Joining a BPO? Communicate better

Can't secure a job in the BPO industry?

There could be several reasons. Maybe your 'intonation' is bad. Maybe your resume is not up to the mark.  

It could also be that your basic writing skills do not measure up.

Find out from BPO training expert and CEO of Fitter Solutions Nasha Fitter. 

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

I have completed my B Com and am very hard working. My English is quite good but i dont have the practise to speak in english so how can i improvise.

Well i do thing that my accent is quite ok. But i was then also rejected in call centre interview. I want to improve my grammer and english speaking so what should i do for that.I also want to make my accent very perfect. Please help me to be so prefect, so that i will be selected in an international call centre.

Please do let me known my weak point, in this E-mail which i have sent to you. Where i am wrong and where i should improve. 

-- Savita

From your e-mail, I see a big problem in terms of how you structure your sentences. You are facing issues on subject-verb agreements and the correct usage of nouns and pronouns. To improve, you could buy a basic grammar book (try the Cambridge version).

Additionally, your overall flow and style is weak and you tended to neglect punctuation. You need to seriously expand your exposure to written English. Start reading business periodicals such as The Economist, Business India and Business Standard. Practise reading out loud.    

• Nervous at interviews? Here's help

I did my education at a premier institute, and now work with a major company in India. I have a peculiar problem with my voice. Many a times I repeat the same 'thing' three to four times in order to communicate to others.

The problem is intensified when I am in noisy atmosphere, or if I have to speak to someone standing at a distance. Most of the time people hardly follow what I told them, though I am of the opinion that I spoke with clarity.

I am a competing professional and I never had any big setback in my educational and professional career. But, I really worry that I am losing many opportunities these days, as I fail in oral communication. Could you please suggest me a remedy for this?

-- Satyamangalam

There could be a couple of reasons why this is happening to you. 

First, it could be your pace. You may be 'condensing' your vowel sounds and thus your words get crumpled together and people find it difficult to understand you. 

Or you could be off on your consonant sounds. For example, perhaps your 'p' sounds similar to your 'b' which would mean that, in a noisy room, people find it difficult to understand you. Try doing research on which sounds require an 'explosive breath' and which sounds require more 'voice' (which means they are made without a gush of breath).   

Lastly, perhaps your voice is very monotonous and thus people find it hard to follow you. For this, you need to speak with more emotion and flavour. 

• Stop stammering. Here's how

I am a student of first year BE. I want to know what kind of questions will they ask during a BPO interview.

Will it be too hard to qualify if I have average English skills? What is intonation? I am thinking of joining a BPO, so do help me with interview tips.

-- Poorak

If you are going for a voice-based call centre job, then how you communicate is very important. Focus on brushing up your grammar, pronunciation, pace and tone. Also, research the company you plan to interview; this will show you are serious about working there. 

Intonation is a fancy word that basically means 'putting emotion into voice'.  

You may notice that some people speak in a flat or 'one-tone' voice. On the other hand, some people -- for example VJs, newscasters and most actors, speak in 'multi-tone' -- their voices are filled with highs and lows and their words are stretched and emphasised. Good, interesting speakers use lots of intonation.

• Do looks matter in a BPO?

I have recently got a good job with a textile portal as a marketing executive. I have to make calls to convince people from textile industry to be our portal member.

It needs good command over English and communication. I have no experiece in this field. How can I do well? I want to boost my confidence level. 

-- Vibha

In order to improve your communication skills, you must read newspapers, good magazines and books. While you are reading, pay special attention to how sentences are formed.  

Watch television, especially news shows as hearing English spoken correctly will also help you immensely. 

You could also take a class on public speaking which will prepare you for the business world. 

• Tips to crack call centre interviews

I have a bachelor's degree in computer application. I have good typing skills, furthermore a satisfactory command over English. How should I create resume when applying to a BPO?

-- XYZ

An excellent resume comprises good content and presentation. Make sure your content is relevant, clear and easy to follow. Don't simply list what you have done -- each bullet point should include what you did, how you did it and why you did it (how the task helped your organisation).

Presentation consists of structure and formatting. For example, margins should be aligned, the same style of bullet point should be used for the entire resume and the fonts used should be professional. The best thing to do is buy a book on putting together resumes -- choose a book that has many sample resumes.   

•  6 steps to your dream job

Nasha Fitter operates Fitter Solutions, a communication and training organisation with expertise in public and interpersonal communication and private training.