Business ideas in Phil

[Peanutz]

I am thinking of business ideas to do in Phil.

1. Call center inbound/outbound?
2. Buy lands and farms?
3. Real properties?
4. Food and restoration?
5. Petrol/Gas?


Anyone can have their say...A business that can stand for long, innovative and have a big potential to success.

Business ideas and partnership, if anyone interested to discuss about it, feel free to give me a shout.

[andypaul]

I am thinking of business ideas to do in Phil.

1. Call center inbound/outbound?
2. Buy lands and farms?
3. Real properties?
4. Food and restoration?
5. Petrol/Gas?


Anyone can have their say...A business that can stand for long, innovative and have a big potential to success.

Business ideas and partnership, if anyone interested to discuss about it, feel free to give me a shout.

Well food and fuel are both gonna be hit with mega inflation if all you read is true.

Many Call centres here in the UK already have branchs in Phill and many still employ many brits due to people prefering the Call centre being here for a variety of reasons.
As fred has mentioned if its going to be sucessful then you need i would think US or possibly aussie contacts if your going to make much headway.

Lands depends on where it is i guess. The Wifes Family owns huge chunks of their local town which is a fair size town but even from say a very large petrol station used by many 4 by 4s and what not traveling to a local holiday resort they only get about 20000 pesos rent a month i think it is Other huge chunks make bugger all but need keeping an eye on and maintaining and making sure squatters don't turn up.

There was a post on here two weeks about franchaises which maybe of use. I mean a lot of PHills do love a brand.

What ever you and the huby decide on im sure it will be a great sucess

[IainBusby]

Hi Peanutz,
You could try online betting and selling watches.

[scott&ligaya]

I have a great idea but if I tell you then I would have to kill you or you would steal it................ only kidding, like you we always have our eyes open for the right investment and have considered many things including franchises but we are not going to be in Palawan ful time for five years or more so we have only invested as sleeping partners so far and we are making a little better than a good time deposit or bond and growing a couple of businesses in the meantime.:icon

[Peanutz]

Call centers is a business that is growing so fast in Phil right now. Overseas big companies sees Phil as a potential for outbound/inbound calls and it is now very strong to compete with India/Egypt.
I think there is a potential to do business on this area.
It needs a lot of planning and a very good investment.

[andypaul]

If the rates of 20 percent in some country banks i think fred mentioned are correct then putting money in the bank maybe far more profitable than any business at the moment.

[Peanutz]

What if we can put up a British-Phil company which speacilise with call center?
I mean, if some of you plan to retire in Phil in the next ten years, then what are you going to do when you are there?

Me and hubby is planning to retire in ten years. And I think we are still young and active by then to be able to build up a business and get our income from there...
These are just ideas of business that I think if planned right and you have the right people...it might work to success...

[Peanutz]

Hi Peanutz,
You could try online betting and selling watches.

LOL IAN! I have already tried a business with accesories and genre, it didn't worked (long story). I lost a lot of money but damn! I learned my lesson very well!

[andypaul]

Call centers is a business that is growing so fast in Phil right now. Overseas big companies sees Phil as a potential for outbound/inbound calls and it is now very strong to compete with India/Egypt.
I think there is a potential to do business on this area.
It needs a lot of planning and a very good investment.

I have no doubt but have the major players got in already?

Quite an outlay i would think if your going to do call centre work for say the US.

You need lines that have very little down time, Investment in software and equipment. I would think also back up equipment, UPS.

As a student i worked in a very large call centre in the UK back in the 90's.
They had to keep redudant systems and networks phone and IT constantly ready which must have been a sigficant outlay.
The only other places i have seen do this are banks and trading floors for most companies having redundant spaces would be a concern.

I would have thought unless you got the investment ready now, in two to three years most of the call centres would be huge (i don't know just presuming)? As scale and spare capacity would be vital. Also as the recessions in alantic countries bites i would think prices will be squeezed big time. So ecomony in scale would develop.

Many companies like to work with companies with either iso or BSI standards particularly if Data security is important for either. My company would also audit you enviromentally and trust me the audits are very rigrous indeed.

If you were dealing with US companies many i would think would like a US office to deal with even if it is just a rented office with a receptionist sitting in it.

Not being difficult just what i can see from this issue. ood luck and can i have a job in a few years time please i speak english honest

[Peanutz]

A good plan, right people, resources and money to invest is all we need!!!
We can work for this if you guys are interested...

[scott&ligaya]

Hi Peatnutz, I admire your passion and drive,this is absolutely neded as well as the right idea and proper planning and preparation. As I said on another post my experience of expat/filipina businesses most just tick over and cover the living costs of residing in the Phils for the simple reason that if you make too much money you will invite a local competitor who will undercut you and probably be connected to teh local gentry. All of a sudden you will have many new issues with regard to local legislation you did not know about, additional liscences, permits and whatever else their local city/town officials/friends can dream up. It is not impossible to make money but there are many headaches and hurdles you may not have considered. If you want to make a small fortune in the Phils then bring a big one to start with!! as my long term Puerto princessa resident business man ex pat told me.

I would say that one of the most important things to get right is to develop connections with the Mayor, City Hall BIR officials and the local Police chief etc.

Perhaps we can meet up some time in the future with our other halves and chat about things

good luck

[Peanutz]

You are very right Scott! I think we just need to breakdown one by one what are the difficulties and possible risks.
I have connections in Phil. My Uncle owns a company which he run for almost 30 years. I have other contacts which might be helpful. I would be very interested if we could meet up and discuss things. Rome was not built in a day. It will take time to make things happen. The important thing is how much do you want it to happen and how much effort and risks one is ready to take.
Every business have risks...Peoplle who succeed have worked they ass off to make things happen. I want to work hard and achieve things. We only live once right?

[KeithD]

Gambling den

[Peanutz]

Gambling den

I am gambling my time and brain already

[joebloggs]

What if we can put up a British-Phil company which speacilise with call center?
I mean, if some of you plan to retire in Phil in the next ten years, then what are you going to do when you are there?

Me and hubby is planning to retire in ten years. And I think we are still young and active by then to be able to build up a business and get our income from there...
These are just ideas of business that I think if planned right and you have the right people...it might work to success...

having phoned PNB in london a couple of times, i really had a hard time understanding what the filipina was saying, and had to give the phone to the misses..

oh i had a couple of calls in the last 2wks, couldn't understand, who they wanted, what they wanted, and bingo after the 3rd time they called me, i worked it out, it was the calling card company asking about the calls we make to the phils

i don't think there is any chance of a uk company using the philippines as a call centre, i think many brits would struggle and get and like me put the phone down..

many companies already have gone back to uk only calls centres, becuase the customers were getting off.

i watched a tv program a couple of weeks ago, it said the next wave of call centres will be in south africa, they're cheap and they speak very good english.but even brits were still putting the phone down on them, because they didn't understand the local slang and lingo

[KeithD]

Pig farming.......breed policemen

[andypaul]

having phoned PNB in london a couple of times, i really had a hard time understanding what the filipina was saying, and had to give the phone to the misses..

oh i had a couple of calls in the last 2wks, couldn't understand, who they wanted, what they wanted, and bingo after the 3rd time they called me, i worked it out, it was the calling card company asking about the calls we make to the phils

i don't think there is any chance of a uk company using the philippines as a call centre, i think many brits would struggle and get and like me put the phone down..

many companies already have gone back to uk only calls centres, becuase the customers were getting off.

i watched a tv program a couple of weeks ago, it said the next wave of call centres will be in south africa, they're cheap and they speak very good english.but even brits were still putting the phone down on them, because they didn't understand the local slang and lingo

PNB please don't get me started on them. Funnily enough i had to ring them up at the CBI's office in London this week in the main lobby. After numerous attempts to get though speaking to two different operators telling me different things and them having to call me back three times we managed to get there. I doubt any british businessman who heard me in a busy foyer would want to hire them or deal with them

Only time i have had to use a phill call centre who said i should wait till midnight to see if a courier company might deliver but he was representing Amazon so a yankie company.

Its not just slang and lingo is it though Joe?

A few of the Redtops have done investigations where callcentres abroad mainly india were found to be very lax with data security.

Security and the enviroment are the two most important things to major international companies trust me. All the tenders we do tend to boil down to these to points as the clinchers nowdays.

If you can't provide clear procedures and show you have gained particulars standards you will not even get to tender.

I can think of banks, telephone companies,insurance companies, and directory services all who one fo their cores messages in adverts that we don't use overseas call centres.

Saying that many do and companies are still moving centres over there and outsourcing.
I deal with many outsourced server admins who all access remotely with a few bods in the UK to do the important stuff.

I know this one uses both Indian and Phill workers and is of a decent level imo.

If i was to start up in the call centre/IT outsourcing industry i would make sure i entered the support market for it rather than the call centre. Lease the equipment, service it, provide training, supply staff. Ensuring the company met exacting ISMS, Enviromental standards, and iso 9001:2000 and iso 1400:2004.

The call centre market is expanding but like all markets will reach saturation after a few years and then only the best will compete.

[Peanutz]

Would you prefer Indians than Fil giving support on English language?
I don't have anything against Indian, but I am quite sure that Fil English is much, much better than theirs...
Maybe to cut the costs of putting up a call center business from nothing, might be a better solution to enter partnership to those who already operates in that area?
The idea of a call center business is not bad on my opinion, it do need a lot of thinking. Big companies and worldwide banks are already moving their call centers in Phil...there must be another way to interact in the middle of this and also create a job to locals...
My first approach when I think of business is not making lots of money and to become rich, I think more of the challenge and the tasks that I need to undertake to achieve good results.
If call centers is not very appetizing as a business to do in Phil...what do you guys suggests?
Maybe a new Jolibee or Mcdonald with different menu would click?

[andypaul]

Would you prefer Indians than Fil giving support on English language?
I don't have anything against Indian, but I am quite sure that Fil English is much, much better than theirs...
Maybe to cut the costs of putting up a call center business from nothing, might be a better solution to enter partnership to those who already operates in that area?
The idea of a call center business is not bad on my opinion, it do need a lot of thinking. Big companies and worldwide banks are already moving their call centers in Phil...there must be another way to interact in the middle of this and also create a job to locals...
My first approach when I think of business is not making lots of money and to become rich, I think more of the challenge and the tasks that I need to undertake to achieve good results.
If call centers is not very appetizing as a business to do in Phil...what do you guys suggests?
Maybe a new Jolibee or Mcdonald with different menu would click?

As crazy as it sounds when a brit and phill speak on the phone chaos normally reigns don't ask me why exactly.

Phills speak American (which is derived from English) in general not English and lets be honest most Phills second lanuage would be German if one vote had gone for German as the national lanuage of the US as opposed to English. Its only due to America colonizing phill that the lanuage was forced on the country.
Indians although some have strong accents or just plain bad lanugage skills sometimes. Generally speak English due to the strong infulence of Britain on the country after colonizing it for a couples of hundred years.

Again unless you have a lot of capital I would go in to the support industries around the call centres then you can get business from all of them or just one if they all slowly get merged and incorparated one way and another. Lets be honest one of the big families will get involved and bully every other company out of the game. Im surprised PLDT have not done so already..

Please don't think a call centre can't be done its just pointing out what i would see as the sticking points. In fact with many Filipinas and Brits on this board looking to move to Phill you may find many would be happy for some pocket money to help with training call workers, even possibly working in the call centres. What beats speaking to native English speakers or at least those who have immersed themsleves in the lanugage and culture for several years.


Regarding the food takeway with a twist

English takeaway adjusted for the phill pallet would do well im sure of it.

Make a Phill version of the Brit Fried breakfast, roast dinners, steak and kidney pie, and of course fish n chips.
Also my Wife and her phill friends love decent Kebabs among many foods from cultures they don't normally see but i don't think they are popular at all in phill

But food which could be carried and eaten in a pitta with lots of sauces with a phill twist would go down well imo.

[joebloggs]

peanutz, i don't have a problem with what my wife says, i can undestand 99% of what she says first time, my stepson and the rest of her family , like andy says they might as well be speaking german

most of the time when you call i a call centre, you call becuse you've a problem with their service, so the customer calling is already , and then to be put thru to someone who you cannot understand ... off customer, poor customer service, one less customer..

many companies are using uk only call centres as i've already said, its a fact, becuase they were losing customers..

and as for south afircans i saw in the call centres their, they spoke english really well, but people still put the phone down..

[Peanutz]

You are absolutely right Andypaul. We speak American english because it has been forced to us , but I still insist that if you hear english from Filippino middle/high class it is much more different. I would challenge you to interview a freshly graduate students from big Unies and you will tell me the difference.

With the English strong influence in India, I do agree with you, but those Indians who speak proper english are those who went to school or Unies or have been living in UK , what I mean by proper is those who can speak english with the right accent, mostly speaks very fast and with the wrong accent. We filipino’s speaks American-English but if you have familiarities with American accent you can understand easily a conversation in every corner of our islands.
Anyway, these are just my observations, now to bring the topic back to the main issue as I said earlier in this thread I still think that a call center in Phil might be plausible business to do. I have thought of what you said and again I would say that I totally agree with you, and I am still trying to find a way around to answer some of your comments but I have no realistic opinion for now.
I think that making a Fil version of english breakfast might be a good idea...less capital to invest and less neurons to burn...lol, just joking !
Food business is the next topic to discuss...What about a small Trattoria Italiana? I can be a very good chef...lol!


I agree with you Joe but there still lots of big companies who are moving their call center in the cheaper side of the world because of the costs...I think training agents in English accents might be a good idea. Make them get English lesson in real English accent...We can open an English language school? To train companies, privates, etc.etc This is just another idea that popped in my mind.


Anyhow! Have a great time everyone, and enjoy the sunshine!!!

[andypaul]

You are absolutely right Andypaul. We speak American english because it has been forced to us , but I still insist that if you hear english from Filippino middle/high class it is much more different. I would challenge you to interview a freshly graduate students from big Unies and you will tell me the difference.

With the English strong influence in India, I do agree with you, but those Indians who speak proper english are those who went to school or Unies or have been living in UK , what I mean by proper is those who can speak english with the right accent, mostly speaks very fast and with the wrong accent. We filipino’s speaks American-English but if you have familiarities with American accent you can understand easily a conversation in every corner of our islands.
Anyway, these are just my observations, now to bring the topic back to the main issue as I said earlier in this thread I still think that a call center in Phil might be plausible business to do. I have thought of what you said and again I would say that I totally agree with you, and I am still trying to find a way around to answer some of your comments but I have no realistic opinion for now.
I think that making a Fil version of english breakfast might be a good idea...less capital to invest and less neurons to burn...lol, just joking !
Food business is the next topic to discuss...What about a small Trattoria Italiana? I can be a very good chef...lol!


I agree with you Joe but there still lots of big companies who are moving their call center in the cheaper side of the world because of the costs...I think training agents in English accents might be a good idea. Make them get English lesson in real English accent...We can open an English language school? To train companies, privates, etc.etc This is just another idea that popped in my mind.


Anyhow! Have a great time everyone, and enjoy the sunshine!!!

Most of the student si speak to go to the big unis and we still have a clash of English if we speak and i speak "English" as someone would like Joe says when frustrated, angry or just minding there own business in a phone call.

Anyway yes Support is the big key with the Call centres. The centres will all merge into huge centres which will cost millions of pounds to bulid and run. they have to, to be efficent enough to come in with a competive tender. As price will be everything with the recesssion just starting in the west.
The area like you see is the training, technical support, agencies, cosultancy, faclities and basically support the huge Centres.

If you started a small call centre lets say with 50 people handling calls your probably need 20 to 30 people in support, admin, marketing, training and supervisory roles.

The larger centres i would think would have on various floors 100's if not thousands taking the calls. They would have so much more flexibilty with regards projects. If a company requres extra lines due to some event at short notice the big centres will take it in there stride could the smaller one?
I have seen this happen when i had a student job at a call centre we were to handle calls for the grand national for a large bookmaker that year the grand national was postponed and had to be rerun i think on the monday. The saturday had been volunteers called in from other campaigns on the monday they simply took spare capacity to fulfill the campaign at short notice.

If you still go down the call centre route make sure you have large cash reserves and i would have thought sigficant political clout to stop you getting bought out or just rubbed out by the big boys.


Please don't think im trying to say no you won't be able to do it. Just trying to make you work out the possible sticking points. Those who have a well thought out and well analyzed business plan.

In my job i have seen many new company starts and some get the money together and think of i can make this buliding and company work. People like myself and my company getting involved in the installations and see just how little people have thought about every aspect.

I visted a install in a new office in a very expensive part of London the office looked the business and i could quite easily move in it was that nice.
All the equipment they could dream of. Problem is they had not thought how all these should work together and oh forgot to train the staff to a decent enough standard (sounds like Terminal 5) So absolute shambles and they were having to depend on all the companies involved in the installation to manage their own sub sections of the install. This will result in various problems which will not come to light for years.

If you want to run a call centre you need to make sure Staff and equipment work as efficently as possible together.

I would advise you find some very good contacts in telecoms, IT and visit a number of call centres if possible to see what the competion is like.

Where do you plan to have your Call centre?

[LEAHnew]

Hi sis Peanutz… . How can I forget you!You’ve made a good influence and inspiration to me, I can’t forget your line you posted somewhere “DUMPED YOUR CAREER JUST TO BE WITH THE MAN YOU LOVE”, I will consider that in the near future….

.......I think training agents in English accents might be a good idea. Make them get English lesson in real English accent...We can open an English language school? To train companies, privates, etc.etc This is just another idea that popped in my mind.


Anyhow! Have a great time everyone, and enjoy the sunshine!!!

I like your idea about training agents in English Language School, can I enroll now…I admit I’m having hard time speaking English … I am just a simple Filipina with confidence….
“Oh my God …My family….I’m so sorry..wait… ahahahaha”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKwmseoKFCo

I hope I made you smile and encourage a bit to put up the business:….Good luck sis….

[Tish]

I remember at one time not so long back, when filipino nurses came to work here in the UK for the first time especially in the North West, they were encourage to watch Coronation Street to get used to listening to the North West accent!!

[Tish]

Also, no offense to filipinos here in the UK (especially myself..lol) I haven't really heard of anyone who can converse in bristish english accordingly because they all seem to talk with a different sound making it hard for most brits to understand!!

[jimeve]

I remember at one time not so long back, when filipino nurses came to work here in the UK for the first time especially in the North West, they were encourage to watch Coronation Street to get used to listening to the North West accent!!

EEE by eck, thy nows nought lad, dus thy.lol

[Tish]

EEE by eck, thy nows nought lad, dus thy.lol

I can see you're in Bolton and not so distant from (being part of the North Wet!!!...lol)

[chino]

I work in a UK call center and was in South Africa a few weeks ago to roll out a system to them and i could not understand a word they said! (when they spoke to each other)

The call center has won lots and lots of awards though i thinks its not because of the technical knowledge of the staff! Its down to the point that they will wait on the phone while you go to the door etc while in the UK the call just drops

The company who owns the company i work for have a call center in the PI and i have used one in the PI (Virgin) and i have no issues...

[fred]

Also, no offense to filipinos here in the UK (especially myself..lol) I haven't really heard of anyone who can converse in bristish english accordingly because they all seem to talk with a different sound making it hard for most brits to understand!!

I have just recently had trouble with my Smart BB antenna.. I was not looking forward to speaking with customer service but I was really surprised how well it all went..I spoke with 2 agents a day apart and their English was easy to understand..They also understood me which is quite a task!
This has NOT been my experience with Indian call centre agents..Ugghh

[Alan]

If anyone wants British English lessons, or Maths or French - I am here, ready, willing and able.

Al.