Want a piece of the BPO pie?

ou want a piece of the BPO pie.

At the same time, you're not sure whether joining this sector is the right step for you.

Our expert Nasha Fitter answers your queries.

• Do you have a question for Nasha? Write to us!

I've got a Masters degree in Computer Applications. I am willing to pursue a career in the BPO industry but have no idea how to go about it.

What are the options for me in this field? 

I am only interested in technical positions. My written English is very good. Please help! 

- Raghav

You need to look for BPOs that have technical processes, like Wipro for example. 

While your written English is very good, how is your spoken English?

You can contact a placement service that specialises in BPOs.   

I have over four years of experience as a Customer Service Representative in a non-voice based BPO. Since there are fewer non-voice based BPOs as compared to voice-based BPOs, I would like to join a voice-based BPO.

I would like to know how my experience would help me in my new job and your suggestions for the same.

Do I switch to a voice-based BPO or continue in the same line?

- AKC

It depends on what your future goals are. Do you plan on staying in the BPO sector for a long time? 

If you already have four years of experience, are you in a position to become a Team Leader? 

Is it a good idea for you to switch now? 

You also need to evaluate if you will get paid more in a voice-based process and if that is where you see your career going.
 
If you have already have CSR experience, even if it is non-voice based, I believe it will help as you must already understand the concept of customer service and some of the nuances associated with working in a BPO company. 

You also need to remember that your working in a voice-based process depends on how good your spoken English is. If they are good, you will have a good chance.

Good luck!
 
What is the diffrence between call centre and bpo?

I m also interested to join the bpo and i m a post-graduate in M.sc. computer science and i had given a few interview in bpo but i have not been get any job.

Basically i m interested for the techincal support executive but i have a regional touch in my language(Haryanwi).

I got training from Akiko Call net South Delhi early four month. But this was also not helpful for me.

Do u have any ideas for me?

- Arun Gupta

BPO stands for Business Process Outsourcing -- in India this includes anything that is outsourced from another country to India. 

Call centres are BPOs that deal with Voice Based Processes only, which involve speaking on the telephone. 

You are interested in becoming a technical support executive, so I am assuming that both computer knowledge as well as communication knowledge are important for you. 

From the short e-mail you wrote me, I can tell that your grasp of English is weak. You need to improve your language skills otherwise it will be very difficult for you to get a job in a call centre. 

I suggest watching American and British shows on television, reading good magazines and books and practising speaking aloud. You can enroll in classes that will help you, but make sure they are really good and that you get your money's worth. 

You may want to start your career by working in a domestic call centre, so that you get the hang of communicating with customers, before switching to an international one. Good luck!

I head the video archives division of a national news channel. This involves extracting, cataloguing and indexing audio and video clips. My skill sets include writing and editing.

I wish to explore opportunities with a BPO which could make use of my skill sets.

I came across an article sometime ago which mentioned that a lot of media organisations in the West are now outsourcing their work to India. I would be grateful for any advice that you can render.

                                                 - Himanshu

Where exactly are you located?  There is a great media outsourcing company located in Mumbai -- not sure if that is where you are as well. 

Please contact BPO placement firms, they will be able to help.  
 
I  have completed my MBA with a specialisation in finance and have worked with the State Bank of India for the past five years. Currently, I am working as a consultant in an IT organisation.

I have three questions. 

~ Would my profile suit the BPO industry?

~  My communication skills and team management skills are good. I am hard working and have a positive nature. Do these count?

~ Would I find it difficult to come back to the mainstream once I get into the BPO industry? 

- R Vijaya Raghavan

Your experience and confidence in your communication and management skills seem like good prerequisites to enter the BPO space. Since you have already been working for five years, you need to be careful about the direction in which you steer your career. 

Are you interested in building a career in the BPO space? You can join a financial process so your skills are utilised and work towards becoming a Team Leader, and then VP of Operations. 

If you are not interested in building a career in the BPO field, I don't think it is a good idea to switch as it may become difficult for you to get back into the mainstream thereafter. 

If you do decide on entering the BPO industry, contact placement firms that specialise in BPOs.

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