The Philippines continues to rank among the top BPO destinations in the entire world. Although Vietnam recently got first place and left the PH scrambling for second, off-shore investors around the world still eye the country due to how easy Filipinos adapt to western culture and their arguably superior neutral English.
There’s a saying that there’s only one way to go buy up, but what else is in store for the BPO climate in the country? While the trends aren’t exactly different than last year, a recent shift in the country’s suburban planning has the potential to make the BPO industry even more accessible to a lot of people.
Crowded City Centers
The country’s trends in terms of living have recently undergone a shift from the bustling commercial city centers and back into the suburbs. It was inevitable as although the country’s large cities are still the go-to place for business, the fact that many of these have become extremely crowded now puts off a lot of would-be movers. More people are reconsidering their housing options, and moving back into the suburbs.
Additionally, the large city centers are already filled to the brim with other BPO centers, meaning that there’s high competition involved. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it may be difficult for you to actually get a foothold on the BPO scene as most people would inevitably consider the well-known options.
BPOs Close to Home: Is This the New Trend?
What does this all mean for an investor like you? If you want to carve a niche in an already competitive BPO market, you need to take advantage of the current movement back to the suburbs.
You might be thinking: “How exactly would it be beneficial for me to set up shop in the suburbs when it’s mostly a residential sector?” The concept of the suburbs is considerably different here in the Philippines than abroad. Here, the suburbs are more than just residential sectors as they have their own smaller commercial districts. Originally, these were just restaurants and smaller shopping centers, but the move back to the suburbs opened up many opportunities for business owners. Offices are no longer a rare and whimsical sight in the deep suburbs.
A good example of this trend is Lancaster Community New City Cavite. What separates them from other master planned communities is the presence of a business park. As SuntechiPark.com explains, it’s Cavite’s pioneer IT Park with a majority of its employees living just a stone’s throw away in the township’s residential community.
These suburban developments are popping up everywhere in the country and the benefits are pretty obvious. The fact that most of the employees live very close to the business park means that you’ll be able to fill your seats faster, allowing you start your operations ahead of schedule.
If you’re trying to set a foothold on the country’s competitive BPO market, you might want to consider setting up shop in one of the many business parks close to or within the suburbs. Not only will you fill your seats faster, you’ll never have to worry about late employees every again.
