We think that outsourcing to the Philippines is the best option for small businesses. And that’s not just from a bunch of research that we’ve done here at Outsource School. In fact, it’s the result of many years of experience actually outsourcing to the Philippines! Outsource School founders Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan hired their first virtual assistant in the Philippines when they were in college.
In this post, we’ll run through all the reasons their experience has taught them why your small business needs to hire from the Philippines.
1. Skilled Workforce
The Philippines boasts of a highly skilled workforce. The country is home to so many skilled people ready to work that many of them won’t find appropriate employment locally. The lack of jobs to suit their skill levels is one reason why many Filipinos have sourced work elsewhere for decades. When you decide to try outsourcing to the Philippines, you’ll find many individuals ready and willing to give you their best. You can find almost any range of skills that you might need, including graphic design, content writing, app programming, website development, IT support, marketing, customer service, and project management.
2. English Proficiency
The Philippines has a literacy rate of 96-98% (the numbers vary by source). This is not just the native languages and dialects, but includes English. English is actually the official language of government, the medium of instruction as mandated by law, and the primary language of commerce. The country ranks 2nd in Asia behind Singapore in English proficiency. Although fluency levels do vary, the general familiarity with English makes working with Filipinos much easier.
3. Cultural Compatibility
Filipinos have been working in other countries and working with foreign businesses for several decades. This has helped them to be one of the most culturally adaptable peoples on the face of the earth. Filipinos in general are already quite easy going. So, this adaptability makes them just that much more well suited for work with other nationalities. If you have a multi-cultural team, Filipinos will blend in nicely.
4. Cost Savings
The cost of living in the Philippines is much lower than in western countries. This immediately makes outsourcing to the Philippines a money-saving option. When you add in the high-quality workforce, ease of communication, and cultural comfort, it’s a winning deal. But the cost savings don’t end there. When you hire overseas, you eliminate the need to provide and pay for many things that are required for in-house hires. These include office space, furniture, equipment, electricity, benefits, etc. This makes outsourcing much more efficient.
5. Quality of Work
More than the skills that they bring to the table, Filipinos are generally known worldwide as hard workers. As long as you set clear expectations, pay them reasonable rates, and treat them with respect, you are almost guaranteed quality work. Filipinos do not, on average, have that feeling of entitlement that can be so prevalent in today’s workforce.
6. 24/7 Operations
One of our favorite benefits of outsourcing to the Philippines is the ability to extend operating hours. While asleep in the US, you can have a team working happily on the other side of the world. This is so valuable for eCommerce businesses especially, which technically never close. We all know that providing amazing customer service is the standard that today’s shoppers expect. Giving them the ability to not only shop with you anytime but also get their questions answered whenever they please is a real reputation booster.
7. Excellent Work Ethic
Filipinos know the value of work. They also bend toward commitment and dedication when treated well. It’s part of their culture to want to form bonds and maintain relationships. A Filipino who prefers a transactional work vibe is rare! This stems mostly from their strong sense of family values. This contributes to their success at work because they are highly motivated to provide well for their families. They don’t shy away from long hours or a learning curve when they know the job ensures that their loved ones will be taken care of.
8. Low Initial Investment
Outsourcing to the Philippines does not necessarily require any initial investment whatsoever. If you’re hiring freelancers through online marketplaces or Filipino virtual assistant companies, you can find some that do not ask for any fees upfront. This means that you can search for, interview, hire and get started with a freelancer with no money down. All you need to put in is time. Simply figure out what you need, put together a job description to attract the right candidates, and go through the selection process. With most marketplaces and even some agencies, you pay when the work is done.
9. Improved Productivity
You can bring a higher productivity rate to your business by outsourcing. A lot of this has to do with having people who are able to work around the clock, without paying exorbitant night differentials. When you can speed up your delivery cycle with reduced times for process development, you can serve more customers and make more money.
10. Improved Work-Life Balance
Filipinos have a good understanding of work-life balance, so they usually perform well over time. As long as you manage them properly, you will always have a happy team ready to give you their best on the job. Because they value family so highly, you may have to give them a bit more flexibility than you’re used to. This is usually in terms of taking hours or days off here and there. Still, outsourcing to the Philippines is a great choice because Filipinos know how to give grace for grace. They will make up for missed work with gratitude, and build loyalty towards you for being understanding. They also do not usually insist on keeping all the local holidays and will gladly work overtime to help you out in a pinch.
11. Access to Larger Talent Pool
The number of young people far outnumbers the numbers of elderly and children. These are people in the workforce or nearly ready to enter it. Moreover, colleges and universities in the Philippines graduate more than half a million students every year. That makes for a very large pool of qualified workers.
12. Scalability
Outsourcing opens you up to a pool of freelancers. This means you can hire someone for an hour, a day, a week – however long you need them. You don’t need to make any commitments like you would when hiring an employee. This really takes the pressure off, financially in particular. You can get help when your business needs an extra set of hands, and release them when peak season is over.
13. Saves You Time
Outsourcing to the Philippines saves you time primarily because you can get what you need almost immediately. When you work with experienced marketplaces and agencies, they can get you up and running within the day in some cases. You can also outsource almost any task you can think of that doesn’t require a physical presence. Because you pay much lower rates than you would locally, you can outsource more. This means you can pass of almost every task that you don’t need to be doing as the business owner.
14. Flexibility
Because you’re not hiring based on long-term contracts with severance packages on the line, you can be flexible. You can try out a lot of things that you would normally be afraid to risk. If they don’t work out, there’s no mess to clean up in terms of HR. You can move hiring resources around as needed and form longer-term teams only when and where it makes the most sense.
15. Good Attitude
Another of our favorite benefits of outsourcing to the Philippines is the cheeriness of the people, even in the face of adversity. Rarely will you find a melancholy Filipino. It’s almost a cultural taboo to frown! The positive attitude and friendly demeanor of the Filipino is even contagious. If you have a bunch of Filipinos on your team, you can actually see other team members start to act happier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of services can I outsource to the Philippines?
You can outsource almost any type of service to Filipinos. As long as they can do it online, you can find someone qualified to get it done right.
How can I ensure data security and confidentiality when outsourcing?
When outsourcing anywhere, setting up digital safeties on your end is always recommended. With data being accessed over the internet, you are vulnerable to a number of cyberattacks. In terms of freelancer security, make sure that you are giving access only as needed and that you retain administrative control. Setting up monitoring is also vital to ensuring data security and confidentiality.
Is it possible to have real-time collaboration with teams in the Philippines due to time zone differences?
Absolutely! Freelancers in the Philippines are used to working with companies in different time zones. They understand the nature of the work and are always willing to find time to meet during client business hours.
What Is Outsource School?
Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.
This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.
Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.
Schedule a free sales call to learn more
Free resources you might like:
- Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
- Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
- Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
- Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists
Conclusion
Outsourcing to the Philippines can be the best decision you ever make for your business. We have lived this and recommend it to you because we know it’s true! Try it for yourself today at little to no risk and see how much it can boost your business.
