Political unions taboo for BPOs

NEW DELHI: Data security, safety for women employees, business development and curbing the high rate of attrition are some of the challenges the fast-growing Business Process Industry needs to face in the future, said the president of the Call Center Association of India (CCAI), Sam Chopra today.

Chopra was speaking at the 'Open House session for Call Centres and BPO fraternity' organized by the CCAI which followed the CCAI's Annual General Meeting.

He said that the CCAI can provide a professional and responsive voice for the ever-growing Business Process Industry (BPI) in India, liaise with government and regulatory bodies to remove bottlenecks and help prepare and evolve standards for infrastructure.

Chairman, PR Committee, Deepak Kapoor said: "We have, along with BPO News, launched PAN India 6070, a phone number that will directly connect to the police control room, in order to enhance employee security. Physical security is well taken care of and a lot of regulations have been adopted by the companies."

Chopra said unionization of call centers is an important issue for discussion. "We do not need politically led unionization as it is a taboo for the BPO industry," he said.

Unionization issue can be addressed by proactively forming a non- political, quasi- governmental, quasi- regulatory nine- member BPI Industry Human Asset Maintenance Forum headed by an Ombudsman as a retired Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Chopra said. It should include a representation from employees; employer representing the industry; CPM / INTUC; Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Central Government; CCAI; NASSCOM; CII; FICCI and ASSOCHAM, National Council for Women, etc., he suggested.

Former president of CCAI, Deepak Malik said that the data security issues in the BPO industry have surpassed even terrorism, job loss and natural disasters.

A recent report by Forrester Research pointed out that a combination of information security breaches, high attrition rates and staffing costs has contributes to the fall in the Indian BPO growth rate, Malik stated. It fell from 48 per cent in 2004-`05 to 35 percent in 2005-`06, and is expected to dip further to 28-30 per cent over the next 12 months. "The organization should take steps in order to educate their personnel about implications of data thefts."

D.J. Dutta, nominee member, EC Committee said the ever-increasing attrition rate of over 40 per cent can be reduced by providing better working condition and strong training infrastructure for entry level as well as trainers.

The demand supply gap can be reduced by changing the negative image of the BPO industry, by shifting focus on smaller towns for hiring and by creating larger pool of employable manpower through introduction of courses at UG level, said Dutta.

He pointed out some of the key roles of CCAI that includes creation of national campaign to create positive branding, plan training infrastructure in collaboration of industry, government and educational institute, introduce certification programs and modification of UG level curriculum to enhance employment opportunity.

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