Business Process Outsourcing industry in Philippines contributes to more than 10 percent of the GDP of the nation. There are more than 700 BPO companies in the country that employ 1.2 million people. Many among them have gained significant international recognition and have their business presence in multiple countries with their manpower based in the country. However, when businesses avail BPO services from different providers, they must bear a considerable cost. This is the reason why they should look for providers who are able to provide a gamut of services which can optimize the cost of operations for them. This is where MCVO Talent Outsourcing comes into the picture. The company provides an extensive range of BPO services under one umbrella that includes IT, data entry, virtual assistance, digital marketing, bookkeeping and others.
The company’s CEOM. Cherry V. Orlina was born and raised in the Philippines and has owned, operated, and consulted for businesses in the US for the past 25+ years. The Co-founder Mark Zucker was born in the US and has also owned and operated businesses in the US. As a result, the owners have been able to combine the best practices of businesses in the East and West. The company is bullish on outsourcing as the pandemic has paved the way for “remote workers”. The shift to lower priced talent will continue to follow the trend that has been on-going for manufacturing for the past 40+ years. “Prior to the pandemic, the biggest objection for outsourcing was having workers not physically present. Now that the paradigm has shifted (and we believe it’s permanent), companies are more open minded to hiring offshore talent to reduce their operating costs – it has become more mainstream and companies with a track record of excellence will benefit”, mentions Mark Zucker, Co-founder of MCVO Talent Outsourcing.
Eyes on Excellence
The company has proven that certain functions such as accounting, data entry, human resources, payroll, medical billing, video and photo editing can be performed by offshore staff just as well as local talent. There is still a strong cost differential in labour costs for companies operating in expensive areas (e.g. Singapore, London, Sydney, New York, California) to shift work to countries like the Philippines where the labour cost savings are significant. The founders have owned and operated businesses in two continents: Asia and North America, so the company understands many types of businesses and global cultural differences.
When it first meets with clients, it often finds that they have needs within several departments. Here, MCVO acts as a consultant in recommending a roadmap of services based on their most immediate needs, combined with its experience in which services are easiest to implement. Within its on-boarding, if the talent is not as familiar with the culture of the country they operate in, the company will provide training to help them acclimate and ensure a smooth on-boarding. Contingency is prioritized to help mitigate the disruption caused if/when their staff member changes.
A supervisor will always attend and record training sessions so that in the event of turnover, the company can assume part of the burden of retraining, instead of pushing 100 percent of this responsibility to the client.
Unique Culture
MCVO prioritizes its employees and has created a great culture. The Founder/CEO M.Cherry V. Orlina started her career as an HR professional and is the ultimate “people person”. She has created a culture whereby all employees know that MCVO will do everything possible to make working at the company a best possible experience. Ms. Cherry personally meets EVERY candidate before they are presented to the client. This often surprises the applicants and makes them excited to join MCVO. As a testament, almost 50 percent of all new hires are referrals from current employees.
“At MCVO, the culture can mean the difference between its success and failure”, says Ms. Cherry. The leaders are highly focused and are committed in maintaining the culture that has been built. Every organization has its own unique culture or set of core values. Most organizations do not consciously try to create a certain culture. The culture of the organization is typically created unconsciously, based on the values of the top management or the founders of an organization. Since MCVO was started, the CEO has met with every single candidate prior to hiring them as an employee. During the interviews, the importance of the company’s culture and core values are clearly communicated. "Employees are MCVO's most significant resource. There is a recognizable sense of pride reflected by each employee when one becomes part of the MCVO team. At MCVO we endeavour to maintain a work environment with a culture that truly reflects the solid ethical foundation built on TRUST, RESPECT, and CREDIBLITY by each employee. This foundation is the basis for establishing and furthering the long-term professional and personal relationships that form the core values and culture of our company”, states Ms. Cherry
Future Endeavours
According to the management, the global pandemic has removed many objections for outsourcing companies. Currently, a high percentage of office workers are remote, and MCVO expects this to continue indefinitely. This has removed the primary objection to outsourcing (having everyone together in the office). The Great Resignation has also stimulated growth. Prior to the pandemic, close to 100 percent of inquiries were related to reducing costs, whereas now around ~20 percent of inquiries are from companies who simply cannot find qualified applicants in their area. Talking about the future plans of the company, the CEO concludes, "We are looking to diversify globally and expand our client base to more English-Speaking companies in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and North America, while staying true to the services that we have expertise".
M. Cherry V. Orlina, CEO/Founder
Cherry is Filipino born and migrated to the United States in 1987 after graduating high school in Manila. In the US, she attained a Bachelor’s of Art degree in Advertising with a Minor in Theater from University of Illinois at Chicago, and is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Legal Studies at the same university. As a Chief Operating Officer of a US – based company, Zookbinders, she found an opportunity to provide Filipino talents to US and UK companies offering the same level of education and skill set accomplished by US and UK employees. In 2017, Cherry started MCVO Talent Outsourcing Services to provide business process outsourcing services to English speaking countries worldwide.
Mark Zucker, Co-founder
“Z” is a serial entrepreneur who has worked for and founded companies in NYC and Chicago. His wedding album company Zookbinders first ventured into outsourcing in 2012 (as a client) and has seen how outsourcing has helped his company stay viable in an industry that has become a giant red ocean. A sought-out speaker on innovation, he has given presentations on topics as diverse as: Growing Sales, Operational Efficiency and Client Experience. His passion for learning about other businesses gives him a unique perspective in working with clients to help evaluate which positions are best suited for outsourcing.
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