Bpo Real Estate Jobs

I first started writing about my experiences of opening overseas call centers back in 2004 and now with 2010 just around the corner; I’d like to reflect on the changes that I have observed over the years and give a few predictions of  what I think will happen in the near future. Bpo Real Estate Jobs

My outsourcing experience started when I was looking for a call center to set appointments for my mortgage/real estate office in Orlando, Fl. I tried many companies and spent tens of thousands of dollars with little success. I finally decided to lease seats from a call center in India and manage the process remotely.   Within a few months I found myself on a plane headed for Bangalore, India. After the initial shock of leaving my sheltered life in America, I realized just how big of an industry call center outsourcing had grown to be.

My process grew rapidly due to the great cost savings.  After being in India for 9 months, I ordered phone service from Vonage and talked to their agent for almost 15 minutes before I realized he was not in an American based call center and in fact ended up being a Filipino. Then I noticed huge BPO operations that were all around me like Dell, Sprint and Orbitz.com had shut down their Indian call center to transfer to the Philippines as well. I thought to myself that this must the beginning of a large migration.

Philippines Call Centers

Our company starting doing research and making contacts in the Philippines and only 6 months later I was sent to Manila to tour call center facilities. We were able to setup shop and establish our Filipino branch in Ortigas Center which is located in the heart of Metro Manila’s call center district. The Philippines was occupied by the Spanish for almost 400 years as well as America after the second world war so not only do they speak great English but they also have a very Westernized culture especially compared to India and other parts of Asia. Bpo Real Estate Jobs

For the moment India still remains the number one outsourcing hub of the world but the signs of that changing are all around us and this is something everyone living in India already is well aware of. The BPO industry in India has slowed down considerably while the Philippines call centers have formed one of the fastest growing outsourcing hubs in the world and my prediction is that it will soon overtake India.

While I still work in our facility in India and may continue to do so for years to come, most of our call center processes are fulfilled in our Philippines call centers. Not only have we save staggering amounts on our overhead costs, we have also been able to increase the performance of the process. A few examples are increased collections, better customer ratings of help desk and customer services departments.

The reason for this is simple, in the States telemarketing doesn’t require strict credentials to be employed and with the Philippines being a developing country, the unemployment rate and competition for good paying jobs are high. For example, you must have a collage degree just to work at McDonalds in the Philippines. In America I was only able to keep collage kids or drug addicts but in the Philippines you can get the cream of the crop and these are people that are looking for careers not just paycheck every week.

In conclusion I am convinced that Philippines call centers are going to form the outsourcing Mecca of the world. Business process outsourcing also known as BPO is already a 108 billion dollar industry and increasing and I think the Philippines will dominate the market share in the years to come. Bpo Real Estate Jobs

Buying home, condo or any other real estate in a market that is protected from a bursting bubble is every investor’s dream. Knowing where to look for these bubble-proof markets and how to identify them is crucial.

There are some important factors that investors should consider when searching for stable investments such as single-family homes, condos or any other type of real estate. Some of these factors include a fast growing population (which positively impacts the demand for housing), a solid and diverse economy (which impacts employment rates and subsequent demand for housing), rising incomes (which impacts buyers’ ability to purchase real estate), a developing infrastructure (which contributes to the appeal of a city or community), and restrictions on future real estate development (which limits future supply of real estate). Investing in real estate within communities that meet these criteria may prove to be more profitable than communities that are missing one or more of these factors.

A recent report by Business 2.0 Magazine identified U.S. cities that have consistently demonstrated price appreciation in the real estate market. The October 2006 issue of the Magazine identified the top 5 real estate markets that demonstrated an upward price trend over a long period time. The top-ranking cities were:

1. San Francisco, California
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Seattle, Washington
4. Boston, Massachusetts
5. New York City, New York

San Francisco topped the list with an average annual home price appreciation of 4.2% from 1949 to 2006. In contrast, the national average was 2.3%. Strong restrictions on real estate development and a limited geography helped push San Francisco to the top slot.

Los Angeles ranked second in the report. The average annual home price appreciation in Los Angeles was 3.7% from 1949 to 2006. Reductions in available land and increasing restrictions on further development helped pushed Los Angeles to the number 2 slot.

Home prices in Seattle, which was third on the list, demonstrated an average appreciation rate of 3.2% from 1949 to 2006. While Seattle made the top 5 list, recent easing of building restrictions may cause Seattle to fall out of the top 5 over the next few years.

Boston was fourth in the rankings. The city has seen annual home prices appreciate by 3% over the period from 1949 to 2006. A strong increase in per capita income contributed to Boston’s high ranking.

New York City follows close behind with an average annual home price appreciation of 3% from 1949 to 2006. A limited geography, large population, and finite number of properties contributed to New York’s high ranking.

While there is no guarantee that any of the real estate markets listed previously are truly “bubble proof,” the factors described above may help investors find the profitable markets and avoid “bubble” markets. Since the real estate market is constantly changing, be sure to seek out the services of a skillful real estate agent to help you navigate your next real estate purchase.

Based on several factors that include lifestyle, retirement, opportunities for fun and investment, International Living magazine has chosen the world’s seven hot spots for 2007. Still virtually unnoticed by the world’s tourists, these seven regions are the best international real estate markets in 2007. They are:

1. Montenegro: This spectacular European country on the Adriatic Sea that many have almost forgotten has topped the list of best international real estate markets. The aquamarine sea, enthralling mountain backdrop, captivating summer villas and quaint fishing villages are just a few features of this jaw-droppingly beautiful country. An ideal tourist spot, this country has been adjudged the ‘fastest growing travel and tourism economy’ by the World Travel and Tourism Council.

2. Cartagena, Colombia: This is an ancient walled city embellished by magnificent Spanish colonial architecture and flanked by white-sand beaches. The city offers a warm weather, affordable lifestyle, and world-class diving and snorkeling for tourists and locals alike.

3. Malaysia: Southeast Asia’s top retirement haven, country is a very affordable destination. Malaysia offers a western lifestyle and a host of attractions including modern infrastructure, cheap accommodation and innumerable cultural charms. Its beautiful white beaches and clear blue waters offer sailing, diving, snorkeling, etc.

4. Calabria, Italy: A sunniest corner of Europe, Calabria is a beautiful peninsula that is enveloped by clear silver-blue sea on three sides. Life happens in a very leisurely manner in this place that possesses all the charms of a medieval village. A promising real estate market, the region is well connected by the low-cost Euro-carrier RyanAir.

5. Ciudad Vieja, Uruguay: This is another of the world’s inexpensive cities that remains undiscovered yet. The city has seen a booming real estate market since 1995 and the upward trend is sure to continue through 2007 too. Also ranked as one of the top 10 cheapest cities in the world last year, Ciudad Vieja remains one of the best places to invest this year.

6. Honduras Cloud Forest: With acres of mountain forests of breathtaking beauty, this mountain paradise is just minutes from a charming beachside town and an international airport. One can access this town by air in less than 2 hours from many places in the U.S. With the area poised for a real estate boom in a few years down the line, now is the time to buy.

7. Mexico’s Flamingo Coast: An enticing stretch of coastline with dozens of quaint little beach towns, side-by-side, the Flamingo Coast offers great beachside living and a laid back lifestyle. Its warm weather, white sandy beaches, emerald-green waters and cheap rentals are some of the attractions the region offers.