for evaluation purposes only.

Convergys

Basic Info:Convergy’s emerged in 2003 from a single contact center in Manila to well over fourteen contact centers all over the Philippines. It is a multinational corporation that engages in customer relationship management, business acquisition, solutions provider and mobile services with a range of other services in the offshore market. It is one of the strongest and stable BPO’s in the industry. Various awards have been reaped from the local and international level for outstanding performance.

Business and Contact Address: 6796 Ayala Avenue corner Salcedo St. Legaspi Village, Makati City. Website address www.convergys.com

Salary and Compensation: Php14,500.00 plus 20% night differential and Php1,500.00 allowance. Standard government benefits SSS, Pag-Ibig and PhilHealth. A healthcard upon regularization.

Citibank

Basic Info: Citigroup Business Process Solutions Pte. Ltd is the bank’s call center group. Launched around the last four years, the group handles in-house calls spread across hundreds of branches worldwide. It takes care of mortgage and credit card process from Citibank and its affiliates. It is one of the stable call centers in the industry, with no fear of account dissolution since it’s Citibank’s banking organization that technically owns the call center.

Business and Contact Address: 23rd Floor, PBCom Tower, Ayala Avenue cor, Rufino St., Makati City. Walk-in applicants encouraged to apply.

Salary and Compensation: Basic salary Php16,000.00 to Php23,000.00 Php1,000.00 transportation allowance, plus 20% night differential. Contract is for one year with a bond of P100,000.00 Maxicare benefits given after regularization.

Sitel

Basic Info: Sitel is involved in customer care, technical support, sales acquisition, collections and receivables, retention strategies, lead generation and back-office processing for corporate industries with finance, distribution, software, technology and manufacturing operations. Starting in 2004 in Manila, it has now handled reputable accounts like Capital One Bank, Sears, TMobile, Virgin Mobile, and Sony among others.

True to its reputation, it was awarded the BPO Company of the Year 2008 and the 1st CSR Excellence Award by the American Chamber of Commerce Philippines and American Chamber Foundation in 2007.

Business and Contact Address: 6/F Centerpoint BLdg, Julia Vargas Cor. Garnett Road Pasig City 1600. www.sitel.com

Salary and Compensation: Php14,000.00 for entry level positions and 15% night differential. Non-taxable allowance is allocated at Php1,000.00. Standard government benefits and a Maxicare health card upon regularization on the 6^th month. Employees receive perks through raffles, incentives and a high referral bonus payout. Their bond is equivalent to one month salary and is released upon regularization.

TELUS

Basic Info: TELUS is the former Ambergris Solutions and is popularly noted for handling technical accounts in the industry. They provide diverse corporate needs that are cost-effective and high quality solutions for customer care, sales, technical support, market research and back office work. Their known clients include companies in the utilities, high-tech, travel, hospitality, telecommunications and financial services industries. Popular accounts associated with TELUS include Samsung, Xbox, and TELUS mobility

Business and Contact Address: 31st Floor Discovery Suites, 25 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1600. www.telusinternational.com.ph

Salary and Compensation: Php13,250.00 for starters which would be appraised within the year. Php2,000.00 to Php2,500.00 non-taxable allowance. Standard government benefits plus a healthcard upon regularization. Other perks known aside from monetary incentives is a unique gaming environment with all the latest Xbox and Playtstation game updates right at your fingertips.

Accenture

Basic Info: Accenture started out in the Philippines in 1985 as a non-voice BPO and is one of the largest IT companies in the country with the biggest third-party non-voice solutions provider nationwide. They are known to handle big technical accounts like AT & T.Accenture Manila BPO is proud in providing good quality, safe and stable working conditions, and a very supportive working environment. Accenture Manila BPO valuesits employees as its main asset and a big part of its success.

Business and Contact Address: 14/F Cybergate Tower 3 (across Globe bldg.)Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City (MRT Boni station). www.accenture.com

Salary and Compensation: Php15,000.00 basic salary, standard government benefits, and Maxicare upon regularization. They're known to give a 14^th month pay for regular employees. They also have a bond for one year. Core ideals of the company is life, work and balance. Thus, one of the reasons why they have many lifestyle perks and privileges. The company only accepts college degree holders.

Stream Global Service (formerly eTelecare)

Basic Info: In 2008, Stream opened its first Philippine branch in Manila, where they grew rapidly to acquire eTelecare in October 2009. Stream Global Services is partners with a number of leading global companies in a wide array of industries including technology, computing, telecommunications, retail, entertainment and media and financial services companies.

Business and Contact Address:2/F, Worldwide Corporate Center, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong 1000.careers.stream.com

Salary and Compensation: Php15,000.00 basic salary15% night differential, Maxicare availability even for probes and performance incentives.

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Basic Info: This bank is a leader in investment banking, financial services and transaction processing, asset and wealth management and private equity loans.JPMorgan Chase operates one of its offshore BPO’s here underChase Card Services. It has more than 160 million cards in circulation and is one of the largest credit card issuers in the United States. It carries the reputation for being the second-largest issuer of both MasterCard and Visa credit cards. It engages in credit card back-door work, client acquisition, customer retention, billing and collections among others.

Business and Contact Address: 7/F Net Quad Bldg., 4th Ave. Corner 30th St., Fort Bonifacio, Global City Taguig City. www.jpmorganchase.com

Salary and Compensation: Php15,000.00 to Php16,000.00 for entry-level applicants and Php18,000.00 to Php22,500.00 for experienced agents on an inbound account. Standard government benefits. There's Php1500.00 for rice and meal, Php1,000.00 for transportation, 20% night differential and Maxicare as health card provider. Plus, perks are high.

HSBC Global Resourcing

Basic Info: HSCB Electronic Data Processing Philippines is the call center arm of HSBC Global Resourcing.It is owned by HSBC Holdings and work in one of several HSBC Group Service Centers around the world and only serve HSBC customers from the U.S. & U.K. Although, other financial institutions have affiliated or merged themselves with the prime BPO services of HSBC like Orchard, Household Banking and Prime, and GM Bank among others. Security of tenure and career is one of their slogans.

Business and Contact Address: UP Ayala Technohub Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City

Compensation and Salary: Basic salary ranges from Php15,000.00 to Php20,000.00, 20% night differential, allowance that includes transportation and rice amounting to Php 3,000.00 plus.

For more detailed information, please check the best paying call center companies for a thorough list.