Indian firm eyes outsourcing unit in RP

Daksh eServices, India’s largest independent business process outsourcing company, has decided to expand its operation to the Philippines.

Daksh eServices executive vice president for strategic initiatives Pavan Vaish said that the Indian BPO company is putting up a wholly-owned subsidiary in the country.

Daksh India is initially investing $5 million for a 1,000 seat call center that would primarily service top Fortune 500 US companies.

While India and the Philippines are normally competitors for the call center business, Vaish explained that Daksh decided to set up a subsidiary in the Philippines because of its close affinity to the American culture.

Daksh’s BPO clients, Vaish said, prefer a very light accent which is perceived as pleasant by a typical US listener.

The Philippines has a strong basic knowledge of US traditions and customs and the Filipinos’ warm, non-confrontational culture is well-suited to the customer service industry.

Additionally, Vaish said, the Philippines’ deregulated telecom market with multiple carriers offering point-to-point fiber optic connections to the US offers a lower cost and lead time.

Even the current political situation, Vaish said, is not a cause of concern as evidenced by the fact that in over 30 years, there has always been a supportive policy toward foreign investment.