The Philippines has a reputation for being one of the top sources of business process outsourcing services in the world. It continues to grow, with late estimates from the previous year even expecting the country to gain a larger share of the BPO market in the next few years. This growth isn’t just fueled by the popular image of call center agents, however.
In recent years, BPO work has expanded from simply being call centers to outright clerical work for companies. This role is now known as the remote assistant, an outsourced worker who handles secretary-like responsibilities for a firm without being physically present. What exactly do remote assistants in the Philippines do?
Offsite Secretary
In general, remote assistants can handle clerical tasks for their employers while working offsite. These include scheduling meetings and events, handling staff calls, overseeing staff emails, and the like. The main advantages this has over the traditional clerical staff include budgetary benefits (having an off-site worker means less money spent on renting floor space and office equipment) and flexibility (many remote assistants work from home and have less restrictions than a regular working environment).
These advantages became more prominent because of the pandemic. Restrictions on travel and cost-cutting measures meant that many offices could not operate properly as they are both short-staffed and have only minimal access to their equipment. Remote assistants helped alleviate the crunch, providing some semblance of normalcy while keeping staffers safe.
Marketing Support
Remote assistants can also provide marketing support for a company to help them bolster their market share. They can handle historical research, audience tracking, and brand promotion to achieve this goal. A well-rounded remote assistant can work on
- content creation
- web design
- market analysis
- brand marketing
- research
- social media support
In some industries, remote assistants can generally fill in the role of a senior marketing staffer for a firm, for an extra fee.
Customer Service, Still
Despite expanding capabilities and job coverage, remote assistants are still generally expected to handle customer service work for the companies that hire them. However, unlike the more familiar image of a call center agent that spends a shift in a concealed cubicle or a row of tables with other staffers, remote assistants can handle the work in the comfort of their own homes. This provides a number of advantages for both the employee and the remote assistant:
- as mentioned earlier, costs are kept low as there is no need to pay for office equipment and amenities
- the assistant can do the work at any time, with flexible (and sometimes negotiable) work hours
- there is less stress connected to travel time or office problems
Remote assistants provide new and expanding services for brands that can provide flexibility to their otherwise rigid business model. Keep an eye out for new offerings and services that remote assistants in the Philippines can offer you.