The Skills Gap Challenge: How Call Centers in the Philippines Are Building the Workforce of the Future

The world of work is changing at an unprecedented pace. The rapid advancement of technology, the rise of automation, and the shifting expectations of customers are creating a new set of challenges for businesses, and one of the most pressing of these is the skills gap. The skills gap is the difference between the skills that employers need and the skills that their employees have. It is a major challenge for businesses in all industries, and it is particularly acute in the fast-paced and dynamic world of the contact center. Call centers in the Philippines, with their large and growing workforce, are at the forefront of addressing this challenge, and they are implementing a wide range of innovative strategies to build the workforce of the future.

According to a report by the World Economic Forum, more than half of all employees will require significant reskilling and upskilling by 2025. This is a staggering statistic, and it highlights the urgency of the skills gap challenge. The skills that are in demand today are not the same as the skills that were in demand a decade ago, and the skills that will be in demand a decade from now are likely to be different still. This means that businesses need to be constantly investing in the training and development of their employees, and they need to be creating a culture of lifelong learning.

“The skills gap is not a problem that can be solved with a one-time training program. It’s a moving target, and it requires a continuous and sustained effort to reskill and to upskill our workforce. In the contact center, it’s about building a team of lifelong learners, a team that is constantly adapting and evolving to meet the changing needs of our clients and our customers.” – Ralf Ellspermann

The Most In-Demand Skills in the Contact Center of the Future

The skills that are in demand in the contact center of the future are a mix of hard skills and soft skills. The hard skills are the technical skills that are needed to do the job, while the soft skills are the interpersonal skills that are needed to connect with customers and to build relationships.

Hard Skills:

• Data Analytics: The ability to collect, to analyze, and to interpret data is becoming increasingly important in the contact center. By analyzing customer data, call centers can identify trends, predict customer behavior, and personalize the customer experience.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): AI and ML are transforming the contact center, and agents need to be able to work alongside these new technologies. This includes everything from using AI-powered chatbots to using ML-powered analytics tools.

• Cybersecurity: As the contact center becomes more digital, the risk of a data breach increases. This makes it essential for agents to be well-versed in cybersecurity and to be able to protect sensitive customer data.

Soft Skills:

• Emotional Intelligence: The ability to understand and to manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, is a critical skill in the contact center. Agents with high emotional intelligence are better able to connect with customers, to build rapport, and to de-escalate difficult situations.

• Creativity and Problem-Solving: As routine tasks become more automated, the role of the agent is shifting from one of a problem-solver to one of a creative problem-solver. Agents need to be able to think outside the box and to come up with innovative solutions to complex customer problems.

• Adaptability and Resilience: The contact center is a fast-paced and dynamic environment, and agents need to be able to adapt to change and to bounce back from setbacks. They need to be resilient, and they need to be able to thrive in a constantly changing environment.

Bridging the Skills Gap: A Collaborative Effort

Bridging the skills gap is not a challenge that any one company can solve on its own. It requires a collaborative effort between businesses, government, and educational institutions. Leading call centers in the Philippines are working closely with their partners to build a more skilled and more competitive workforce.

• Partnerships with Universities and Technical Schools: Call centers are partnering with universities and technical schools to develop new curriculum that is aligned with the needs of the industry. This includes everything from creating new degree programs in customer service to developing new certification programs in data analytics and AI.

• In-House Training and Development Programs: Call centers are investing heavily in their own in-house training and development programs. This includes everything from basic skills training for new hires to leadership development for high-potential employees.

• Apprenticeship and Internship Programs: These programs provide students with the opportunity to gain real-world experience in the contact center industry. This is a great way for students to learn new skills, to build their professional network, and to get a foot in the door of a fast-growing industry.

The Role of Government in Bridging the Skills Gap

The government also has a key role to play in bridging the skills gap. By investing in education and training, by creating a more business-friendly environment, and by promoting a culture of lifelong learning, the government can help to create a more skilled and more competitive workforce. The Philippine government has been a strong supporter of the BPO industry, and it has implemented a number of initiatives to promote the growth and the development of the industry. This includes everything from providing tax incentives to investing in infrastructure.

“The skills gap is a national challenge, and it requires a national solution. It requires a collaborative effort between businesses, government, and educational institutions. By working together, we can build the workforce of the future and ensure that the Philippines remains a global leader in the BPO industry.” – Ralf Ellspermann

Case Study: A National Skills Development Program

The Philippine government, in partnership with the BPO industry and a number of leading universities, launched a national skills development program to address the skills gap in the contact center industry. The program included a number of initiatives, including:

• The creation of a new national curriculum for customer service: This curriculum was developed in collaboration with the BPO industry, and it is designed to provide students with the skills and the knowledge they need to succeed in the contact center of the future.

• The creation of a new national certification program for customer service: This certification program is designed to provide students with a portable and industry-recognized credential that will help them to get a job in the contact center industry.

• The creation of a new national apprenticeship program for customer service: This apprenticeship program provides students with the opportunity to gain real-world experience in the contact center industry while they are still in school.

The program has been a huge success. It has helped to create a more skilled and more competitive workforce, and it has helped to position the Philippines as a global leader in the BPO industry.

A More Skilled, More Competitive, and More Successful Future

The skills gap is a major challenge for businesses in all industries, but it is also a major opportunity. By investing in the training and development of their employees, by creating a culture of lifelong learning, and by working together to build a more skilled and more competitive workforce, businesses can turn the skills gap into a strategic advantage. 

Call centers in the Philippines are at the forefront of this new reality, and they are providing the expertise, the scale, and the innovation that companies need to build a more skilled, more competitive, and more successful future.

References

World Economic Forum. (2020). “The Future of Jobs Report 2020.”