Amazon Web Services (AWS) is strengthening the presence of its AI-powered contact center platform Amazon Connect in the Philippines as the business process outsourcing industry seeks tools that improve efficiency and transform customer experiences. Unlike traditional contact center solutions requiring months of implementation and expensive hardware, Amazon Connect offers a fundamentally different approach.
Pasquale DeMaio, vice-president of Amazon Connect, said the platform gives companies the ability to expand operations, manage expenses, and improve service delivery without losing the qualities that have made the Philippines a preferred hub for customer support.
“Our technology is differentiated by the fact that it is native AI,” Mr. DeMaio told BusinessWorld. “It’s built from the ground up to bring things together in one system. That lets businesses move quickly and improve experiences right now with AI.”
Cloud-powered service
Amazon Connect is a cloud-native service that allows companies to set up contact centers in minutes, with some customers launching production environments in less than 24 hours. Firms pay only for what they use, avoiding upfront costs and long-term contracts — saving up to 80% compared to traditional contact center solutions. AWS said the platform runs on its infrastructure, which provides availability and security at scale, with the same technology that powers Amazon’s own global customer service operations handling millions of interactions daily.
The first version of Amazon Connect focused mainly on voice calls, but changing customer expectations pushed the company to expand its capabilities. Over time, Amazon added AI-powered tools across multiple channels. These include automated call routing, real-time assistance for agents, and predictive insights designed to help businesses anticipate customer needs — all while maintaining industry-leading security and compliance certifications crucial for BPO operations in the Philippines.
Breaking down customer challenges
Companies often struggle to understand their customers because of disconnected systems and scattered data, according to Mr. DeMaio. Many businesses face difficulty unifying information across platforms such as chat, voice, and databases, which makes it harder to deliver a smooth customer experience.
Amazon Connect, he explained, seeks to address those challenges through more than 100 pre-built connectors that can pull data from different parts of an organization. Custom integrations are also possible, giving companies flexibility in aligning their systems and analytics.
Globe Telecom, one of the country’s largest mobile network operators, for instance, transitioned thousands of agents from its legacy system to Amazon Connect, improving scalability and enhancing customer self-service through process automation and AI-powered chatbots.
Mr. DeMaio stressed, however, that Amazon Connect is not designed to replace human agents. Instead, automation handles routine tasks such as password resets and balance checks, while more complex or emotional conversations remain better suited for people.
To reduce repetitive work, the system automatically generates notes and codes after calls, cutting down paperwork for staff. In pilot tests, Amazon Connect measured the heart rates of agents using its AI tools and found they were calmer and more effective during customer interactions.
He explained that the long-term goal of the system is to make agents “superhuman” by giving them technology that allows them to focus on empathy and problem-solving. This allows BPO providers to offer higher-value services and creates more rewarding career paths for agents.
For companies weighing automation against human involvement, Mr. DeMaio advised looking at where human interaction creates value.
“Every business should ask where human interaction shapes how customers see the brand,” he said. “The value comes when automation and agents make each other better.”
Reshaping customer service
In the past, companies measured customer satisfaction through surveys or callbacks, but those methods often failed to capture the full experience, according to Mr. DeMaio. Such approaches provided incomplete information and did not always reflect how customers truly felt.
With AI tools, businesses can now give real-time feedback to agents, monitor whether concerns require further action, and even anticipate customer behavior. For instance, companies can identify if a client is underusing a product, showing signs of dissatisfaction, or at risk of switching providers. This method allows businesses to re-engage customers, address issues directly, or reward loyalty before problems escalate.
“Now that we can bring AI to monitor every conversation, we can actually see if the customer was satisfied and if their problem was solved,” he added.
Mr. DeMaio also cited the Philippines as a growing part of Amazon Connect’s global strategy. The country’s service-oriented culture and long-standing reputation for customer care make it an important location for innovation in contact centers.
Amazon Connect’s expansion builds on the country’s established standing in the outsourcing industry, where millions of workers are employed in customer support roles.
“We have always seen the Philippines as a place where people care very deeply about service, customer experience, and engagement with their customers. At Amazon, we want to be the most customer-centric company in the world. We believe that alignment gives us a strong opportunity to partner with businesses in the Philippines to deliver great outcomes,” Mr. DeMaio explained.
Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.
Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.
