subject: Rethinking Call Center Business Model [print this page] It"s time for the call center business model to be revised. While there is nothing wrong with the old one, it does need some changes. Without those, the BPO flowchart would look and function as an obsolete entity. The equations of power have changed subtly and there are some additional adaptations needed by the existing forces in power. The business process outsourcing sector has seen considerable changes in the last couple of years. Things were turned on their head during the lean economic phase. When the call centers in USA ran dry of projects, their counterparts in India or some other third world countries had to hike up their pricing to combat the rising inflation. The cost barrier came down several rungs, creating a whole new power structure. In this article, we will look at how the call center services industry stand as of now.
Business firms had put several telemarketing projects on the backburner because of the recession. They didn't have the money to hire BPO units that can take care of their projects. However, things are different now. They have the money to get call centers onboard. But they still don't have the money to hire the expensive call center services in their domestic countries. The cost structure is still quite steep in the USA or Europe, for that matter. They are obviously looking at offshore call centers to handle their projects. In this situation, the domestic units in USA or UK continue to run dry and remain in the search for work. Long term unemployment has triggered a change in the attitude of the workers here. They are willing to cut down on their pay packets in exchange of work.
The cut down on the salary of the call center agents in USA has made all the difference. It has given the business firms a lot of hope that they can get their telemarketing work done in the country without having to pay too much. They are obviously banking on the experience and expertise of these agents. If they work in the budget that business firms have set aside for their telemarketing services, the firms will not hesitate to hire them. The quality of work in the USA and Europe is way better than their offshore counterparts in India or Latin America. In other words, the offshore call center services have to pull up the work that they do to an internationally accepted standard.
That is when the question of rethinking the BPO policy comes into play. With the cost equation more or less out of the way or at least mitigated, the quality of work is the only parameter that will decide the fate of offshore call centers. If these units have to stay in contention, they need to work harder and make their work world-class. The accent, the professionalism, the dedication and the commitment are some weak areas that exist. They need to seal up these leaks. It's not the political or economical factors that will bring about their downfall. It will be their undoing.
by: Ivana Lewis
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