US firm opens BPO hub in MOA

MANILA, Philippines – Leading US customer marketing firm Harte Hanks opened recently its integrated business process outsourcing (BPO) hub at the Five E-Com Center in the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

The hub consolidates Harte Hanks former primary and secondary locations and creates seats for hundreds of new employers.

Executives of Harte Hanks who came to the Philippines for the opening said they decided to increase their investment here because of the Philippines’ attractive labor market. They praised the dedication of service-oriented culture of Filipino workers, saying they are the main draw for foreign investors.

“Filipinos possess a very strong work ethic and a culture of customer service,” said Benjamin Chacko, Harte Hanks’ head of BPO operations. “We have been always impressed by the skill and dedication of Filipinos who work for Harte Hanks. They have been an important factor in our success, and we look forward to sustaining our growth here.”

“Our Filipino employees learn quickly, are customer-service minded and culturally aware of the United States, our primary service market,” he added.

Chacko also attributed the steady growth of the country’s BPO industry to a highly-educated, English-speaking workforce. 

Butch Valenzuela, treasurer of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines lawyer said the IT-BPO industry hired 1.2 million workers in 2015 and would add another 100,000 this year.

The US-based firm’s Manila affiliate employs about 2,000 IT-BPO workers, majority of whom are assigned at its primary location in Fort Bonifacio, Global City. 

Jonathan Bondoc, site director for Harte Hanks Philippines, said the company prides itself as a BPO with a low turnover of employees, focusing on in-house programs that engage, enable and retain personnel. 

“Our employees generally stay for the culture and work environment we provide,” Bondoc stressed. “We pride ourselves in a culture that is inclusive and embraces diversity.”