How Much Does It Cost to Hire Customer Support in the Philippines?
Hiring customer support staff in the Philippines can be significantly more cost-effective than hiring equivalent talent in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, or other high-cost markets.
But salary is only one part of the calculation. Employers also need to account for statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits, equipment, and the cost of employing staff legally in the Philippines.
Smart Outsourcing Solution (SOS) provides an Employer of Record (EOR) service that allows companies to hire customer support staff in the Philippines without establishing a local Philippine company.
The standard SOS EOR management fee is USD $190 per employee per month.
Key Takeaways
- Customer support salaries in the Philippines are generally lower than equivalent salaries in Western markets.
- The total employment cost is higher than salary alone because employers must account for statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits, and other employee-related costs.
- SOS charges a standard USD $190 per employee per month EOR management fee.
- Recruitment is included in the SOS EOR service.
- There are no separate setup, onboarding, exit, offboarding, termination administration, or foreign-exchange markup fees.
- A refundable security deposit equal to one month of the employee's base wage applies.
- The client manages the employee's day-to-day work while SOS handles the legal employment and payroll administration.
- Companies can hire customer support staff without establishing a Philippine company.
What Is the Total Cost of Hiring Customer Support Staff?
The real cost of employing customer support staff in the Philippines includes more than the employee's salary.
Total monthly cost = employee salary + employer statutory contributions + 13th-month pay allocation + benefits and allowances + equipment or other employee-specific costs + USD $190 EOR management fee
This means the most useful way to compare the cost of hiring customer support staff is to look at the full employment cost rather than salary alone.
For example, if a customer support employee has a monthly salary of USD $1,500, the SOS EOR fee adds USD $190 per month.
| Cost | Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| Employee salary | USD $1,500 |
| SOS EOR management fee | USD $190 |
| Base cost | USD $1,690 |
The actual total employment cost will be higher after statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits, HMO, equipment, software, and other employee-specific costs are included.
For more detail, review the Philippines EOR pricing guide .
What Does the USD $190 EOR Fee Include?
The SOS EOR management fee covers the administration required to employ the worker legally through the Philippine EOR structure.
- Employment contract administration
- Payroll administration
- Government statutory contribution administration
- 13th-month pay administration
- Employee onboarding administration
- Employee offboarding administration
- Employment documentation
- HR administration
- Recruitment
Recruitment is included in the SOS EOR service, so companies do not need to pay a separate recruitment fee for customer support hiring through the EOR model.
What Costs Are Separate From the EOR Fee?
The USD $190 EOR fee is the management fee. Employee-related costs remain separate.
- Salary — The employee's agreed base salary.
- Statutory contributions — Required Philippine employer contributions.
- 13th-month pay — A mandatory Philippine employment benefit.
- Benefits — Any additional benefits or allowances agreed with the employee.
- HMO — Health coverage where provided.
- Equipment/software — Computers, software, internet, or other tools required for the role.
Are There Additional SOS Fees?
SOS does not charge separate fees for:
- Setup
- Onboarding
- Exit
- Offboarding
- Termination administration
- Foreign exchange markup
A refundable security deposit equal to one month of the employee's base wage applies.
What Customer Support Roles Can You Hire?
Companies can use the SOS EOR model to hire a range of customer support positions in the Philippines.
- Customer service representatives
- Customer support specialists
- Technical support staff
- Help desk staff
- Chat support representatives
- Email support representatives
- Sales support staff
- Customer success staff
- Support team leaders and supervisors
For more information, see the Customer Support Teams Philippines page.
EOR vs BPO for Customer Support
An EOR arrangement is different from outsourcing customer support to a BPO provider.
| EOR | BPO |
|---|---|
| Your company manages the employee's day-to-day work. | The BPO provider manages the outsourced service. |
| The employee works as part of your team. | The employee works as part of the BPO provider's operation. |
| Your company controls the employee's tasks, processes, and performance. | The BPO provider generally manages operational delivery. |
| SOS is the legal employer in the Philippines. | The BPO company employs the staff. |
What Your Business Manages
Day-to-Day Management
Your business manages the employee's day-to-day work, including responsibilities, tasks, schedules, performance, training, and operational direction.
SOS Employment Administration
SOS manages the legal employment relationship, payroll administration, statutory requirements, and other employment administration.
How Quickly Can You Hire Customer Support Staff?
Hiring timelines depend on the role, candidate requirements, availability, interview process, and other factors.
Because the EOR structure is already established, companies do not need to create a Philippine company before hiring through SOS.
Hiring Without Establishing a Philippine Company
An Employer of Record allows a foreign company to hire employees in the Philippines without establishing its own Philippine legal entity.
SOS acts as the local legal employer while the client company manages the employee's day-to-day work.
Learn more about hiring in the Philippines without establishing a company .
Hiring Existing Contractors as Employees
Companies that already work with contractors in the Philippines can use an EOR arrangement to transition those workers into a formal employment structure.
This can provide a way to formalize the employment relationship while keeping the employee working with the same client company.
Learn more about converting contractors to employees in the Philippines .
Who Is the Philippine Legal Employer?
Global BPO Solution Philippines, Inc.
Global BPO Solution Philippines, Inc. is the Philippine legal employer under the SOS EOR structure.
About Smart Outsourcing Solution
Smart Outsourcing Solution (SOS) provides Employer of Record and outsourcing solutions for companies hiring staff in the Philippines.
SOS enables international companies to build Philippine teams without establishing a local Philippine company.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire customer support staff in the Philippines?
The total cost depends on the employee's salary, statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits, equipment, and other employee-specific costs. SOS charges a standard USD $190 per employee per month EOR management fee.
Is the USD $190 EOR fee the employee's total employment cost?
No. The USD $190 is the SOS EOR management fee. Employee salary, statutory contributions, 13th-month pay, benefits, HMO, equipment, software, and other employee-related costs are separate.
Is recruitment included in the SOS EOR fee?
Yes. Recruitment is included in the SOS EOR service.
Are there setup or onboarding fees?
SOS does not charge separate setup or onboarding fees.
Are there termination or offboarding fees?
SOS does not charge separate exit, offboarding, or termination administration fees.
Do I need to establish a Philippine company to hire customer support staff?
No. An EOR arrangement allows companies to hire employees in the Philippines without establishing a local Philippine company.
Who manages the customer support employee?
The client company manages the employee's day-to-day work, while SOS manages the legal employment and payroll administration.
Can I hire an existing contractor through SOS?
Yes. Companies can use an EOR arrangement to transition existing contractors into a formal employment structure.
Hire Customer Support Staff in the Philippines
Tell us the type of customer support role you need, whether you are hiring a new employee, building a team, or transitioning an existing contractor or employee into an EOR arrangement.
Speak with a Philippines EOR specialist