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iNTouch chief executive officer and managing director Edward Lim announced in a presscon that Cebu low-cost calling service would be available soon.
“Around 32 million Filipinos don’t have ways to cheapest communication," says Edward Lim,
who launched the Next Generation Voice over Internet Protocol three years ago. He also said that even with the introduction of the service, only a few have seen its potential due to problems on computer availability and Internet access.
Through iNTouch Calling Club, members who intend to get in touch with their families abroad will only have to call the iNTouch call center from any phone line and agents will connect their calls anywhere abroad. This callback service is a first of its kind and probably first in the Philippines.
You can have this type of service by just using a cellphone. It made you register your number and textthe number abroad that you want to call. Then an operator will call you back, put you on hold as he connects your call.
Lim said that the service will be affordable since the company charges P1.80 per minute on international direct dial (IDD) calls. A P10 callback fee is charged on top of the IDD call.
The current IDD call rate to the US is P20 to P24 per minute and potential members have four modes of payments to choose from.
The monthly rate is at P550 with 120 free minutes, quarterly rate is at P1,200 and the semi-annual rate is at P1,800 both with free 300 minutes of airtime usage. The annual rate is at P3,000 with free calls for 600 minutes.
Members will be allowed to reload once they have consumed their free airtime usage by a minimum ammount of $10. They can also either call their reseller, deposit it to the bank, or text us if they want to reload," Lim added.
The call center will operates from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily and it will serve countries like Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA, among others.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Building a Call Center with free software
I have read an article from VoIP Planet regarding Voice Over Internet Protocol to power Call Center business and I was intrigue with its subtitle that discussed on building a call through free softwares that are given away thru GNU licensing. With the power of VoIP many technomaniac are building something worthwhile for the free world to use and this can be tapped by Call Center Operators in the near future. So here goes the line...
When is a call center not a tool of the devil? When it's yours. Asterisk, our favorite iPBX, is a great foundation on which to build a call-center, but it does not come with all the tools that a call center needs. For that you want AstGUIClient. AstGUIClient is free in both senses of the word: free of cost, and open source software licensed under the GPL. This means you can modify it as you please, and you can distribute your modified versions, or even sell them if you can find people willing to pay money. (But don't forget the part where you must make all derived source code available, and without whining, because you're reaping the benefits of an entire free software ecosystem that you didn't have to create.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Between Honor and Money
The luxurious way of life in a call center is a temptation that any ordinary corporate employee like me just can't just resist. Free food, service laptops, cellphone allocations, profit sharing, bonuses, name it and you have it. These are just some of the perks that anyone in the supervisory and managerial level enjoys.
Now, it is being used to me as decoy to give in to my big BOSS alluring propositions. I have been involve in her new business venture (call center) eight months ago when it is just starting and looking for prospect clients and TEAM for its operations. I have rendered my technical and creative expertise, made its collateral and marketing need as it starts to make a name in the business.
I was attached to her publishing business and happens to handles multitasking jobs in the company from its technology aspects down to its creative operations. I always been involve in major projects that the company needs my expertise and proud to say that I render it in flying colors.
When his son came from abroad and started out two major projects (call center and digital library). I was then elevated from my current position and join them with this start-up ventures. Having to choose which one I should join is a major decision that I should make. They both needs me but the digital library project was two months ahead than the call center concept.
As the call center completed its initial infrastructure, the pressure again intensifies. Our digital library is about to launch on the web and the call center is about to starts its operation. I don't want to sound as if I am so precious but may be they have seen my capabilities and talents that they want to tap for their businesses. Now, I'm in dilemma, worried and have to made the final decision.
She gets mad when I rejected her for the 3rd time. She doesn't care if my current project will be affected or not. I'm like the walls in the office that at her command, will move into want directions she wishes. She has this type of management where her words are Gods to her employees. But not this time. I'm tired of it after 10 years in the company.
I want her to realized that this is not all about money. I love what I am doing, I love my job and have dedicated my life to her company through the years. Sad to say, I am not satisfied to what I received.
Now, my concentration is on the development of Digital Library envision by his son who is currently my present boss. Though the call center is his, still I just can't give in my big Boss request for immediately transfer and leaving my current project behind. I want my boss to know this, and I want him to know my decision when he arrives. He is always on a business trip that's why her mother usually takes control over us and make a decision against his will. I will have no face to show if ever I just pick my things and transferred to the next office at instant. He is the one who personally requested me to join him with this project and needless to say, I don't want him to get disappointed.
I still have a piece that I kept in me. Its about honor to the person whom I gave my word and I want to keep it. I have to respect both parties and they should understand. I can't divide myself and I can't promise them so many things. I am one and still I am one, I cannot do everything but I can do something. Now, tell me If I have done wrong.
Now, it is being used to me as decoy to give in to my big BOSS alluring propositions. I have been involve in her new business venture (call center) eight months ago when it is just starting and looking for prospect clients and TEAM for its operations. I have rendered my technical and creative expertise, made its collateral and marketing need as it starts to make a name in the business.
I was attached to her publishing business and happens to handles multitasking jobs in the company from its technology aspects down to its creative operations. I always been involve in major projects that the company needs my expertise and proud to say that I render it in flying colors.
When his son came from abroad and started out two major projects (call center and digital library). I was then elevated from my current position and join them with this start-up ventures. Having to choose which one I should join is a major decision that I should make. They both needs me but the digital library project was two months ahead than the call center concept.
As the call center completed its initial infrastructure, the pressure again intensifies. Our digital library is about to launch on the web and the call center is about to starts its operation. I don't want to sound as if I am so precious but may be they have seen my capabilities and talents that they want to tap for their businesses. Now, I'm in dilemma, worried and have to made the final decision.
She gets mad when I rejected her for the 3rd time. She doesn't care if my current project will be affected or not. I'm like the walls in the office that at her command, will move into want directions she wishes. She has this type of management where her words are Gods to her employees. But not this time. I'm tired of it after 10 years in the company.
I want her to realized that this is not all about money. I love what I am doing, I love my job and have dedicated my life to her company through the years. Sad to say, I am not satisfied to what I received.
Now, my concentration is on the development of Digital Library envision by his son who is currently my present boss. Though the call center is his, still I just can't give in my big Boss request for immediately transfer and leaving my current project behind. I want my boss to know this, and I want him to know my decision when he arrives. He is always on a business trip that's why her mother usually takes control over us and make a decision against his will. I will have no face to show if ever I just pick my things and transferred to the next office at instant. He is the one who personally requested me to join him with this project and needless to say, I don't want him to get disappointed.
I still have a piece that I kept in me. Its about honor to the person whom I gave my word and I want to keep it. I have to respect both parties and they should understand. I can't divide myself and I can't promise them so many things. I am one and still I am one, I cannot do everything but I can do something. Now, tell me If I have done wrong.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Outsourcing and Business Outsourcing Defined
According to Wikipedia, Outsourcing is delegation of non-core operations or jobs from internal production within a business to an external entity meaning it is a form of a subcontractor wherein decision is being made by the management of the company when their internal workforce cannot comply with their present requirements or having back logs on their operations. It is also a business decision that is often made to lower costs or focus on competencies.
Although common connotation with the word Outsourcing is for call centers. There's is a big difference to its related term "offshoring". This is primarily used terms when you mean transferring of work to another country, typically overseas. But at present, Offshoring is already considered similar to outsourcing when companies hire overseas subcontractors, but differs when companies transfer work to the same company in another country.
Now, here comes another term "business outsourcing".This is an act of transferring some of an organization's repeated non-core and core business processes to an outside provider to achieve cost reductions while improving service quality. Because the processes are repeated and a long-term contract is used, outsourcing goes far beyond the use of consultants. The main difference between BPO and more traditional outsourcing is that BPO offers companies a way of achieving transformational outcomes much more quickly.
The most common business process that gets outsourced is call centers. Call centers and Help Desks of many multi national and fortune 500 companies are being outsourced to low waged, English speaking countries such as Philippines and India. Countries like India with vast IT human resources are also attracting outsourcing from American IT/Technology companies to outsource their IT Help Desks. Many of these help desks are state of the art with latest Help Desk software and help desk hardware with technical savvy IT graduates behind them answering your questions.
The likes of Adobe, Inc, a giant software development company also outsource from the Philippines. Some contents of their website are being done by Filipinos. This offshoring or outsourcing needs for these multinational companies are going to its high peak by 2008 according to some IT reports. Therefore, Business Process Outsourcing can leverages process driven with efficiencies in terms of organizational excellence, responsiveness & branding, financial efficiency and customer relationship. It is now emerge as a powerful and flexible approach that business leaders can use to achieve a wide range of tactical and strategic aims.
According to Wikipedia, Outsourcing is delegation of non-core operations or jobs from internal production within a business to an external entity meaning it is a form of a subcontractor wherein decision is being made by the management of the company when their internal workforce cannot comply with their present requirements or having back logs on their operations. It is also a business decision that is often made to lower costs or focus on competencies.
Although common connotation with the word Outsourcing is for call centers. There's is a big difference to its related term "offshoring". This is primarily used terms when you mean transferring of work to another country, typically overseas. But at present, Offshoring is already considered similar to outsourcing when companies hire overseas subcontractors, but differs when companies transfer work to the same company in another country.
Now, here comes another term "business outsourcing".This is an act of transferring some of an organization's repeated non-core and core business processes to an outside provider to achieve cost reductions while improving service quality. Because the processes are repeated and a long-term contract is used, outsourcing goes far beyond the use of consultants. The main difference between BPO and more traditional outsourcing is that BPO offers companies a way of achieving transformational outcomes much more quickly.
The most common business process that gets outsourced is call centers. Call centers and Help Desks of many multi national and fortune 500 companies are being outsourced to low waged, English speaking countries such as Philippines and India. Countries like India with vast IT human resources are also attracting outsourcing from American IT/Technology companies to outsource their IT Help Desks. Many of these help desks are state of the art with latest Help Desk software and help desk hardware with technical savvy IT graduates behind them answering your questions.
The likes of Adobe, Inc, a giant software development company also outsource from the Philippines. Some contents of their website are being done by Filipinos. This offshoring or outsourcing needs for these multinational companies are going to its high peak by 2008 according to some IT reports. Therefore, Business Process Outsourcing can leverages process driven with efficiencies in terms of organizational excellence, responsiveness & branding, financial efficiency and customer relationship. It is now emerge as a powerful and flexible approach that business leaders can use to achieve a wide range of tactical and strategic aims.
Monday, September 04, 2006
GREY MARKET TRIVES IN CALL CENTERS?
Grey or Gray market is alarming nowadays specially to the IT sector. The news on the rise of gray market in India which concluded that its market was made up between 60 percent and 90 percent of sales profits is really a connotation that it really exist. In the Philippines, a recent study published by IDC says that more VoIP service offerings are needed to market its growth for the next five years and still on its infancy. This will prompt the underground market to pumped strategies to get a slot to the market. Companies who has no idea on this matter would surely be victimized without their knowledge.
The technological advances have resulted in some companies to make use of alternative channels such as call centres and the Internet to deliver their services to their customers. The VoIP or the Voice over Internet Protocol is the source of call centers success in the business because it is fast and efficient. Several IT suppliers now take its advantage and offers VoIP dialer softwares and hardware as a solution to all companies who wants to venture in this kind of business.
For start-ups, they tend to grab also some advantages to find companies who can offer them the best price solution for their VoIP dialer needs and according to some sectors, these IT companies starts to embrace the grey market to be able to match the supply and demand.
Buying on the gray market could be dangerous. And these, counterfeit parts are handdled by smugglers and customers could not receive warranties and may not be otherwise supported by the manufacturer. At present, prevailing ruling of the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) on the commercial offering of VoIP in the country has no concrete rules on how it can protect the consumers. One day, it may lead again to another round of raids againts call center operators not with the usual unlicensed softwares but the unlicensed parts of the dialers hardwares.
Grey or Gray market is alarming nowadays specially to the IT sector. The news on the rise of gray market in India which concluded that its market was made up between 60 percent and 90 percent of sales profits is really a connotation that it really exist. In the Philippines, a recent study published by IDC says that more VoIP service offerings are needed to market its growth for the next five years and still on its infancy. This will prompt the underground market to pumped strategies to get a slot to the market. Companies who has no idea on this matter would surely be victimized without their knowledge.
The technological advances have resulted in some companies to make use of alternative channels such as call centres and the Internet to deliver their services to their customers. The VoIP or the Voice over Internet Protocol is the source of call centers success in the business because it is fast and efficient. Several IT suppliers now take its advantage and offers VoIP dialer softwares and hardware as a solution to all companies who wants to venture in this kind of business.
For start-ups, they tend to grab also some advantages to find companies who can offer them the best price solution for their VoIP dialer needs and according to some sectors, these IT companies starts to embrace the grey market to be able to match the supply and demand.
Buying on the gray market could be dangerous. And these, counterfeit parts are handdled by smugglers and customers could not receive warranties and may not be otherwise supported by the manufacturer. At present, prevailing ruling of the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) on the commercial offering of VoIP in the country has no concrete rules on how it can protect the consumers. One day, it may lead again to another round of raids againts call center operators not with the usual unlicensed softwares but the unlicensed parts of the dialers hardwares.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE
Due to my over load work, I have decided to decline myself to work full time on this project. But it does'nt mean that I have to stop writing about it. This is just temporary since I am still diverted to its concern from time to time. Meaning, I can still give some insights on this matter and how this project progresses.
So as to continue, last week we had this two Australian visitors who are contact by one of our key personnel for this project. Mind you, they are on their teens and very courageous to met with our top guns. They don't dressed up in a customary business attire, rather they are on their very casual wear with their business presentation on hand. They speak with all their knowledge in the business and mind you, they have this strategies to earn big bucks. On their early age, they can already come up with a business proposal as if they were already on the business for years.
After that meeting, I said to myself. What are the possibilities of having these teenagers running a particular business such as this? At their age, I can't really imagine that I can indulge myself into this kind of business if I'm on their shoes. It takes so much courage and pure determination to come up with this idea. I really admire young generations for their impulsive response in making business. But I think they still need guidance from those who have already matured on the same business. At my age of 33 still I am afraid of running my own business not just because I am not financially capable but my experiences and failure is what I am afraid of.
Due to my over load work, I have decided to decline myself to work full time on this project. But it does'nt mean that I have to stop writing about it. This is just temporary since I am still diverted to its concern from time to time. Meaning, I can still give some insights on this matter and how this project progresses.
So as to continue, last week we had this two Australian visitors who are contact by one of our key personnel for this project. Mind you, they are on their teens and very courageous to met with our top guns. They don't dressed up in a customary business attire, rather they are on their very casual wear with their business presentation on hand. They speak with all their knowledge in the business and mind you, they have this strategies to earn big bucks. On their early age, they can already come up with a business proposal as if they were already on the business for years.
After that meeting, I said to myself. What are the possibilities of having these teenagers running a particular business such as this? At their age, I can't really imagine that I can indulge myself into this kind of business if I'm on their shoes. It takes so much courage and pure determination to come up with this idea. I really admire young generations for their impulsive response in making business. But I think they still need guidance from those who have already matured on the same business. At my age of 33 still I am afraid of running my own business not just because I am not financially capable but my experiences and failure is what I am afraid of.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
CALL CENTER JOBS ON THE RISE
I was scanning my email today, when i get noticed the job fair ad attached to an email from an online job hunters. With this ad, It just show that contact centers in the Philippines is a promising business and keeps on growing for months. It even migrated their businesses in the province.
With this kind of business phenomena, I just can't really imagine why most companies abroad outsourced job in Asia. Not just because we are the source of cheap labor, but i might think that people abroad are getting lazy now to do the job or i may say that they don't really care for a job. Well, first world like the America is one of the number one outsourcer. As simple as transcribing their medical records, they can't do it by themselves and they throw it in Asia. "Oh comman Richard, be awake, these guys are so busy and they don't spend their time to this unproductive stuff".
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