How to Open a Call Center in India

Over here, over there

In the past 10 years, many American and European companies have opened call centers in India. The new industry, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), generates more than $50 billion annually for the Indian economy. While many BPO companies exist, most foreign businesses contract with one of the top 10 for their expertise in the field, particularly with call centers. Most handle a variety of business types, and have experience with successful outcomes. Opening a call center is not difficult, but planning requires considerable focus and attention to detail.

Things You'll Need

• Call volumes
• Call statistics (e.g. average handling time)
• Customer satisfaction goals
• Call work type (e.g. sales, technical)

Instructions

Opening a Call Center

1. Analytically review your business, and compile quantitative and qualitative statistics---call volumes, average handling times, customer satisfaction goals and other parameters crucial to business success.

2. Compare your business needs with a similar company that has a call center in India. If competitive protocol allows, contact the company to assess their successes and challenges. If not, choose a non-competing organization.

3. Using the expertise learned, review the top 10 BPOs, noting their clients and type of business services offered. BPOs are proud of their clients, and information is easy to obtain via local BPO representatives or via the Internet.

4. Select three or four BPOs that appear to meet the needs of your business. Examples: technical customer service, non-technical customer service, telemarketing and transactional operations.

5. Set up meetings and visit each site. In advance, prepare a fact sheet outlining your business, call volumes and key performance indicators (KPIs). BPO executives will present you with a business plan, costs and the services they can provide.

6. Tour the office and observe protocol. Talk to a supervisor or agent if possible about how they accomplish the work. Ask management about attrition rates, hiring standards and training curriculum.

7. Review each proposal against your business goals, and select an organization. Proceed to contractual issues including both qualitative and quantitative expectations, and penalties should these KPIs not be met.

8. Sign a memorandum of understanding, which will detail training, technical (e.g. phone lines), time lines and other issues.

Tips & Warnings

• It is important that you feel comfortable with management. They will be representing you to your customers, and an open, frank dialogue is crucial once the call center opens.

• While this may be new to your company, BPO executives are experts in the outsourcing process. They utilize the latest call center communications technology and have people to work with your staff to make the transition as uncomplicated as possible.

• Contracts are relatively standard, but it is important to review and understand each detail.

• BPOs experience high attrition rates relative to U.S. companies. While technical skill is readily available, if your company requires extensive training for specialized customer service issues, make sure to discuss this with BPO management before executing a contract. Determine how much training support will be required from you, the client.

References

• BPO-India: Call Center Facts
• Rediff News: Top 10 Indian BPOs
• Outsource2India: Benefits