Why Do Latino Professionals Choose to Be Remote Workers?

Latino professionals are in the spot right now thanks to the expansion of the BPO industry in Latin America, but why are they choosing to be remote workers or virtual assistants?

Virtual assistants and remote workers, in general, have been in the market for a long time, almost as much as the outsourcing of tasks related to office work. 

However, if you think about it you realize that a few years ago when someone was talking about outsourcing, the first country that came to mind would be India. Let’s be honest, how many times did you call the customer support of a company and find a kind Indian there to help you? 

It’s true that for a long time India was a boom in the BPO sector because they were an English colony and that language is part of their culture too, though it must be said that the cultural differences have tended to be quite significant and a differentiating factor. 

Over time, prices started to change and they were no longer so competitive. So companies started looking elsewhere for workers who had the same capacity to perform outsourcing tasks. That’s when they found a paradise called the Philippines. Indeed, you can find some very good agencies there that have highly skilled Filipinos for the job. And so they became the choice of all those who wanted to outsource and save money at the same time. 

However, not everything is perfect. Filipinos are excellent workers, but sometimes when clients give feedback some of them tend to disappear. They are people who carry out the simplest or most complicated tasks with a lot of professionalism. The thing is that in the Philippines there is an annual typhoon season from June to November and it is very possible that they are affected by floods and power failures, which means delays in work, not to mention that the time difference can be a real headache. 

For all the above reasons, Latin America is currently at its best, projecting itself as the pearl of the BPO. Here you have staff that is cheaper than staff in the U.S., who are completely bilingual and have the same or much closer time zones than a person in India or the Philippines. 

That all sounds great for business owners, but why would Latino professionals want to be virtual assistants or customer support agents? All right, let’s take a look around so you can understand a little better the reasons behind our Latino professionals: 

#1 Payment

Let’s be honest, if we compare the local currencies of Latin American countries with the US dollar, we obviously realize that the dollar is stronger and more stable. It is more appealing for Latino professionals to earn on a dollar basis than to earn in their local currency. And sometimes a few dollars can represent millions in the local currency. 

In addition to thinking about the stability of the currency, it is also relevant to mention that in some Latin American countries a professional can earn about 50% less than what he would earn as a remote worker. In Colombia, young professionals such as biologists, architects, musicians, industrial designers, engineers, mathematicians, many times prefer to work in a contact center company than develop their practice because they end up with a better salary and greater stability. 

#2 Less stress 

In addition to thinking about the money they earn, it is also necessary to mention that working from home represents a saving in time and money. No more getting stuck in traffic to get to work early and no more money to spend on tickets or gas on a daily basis. Imagine what it means to be able to avoid all the stress related to getting to work every day!

In cities like Bogota, a person’s commute to work can represent 2 hours or more that are not counted as work hours and that don’t do much for their life. Add to that the commute on a bus where you have to stand for two hours and you can perfectly understand that a person would choose a thousand times over working from home. 

And the results are for the best. Less stressed people are more productive, more active, more willing, which means more benefits for you and your remote worker.

#3 Professional Growth

Sometimes the options available in one’s country are very limited or there is a high rate of competition for relevant positions. So by working for companies located in the United States and Canada, Latino professionals have the opportunity to develop their skills and acquire new ones, while at the same time enhancing their efficiency in English and enjoying a multicultural interaction that feeds their professional network. In addition, geographic proximity also represents a greater understanding of their client’s culture and thus a comfortable familiarity. 

#4 Better life quality

While a virtual assistant, customer support agent, or remote worker in general is dedicated to decreasing your workload, this doesn’t mean that for them it is a burden. Most of the time we meet people who really enjoy their work and who also find the possibility to achieve personal and professional goals that would otherwise be very difficult, such as being able to have more time to spend with their family, do personal projects, acquire some furniture for their house, or find a new apartment. 

In short, Latin America represents a jewel for the BPO world, and entrepreneurs and small and medium business owners are in better hands than ever. 

Our team of professionals is pleased to help you not only to maintain the foundation of your business but to help you expand it. 

Take advantage of today to book a call with our director Claudia who will be more than glad to talk to you and explain all the details!