SYKES Year-End Celebration (Generation SYKES: Our Party. Our Generation.)

Feb. 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Theirs is a story that defined a generation. It began in 1997. Back when the term BPO is still unheard of, SYKES dared to bring its call center business in the Philippines. Little did SYKES realize that its bold move to set up shop here would not only strengthen its business; it would also pioneer an industry and shape the economic landscape of a country. After 15 years, SYKES travels back in time; back to when it all started.

Last December 16, more than 7,000 SYKESers gathered at SMX Halls 1 - 4 to party. Dressed in true '90s fashion, people were very excited to begin their journey down memory lane. Their nostalgia began from registration as SYKESers were serenaded by boy bands. Their next stop: the '90s inspired photo booths. Channeling the movie vibe, SYKESers posed a la MIB agents, Neo & Trinity and the iconic Jack & Rose. Once inside, people enjoyed '90s music as they lined up for sumptuous food care of Josiah's Catering.

For a full-on '90s vibe iconic DJs Chico and Delamar hosted the party with Gino. The program began with a bang, literally. The crowd couldn't help but scream like awestruck teens when Stagecrew performed '90s hits like Pretty Fly for a White Guy, Sweet Child of Mine and Santeria! But aside from the songs, the '90s was also popular for its signature moves. The internationally acclaimed Philippine All-Stars brought back MC Hammer's Can't Touch This and Tag Team's Whoops! There it is. At that point, SYKESers just had to get up and dance!

As if the energy was not electric enough, Dean Van Ormer, Vice-President for Philippine Operations surprised everyone with his jaw-dropping rendition of Ricky Martin's Livin' La Vida Loca with the sexy Mocha Girls! The crowd went loca as they cheered, clapped and danced along. Once the hype calmed, Mr. Van Ormer, shared his sentiments about the night. "Has it really been 15 years? In a lot of ways, it feels like it was only yesterday that SYKES stepped on Philippine soil with only 14 employees. 15 years ago, we were the first call center to operate in the Philippines and from then, there was no looking back." He, then, adds, "Each and everyone of you have been a significant part of the SYKES story. Your commitment, dedication and hard work helped us reach the place we are in today. So enjoy the night. This is for you."

And enjoy they did! Just when you think the excitement reached its all-time high, Sandwich took to the stage. Again, the crowd was energized more than ever. Not only did they sing their most popular hits, they also performed classic Eraserheads songs. It was nostalgic, electrifying and, over-all, a special moment. It was a celebration that SYKES would never forget.

Employee competition is always a segment to watch out for in SYKES' Year-End Celebrations. In full homage to the '90s, the competition's theme was MTV reinvention. Three Groups channeled their inner popstars as they performed NSYNC's Bye Bye Bye, Madonna's Vogue and Backstreet Boys' Everybody. SYKESers cheered for their respective teams as they danced their hearts away. But as in all battles, only could become the victor. This year, it was Manila North Dream Xtreme crowned as Battle Jam's Grand Champion and took home P60,000!

Aside from the team performances, there was also a search for the head turners of the night. Throughout the evening, gorgeous SYKESers were spotted everywhere. Women donned their posh fashion. The men showed off their flashy get-up. But there were those who simply stood out. For making '90s fashion cool again, the head turners won P15,000 each.

The most anticipated event of the evening was the raffle draw. It has been SYKES' tradition to give back to employees. In celebration of SYKES' 15th anniversary, SYKES gave away more than P2.5 million worth of prizes. Instant prizes, cool gadgets and state-of-the-art home appliances were raffled off. But the surprises did not stop there. By the end of the night, 15 SYKESers won P100,000 each and 1 lucky SYKESer won P250,000! It was early Christmas indeed.

Then there was the 15th year promo! At the start of the year, SYKES launched the 15th Anniversary Promo. SYKESers who completed the 5 stamps in their promo cards got the 2013 SYKES planner exclusively designed by Team Manila. But not only were the completed cards their claim stubs to the planner, the cards also served as tickets to the additional P100,000.00 raffle!

So why does SYKES go to such great lengths for a year-end celebration?
"Each year, we have events like this to reward the hard work, dedication and outstanding performance of our employees. SYKES also supports and promotes work-life balance. We want our employees to have a life outside of SYKES. It has really become part of our culture", explains Dean Van Ormer. "Another aspect of the SYKES culture is our culture as a family. Families celebrate together right? And this year, we just have so much to celebrate. It has been another successful year for the company. We're also celebrating a milestone for the entire industry as the first call center to celebrate 15 years in the Philippines. But we're not stopping at 15. We'll make more milestones. We'll create more legacies. We'll break more records. And we'll do all of these together, '' he shares.

CONTACT:

MENCHIE OSIAL
PR Head, Echo Channels
0916417811

MARI LITONJUA
VP for Marketing and PR
Echo Channels
0917 527323