Contact center industry eyes 5% revenue growth in 2026

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May 31, 2026 | 12:00am

“The contact center industry’s revenue is projected to hit $35.7 billion this year, even as the country faces challenges linked to the Middle East conflict, policies in Western countries, local politics and artificial intelligence.”

MANILA, Philippines — The Contact Center Association of the Philippines, which has rebranded to Customer Xperience Association of the Philippines (CXAP), expects the contact center industry to post five percent growth in revenue this year, despite global and domestic headwinds.

In a statement, CXAP said that the contact center industry’s revenue is projected to hit $35.7 billion this year, even as the country faces challenges linked to the Middle East conflict, policies in Western countries, local politics and artificial intelligence (AI).

The projection was presented by CXAP chairman Mitch Locsin during the Contact Islands 2026 event in Cebu.

Last year, the contact center industry generated $33.9 billion in revenue, seven percent higher than the $31.7 billion in 2024.

In 2025, the contact center sector accounted for the bulk or 84 percent of the information technology – business process management (IT-BPM)’s total revenue amounting to $40.3 billion.

“The CC (contact center) - BPM sector’s performance is on track and is expected to remain strong, aligning with the 2028 roadmap targets of the IT-BPM industry,” Locsin said.

“The figures reinforce continuous progress and long-term transformation of the sector,” he added.

In terms of employment, the CC-BPM sector expects its workforce count to reach 1.73 million this year.

Last year, the CC-BPM sector hired over 60,000 agents, bringing the total full-time employee count to 1.68 million.

The sector’s employees accounted for 89 percent of the entire IT-BPM industry’s workforce count.

The contact center group’s rebrand is in line with the transformation of the contact center services into a human-powered, AI-enabled CX industry.

CXAP president Haidee Enriquez said the contact center sector is now delivering sophisticated, AI-enabled, multi-channel customer experience solutions.

“Our people are no longer simply handling transactions. They are solving problems, building relationships and creating value. As the industry evolved, we realized our industry evolved (as well); we realized (that) our identity needed to evolve with it,” she said.

In terms of AI adoption and technology in the CC-BPM sector, CXAP’s 2026 Executive Survey found that 52 percent of respondents are in moderate adoption of AI technologies, while 43 percent are in the scaling stage and 41 percent have reached operational efficiency.

Top AI technologies being adopted are generative AI, predictive analytics/ CX data tools, chatbots, agentic AI and robotic process automation.

However, talent, cost, data quality, management change and client demand were identified as constraints to scaling AI.

When it comes to AI workforce impact, CXAP said that AI is driving demand for digital skills, while reshaping work structures.

The most in-demand AI skills based on the poll are AI/automation skills, digital and IT skills, customer relationship management, data analytics and leadership and management.