Firms urged: Be competitive, embrace innovation concept

IT-BPM, business leaders optimistic Cebu City will be back in top 10 Tholons list

Industries should embrace the concept of innovation not just digitally but also in simple business processes like improving people management and automation services.

Paulo Uy, Innovation Council of Cebu (ICC) president, said this as he and other business leaders especially those in the information technology-business process outsourcing (IT-BPM) sector hoped and believed that Cebu would retake its spot within the top ten “super cities” for outsourcing this year.

Uy was referring to the Tholons Services Globalization Index (TSGI) where in 2017 Cebu City, which placed eighth in the ranking for “super cities” for outsourcing in the world fell to 12th place.

“I share the same insight (with other business leaders). I’m confident Cebu will be back to the Top 10. I have no concern in terms of digital transformation as a lot of companies are actively or in the process of introducing it to their operation,” Uy told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview.

Innovation

Innovation can happen not just on products but also on business operations and processes.

“For small businesses, billing and collection are manual. If they can get it automated, they’ll be able to send invoices in time which means on time collection too” he said.

“In terms of employment, if you can reduce the process by less than 2 hours with the help of an employee information system, recruitment will be faster,” he added.

He also emphasized proper coordination between people and firms in the IT-BPM and local government units to sustain the industry’s growth and for the sector to become truly competitive.

He said proper coordination between firms and leaders in the IT-BPM industry and the local governments should also be ensured.

“When we’re back to the top, it’s worth noting that the business community and the LGUs should work together for a better environment for start-ups. After all, they’re the beacon of hope in terms of innovation and driving the digital economy to a higher level,” said Uy who is also the director of Cebu Digital and vice president of Azpired Inc.

Continue evolving

Cebu IT-BPM Organization (CIB.O) officials also said that they want people and firms in the industry to also continue evolving especially with the technological advancements.

CIB.O President Gregg Gabison said this is the reason why the theme for this year’s Transformation Summit is “Embracing New Realities” as they will discuss the need to adopt more artificial intelligence, digital embrace and continued innovation, and the shift to higher value services.

He said they continue to strive to prove that Cebu is a hub for information and communications technology (ICT).

Part of their efforts is talking with different local government units all over the province and helping them set up their own ICT councils in order to push for more sustainable growth in terms of ICT.

Tholon’s CEO

Wilfredo “Jun” Saa Jr., CIB.O managing director, for his part, said that he is confident that Tholons would see the improvements in the IT-BPM sectors in Cebu.

In fact, this is one of the group’s plans next month when Tholons Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Avinash Vashistha is expected to visit Cebu.

“A lot of things may not be known to him that has been happening here. Cebu has been at the forefront with events like TechTalks, Geeks on a Beach, and innovations, startup ideas and startup businesses,” Saa said.

“My first agenda when he comes to Cebu is to show him around the city and tell him these things are happening in the city,” he added.

Improvements

“Both IT Park, CBP (Cebu Business Park), the Incubation hub at UP, the shared offices-Aspace and iioffice,Avenir Building, which is now used by startups,” said Saa about the physical improvements that he would show Vashistha.

“Other major infrastructure are buildings like mall expansions of both SM and Ayala and the new malls,etc. These are all signs of the physical and economic transformation of Cebu,” he said.

Vashistha will be in Cebu next month as one of the speakers for the 2018 Transformation Summit on May 16 at Bai Hotel which is organized by CIB.O together with Sykes which is the first business process outsourcing (BPO) company that entered Cebu in 2003.

His talk is titled “Super Cities of the World” and he is expected to explain more in detail Tholons’ rankings which changed last year with the addition of new criteria like digital transformation and innovation.