How the US government shutdown can affect BPO in the Philippines

OABPO Blog Team Published on October 3, 2013
BPO-in-the-Philippines

The US government has shut down after the Congress failed to agree on a new budget. Authorities have different takes on its effect on the BPO industry in the Philippines.

How the shutdown happened

According to BBC, the US government shut down its nonessential services after the two houses in Congress failed to agree on the budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.

The deadline for budget approval, set on the midnight of September 30, has already passed. The first in 17 years, the shutdown is a result of a political standoff between Republicans, who want to delay the nation’s healthcare law as a condition of passing the funding bill, and President Barrack Obama and the Democrats, who refused such demands.

Thereafter, 800,000 federal employees were furloughed for an indefinite period. Monuments and national parks were closed, and so did most operations of agencies including Environmental Protection Agency and NASA. Moody’s Analytics economist Brian Kessler estimated that a three- to four-week shutdown could cost the US $55 billion.

How it affects the BPO industry in the Philippines

In an interview with ABS-CBN, IT and Business Processing Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President Jose Mari Mercado said that the BPO sector may be affected by the shutdown. Mercado said that the call center and IT healthcare sectors may experience reduced volumes of transactions, which could eventually diminish their revenues.

However, he also said that it was too early to make conclusions. He also expressed confidence that the matters can be resolved soon. “It will be fixed in a week’s time. They cannot afford to remain shut down for a long time,” he said. Mercado also said that the expected surge in call volume in November, as holiday approaches, can cover the impact of the US shutdown. On the other hand, American Chamber of Commerce President Rhicke Jennings has a slightly different sentiment.

In an email interview with The Inquirer, Jennings said that the BPO industry in the Philippines is not likely to be affected. US business will continue to need the services of the BPO industry here in the Philippines as US commerce will continue to operate normally, he said in the email. Despite the ripple effects, The Guardian said there’s no need to panic, as investors calculated that this shutdown will be short.

Open Access BPO is a Philippine-based call center company that offers various outsourcing solutions, including non-voice, voice-based, and back office services.

Join us on facebook
Open Access BPO 5 days ago
๐—ข๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐—”๐—ฐ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜€ ๐—•๐—ฃ๐—ข ๐—Ÿ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—œ๐—™๐—ง ๐—Ÿ๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐˜†๐—น๐—ฒ ๐— ๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ด๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—บ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—˜๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ผ๐˜†๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐˜€

Multilingual call center Open Access BPO announced the official launch of ๐—ฆ๐—›๐—œ๐—™๐—ง: ๐—”๐—ป ๐—ข๐—”๐—•๐—ฃ๐—ข ๐—Ÿ๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐˜†๐—น๐—ฒ ๐— ๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ด๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—บ, an initiative designed to foster sustainable health and well-being among its employees.

The program, whose acronym SHIFT stands for Sustainable Health and Integrated Fitness Transformation, aims to address the challenges of sedentary work lifestyles prevalent in the BPO industry by providing comprehensive support for health improvement.

The OABPO SHIFT Program will offer a holistic approach to employee wellness, encompassing structured physical fitness activities, wellness coaching, and a smart, sustainable nutrition guide.

This program highlights Open Access BPO's dedication to employee well-being, recognizing that healthy team members are key to both professional success and a great quality of life.

Employees are encouraged to check their official Open Access BPO email for detailed information on program enrollment and participation.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#OneForHealth #oabpoSHIFT
#IdeaHubOABPO #EmployeeWellness
#WellbeingAtWork
Open Access BPO 9 days ago
Delivering outstanding #CustomerSupport on over #SocialMedia promptly is essential for enhancing #CustomerSatisfaction and improving the overall brand experience.

But how can your brand consistently deliver on this crucial front?

Improve your customer interactions and build stronger connections on social media by reading all about it on our blog: https://buff.ly/sdjJ2A3

โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”
Give your brand a CX boost on the social web!
Outsource to a #CustomerService expert today: https://buff.ly/aBetHaO

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerService #CSat
#CustomerExperience #CX
Open Access BPO 19 days ago
The world is getting smaller, and your customers come from all corners of it!
Partnering with a culturally diverse #CallCenter team isn't just the right thing to do, it's a smart business move.

Learn about the key benefits in our blog:
https://buff.ly/360SqHP

----------
Want a high-value #CustomerExperience for your diverse audience?

Let our multicultural teams help your brand break into international markets without worries.

Contact us today: https://buff.ly/59i7YD6

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CX #diversity #inclusion
Open Access BPO 19 days ago
Open Access BPO is kicking off our Pride Week, a dedicated series of events celebrating #PrideMonth. This initiative underscores our commitment to fostering a workplace culture built on #inclusion and #diversity.

Throughout the week, we've planned a series of meaningful activities designed to celebrate the #LGBTQIA+ community. We believe that fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and empowered is crucial for our collective success.

Our dedication to creating a safe and equitable space extends beyond this week, reflecting our ongoing commitment to a more inclusive future for all.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#PrideMonth #Pride2025 #UnitedByLove
#OneWithDiversity #PrideMonth2025
Open Access BPO 19 days ago
Open Access BPO is kicking off our Pride Week, a dedicated series of events celebrating #PrideMonth. This initiative underscores our commitment to fostering a workplace culture built on #inclusion and #diversity.

Throughout the week, we've planned a series of meaningful activities designed to celebrate the #LGBTQIA+ community. We believe that fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and empowered is crucial for our collective success.

Our dedication to creating a safe and equitable space extends beyond this week, reflecting our ongoing commitment to a more inclusive future for all.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#PrideMonth #Pride2025 #UnitedByLove
#OneWithDiversity #PrideMonth2025
Open Access BPO 20 days ago
Open Access BPO conducted Plant It Forward, a two-part tree-planting initiative, held in Laguna and Davao in May and June 2025.

Volunteers from both activities planted 300 Philippine indigenous trees, which were selected to help maintain the biodiversity in the area.

โ€œThis program is more than just planting trees; itโ€™s about cultivating a culture of social responsibility within our organization and demonstrating our commitment to the communities where we operate,โ€ said Joy Sebastian, Global VP at Open Access BPO.

This is only the start. Open Access BPO vows to continue investing in such environmental projects, affirming its core value of creating positive impact.

Read more about the green initiative here: https://buff.ly/HjTlHZC

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#OABPOPlantItForward
#OABPOcares #IdeaHubOABPO