MANILA, Philippines--Filipino call center agents must improve their sales techniques to compete more strongly with outsourcing giant India, according to an industry observer.

India's "classic" outsourcing model derives its strength from outbound sales, said Catriona Wallace, managing director for Callcentres.net.

The Sydney-based online publishing firm recently came out with industry forecasts for the Asia Pacific region. Its study covered nearly 2,500 companies with call center operations across Singapore, China, India, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Wallace, however, acknowledged that the Philippines' strength lies in customer support, which makes up the bulk of the contact center industry in the country.

Results of the said study showed that call centers are now in a period of transition from providing traditional services and support to revenue-generation.

Among Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines is leading the way in this transition from the initial model of call centers as cost center.

The study shows that 65 percent of contact centers recognize the opportunity to "up-sell" or "cross-sell" during a typical call, meaning more opportunities to generate revenue

According to the study, about 70 percent of contact centers in the Philippines are already measured as profit centers. In contrast, only about 32 percent of contact centers in Singapore are profit centers.

"The results strongly suggest that the industry has recognized further opportunities and is on top of developing trends," said Wallace. "The contact center is fast becoming an organization's most valuable revenue generating asset."

The industry, however, must continue to address human resource challenges such as agent attrition. She added: "The search for the people with the right skills still remains a major concern for Philippine-based call centers."

Also, she suggested that training schools geared towards contact center careers focus more on sales techniques, not only on customer service or language skills.