Western Wats to expand in Cebu

Utah-based call center firm that specializes on data collection service Western Wats is expanding its operations in Cebu to add 1,000 more call center agents in the next two years.

Currently, the Cebu operation is maintaining about 800 call center agents to serve the company's over a hundred corporate clients from the United States and United Kingdom.

In a press conference, Western Wats Philippines president Chris S. Mangelson said although it is currently challenging to look for qualified agents to serve the growing demand, Cebu is still the best place for its offshore operation, as most people speak good American English.

This year, the company is targeting to hire 500 more call center agents, and another 500 next year.

Western Wats is one of the few call center companies that specializes on data collection, which means that call operations are all outbound.

Since 1997, Western Wats has been conducting market research for many prominent businesses worldwide. It is one of the largest independently owned market research data collection companies in the United States.

Its Cebu operation, located at Mactan Export Zone (MEZ-2), is the only offshore office of the company outside of United States.

"We are continually expanding in Cebu," Mangelson said adding that the company is currently negotiating with a developer to build the building infrastructure for them.

Western Wats opened in Cebu in 2003 with 250 seats. Now it is a 500-seat call center company operating at MEZ-2 with 800 people.

"What is good with the call center business is degree diploma is not necessary, as long as one can speak very good American English," he said emphasizing that even a mere high school graduate can join this high paying job.

Last month, the company released net payroll of P11 million, a fresh money from outside the country poured into the Philippines given to its Filipino employees.

Unlike the customer relation, sales services which are mostly handled by call centers locating in the Philippines right now, that do outbound calls to sell products, and accept complaints from irate American or European customers, Western Wats call center agents are doing outbound calls to collect information from its clients' customers.

He said their agents are less stressed because they do not deal with stressful complaints from their clients' customers, but simply to ask question as part of a survey.

"We provide our [corporate] clients information so that they can make effective business decisions," Mangelson said.

Companies currently served by Western Wats are into banking, automotive, hospitality, government, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), media, pharmaceutical, politicians, among others.