A Look at Life at Call Centers in India
1) Here in USA we hear about call center workers being abused by callers from USA. They call them bad name and are nasty. Have you faced this kind of situation..? If yes then how did you handle it and how did it made you feel about Americans in general? Also did the bad behavior from American callers made u have a bad image of America..? If an employee complaints of bad behavior from callers how does the management handle it? Are the employees provided counseling..?
Certainly. Daily an agent would get at least one or two calls where the customer gets abusive. In such situations the agents ask the customer to refrain from profanity or else he might hang up. This does not always work out as the customer may still be abusive and since the calls are all recorded the agent simply cannot hang-up on the customer and he has to request him at least twice. This does make the agent feel bad and it might affect the agent's productivity. However a tenured agent (someone who's been in the process for over 6 months can handle these situations smartly. However the new joiners find it pretty tough to deal with and it is for these agents that we have counseling sessions either immediately or after the shift. In such cases the Team leader also takes over the call from the agent. This is called as an escalation. Americans in general are quite patient and can wait for hours before they finally get to speak to a live human as the wait times are generally high especially in Tech support. Initially agents do feel let down and depressed because of such incidents but eventually they do overcome. However one such call can ruin the day for an agent irrespective oh him being tenured or a fresher.
2) If given a chance will you work in America for Americans..? Please give reasons for your answer.
This is a very subjective question. The pay packet in call centers is more compared to other jobs in the market. Likewise if you look at growth opportunities offered in the US market certainly the prospect of working In America is very appealing. Just a few bad American customers cannot scare Indian job seekers away from the $$$$$$.
3) Do you think that in future with raising costs in India, the call centers will migrate to other low cost locations..? and Do you think you are prepared to take another job in another industry?
Shifting of call centers or having a new setup is not entirely dependent on the monetary part. Yes the very reason of jobs being outsourced is because of cost cutting. This can only be possible if the resources that are available make for a good option. The biggest advantage and the most important reason for call centers booming in India is its English speaking population combined with the cheap labor. Either one of these options alone may not fit the bill for an alternative. Unlike America where call centre job is for unskilled labor (mostly) in India the people associated with this industry are highly qualified and even experienced in most cases. Hence getting another job is not a BIG problem but the pay package may not be the same.
4) What are your plans for your future..? Do you want to make a career in this field..?
Normally people associated with this industry would work for 2 - 3 years with some exceptional cases of individuals working for more than
4 or 5 years. Attrition is the biggest challenge faced by this industry but it's mostly because of the night shifts. Night shifts and health issues are the main reasons (Nature of Job) for people moving out of this industry. Those who can manage it are sitting comfortably high on the corporate hierarchy.
5) Do you feel detached from social life because of odd working hours at the call center..?
This is the biggest drawback of being associated with this industry. You do not get sufficient time for social life. Though you work only for 5 days a week yet the 2 odd days that you get for yourself are simply not sufficient to take care of the recreation or other domestic commitments. That's one reason why you find a pretty young crowd at call centers.
Appears on Associated Content and American Chronicle. This interview was included for an article on OhMyNews.com.
Related Tags: outsourcing, outsourcing to india, call centers, bhumika ghimire, call centers in india
Bhumika Ghimire is a freelance writer. She is a content producer for Associated Content and writes for OhMyNews.com. Her works have appeared in Journal and Courier, American Chronicle, ACM Ubiquity,Nepalnews.com and Gather.com.
A graduate of Schiller International University, Florida, Bhumika's interests include blogging trends, freelance writing, Middle East and Islamic relations.
She has MBA on Information Technology Management and lives with her husband in West Lafayette,Indiana.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Bookkeeping Outsourcing: the Unique, Competitive and Dynamic Advantage
Bookkeeping outsourcing is the intelligent bookkeeping business service which provides accounting s - Understanding Cultural Differences in Offshore Outsourcing
In a recent Accenture study, cultural issues were listed as one of the main reasons for problems in - Outsource Asp.net Application Development
Software development companies today, provide post maintenance services to build up healthy relatio - Accounting Outsourcing - to Fulfill Your Accounting Needs
Ever business is multidimensional and there are various departments that work together to ensure t - Cleaning Equipment, South Africa, Office Clean
Our offices are vulnerable to disease and illness purely because of the diverse nature of the peopl - Bookkeeping Nyc for an Easy Management of Accounting Transactions
Managing account books is an important consideration for all businesses, no matter large or small. - Outsourced Accounting - for the Smooth Working of an Organization
Optimum utilization of money is crucial for the success of every business organization, no matter b - Outsource Php Programmers
Change is the way of life and adaptation is necessary in this ever changing world. Organizations a - Ten Potential Opportunities in a Time of Crisis
There's no doubt that these are trying times - and very few doubts that they will continue to be s - Ahoy Alloy!
What exactly is an alloy? Since alloys are part of our daily lives, it's important that we have som
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Advantages of Offshore Outsourcing in Information Technology
Offshore Outsourcing - Leverage Information Technology at Cost-effective PricesToday's businesses th - Increase Your Bottom Line By Importing From China
If you are a merchant looking to source your product at much lower cost, have you considered import - Grow Your Business by Outsourcing
Outsourcing conjures up images of large corporate organizations and tenders for jobs such as cleanin - Welcome Back to Your Life - Outsourcing and the Entrepreneur
Do you remember your kids’ names?Ok, maybe that last one is a bit extreme, but let’s fac - Who to Outsource in Today's Competitive Marketplace? An Idea About Where India and China Stand?
Outsourcing! Dazed of its popularity? But do you really know why outsourcing is the most highlightin - Cheap Sourcing - is it the New Purchasing Game in Town or is it the Most Ancient Practice on Earth
I was invited to participate in a round table discussion along with senior colleagues from the large - Top 5 Myths about EAP
1) You must find an EAP in your city or state. Finding an EAP in your home city or state makes littl - Tax Return Online Helps you Calculate your Tax Returns Promptly
Preparing taxes can be quiet difficult for you, if you do not have a proper knowledge about calculat - Business Globalization
However, the hostile sides can be clearly differentiated. While employers and businesses celebrate b - Accountant New Jersey is the Best Option you Can Opt for Financial Issues
A business, however big or small it is, is determined and known by its finances. Apt accounting is t