BPO—the Real Scoop: A John Clements Business Forum
By Paul Catiang

On the afternoon of September 6, 2006, John Clements held a Business Forum at the Manila Golf Country Club. With the aim of informing and educating today's executives about business process outsourcing, John Clements invited around 30 executives from a broad spectrum of industries for an afternoon of short, informative presentations over snacks and coffee. The event was moderated by Frank Holz of Outsource2Philippines.

The Business Forum's guest speakers were two examples of today's BPO executives. The first speaker was Mike Garrison, the Country Manager of Dell International Services, an American and a veteran executive in the areas of operations, marketing, and customer support. Carlo Jos é, the second speaker, is a Vice President of Operations for HSBC Electronic Data Processing ( Philippines ), Inc., and is an up-and-coming Filipino executive whose career is a BPO success story in itself.

Leadership in Customer Support: Call Centers According to Dell

Founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, the company describes itself as “a growing, global leader that brings local benefits to customers and communities.” Dell operates out of several global manufacturing sites in the United States , Ireland , Malaysia , China and Brazil , and employs approximately 75,000 people worldwide.

Dell's famous Direct Model combines several elements. By establishing direct relationships, Dell provides a single point of accountability, seeks the most efficient path to the customer, and builds only to order, which streamlines the company's operations for maximum efficiency. This is combined with providing the best customer experience, which includes giving the best value, the highest quality and most relevant technology, and customized systems.

Part of providing the best customer experience is tailored service and support. Dell's customer support services come in here, giving customers an easy point of contact and aiming for a first-time fix. It is within this framework that Mr. Garrison dispelled some myths concerning call centers.

First, he countered the misconception that call center workers are only operators working at night. He cited the complex nature of customer concerns Dell deals with, as the company's global teams solve highly complex problems for customers around the world using the latest technology. This requires Dell call center workers to be conversant in computer systems and technology in order to deal with these concerns. In addition, while a lot of calls come in at night in the Philippines , these concerns do come up at all hours of the day, requiring 24-hour shifts.

Second, Mr. Garrison addressed the concern that call center jobs are dead ends. Because of the complex nature of Dell's business, the company has several options for advancement and offers its employees a clear career path.

Lastly, Mr. Garrison disproved that call centers are churn-and-burn environments. Dell call centers use the same quality-cost-productivity balance used in its manufacturing operations. As a fast-paced company, Dell recognizes the challenges its employees face and has, over the years, developed methods to balance out its people with quality, cost, and process.

On the subject of leadership, Mr. Garrison began with emphasizing Dell's need for leaders who can inspire people and forge them into high-performance teams is crucial for a company as fast paced as Dell. Operational rigor is also needed; Dell operates on tight schedules, and its employees—especially its leaders—learn to deliver on commitments and to aim for results. Mr. Garrison emphasized a need for a “maniacal focus on execution” to drive his point home.

Moreover, dealing with ambiguity is a constant in Dell; leaders who react quickly and effectively to industry demands and changes are highly prized by Dell. The company also encourages innovation; “Since we own the process, we own improving it,” is the maxim used. Lastly, Dell values winning. Employees are encouraged to have a passion for winning, which will drive them forward in their careers in the company.

An Insider's Perspective: Call Centers According to HSBC

Similar beliefs were mirrored in the presentation of Carlo José, Vice President of Operations for HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Philippines), Inc. Speaking from personal experience, Mr. José corrected some misconceptions concerning the call center industry. As someone who has built a career in outsourcing himself, Mr. José disproved the belief that there is no advancement to be gained working in call centers, and said that working in the industry is rewarding on several levels.

International finance, in particular, offers organizational and career growth, training and continuous self-development, and international exposure. Because of the economic growth outsourcing has brought to the country, the industry also advocates corporate social responsibility.

In his experience, call center work is for those who like working with people and those who want to work in the virtually global space occupied by the industry. Leaders in call centers, according to him, are those who pursue personal growth and development as well as the improvement of the lives of their employees. Mr. José also describes industry leaders as people with vision and sound judgment where the business is concerned. In addition, he named commitment—to the industry, to the customers and to personal development—as an important aspect of a call center leader.

Mr. José describes leadership in outsourcing as a balancing act: between work and life and between the interests of clients, employees and shareholders. It also involves effective management of change, flexibility, and constant communication. Lastly, he considers leading by example of the utmost importance.

Both executives' presentations had one commonality: leadership is what's needed in the BPO industry; the ability to motivate, inspire, manage and take charge comes before anything else. The industry's particular processes can be learned and the skills required can be gained over time.

The presentations were followed by several questions from the attendees, and the Business Forum was concluded by mingling over snacks and drinks.