Why ibex is Doubling Down on Bohol's Customer Support Market

Strategic Expansion in the Philippines Signals Growing Demand for Digital-First Outsourcing Solutions

The customer experience outsourcing industry is experiencing a critical shift. As brands accelerate digital transformation initiatives, they’re demanding something beyond traditional call center operations: a workforce that can navigate sophisticated technology platforms while delivering exceptional customer interactions. ibex’s latest move in the Philippines reveals exactly where this market is heading.

The company just opened its second contact center in Bohol, the Plaza Marcela facility, marking a significant milestone in its geographic diversification strategy. What makes this expansion noteworthy isn’t just the investment itself—it’s what it says about the future of BPO (business process outsourcing) and customer experience delivery globally.

The Numbers Behind the Growth

ibex now operates over 1,300 customer service agents across Bohol, positioning itself as the dominant player in the province’s outsourcing market. The Plaza Marcela site alone brings 560 production seats to the table, complete with training infrastructure, recruitment capabilities, and residential accommodations—a footprint that indicates long-term commitment to the region.

This is ibex’s eighth contact center in the Philippines, part of a broader network spanning 31 facilities across six countries including Jamaica, Nicaragua, Pakistan, and Senegal. The company commands a workforce of 24,000+ professionals, leveraging its proprietary Wave X platform to optimize contact center performance at scale.

Why Bohol Became the Next Strategic Hub

The appeal of Bohol extends beyond low-cost labor—a narrative that defined outsourcing for decades. The province boasts 18 universities churning out roughly 10,000 graduates annually, creating a pipeline of educated talent. Combined with government incentives and infrastructure improvements like a new international airport, Bohol represents the modern criteria for outsourcing destinations: education, stability, and digital readiness.

According to Potski Alvarez, SVP and Country Manager at ibex, the expansion directly addresses a fundamental market gap. “Digital transformation and execution depend on an outsourcer’s ability to deploy the right people in the contact center,” Alvarez noted. The company deliberately chose Bohol to tap into a diverse, digitally proficient talent pool capable of managing complex customer experience technology.

The Broader Strategic Shift

What ibex calls its “BPO 2.0 strategy” reflects a fundamental reshaping of how outsourcing operates. Rather than simply fielding calls, today’s customer service agents need fluency in digital platforms, data systems, and multichannel communication tools. CEO Bob Dechant emphasized that Bohol has become “a key pillar” in this evolution—a location where sophisticated talent meets innovative platform capabilities.

The Plaza Marcela site is scheduled for launch on April 15th, 2021, and represents more than a new office location. It signals that as global brands pursue customer experience excellence, they’re investing in outsourcing partners capable of delivering digital-first solutions across diverse geographic markets.

For professionals seeking customer experience roles with advanced technology exposure, ibex’s Bohol expansion opens fresh opportunities in one of Southeast Asia’s emerging outsourcing hubs.