DENVER—StarTek Inc. said Thursday it plans to open a new call center in the Philippines in the fourth quarter of this year to complement its 21 centers in North America.
The 78,000-square-foot center in Makati would be able to hold 1,100 customer care representatives at full capacity.
Denver-based StarTek handles services such as customer service and support for telecom, cable and Internet companies.
StarTek said its customers seek cost-effective, round-the-clock services.
Its customers previously hadn’t sought offshore call centers despite lower labor costs, largely due to concerns about quality, CEO Larry Jones said. However, service in the Philippines has improved, he said.
Startek chose to put a new call center there because of the pool of college-educated, English-speaking workers with a “cultural affinity to the U.S.” and the country’s communications infrastructure.
StarTek still plans to grow in North America, though the pace may slow, Jones said. StarTek also is exploring other possible offshore locations. He said Latin America and South America both have an attractive, Spanish-speaking labor pool that has become more in demand.
