ePLDT call center seats
(BusinessWorld, Paolo Joseph Lising)


ePLDT to install some 4,000 call center seats by the end of the year.





The information and communications technology arm of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) plans to install some 4,000 call center seats by the end of the year.

As of the first quarter, e-PLDT installed 2,870 seats with 2,900 call center agents. President and Chief Executive Napoleon L. Nazareno said by the third quarter, e-PLDT will finish installing 687 seats to serve a US-based client.

In an interview, e-PLDT President Ray C. Espinosa said the 687 seats will be located in Libertad street (now Antonio A. Arnaiz avenue), in Pasay City.

To complete the target of 4,000 seats, he told BusinessWorld that another call center would be built by the forth quarter.

"It will have 300 seats and it will be located in Garnet road [in Ortigas]," he said. For this facility, Mr. Espinosa said the firm is eyeing three partners.

"We are eyeing three prospects, two are BPO (business process outsourcing firms) and one call center," Mr. Espinosa said. He did not say who the firms are.

He said to put up a 500-seat call center, the firm would spend $5 million-$7 million. In the first quarter, e-PLDT reported P652 million in revenues mainly from its call center businesses. This compared against P435 million in the same period last year.

PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said the information and communications technology unit is PLDT’s fastest growing business and e-PLDT is expected to gain a larger share of PLDT’s revenue by the end of the year.