Posted on 01/29/2005 9:22:09 AM PST by CarrotAndStick
PUNE: At 22, Shantanu Arakere, an M.Com just out of Maharashtra Mitra Mandal College, had no idea where his life was going. He wanted to do an MBA, but did not get admission into a college he wanted. "Staying at home for one year was getting to me, I desperately wanted a job."
He was searching for jobs related to his academic background — but every interview ended in disappointment. Finally, frustrated, he decided to give BPOs a try. And for the first time, he got a call within two days of the interview.
He joined WNS, a leading BPO in Pune, as a trainee customer service associate in mid-2002. So far, he has got three promotions, and saw his salary treble from Rs 6,000 per month to around Rs 18,000 per month — a salary his father got after working for over two decades at Tata Motors.
Today, at 24, Shantanu is the assistant manager for quality assurance and is clear that this is where his future is. "It's not just money. My whole personality and perspective on life have got transformed in the last two-and-a-half years."
The job has given him an amazing amount of confidence, he says, and patience in dealing with people. "I've also learnt a lot, thanks to the various special training programmes." What's more, he is finally realising his dream of getting a management degree: he's doing his Business Administration by correspondence.
The perks? Being able to afford all those things, finally: Shantanu got himself his dream bike, an Enfield Thunderbird, bought a Honda Activa for his sister and is helping his parents with the renovation of their home. Now, Shantanu wants to buy a car... or a house.
"Ours is a middle-class family with little disposable income, and you just could not indulge yourself at a whim. Now, I do not have to think twice everytime I feel like going to a movie or buying a new pair of jeans."
For those who are not familiar, BPO stands for Business Process Offshoring.
Thank you. That would be me.
I belong to AAAAA. We hate acronyms.
Actually, it's Business Process Outsourcing, although "offshoring" might be a piece of that.
After the absolutely LOUSY service I've gotten over the past few days from a couple of my vendors at work I found myself becoming less opposed to immigration/outsourcing. That was until hubby got lousy service from the immigrant newsstand woman, who would NOT tell the person on the other end of her cell phone to HOLD ON A MINUTE, as she continued to screw up his lottery numbers, the exact same ones he plays at that store everyday. Maybe America has corrupted her. He was very nice about it, I was fuming.
Is this all globalization will bring, world-wide lousy customer service? I may have to join the anarchists!
Rant/off
But where would business be today without TLAs and FLAs?
Thanks. That's just what I was wondering.
"...a salary his father got after working for over two decades at Tata Motors."
Tata Motors? Going bye-bye? :o)
USC?
Although the humour is obvious, Tata is a Persian immigrant's name, and the family that bears this name in India is one of the wealthiest in the world.
IMO I hate offshoring. "speaking english" such as it is, is not the problem ( or all of the problem anyways ).
Cultural differences and manners are what leave me dissatisfied.
I was told "you must pay your bill ! just pay your bill !"
when trying to find out why AmEx double billed me.
I also was told "you are not listening. you must do what I tell you to do !" when asking the tech "what did you say? speak more clearly please" at a computer company that rhymes with IBM.
it's inconvenient to not understand the accent, but I get quite riled when the tech is scolding me like a 5 year old.
If I have any trouble at all understanding an accent, I ask for someone who speaks english, and repeat until I find someone who can. I also send nasty notes to businesses that use people on phone support lines that can't be understood. It is important that we COMPLAIN about this, or it will not only continue, but expand. Take your money elsewhere and let them know why. Its the only power we have as consumers.
I didn't say anything about marriage. Lots of married couples are financially illiterate. It is a glaring omission in the education of most young people.
Ironically, 200,000 engineers formerly employed in Silicon Valley have said exactly the same thing.
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