by wpgeekssales | May 6, 2021
Globally Connected
Continuing the theme of good to great from the last town hall, Conquer 2021, Eastvantage held its quarterly town hall meeting with the theme of Discovering Greatness. Given that the presenters for this assembly are geographically dispersed, with presenters from India and Belgium, the best approach was to have it fully online. The assembly also saw the highest turnout of associates attending this year, more than 130, with many new faces joining the company over the past few months.
Discovering Greatness
Fred, our Chief Inspiration Officer, discussed disciplines and principles to help drive the associates and their projects to greater heights. The Chief Amazement Officer, Kamal, presented the numbers that the company has achieved in terms of headcount, SLA’s, employee satisfaction, clients, attendance, and open positions – all highlighted in green from a very successful Q1 for the company. Also presented are the company’s projects to greatness, highlighting the latest updates to the ever-improving operations tools and processes.
Experts across the board
Along with the usual updates from each department in the operations team, the EVA also introduced the new finance, sales, compliance, and HR experts that have joined the growing operations team to support the Eastvantage community. The 2021 Q1 top performers for each project were also recognised and were sent grab vouchers that they can use in the current remote working setup. Once again, the EVA has proven to be the best channel, whether hybrid or fully online, to roll out updates to every associate and to recognise the top-performing associates.
by wpgeekssales | Mar 12, 2021
Life at Eastvantage was created as the main channel where the Eastvantage community can share and interact with each other online. Over the past few years, this Facebook group has become an easily-accessible page where announcements for community events reach the associates instantly, and where photos for these events are shared: from Christmas parties to summer outings, and team lunches. Celebrating such activities have become very different for 2020, but Life at Eastvantage has become the perfect tool to reach out to the associates in the time of social distancing and working from home.
Employee safety and satisfaction
With the welfare of the associates a priority concern, Eastvantage brought its happiness initiatives online to the associates that are adjusting to the new normal in a challenging time. Throughout the year, Life at Eastvantage saw fun activities from polls, trivia, pictionaries, throwback, top tens, trending “challenges,” and even a fun-filled online jeopardy game. The month-long 10th Anniversary celebrations are notably where many of these activities were held, with highlights being the video talent showcase of the associates, a lip-sync video of associates, and a culmination large-scale zoom meeting event with raffle prizes and free grab food for all attendees.
In the safety of their homes, Eastvantage associates were also able to attend a brown bag session in the Facebook group, where one of the associates shared their knowledge and expertise with the other employees. Online meditation sessions were also posted, as well as radio show-style interviews with the fellow associates that are being celebrated. The associates, who are usually heavily involved in our CSRs, were also updated on the Corporate Social Responsibility charity donations that were made that year.
Keeping associates updated
Townhall meetings that were regularly held in the office are now being held online, and announcements and updates such as the ones from HR, payroll, healthcare, government, and severe weather bulletins are also being shared as needed to keep everyone updated.
The EV e-Cafe
Perhaps the most interactive happiness initiative would be the EV e-Cafe, where our happiness ambassador together with the operations support team create a live stream where every associate can watch and participate in – especially when there is something worth celebrating such as Valentine’s Day, Independence Day, pride month, Halloween costume party, and Christmas party. As we ease into the more flexible skeletal working setup, the Life at Eastvantage page has once again seen a lot of photos shared by the associates who have met each other in person at work after months of being in strict quarantine, showing how a versatile online social media group can be very useful for the work community both in the old and the new normal.
Join the Eastvantage community today and have fun with the happiness initiatives that will surely come your way! Visit our Eastvantage Careers page to view our open job posts.
by wpgeekssales | Feb 24, 2021
Eastvantage’s integrated platform for remote team and employee management has been upgraded to a new level: with new upgraded features including a better Daily Time Record interface, My Team modules, and an overall faster loading time. For the team behind the EVOX (Eastvantage Operational Excellence) project, this is only the beginning of bringing their big plans to fruition.
The newly upgraded EVOX is Eastvantage’s cloud-based, home-grown system that is created to simplify the way the team operates by ensuring accurate timekeeping, facilitating payroll, acting as an internal communication channel, and providing workplace tools to our associates.
The EVOX team has made its goal to spearhead innovation to support clients and the operations teams in streamlining processes by developing innovative applications that cater to their needs. Providing operational efficiency with quality and client-centric applications like EVOX not only saves these teams money from buying third-party subscriptions, but can also generate income depending on how it is designed.
by wpgeekssales | Feb 17, 2021
Ideal Partnership Between an Innovative Global E-commerce Company in Australia and a Manila-based Back Office Team
Working from home for almost a year now, Jenn, a customer support team leader, has well adjusted to the flexible work arrangement that came in place due to the pandemic. Back in 2018, their team of two customer support representatives is reporting to work at the East Wing 15th floor office of Eastvantage.
Jenn’s team has experienced a 900% headcount growth in the past three years. They are a blended team of CSRs, QA analysts, and digital marketers that are supporting the growth of an innovative fashion global e-commerce company that developed scientifically-proven patented clothing.
PH as a go-to for customer support, and more
The Philippines established a substantial reputation as being the go-to country for outsourcing customer support. But when the client started outsourcing a chat and email customer support team, they had concerns about performance and people management with the previous vendor. They started looking for a different provider that can improve all metrics, and then that’s when they met Eastvantage.
To achieve the client’s goal, they started with hiring two (2) customer support representatives. Their team grew over the years, establishing KPIs and creating dashboards for real-time productivity tracking. Since they started, they have had a 45% reduction in average resolution time (ART) and a 49% reduction in first reply time (FRT). Their 2020 CSAT is at 96%, compared to 87% in 2019. Improvements seen are due to focus on monthly DSAT analysis, and quality monitoring & feedback mechanism.
As the client’s innovation progressed, their Manila team also progressed. Since the Philippines has a vast talent pool of not only CSRs, we were able to build them a team of brand ambassadors. They hired QA analysts who ensure the quality of their new website features and digital marketers who create new product promotions and manage outbound marketing.
This is another example of how Eastvantage is true to its mission of taking businesses to the next stage, going the extra mile on building a team that will be your partner to grow. For more related client case studies, check out Customer Success in 9 Languages and Software Maintenance for European Market Leader.
Interested to learn more about how you can make our Customer Relationship Management services work for you? Email us at info@eastvantage.com or send us a message.
by wpgeekssales | Feb 11, 2021
A Safe and Socially Distant Town Hall
As Eastvantage eases into a more flexible working environment, it became apparent that the hybrid setup was the best way to conduct large gatherings while keeping socially distant. Following the successful hybrid meeting setup of the Eastvantage strategic planning meeting, it was time to test it out with a bigger audience.
The first Eastvantage Assembly (EVA) of the year is the perfect opportunity to try this out, as it comes right after the strategic planning to roll out to the clients and employees the updates, announcements, and plans that are in store for the coming year. With more than 90 associates joining the meeting from their homes and about a dozen associates and presenters leading the town hall in the office at Fort Legend Tower, BGC, the EVA was successfully held with no hitch, proving that hybrid meetings are effective even with a large audience.
Conquer: 2021
The primary theme of the EVA is “Conquer,” which highlights the actions taken to overcome the challenges of the past year, and having strategic plans in moving forward in the years ahead. The EVA discussed updates from the operations support teams and showcased the company’s technology accelerators.
Two key concepts were discussed. First is the Kaizen culture of discipline, from the Japanese word meaning “continuous improvement.” The second concept is the Hedgehog Principle, adopted by Eastvantage from Jim Collins’ book Good to Great, which talks about understanding: 1) what you are deeply passionate about, 2) what you can be the best in the world at, and 3) what best drives your economic or resource engine.
Feedback: Employee Satisfaction
Another major topic that the EVA focused on is the result of the Employee Satisfaction Survey held at the end of the year. Despite the global pandemic of 2020 causing a lot of challenges, the company was able to generate a lot of positive feedback from its associates, particularly on the Covid-19 Response, getting high scores on “support in transitioning to working remotely” and “comfort of working from home.” Also highlighted are the prioritization of everyone’s health and safety, round-the-clock IT support, uninterrupted assistance from support teams, and continuous Business Continuity Plan engagement.
Rolling out the updates from the recently-concluded strategic planning to associates kicks off Eastvantage’s 2021 in our journey for continuous improvement and the hybrid meeting setup for the town hall proved that a more flexible work environment awaits us in the months ahead.
by wpgeekssales | Feb 4, 2021
Annual Strategic Planning
Eastvantage annually holds a strategic planning event by our operations team to kick off the year to reflect on the success and lessons learned from the past year and create strategies for improvements for the year ahead. 2020 has been a remarkable and challenging year and brought about changes that need to be faced head-on for the years ahead.
Perhaps the most obvious impact of the previous year is the new normal brought about by the pandemic to the work culture. Most of the businesses that can function with remote workers are now opting for a work from home setup, and to those who have skeletal and or in-office setup, social distancing and safety protocols are now in place. With regards to holding company events, this effectively limits the chances of creating large gatherings for employees.
The Hybrid Meeting
An effective solution to this is the hybrid meeting, where a part of the audience joins the meeting from the office, and another part joins remotely. Eastvantage first experimented with this approach during the Christmas Party, where the hosts lead the event from the office, with the rest of the associates joining the meeting from home online. Its success has opened doors to future meetings.
The new hybrid setup was successfully improved upon by the IT team, utilising Google Meet, multiple cameras, microphones, and speakers for a socially distant and interactive hybrid meeting. The presenters and audience were able to freely and smoothly communicate, as those on both ends can see and hear the presentation clearly, the presenter, and the people asking questions and contributing insights.
The Eastvantage Culture
This year’s strategic planning has been thoroughly planned. With around a dozen presenters and double the participants, the event was split into two days to ensure that the office space is maximised for social distancing. The presenter’s teams are in the office on their scheduled day of presentation, while the others join remotely.
Sharing a good meal and interaction between associates have always been part of Eastvantage’s annual strategic planning meetings and for this year, two separate team lunches were held, with strict adherence to social distancing and health protocols. Keeping the culture alive and bringing an effectively interactive gathering, the EV operations team couldn’t be any closer in a safe and socially distant setup.
by wpgeekssales | Nov 5, 2020
One of the reasons why outsourcing tasks to an Employer of Record is ideal is because they can take care of responsibilities such as payroll, human resources, compensation of workers, and taking care of taxes that can be challenging for new business owners. There are some things to be taken into consideration in such a partnership to make it an ideal one: by making sure that the benefits are better than what it would cost the client. Let us explore the advantages and the underlying costs in an Employer of Record partnership on a more general scale.
Employer of Record Benefits
The biggest advantage of working with an Employer of Record is that it takes over the administrative roles such as payroll processing, recruitment, and human resources for its client, providing them with extra time and resources that can be used in more important functions.
Beyond the surface, there are many other advantages that an Employer of Record can help a business with. At a reasonable cost, it enables clients to provide compensation and benefits to their employees. They also make sure that the business operation is compliant with mandates and standards so clients would not have to deal with that. Employers of Record also take care of recording and managing expenses to offset the client’s billable income.
Things to take into Consideration
In order for Employers of Record gain profit, a percentage of billings are taken from the client, reducing a portion of their income. This is something that potential clients should keep in mind, although Employer of Record partnerships are designed to help clients generate better income.
For partnerships with Employers of Record to be effective, a few other things should be taken into consideration. For example, working with Employers of Record usually requires strict adherence to processing rules and expense management, as well as appropriate and prompt tax payments against all earned income. Ideally, there should also be a steady flow of work and income coming in to offset benefits purchased such as health and dental that can be provided to the client’s employees.
Flexible Delivery Models
There are other things to note on working with Employers of Record. Depending on the outsourcing model, an Employer of Record can only be limited to provide a business corporate structure that is not entirely independent. A client can also choose not to hand over certain responsibilities to the Employer of Record if they so choose.
Eastvantage offers its clients bespoke outsourcing services that best fit their needs to make an ideal partnership. Contact us today and let’s figure out the best solution for your outsourcing requirements. Visit our solutions page for our delivery models and our portfolio pages for our success stories.
by wpgeekssales | Oct 12, 2020
Data privacy and security are paramount in building trust with clients. When it comes to the security framework to keep confidential information such as credit card and debit card details, Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance is the globally accepted standard. The PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) is a collection of technical and documentary compliance which protects and secures payment card data.
Regulations followed by PCI Compliant Companies
PCI DSS regulations are designed to securely protect identifying information on payment cards, such as names of card holders, verification PINs, expiration dates, account numbers. The PCI DSS standards is a set of technical requirements which protect and secure payment card data. Being PCI compliant means that the company’s systems and IT infrastructure are up to date to ensure that the cardholder data collected from customers are secure.
Compliance and Certification with International Standards
Over the years, Eastvantage has always taken steps to follow data privacy and security guidelines to be compliant with international standards. As of 2020, Eastvantage is officially GDPR compliant, PCI-DSS compliant, and is currently undertaking steps towards ISO 27001 certification. With a dedicated Data Protection Officer keeping things in check and taking steps in acquiring certifications and an IT team to implement data and security updates as necessary, Eastvantage maintains its compliance to global data privacy and security standards.
Technical Requirements in Protecting Client Data
Majority of the items that need to be accomplished for PCI certification are under IT. Eastvantage’s IT team upgraded its infrastructure in order to comply with the PCI DSS requirements.
Firewalls enabled on all systems
- With firewalls enabled, Eastvantage’s sytems are protected from unauthorized access, cyber attackers, and malicious or unnecessary network traffic.
Proper password protections in place
- Eastvantage keeps a list of all devices and software which require a password. In addition to a device/password inventory, basic precautions and configurations are also enabled (e.g., changing the password, strong password policy).
Antivirus software enabled on all systems
- Eastvantage has anti-virus software installed on all devices that interact with and/or store cardholder data. This is and will be regularly patched and updated.
Properly updated software
- Eastvantage will update its firewalls and antivirus software on a regular basis.These updates are especially required for all software devices that interact with or store cardholder data.
Access logs in place
- All activities dealing with cardholder data and primary account numbers (PAN) will require a log entry. Software products to log access are also enabled to ensure accuracy.
Document policies
- Eastvantage keeps an inventory of equipment, software, and employees that have access to cardholder data. How information flows into our systems, where it is stored, and how it is used after the point of sale are documented and updated regularly.
Scan and test for vulnerabilities
- Vulnerability scanning is an inspection of the potential points of exploit on a computer or network, to identify security holes. Eastvantage will conduct a vulnerability scan at least quarterly to detect and classify our system’s vulnerabilities in computers and networks. With this, the vulnerabilities detected will be patched accordingly.
Restricted physical access
- All cardholder data and other documents with sensitive information are stored in a secure area. There are designated lockable cabinets for each team/department.
Encryption of data
- Eastvantage protects cardholder data and other sensitive information by enabling data encryption which is one of the most effective data security methods used by organizations.
As a PCI DSS certified company, Eastvantage’s top priority is to maintain this compliance and regularly check on the security measures in place until the renewal of the certification in the following years.
Eastvantage provides expert solutions for your outsourcing needs. We are ready to take on challenges while providing our clients with the utmost security in handling the most sensitive information – electronic payments. Contact Eastvantage today and let us help you find the best outsourcing solution for your business.
by wpgeekssales | Sep 30, 2020
What is Global Employment Outsourcing
Global Employment Outsourcing is the outsourcing of the employer function on an international level. A Global Employment Organization, on the other hand, is an international employment company that acts as the provider of Global Employment Outsourcing services. Both terminologies are often referred to as GEOs.
Global Employer Organization Benefits
The services provided by GEOs can encompass different employment outsourcing options such as human resources, payroll processing, recruitment services, and employee on-boarding. This allows the client to outsource employer functions that are holistic, compliant, and in a sense, on a global scale.
Being experts in international employment solutions, the services that Global Employment Organizations provide go beyond the usual employment solutions. GEOs, in general, ensure that the clients are well taken care of when it comes to being compliant with regulations and laws for outsourcing local employees to global clients. This is especially true if the employees are being outsourced in a country where the client may not be registered, so understanding labor laws and tax implications in the country are essential, and setting up a new legal entity for the client is a key service that Global Employment Organizations provide.
Global PEO
Global Employment Outsourcing is very similar to other terminologies used in outsourcing employer functions. GEOs are considered as a more international or global type of Professional Employer Organizations, as PEOs can also be applied domestically. All GEOs involve PEOs, and therefore allows them to also act as Employer of Records for the client’s employees. Click on the following hyperlink to find out more about these employment outsourcing solutions.
Employment Services in an International Scale
The main difference between GEOs and other employment outsourcing functions is that GEOs allow clients to use these services on a global scale. Eastvantage provides employment solutions that allow for global mobility. These include arranging Visas and working on immigration compliance. Eastvantage also provides recruitment, HR, payroll processing, recruitment services, and onboarding options for its clients, giving them an international status for employing a workforce beyond their country to the Philippines. Reach out to Eastvantage today so we can help you with your outsourcing needs.
