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Read about the author Sudhindra Mokhasi, read his blog, see his tour schedule and events in your city and register for a book event. Write to the author. Read his columns in newspapers and more... |
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Sudhindra's writes a fortnightly column in Deccan Chronicle / Asian Age in the Business - Technomics section. This column 'Tech-Sutra', will appear every alternate Monday starting 15th Jun 2009.
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Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, London
Monday, 26th October 2009
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:: Business / Technomics
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Oh BPO!
26th October 2009
Sudhindra Mokhasi
A few years ago we were looking for a match for my younger brother, in an arranged marriage framework. A prospective bride was from a middle class family employed in a reputed MNC. Since her employer also happened to be our customer, I was curious to know more about her job. Her father, who until then had been very forthright, started meandering. "She is working in the finance department...she works on employee payroll...she works long hours... she needs to work late because..."
It took close to twenty pointed questions before the father sheepishly said, "She works in the BPO division".
In another case, we had just acquired a hi-end IT services company in Bengaluru and the senior staff from both companies were invited for an introductory integration meeting. The president of our BPO division almost apologetically introduced himself as the head of the "low-tech" division of the company.
For my book, I met hundreds of BPO employees across major Indian hubs over a period of 30 months.
Some interesting patterns emerged. Almost everyone presumed I was writing a book about the scams in the industry. Many were angry that the media had created a wrong perception about the industry and I was only going to reinforce it.
After I did my clarification bit and told them the book intended to provide an all round 360 degree inside-out view of BPO life, they usually changed gears and went into a reflective, angst-filled mood.
Common refrains were: "I have a job and career because of BPO." "Am a commerce graduate and would otherwise have been selling door-to-door." "I am a computer graduate who missed campus recruitment because of my low academic scores." "I am a small town lawyer who would otherwise be struggling to make ends meet." "Born, brought up in a small town in UP, I had no chance of career in corporate life before..."
All stories of people who believed that the BPO industry had provided them with a chance to make their life and career, a chance they believed would otherwise have been unavailable for them. Even then, some friends, especially at senior management positions ducked meetings and refused to share stories.
Common complaints were that the mainstream media in its quest for sensationalisation has taken to BPO-bashing, BPO is a more inclusive employer and provides jobs from a PUC drop out to a Ph.D, gives people an opportunity to work in international environments and exposure to MNC work processes.
Yet, the work is not given proper recognition.
In my last job, we had hired a top consultancy firm to help us define a business roadmap and I was on the liaison team.
Having spent most of my working life in IT, this was my first elaborate exposure to the BPO business.
Almost at all levels there was an implicit defensiveness, angst about the lack of recognition, the need to quickly move up the value chain into KPO.
Couple of years ago, there were rumours in Bengaluru about the CEO who refused to have his quarterly press meet in the BPO division, moving it to the IT building instead.
Do we, as a society, don't give BPOs their due? I for one am fully convinced it is so. I am also convinced that this societal perception coupled with media bashing has set off a trend where the BPOs themselves, at times, question their own worth.
Next on Tech-Sutra: Why did this happen and what can we do going forward?
Sudhindra Mokhasi is CEO of a technology firm and author of ‘BPO-Sutra: True stories from India’s BPO & Call Centers’
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