Even as the world returns back to the pre-pandemic “normal,” Filipinos are holding on tightly to both remote work and remote access to essential services. A closer look at the geographic and economic structure of the country tells us why. As an archipelagic nation made up of 7,641 islands, moving between villages and cities isn’t exactly the best use of one’s time.

70.7% of remote Filipino employees are satisfied with their current setup.

Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for Filipinos to live abroad for education or employment opportunities—an estimated total of 11 million Filipinos out of 109.6 million, or over 10% of the population, lives overseas. Remittances have also contributed to approximately 10% of the nation’s GDP each year, with major revenue sources coming from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom, as well as various Asian territories such as Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Suffice to say, communicating over geographical boundaries has been part and parcel of Filipino culture for a long time. And with high mobile penetration rates, Filipinos are more than equipped to do so. Despite having a rural population that makes up more than half of their number of people, nearly 85% of Filipinos already own smartphones that grant them access to bank accounts and services. By 2025, that number is expected to climb to over 90%.

Viber is one of the fastest growing chat apps in the Philippines

Communication in the Philippines is dominated by Facebook Messenger and SMS. Close to 98% of the country’s adult population uses the former, while the latter boasts over 110 million mobile subscriptions.

But Viber is quickly gaining popularity among the younger demographic. Fifty-seven percent of its user base consists of users younger than 34 years of age. In 2021 alone, the volume of Viber calls grew by 57.37%. More shockingly, Viber’s message volume grew by 31% in 2021, and then by 506% in the following year. This is the result of the chat app’s content collaboration efforts with entertainment, sports, fintechs, healthcare, and government agencies, boosting its digital presence amongst at-home users.

Using a feature called “Lenses” that combines video sharing and augmented reality, Viber users in the Philippines have been sourcing the best deals from local food sellers, seeking out like-minded members in local communities, and even keeping up to date with the latest news.

In such a dispersed market, businesses that wish to capture the Filipino audience in its entirety should attempt to establish a presence on as many channels as possible. This includes the incumbent Facebook Messenger, up-and-coming Viber, as well as chat apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, and KakaoTalk that are popular with Filipinos living abroad.

Use 8x8 Connect to speak to Filipinos from all walks of life

Omnichannel campaign managers, such as 8x8 Connect, allow you to reach a fragmented target audience across multiple chat apps from a single platform. Not only does this solution allow you to check all your promotional messages for consistency before hitting the launch button, but the internal dashboard also summarises campaign results across all platforms. This gives you real-time feedback on open rates, click-through rates, and response rates without having to toggle between multiple pages.

Tap into automation to further optimise campaigns

Combining 8x8 Connect with 8x8’s Chat Apps API makes campaign management that much more efficient. Customers will be able to tap into self-service features, such as signups and rewards redemptions, all without the help of an agent. Automated responses can also be supplemented with photos, videos, and files to make them more interactive. The possibilities are endless.

Build a work desk that suits your work style

Scaling business communications means managing it all over a CRM system, such as Salesforce, the most popular of which are compatible with 8x8 Connect thanks to its API structure.

Marketers will also be able to mix and match applications to build digital work desks that best suit their job scopes and working styles through 8x8 Connect Automation Builder. This no-code, drag-and-drop solution can be utilised by anyone, even without programming knowledge, allowing managers to blast out campaigns on interfaces that feel like home.

Let customers seek clarification with two-way communications

Miscommunication is one of the biggest challenges with remote conversations. Two-way, real-time convesations are a great way to clear up misunderstandings through back-and-forth communication that allows customers to raise their concerns and doubts that customer service officers can then address.

Some might say that customer management systems like 8x8 Converse are even more efficient for customer handovers. Detailed logs of every customer’s likes and dislikes within  internal notes will allow new agents to get up to speed as soon as possible to create a smooth customer experience pipeline. Contacts are also automatically synced across 8x8 Connect and 8x8 Converse, facilitating the use of both platforms concurrently.

Customers who require greater assistance can be served over embeddable video calls via 8x8 Video Interaction API. This allows even non-tech-savvy audiences to enjoy VIP assistance without taking half-day trips to the closest city. The best part is that users can enter these video rooms with a simple screen tap, and access analytics through 8x8 Connect.

Not sure yet if these communication features are the right fit for your business? Get started with a free version of 8x8 Connect to test it out for yourself.