PGMA visits Iloilo's 1st call center  

By Jeehan V. Fernandez

President Gloria Macapagal -Arroyo visited Iloilo city's first major call center -- ePLDT Ventus at the second floor of Iloilo Supermart in Molo district yesterday, March 3.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas stressed this was to showcase that the city is capable of hosting information and communication technology (ICT) project because of the existing telecommunication structures and manpower here.

Arroyo was welcomed by ePLDT senior vice president Rosalie R. Montenegro and business development director Ken Brian P. Lamzon . The occasion was also graced by Sen. Manuel Roxas and TESDA director general Augusto L. Syjuco .

Treñas is also optimistic that other call centers will follow investing in the city as he would give priority to this kind of business enterprise.

“ ePLDT Ventus is a wholly-owned subsidiary ePLDT , Inc. organized to engage in the business of providing customer contact services and all forms of business process services for the purpose of the requirements of clients, whether in or outside the Philippines, through various multi-media or personal access services,” Lamzon said in a statement.

Lamzon cited that as an ePLDT group's call center expansion outside Metro Manila, ePLDT Ventus established a 1,600 sq. m. Customer Interaction Center (CIC) to accommodate 300 Customer Service Representatives (CSR) seats.

“Now on its fourth month of operations, Ventus has provided jobs to 110 permanent employees and will continue to provide more employment opportunities to Ilonggos in the year to come,” Lamzon said adding that they plan to fill up the 300 posts by mid-year.

“The project requires $2.9M in capital expenditure and is expected to generate US$ 1.075 M in annual net income at full capacity. It is the plan of Ventus to grow its Iloilo business to 1,000 seats by 2006,” Lamzon pointed out.

Lamzon explained that Ventus offers CIC services by establishing telephone, data and computer system designed to receive large   volumes of data communications, voice calls, e-mails, web chat sessions, web co-browse sessions and other information delivered through electronic means, manned in accordance to pre-defined customer service guidelines as agreed upon with the outsourcing client.

“ ePLDT Ventus is currently providing customer care services to the biggest US-based Floral Wire Service company in Los Angeles California . This Ventus client is the world's largest, which has the most extensive network of about 30,000 quality florists in over 180 countries ensuring prompt delivery in the US and many areas throughout the world,” Lamzon noted.

Further, Lamzon said that since November 2, 2004 , the floral wire service company started routing customer direct calls to Ventus for two shift pilot run. Inbound calls involve sales/ oders , inquiries, requests for information and other concerns related to flower ordering with up-sell and cross-sell opportunities, he added.

“Given the seasonality of flower demand, the campaign employs a monthly average of 60 CSRs . As of January 2005, the floral company started routing calls for their technical support campaign with a pilot batch of 20 agents,” Lamzon said.

Meanwhile, Treñas cited that investments are coming to Iloilo City as manifested by the new hotel and restaurants situated along Diversion Road in Mandurriao district.

During her visit, Arroyo also inducted the new set of officers of Regional Association of National Government Executives (RANGE-6) at Iloilo Business Hotel.