Office leasing providers innovate to meet new demands of BPO firms

MANILA, Philippines – Companies all over the world are now driven to offer new services as they mount aggressive and creative solutions to ride out current economic difficulties.

According to Marivic Añonuevo, senior vice president and Group Head of Ayala Land Businesscapes, while there is a notable decline in BPO office take-up, new services such as those provided by credit card, finance consulting, telecom and health care companies, have created a new demand pushing growth projections to a decent upswing in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

“These BPO clients, mostly from the US, UK and also in Japan, are demanding higher productivity and better cost-efficiencies, utilizing IT-based processes that can be outsourced. Cost-efficiency is largely achieved through sound choices in office locations which respond to a unique set of BPO requirements. This includes accessibility to a workforce pool, provision of world-class features and amenities, security and reliable facilities management services,” Añonuevo noted.

The goal of rendering long-term client savings is also vigorously pursued by Ayala Land through innovation directed towards increased sustainability. Ayala Land Businesscapes notes that its BPO campuses such as U.P.-AyalaLand TechnoHub on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City and Nuvali TechnoHub in Laguna have been meticulously planned to ensure environment-friendly cooling systems and an innovative water supply allowing use of recycled water for bulk industrial use.

These developments continue to affirm Ayala Land’s thrust in providing the industry with infrastructure choices and ideal work environments. Ayala Land’s competitive advantage is its long-term vision of building complete communities that support these offices and BPO companies.  This masterplanning incorporates retail and residential options allowing both corporate entities and their employees to enjoy a comprehensive set of products that suit their needs.  This would include proximity to dining, retail and leisure establishments.

The company is further encouraged by  a recent report by the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP) that most of its members are optimistic about  business performance this year. BPAP revealed that half of its members even expect to increase hiring within a range of 11 percent to 200 percent this year. A recently conducted poll with outsourcing executives likewise confirmed that the global financial crisis had minimal impact on their operations.

In its 2008 annual report, Ayala Land pegged expansion of its office leasing office portfolio to 130 percent. This is with the addition of six buildings at U.P.–AyalaLand TechnoHub and the setting up of BPO office space in five key locations, namely Makati Central Business District, Quezon City, Manila, Canlubang and Cebu totaling 165,000 square meters.

Añonuevo said that for 2009, there are five BPO-related projects at various stages of development. Four more buildings at the U.P.-Ayala Land TechnoHub are nearing completion.

Recently launched are Vertex One, a 14-storey structure near the University Belt in Manila, 26-storey Solaris One on Dela Rosa Street, Makati, and the Glorietta 5 office building which was recently turned over to Convergys. Targeted for completion by yearend is the Bonifacio E-Services building in Bonifacio Global City’s E-Square area.

“Aligned with the corporate pillars of integrity, reliability, and commitment, Ayala Land Businesscapes, the innovative office space development and operations arm of Ayala Land, ensures clients can focus on their core businesses as we, on the other hand, take care of their concerns for office efficiency, comfort and security. We deliver sustainable communities that reflect our intense commitment to address the needs of our clients and exceeding their expectations” Añonuevo narrates.