eTelecare

eTelecare was a business-process-outsourcing company established in the Philippines in November 1999 as eTelecare International. It was founded by Jim Franke and Derek Holley, who had previously worked in the call-center consultancy practice of McKinsey & Company. The company positioned itself around complex customer-care work rather than only basic call handling, and described itself as the first Filipino call center. The company began operating its first contact center in September 2000, initially handling inbound programs for telecommunications and financial-services clients. Its service model subsequently expanded to include customer service, technical support, sales, customer retention, market research, and non-voice interactions through email and chat. eTelecare served organizations in sectors including consumer electronics, telecommunications, financial services, travel, and media. A central part of eTelecare's early expansion was its use of telecommunications-compression technology. Working with Avaya and Cisco Systems, the company deployed compression across traditional T-1 circuits. According to the company history summarized in the Wikipedia article, this approach reduced telecommunications costs substantially and preserved capital for expansion. It also gave eTelecare a temporary technological and cost advantage over competitors in the outsourcing market. The business grew by adding contact-center locations in both offshore and onshore markets. In May 2004, it acquired Phase 2 Solutions, described as the eighth-largest independent wireless reseller in the United States. The acquisition broadened eTelecare's exposure to wireless-related customer and sales programs. In February 2005, eTelecare International adopted the name eTelecare Global Solutions, reflecting the wider geographic and service scope of the business. Ownership changed in December 2008, when Ayala Corporation and Providence Equity Partners acquired the outstanding shares of eTelecare in the Philippines and the company's American Depositary Shares in the United States. The transaction placed the company under new financial and strategic ownership during a period when the global outsourcing industry was consolidating. In October 2009, Stream Global Services acquired EGS Corp., the indirect parent of eTelecare Global Solutions, through a stock-for-stock transaction. Following that acquisition, the Philippine business became known as Stream International Global Services Philippines, Inc. As a result, eTelecare ceased to operate as an independent corporate brand. Its legacy is associated with the early development of the Philippine contact-center industry and with the expansion of complex voice and non-voice outsourcing services across several international delivery markets.

eTelecare originated in the Philippines in November 1999 under the name eTelecare International. Its founders, Jim Franke and Derek Holley, were alumni of McKinsey & Company's call-center consultancy practice. They developed the company around the emerging market for outsourced customer operations, with an emphasis on complex service work rather than a narrow commodity call-center model. The company referred to itself as the first Filipino call center, reflecting its role in the early institutional development of the Philippine outsourcing sector. The first eTelecare call center went live in September 2000. Its initial programs served telecommunications and financial-services clients through inbound voice support. As the company expanded, it added customer service, technical support, sales, customer retention, market research, email, and chat. Its client industries included consumer electronics, telecommunications, financial services, travel, and media. Delivery was organized across contact centers in the Philippines, the United States, Nicaragua, and South Africa, allowing the business to offer both offshore and onshore support. Technology was important to the company's early operating model. eTelecare worked with Avaya and Cisco Systems to implement compression technologies over traditional T-1 telecommunications circuits. The stated result was a major reduction in telecommunications expense, which enabled the company to preserve capital and expand more quickly. The approach was described as an early competitive advantage, although the advantage was temporary as comparable capabilities became available more broadly. In May 2004, eTelecare International acquired Phase 2 Solutions. Phase 2 was described as the eighth-largest independent wireless reseller in the United States. The transaction gave eTelecare additional access to wireless-related customer, sales, and support work and formed part of its broader expansion beyond its initial telecommunications and financial-services programs. In February 2005, the company changed its name from eTelecare International to eTelecare Global Solutions. The new name reflected its international operating structure and wider business-process-outsourcing offering. At this stage, the company provided both voice and non-voice services, including technical support, customer-care operations, sales, retention, chat, email, and research. The ownership structure changed in December 2008. Ayala Corporation and Providence Equity Partners acquired all outstanding shares of eTelecare in the Philippines and all of its American Depositary Shares in the United States. This ended the prior ownership arrangement and placed the company within a new investor-led structure. In October 2009, Stream Global Services acquired EGS Corp., the indirect parent of eTelecare Global Solutions, in a stock-for-stock exchange. The Philippine operating company subsequently became known as Stream International Global Services Philippines, Inc. This transaction ended eTelecare's existence as an independent corporate brand. Its historical significance lies in its contribution to the rise of Philippine contact-center outsourcing and in its early combination of complex customer support, technical assistance, sales, and non-voice service delivery across international markets.

• 2009

  Stream Global Services acquisition

  [1]ETelecareen.wikipedia.org

  Stream Global Services acquired EGS Corp., eTelecare Global Solutions' indirect parent, and the Philippine operation adopted a Stream-related name.

• 2008

  Ayala and Providence acquire the company

  [1]ETelecareen.wikipedia.org

  Ayala Corporation and Providence Equity Partners acquired the company's outstanding Philippine shares and United States American Depositary Shares.

• 2005

  Corporate name changes to eTelecare Global Solutions

  [1]ETelecareen.wikipedia.org

  The company adopted the eTelecare Global Solutions name in February 2005.

• 2004

  Phase 2 Solutions acquisition

  [1]ETelecareen.wikipedia.org

  eTelecare International acquired Phase 2 Solutions, a United States wireless reseller.

• 2000

  First contact center goes live

  [1]ETelecareen.wikipedia.org

  The company's first call center began operating in September 2000 with inbound telecommunications and financial-services programs.

• 1999

  eTelecare International is founded

  [1]ETelecareen.wikipedia.org

  Jim Franke and Derek Holley founded eTelecare International in the Philippines in November 1999.

A complex business-process-outsourcing provider combining voice and non-voice customer-care services with international contact-center delivery. eTelecare emphasized technically demanding support, sales, retention, and research programs for major consumer and service industries.

• Business-process outsourcing

  Customer service outsourcing

  eTelecare delivered outsourced customer-care programs for clients in telecommunications, consumer electronics, financial services, travel, media, and related sectors. The work included inbound voice interactions and customer-retention activity managed through international contact-center operations.

• Business-process outsourcing

  Technical support

  Technical support was one of eTelecare's core complex-service offerings. The company handled support interactions for client products and services through voice and, where applicable, digital channels such as email and chat.

• Business-process outsourcing

  Sales and customer retention

  The company provided outsourced sales and retention programs, extending its role beyond reactive customer service into acquisition, account preservation, and related customer-lifecycle activities.

• Digital customer care

  Email and chat support

  eTelecare supplemented conventional contact-center voice work with non-voice service through email and chat. These channels formed part of its broader complex customer-care and technical-support portfolio.

• Outsourced research

  Market research services

  Market research was included among the company's outsourced services, allowing clients to use its contact-center infrastructure and trained personnel for structured customer and market interactions.

• 2009

  Acquisition by Stream Global ServicesM&A

  Background

  The business became part of a wider consolidation of international business-process-outsourcing providers.

  Action taken

  Stream Global Services acquired EGS Corp., the indirect parent of eTelecare Global Solutions, in a stock-for-stock exchange.

  Aftermath

  The Philippine operation was renamed Stream International Global Services Philippines, Inc., ending eTelecare's independent corporate identity.

  Source

• 2008

  Acquisition by Ayala Corporation and Providence Equity PartnersM&A

  Background

  eTelecare's ownership structure changed as the company operated across Philippine and United States markets.

  Action taken

  Ayala Corporation and Providence Equity Partners acquired all outstanding Philippine shares and United States American Depositary Shares.

  Aftermath

  The transaction transferred control of eTelecare to the two acquiring investment groups.

  Source

• 2005

  Rebranding as eTelecare Global SolutionsStrategy

  Background

  The business had developed from a Philippines-founded call-center operation into a broader international outsourcing provider.

  Action taken

  eTelecare International changed its corporate name to eTelecare Global Solutions.

  Aftermath

  The new identity emphasized the company's international delivery model and expanded voice and non-voice service portfolio.

  Source

• 2004

  Acquisition of Phase 2 SolutionsM&A

  Background

  eTelecare was expanding its outsourcing portfolio and sought additional exposure to wireless-related business.

  Action taken

  eTelecare International acquired Phase 2 Solutions, described as the eighth-largest independent wireless reseller in the United States.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition broadened the company's wireless-related capabilities and client-program reach.

  Source

1. 1ETelecareen.wikipedia.org