I did not spend a lot of time as they were very, very busy but the unfailingly polite message is that it is cheaper and faster to use its world class outsourcing services. When I get some spare time I will examine this in more detail.

One company that caught my eye was Remote Staff which specialises in sourcing remote staff from the Philippines.

Remote staff means just that – it finds people who work from home in the Philippines using the country’s broadband ADSL network. According to Walter Fulmizi of Remote staff “We set up Skype and an email account as well as a secure work platform for file check in and out so that you as a client control it”.

“Since we started doing this in 2008 we have had no problems and placed more than 3,500 staff”.

Walter says that Filipinos are the ideal workforce for Australian companies. “English is their first language, they are very much more westernised and have good education levels. As a culture they understand service and servility”. Having been to the Philippines recently I can only agree.

As the Philippines is on the same time zone as Perth it is very easy to work within standard working hours.

Remote Staff handle everything from recruitment to payment. “Back Office staff cost from AU$3.80 per hour. IT staff from $5.80, telemarketers from $4 and high level mechanical or civil engineering from $6.50.

Walter says that the elegant simplicity of the system means that many remote staff become instrumental to Australian companies and have long term relationships.