VZCZCXRO5431
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #3645 3180632
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 140632Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8857
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS MANILA 003645 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/CIP AND EAP/MTS 
USDOC FOR 4430/ITA/MAC/ SBERLINGUETTE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON FCS ECPS ETRD EINV RP
SUBJECT:  Ambassador Applauds Staff Retention Efforts at Dell Call 
Center and Creative Thinking at SM Mall of Asia 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  On November 8, the Ambassador visited the Dell 
Philippines Call Center in Pasay City, Metro Manila to assess 
developments in the booming contact center business. The visit was 
followed by a tour of the country's largest retail establishment, 
the SM Mall of Asia, including the newly launched SM Science 
Discovery Center and the SMX Convention Center. The visit provided 
an interesting behind-the-scenes glimpse into a major US company's 
Philippine operations, and gave the Embassy another opportunity to 
strengthen our relationship with one of the Philippines' most 
successful and forward-thinking companies, which relies on U.S. 
technology and business support.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Dell Contact Center 
------------------- 
 
¶2.  Dell has invested $150 million in the Philippines to support 
customer service operations at its two call center facilities. 
Country Manager Mike Garrison said that Dell is "extremely bullish" 
on the Philippines.  According to him, the greatest challenges to 
the call center industry in the Philippines are turnover of 
employees and English skills, but Dell Philippines has half the 
turnover of its competitors in the local call center industry, which 
Garrison attributes to the "culture" within the company.  Dell 
Philippines prioritizes employee support in areas such as training, 
preferential scheduling tied to performance, and ease of 
intra-company transfers. 
 
¶3.  The Ambassador was asked to participate in Dell Philippine's 
"Profiles in Leadership" series, providing tips on management and 
leadership to local senior management.  The Ambassador shared her 
personal rules for success and responded to questions on managing 
conflicts, motivating co-workers and subordinates, and determining 
the most important values for a true leader.  Country Manager 
Garrison said this leadership session was the best they've had to 
date. 
 
SM Science Discovery Center 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4.  SM Investments Vice Chairman Tessie Sy-Coson, who is listed 
among Fortune Magazine's 50 most powerful women in international 
business, led the Ambassador through the Mall of Asia, pointing out 
its reliance on U.S. technology and business. The new $7 million SM 
Science Discovery Center has many unique features, including a 
planetarium with a three-dimensional display, flight simulators, and 
remote controlled robots.  The Center opened on 19 October, 2007 and 
is the first of its kind in the Philippines.  The center's designer 
is California-based Leisure Entertainment Consultancy, designers of 
Legoland, two Universal Studios, and Disney's California Adventure, 
and has already become a favorite field trip destination for area 
schoolchildren. 
 
SMX Convention Center 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  SMX Convention Center, which opened on November 5, is the 
Philippines' largest privately-run exhibition and convention center 
with capacity for 6,000 people.  There are open exhibition areas, 
multi-functional halls, and flexible meeting rooms with modern 
exposition amenities for major conference and trade exhibits.  The 
Ambassador noted the attention to detail at the facilities and the 
possibilities for using them as venues for future Embassy events. 
The introduction of a major new convention and exhibition center has 
already attracted attention in the business community, with bookings 
of major trade shows and events already full for the first three 
months of operation. 
 
Progress toward a positive economic future 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  SM Investments Corporation is undertaking development efforts to 
build the "Mall of Asia Complex".  The current expansion is just 
part of the effort to create a 60 hectare mixed-use development that 
will integrate technologically advanced infrastructure with office, 
retail, hotel, institutional, residential and leisure components. 
The firm envisions the complex as the country's premier business and 
tourism district, a glimpse of the Philippines' potential given 
adequate infrastructure, investment and education.  Dell 
Philippines' success at this location is an example of this 
potential. 
 
Kenney