MikeLigalig.com

Written By Abigail Ho
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Like many of their counterparts in other parts of the world, companies from the Netherlands are finding the Philippines an attractive outsourcing site, still due mainly to the country’s pool of highly skilled English-speaking workers, a Dutch executive said.

Brian Altman, managing director of Dutch information technology firm IAMD Software Solutions, said the Philippines was generally a good offshore alternative for European companies.

“Services of even the more common business processes will be hard -- and expensive -- to come by in Europe, and the Philippines is a very good alternative low-cost center for (business process outsourcing),” he said in a statement.

He said the Philippines’ telecommunications infrastructure, skilled workers and largely English-speaking population continued to give it a competitive edge over many other potential BPO sites the world over.

Other plus factors included relatively low labor costs as well as cultural similarities with Western countries, he added.

What the government and local stakeholders should do to make the country more attractive to potential outsourcers, he said, was package it properly by highlighting its competitive advantages.

“The Philippines should be marketed properly to the West. There should be more focus on the business side of the country: language advantage, modern infrastructure, high-tech cities like Makati, Eastwood City and Ortigas Center,” he said.

He said one good way of showcasing the country’s merits was through government-spearheaded trade missions, usually organized by the Department of Trade and Industry’s Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions.

“With more foreign nationals in the Philippines, a larger network of westerners is created, thus improving the promotion of the Philippines to the West,” he said.

There are currently around 30 Dutch companies in the country, including big-name firms such as Shell, Philips, Unilever and ABN Amro.

“The Dutch are very careful when it comes to outsourcing. This goes for most of the European market. Trade missions to Europe bridge that and, in important ways, project the Philippines as an attractive offshore location,” Altman said.

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