Call Center

In today's fast paced, technically-advanced age, the emergence of call centers and BPO companies is but natural. The realization of India's strength in IT industry, and the potential benefits to profit margins, has witness an increasing number of call centers / BPO companies looking at outsourcing to India. The sector has come up as one of the largest consumers of quality real estate in the country and the infrastructural development companies are constantly working to provide them various facilities required by them.

The major strength of India in the outsourcing business is potential of huge profits. The total labor and maintenance cost is another motivating factor for investors. In the last few years, the requirements of this industry in terms of infrastructure has has gone up remarkably and realizing this need real estate companies are providing complete assistance and guidance to choose a perfect office space in best cities of India. The real estate companies are formulating plans and policies to support the business of BPO companies and to allow them reap short term and long term profits.

To succeed in the high competition outsourcing industry, the BPO companies should provide innovative, value added, applications and services, which enhance customer productivity, improve the quality of their client communications and delivers the top level of support and expertise achievable. These companies require to be located close to the city centers and need favorable surroundings as per their special requirements.

Criteria for Location of Call Centers / BPO Companies
The first thing, which a call center / BPO company looks for before choosing a right location are as follows :

• Large floor areas - Large floor areas improve efficiency.
• Size and type of premises - Work out the requirements for a particular business / company -
  • Total space requirement.
  • Work out space each person needs.
  
  
• Legal Building - Proper legal transaction concerning the transfer of property and all others as the companies invest a significant amount in the buildings
  
  
• Buildings with big floor area with minimum pillars/walls - This means large halls with less pillars and almost no walls, for easy planning in distributing place.
  
  
• Safe Environment - Safe environment, as a majority of call center / BPO companies work on 24 x 7 basis.

The selection of a location of a call center is based on several factors, including

• Laws and regulations.
• Availability of real estate and cost of office space.
• Telecommunication infrastructure, technology & tariffs. Another important issue is of connectivity (to PSTN etc.).
• Work force - Companies look for locations and areas, which can provide them workforce that is proficient in English (and possibly other languages); cost effective with disciplined work culture.
• Economic Incentives - Economic incentives may take the form of tax exemptions or grants, repatriation of profits, corporate tax on profits yielded by BPO companies, tax treaties, etc.
• Feel good factor- Companies look for locations and areas where the people are positive, service minded and friendly.

Setting up a Call Center
Setting up of a call center requires efficient integration and management of Telecoms and IT infrastructural facilities. The principle elements, which constitute a call center are telecommunication links (IPLC, typically E1 Link), call center infrastructure (hardware in the form of LAN, Agent PCs, Headsets) and the requisite software packages (CRM).

The decision process typically involves following phases in sequence -

• Defining business requirement.
• Defining decision criteria. n Researching options.
• Evaluating options against decision criteria and business requirements.
• Pursue vendors of technology along the chosen path.
• Bureaus for outsourcing entirely, and ASPs for outsourcing technology.