A Word from Our Directors

I first began employing VA’s in the Philippines in 2008 and since then have contracted over 100 Philippines and Indian VAs, mostly working from home.

I think I have made just about every mistake that you can make when outsourcing staff in another country. However, what I have achieved through outsourcing would not have been possible or affordable. The learning curve and ultimate success far outweighed the mistakes I have made.

The good news is that I can pass this wealth of information on and save you a lot of headaches.

I’ve learnt:

• You need to manage your staff well! They excel when they have an encouraging team behind them! It’s all the extra things that we, at Phil Labour, add into the ‘all in hourly rate’ that make it viable!
• You need the right equipment and security protocols. This has become more important during the lockdown. We needed to increase our IT support and provide exceptional backup at locations.
• You need someone ‘on the ground’ leading the team which is one of the reason’s one of our Australian Directors works in the office to oversee and manage the staff for our clients.
• You need to understand the country of your Va’s origin so that you appreciate what drives them. We can teach you this. We have a strong understanding of the Philippines culture and will make sure you get the best person and make sure you retain them!

Erika Wager

CEO, Phil Labor BPO

I was first exposed to the concept of outsourcing in 2014 when expanding my small drinking water supply business here in the Philippines. I had already been living and working 50% of the time in the Philippines and the other half in Australia.

I have since fallen in love with the Philippines and have basically lived here since 2016. Today I work full-on in the outsourcing/offshoring industry managing the day-to-day operations at Phil Labor. The Filipino people are amazing and most thrive on the challenge of assisting organisations to grow their businesses.

These young, well-educated and motivated people speak English well and learn quickly. Once you find a good staff member and they also like you and your team – you will have a loyal employee for many years to come. Why the Philippines? Well, it’s more than just the reduced costs to your bottom line, it’s the life-changing opportunities this brings to your staff members and their extended families. This is a relatively poor country but through outsourcing, things are changing for the better.

I love introducing SMEs and larger businesses to the concept of outsourcing through the Philippines and then seeing the changes it can make to their business. It’s not all smooth sailing as there will be challenges along the way but if you are willing to train and nurture your team, you, like many others, will reap the rewards.

If you are tired of working ‘in’ your business and prefer to work ‘on’ it, this may just be what the doctor ordered.

Jeffery Collinson
General Manager, Phil Labor BPO

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