Over the years, the Philippines has served as the hub for BPO services owing to the availability of a well-educated workforce, cheaper costs of labor, as well as increased focus on technology integration for enhancing work efficiency. Nevertheless, certain challenges around finding the right set of members have often deterred businesses from exploring BPO opportunities in this region.
This is where Phil Labor, founded by a motivated group of visionaries, with first-hand knowledge of the region’s potential comes to the rescue. Envisioned by Jeffery Collinson, General Manager of Phil Labor, the company came into being from his personal experiences and learnings throughout his career with the Australian Navy as well as his first business venture which pushed him to seek outsourcing solutions in China. With extensive practical knowledge at his disposal, Jeffery not only went on to establish one of the most progressive BPO services in the Philippines but also found a way to upskill local talent while encouraging Australia and New Zealand based businesses to expand exponentially through outsourcing solutions.
Founding Phil Labor
Jeff's foray into the world of outsourcing began from his early days in the Royal Australian Navy, where he witnessed the initial shifts toward outsourcing shore-based roles. Carrying his learnings to his first entrepreneurial venture of fleet management, he partnered with a proficient Chinese programmer and subsequently expanded his team in Wuxi, China, upon learning the high expense of hiring Australian programmers.
This strategic move to outsource the programming component catapulted his small venture into a formidable player in the fleet management domain, challenging larger companies and culminating in a lucrative acquisition. Despite his limited prior business experience, Jeff's astute use of outsourcing conferred a crucial competitive edge, ultimately contributing to the company's growth and success.
Today, drawing from his experiences, Jeff heads Phil Labor- a prominent BPO firm that extends support to Australian and New Zealand businesses, facilitating them in harnessing the vast potential that outsourcing offers for their sustained growth and efficiency.
His journey stands testament to the transformative power of strategic outsourcing in the competitive landscape of modern businesses. As a business leader, Jeff places a strong focus on building a skilled and efficient team by delegating tasks effectively and encouraging open dialogue.
This practice has not only helped the business grow but has also enabled the firm to deliver more than what is promised to the client, ultimately building stronger relationships over the long term. “In my naval career, I learned the paramount importance of trust and effective delegation. Managing diverse teams necessitates delegation and trust in our people, fostering optimum outcomes. Embracing occasional missteps as part of the learning curve, we encourage staff to innovate and share ideas. Empowering them to propose more efficient methods or utilize cutting-edge technology is key to our progress”, shares Jeff Collinson, General Manager, Phil Labor.
Embracing Adaptability
With a keen eye on industry trends, Jeff emphasizes the necessity of positive change to drive growth. Recognizing the pivotal shift brought by the pandemic, he strategically implemented remote work flexibility, acknowledging its importance in today's workforce expectations while simultaneously addressing the challenges of maintaining productivity and data security it brought on by investing in cutting-edge software solutions tailored for secure data management, especially crucial when remote staff, like Virtual Assistants (VAs), handle sensitive client information.
As a business leader, Jeff places a strong focus on building a skilled & efficient team by delegating tasks effectively & encouraging open dialogue
This proactive approach extends across all aspects of business management whether it be managing client expectations, emphasizing transparency, or inculcating proactive communication. “Delegation is critical and so is the ‘open door’ policy we have all heard about. It’s important that managers can talk candidly about the many issues that will be present when managing large teams with complex processes. I encourage, no, insist I am disturbed if something important or urgent arises. There also needs to be a means of reporting and actioning the many incidents that are likely to occur”, further shares Jeff Collinson.
He prioritizes staying updated on technological advancements, recognizing trends like AI, robotic automation, and cybersecurity as the future of service delivery. In the era of information overload, Jeff's adeptness lies in filtering essential insights from reliable sources, enabling him to grasp a broad spectrum of knowledge and guide Phil Labor toward adaptive strategies and technological advancements.
While being adaptable to the needs of the clients and the industry is crucial to staying ahead, offering optimal client service plays an equally pivotal role. As a general manager, a major part of his role is maintaining long-term client relationships which are aided by proactive communication. As such, he adopts a strategic approach, focusing on niche expertise, emphasizing customer service roles like inbound call operations and help desk support; highlighting the significance of tailored client training and documented processes for optimal VA performance.
Jeff Collinson, General Manager, Phil Labor
Jeffery Collinson is a former Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant who served his country for over 22 years in various roles and positions before pivoting into the private sector. After teaching communications engineers for several years he took the opportunity to start his own business. Upon the successful launch, operations, and selling of his first venture, he moved on to bigger ventures, eventually transitioning into the BPO sector, and establishing a prominent Philippines-based BPO firm.
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