Dell and John Clements Host a Talk for a Select Group
by Paul Catiang

On August 29, 2005, almost 50 leaders in various professional fields came to Vivere Suites at the Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang to hear a talk given by Dell International Services’ Vice President & General Manager for Southeast Asia, Mr. Rajan Anandan. The Dell-sponsored event was organized and facilitated by John Clements Consultants, Inc.

As the stars rose over the Laguna de Bay, Mr. Anandan laid out his proposal: Dell needs leaders who want to lead. Their field of expertise isn’t important, what is needed is the ability to manage people well, regardless of what needs to be done. Recently named by Fortune Magazine as America’s Most Admired Company, Dell currently leads the pack in terms of market share, due to their intense focus on their customers and their ability to release new products ahead of their competition.

It is this focus on their customers that leads to an increased demand for call centers to cater to the needs of Dell customers. As a former American colony with a population that can be easily trained to speak English, the Philippines is a very attractive location for Dell, and America’s most-admired company wants to deepen their association here. The search for executives, managers and professionals to fill the ranks of Dell’s projected Philippine operations has begun, and the fifty-odd people invited to the gathering were the first batch to be so invited.

Interestingly enough, the majority of the invitees were from manufacturing industry and other service industries, even though Dell is looking for people to run and manage their call centers. The reason is that managers with manufacturing experience focus on metrics and quality, as well as close attention to detail. call center experience is not necessary, though some training will be given in that area. Moreover, the strict deadlines manufacturing professionals work with make them suitable candidates who can easily adapt to the demands of managing call centers. Professionals with experience in hotels, restaurants, or airlines, on the other hand, were invited for their interpersonal skills and their ability to anticipate the needs of their clients. Thus, the necessary basic skills are similar, and anything else can be covered in training.

The political situation in the Philippines, on the other hand, is hardly a cause for worry when compared to the possible benefits of setting up operations here.

Mr. Anandan did give the guests an idea of how the high-energy atmosphere at Dell International Services takes up most of his day. He described morning conference calls with managers to review the metrics, followed by more conference calls with those who did not meet their targets. As Dell prides itself on being a results-oriented company, those who do not meet their targets have to come up with a strategy of how to meet them at the soonest possible time. The guests were shown what to expect of Dell, and what would be expected of them, should they decide to take the plunge.

As the evening came to a close, the guests mingled over hors d’oeuvres and drinks, considering the proposition. The call for resumes had come out, and their responses were awaited.

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Interested parties may send their inquiries and resumes to mabiscocho@johnclements.com.