CAREER ARTICLES |
| CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN BPO SECTOR |  SKILLS REQUIRED TO WORK IN DIFFERENT VERTICALS
SEGMENTS SKILLS
Call Centre Good communication & language, skills, accent understanding, team leadership, basic computing skills
Market Research Understanding statistical sales & marketing concepts
Data Conversion, Computing, language & analysis skills
Integration
Human Resource Country specific HR policies, rules & regulations
Service
Finance & Financial analysis skills, interna-tional
Accounting accounting rules & principles
Engineering & Technical & engineering design & computing
Design skills.
Logistics Good background in operations research & engineering manage-ment
Healthcare Understanding of pharmacy & medical imaging
Translation,
Medical Language understanding, basic computing (word
localization processing knowledge) and transcription & understanding of various medical terminologies
Remote Education Subject knowledge, computing & language skills
Animation Drawing and creative skills, computer graphic skills
Network &
Management Understanding different network configurations
Consultancy and support equipment, technical/computing skills It is necessary to learn and adopt attitudes that help reduce stress. Towards this end, a broad outline of skills needed in English as a communication medium, and Computers as a professional, a tool kit is presented along with Attitudes needed for social, personal and professional success and well-being.
Attitudinal Skills
Topics Pattern of Exercises
Customer Identifying Times Stealers, Interruptions -
Relation telephone, Interruptions personal, visitors & meetings. Tasks you should have delegated. How to overcome indecision, acting with incomplete information, inability to say “No”.
Internal Dealing with team members, Crisis management
Communication (fire fighting), Unclear communication, Inadequate technical knowledge, Unclear objectives & priorities, Lack of planning.
Self Control Management of priorities, Increasing work effectiveness & productivity, Managing a more balanced lifestyle, feeling more in control of the daily activities.
Stress What is pressure & what is stress, recognizing your
Management own stressors, personality types & reactions to stress, How your beliefs & perceptions cause stress, managing yourself; Does you job cause stress? What ails causes stress, Developing strategy for stress? management, Self management, Managing change, Relaxation techniques, Assertiveness skills, Planning your next steps.
Telephone Your valuable role to the Customer, the company,
Etiquette voice, Communication Process, Challenge of Communication, Telephone Etiquette Skills Practice.
Know Your Show UK/US Culture slide show, Aware of
Customer Contemporary Culture, Work, Social Situations, Geography, Entertainment, Economy, its impact on customers.
Computer Skills
Topics Pattern of Exercises
MS Word Word Processor & its uses, Exploring the Word Processor, Document template & Formatting the document, Table handling, Mail merge, Setting up pages for printing.
MS Excel Introduction to Spreadsheet,
Exploring the Workbook Window, Formatting Cells/Worksheet, Working with formula & Function, Working with Charts, Filtering Data & Printing Worksheet.
MS Power Point Introduction to Power Point, Exploring Power Point, Planning & creating a Presentation, Adding Transitions, Previewing & Printing Presentations.
Internet Chatting, Creating User, Search a site, Email, Downloading, Finding Junk mail. Searching (e.g. google.com), web mail (e.g. Yahoo mail), News Groups (e.g. Yahoo groups)
Typing With Typing Softwares
Hardware
Topics Pattern of Exercises
Common Utilities Introduction to Virus & its effects, Removing Virus using Anti Virus Software, Taking backup & Checking storage devices, Concept of multimedia, Introduction to Macromedia Flash.
Networking Fundamentals of Networking, Introduction to Domains Addresses, configuring TCP/IP parameters Methods of Internet access, Introduction Client server.
Modem Modulation, Kinds of modulation, Connecting the modem, Internal and External Modems.
Hardware Input-Keyboard, Mouse, Scanner, Light Pen.
Peripherals Output - VDU, Printers, Plotter. I/O - Hard Drive, Floppy Drive, CD RW, DVD Drive, Zip Drive.
OS Kinds of OS, Features, Types, Multi Tasking, Single User.
Communicative English Language
Topics Pattern of Exercises
Listening Skill Quiz, T.V. serials, Film (US/UK), Conversation CD, Reciting play and poems, News, Different style of speech (CD), Interaction with Guest speakers.
Vocabulary Memory games, Lengthening the word, Building a new word with addition or subtraction of a letter, Multiple type of vocabulary.
Grammar Tense, Verbs, Preposition, Article, Reported
Exercises speech, Inter change of parts of speech.
Writing Skill Draft Business/social letters, Resume, Note taking.
Instant Speech Mock interview to a mock famous person, Extempore, Continuous and spontaneous speech.
Phonetics & Voice Vowel and consonant sound, Accent CD, Recitation
Training of sentences, Emphasis on words, Tone Modulation, Cassettes.
Provide a Thought Giving Imaginary situation, Expansion of Ideas
Practical Skill Develop Common Sense, Personality Development.
Asking Question WH, Tail, Polite phrases, Short speeches.
& Art of Conver- Making appointment, Commercial terms, Tele
sation Official marketing, Corporate Communication.
Health issues of professionals: In order to synchronize with the working day of the client countries, a number of BPO companies work either mid-day to mid-night or all-night. The psychosomatic stresses involved in working at hours contrary to human biological cycle, the number of complaints related to health issues among BPO professionals is perhaps the highest among all other professionals. This is an important issue that may influence the ability to BPO companies in attracting and retaining the best talent.
Conclusion
BPO means different things to different people. Some perceive it is a golden business opportunity, while some others see it is an avenue to an exciting career. However, significant steps must be taken in imparting certain fundamental skills to a large section of the students before BPO can become the next big wave of gainful employment. In the long run, success of the BPO industry will depend on how well the talent pool of the country is nurtured as also on a number of socio-political and psycho-somatic issues. (concluded)
(The author is Director, Shri Atmanand Jain Institute of Management & Technology.)
Author:
Prof. (Dr.) P.K. Dutta |
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