Call center industry showing no signs of slowing down — CCAP

MANILA, Philippines — The Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said the industry is showing no signs of slowing down and will remain a strong contributor to the national economy in the coming years.

“Despite the looming challenges that may come its way, the Philippines’ call center sector is expected to remain as among the strongest segments that contribute to the national economy. Many analysts cite the resilience and outstanding coping mechanism of local contact centers for the sector’s lasting strength and growth potential,” CCAP said in a statement.

CCAP said the entire business process outsourcing industry, with revenues of about $23 billion, is seen growing annually at 16 percent to $40 billion by 2022.

CCAP said this could possibly make the industry the top contributor to the national economy’s growth, displacing overseas Filipino workers’ remittances.

“We are excited about the new opportunities that are arising within the local contact center sector as we collectively address ongoing shifts focusing on technology and nature of service,” CCAP chairman Benedict Hernandez said.

“In the onset of artificial intelligence and automation, new jobs will be created to support higher level of customer experience,” he added.

Danilo Sebastian Reyes, a member of CCAP’s board of directors, said while English proficiency remains the country’s advantage, there are skills that need to be enhanced to upgrade the level of service provided into a “customer-experience-focused one.”

“We need to sharpen the saw in terms of soft skills and enhance those in terms of science, technology, engineering and math,” he said.