In this BPO Corner:
Dell to Open Its First Call Center at Soon-to-Open SM Mall of Asia
By Melvin G. Calimag

In what could be a sign of an emerging trend for the still flourishing call center business in the country, tech titan Dell Computers has picked the soon-to-be-opened SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City as the cite of its first call center in the Philippines.

The US-based computer maker is not the first company to set up a call center in a mall, but its lofty name could precipitate a pattern that other companies with plans to put up their own call centers may soon adopt.

Call center firm TeleTech was the first to make the move early this year when it opened its call center in Robinsons Mall at Novaliches, Quezon City. Its main office building is also located near the SM Mall of Asia.

Dell’s facility at the SM mall has a total floor area of 145,000 square feet. Though the mall is slated to open on December, the call center will only start its operations by February.

Dell officials refuse to disclose the amount involved in putting up the facility, which the company’s seventh call center in the world.

The company said the location was "selected for its easy access to a host of amenities, including a business district with some of the best shopping, dining, and entertainment."

It added the "sprawling shopping and business complex will ultimately be among the largest shopping malls in the world, consisting of four buildings linked by elevated walkways in Manila’s scenic Bay Area. It will eventually offer an Olympic-size ice skating rink and ten theaters, including the Philippines’ first IMAX cinema."

Observers note that the comforts offered by malls to call center employees are some of the reasons why they are now being preferred over high-rise buildings situated in business districts.

But areas such as Makati and Ortigas in Pasig City are slowly recognizing the needs of the thriving call center industry, allowing coffee shops, convenience stores, and fast food joints to open in locations usually reserved for office spaces.

The Pasay City facility will initially employ 100 agents, but this figure will be scaled up to 700 upon full operations, according to Rajan Anandan, vice president of Dell International Services.

Dell is using the Internet, including an on-demand webcast ( www.dell.com/manila ) and online advertising to reach prospective employees.

Applicants are currently being screened at Dell’s recruitment and training center at the RCBC Tower in Makati City. The center is equipped with labs that simulate the networked home environment and issues typical of the troubleshooting provided by Dell technical support representatives.

The call center will provide service and technical support to Dell consumer customers in the United States. The company has made a name in the tech industry for offering custom-built PCs for its customers, although this model has not been as successful in the Philippines.

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This article was originally published in the Manila Bulletin.