Philippines Six Sigma experts in hot demand
By Juan Dela Cruz

The popularity of Six Sigma in the BPO world has spread and reached the Philippines only recently. More and more contact centers are now embracing six sigma as a tool to provide more value in services they offer their clients. It is in no doubt the Philippine call centers are attempting to duplicate Indian BPO’s who have successfully used this methodology to improve their business.

As a result, six sigma experts in the Philippines who primarily come from the manufacturing sector have been leaping to a totally different industry. Six sigma people are tempted by huge salary offers which are significantly better than what they received before. With very few six sigma talents in the Philippines, it is no wonder they get paid well in the call center industry. On online job ads, one would always find at least 2 BPO’s looking for good six sigma people. The qualifications are tough but for the right talent, a six-sigma embracing call center would pay a king’s ransom.

I’ve gotten in touch with a close friend of mine who I used to work with in a call center before. He is a certified six sigma green belt and a quality manager in one of the more respectable contact centers here in the Philippines. He was kind enough to share with me the salary benchmark of six sigma experts here in the Philippines. He confides that if an experienced certified green belt like him worked in the manufacturing sector, he would have been paid 25,000 pesos monthly. It is almost the same figure if converted to Indian Rupees. Working in the outsourcing industry however can get him earning at least 40,000 pesos which is almost double if the benefits along with it are added. For a certified six sigma black belt, the figure is at least double of a green belt’s salary. Black belts get paid 80,000 pesos plus benefits, a nice snazzy office and a cool managerial post to boot. The most sought after and hardest to find is a master black belt in the Philippines. For this type of talent, call centers will try to outbid each other out to acquire him. My green belt friend confides a master black receives at the very least 160,000 pesos monthly which is about a little over what a BPO vice-president receives here in the Philippines.

I personally believe that this huge demand for six sigma professionals in the Philippines will eventually end up with these call center looking for talents elsewhere. Perhaps their search may have them looking to India which a much bigger pool of six sigma talents. With the Philippines and Indian currencies almost identical in value and lucrative offers these professionals are receiving, I don’t think it will be impossible to lure Indian Six sigma black belts to work in the Philippines.

(For questions or comments, please email me at 1delacruise at gmail.com)