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Call Centre

Everyone wants to have a byte of the BPO, ITES and software sector boom. Some want to get hired, others want to what hirers are looking for, some others want to improve their prospects and make it big. Wherever you fit into this tech boom, if you have a problem, we have a solution. Starting this week, training and management guru Sunder Ramachandran will answer all your career and workplace queries. Fire away:

I am an MBA and have been trying to get a BPO job for the past 6 months. I have been told that I have a strong MTI. Please tell me the ways so that I can get a job in this sector?

Pranjal Mitra

MTI (Mother tongue influence) is better known as `interference'. There is a theory that your first language `interferes' with expressing yourself in other languages. It is an indication that the learner has not yet completely acquired the structure of the English language. You could consider some professional voice training or coaching. As an MBA, you could also consider the non-voice sector i.e.: transaction processing, data processing etc.

Is call centre/BPO experience considered in other sectors/industries?

Swati

The perception that work experience in BPOs may be redundant in other sectors is far from reality. Employees build customer service, sales and communication skills that are the backbone of any job in the service sector. Also most BPOs encourage employees to enhance their educational qualifications to gear them for the future. All said and done, a lot also depends on how you position and sell your skill sets in the job market.

I am an operations manager in a leading call centre and I'd like to know if you could give me tips on how my agents can be more effective in getting through sales objections.

Akhilesh Bisht

Hello Akhilesh. One thing that I would do is have your agents brainstorm all the possible objections. Then at one of your weekly meetings with your team, discuss how to answer these. Approach the activity as if you want to share best practices with each other. You could also make your agents role play their answers with each other. Also share the "SWSWSWWN" (Some will, some won't, so what, who's next) rule of sales with your team. Persistence is the key to success in sales. Good luck with more sales!

I work with a recruitment company and we used simulation software to hire candidates for IT companies, but we are no longer using them as they are time consuming. Our clients want us to hire more candidates faster. I personally thought agent simulation tests gave us better quality candidates. What are your thoughts?

Preeti

Simulation tests can give you accuracy and detailed skill measure for an applicant. Although time consuming, a simulation offers better quality against the quick results of a simple selection test. It's simple, if you are looking for a high quality dining experience, would you consider fast food? Absolutely not! It is unfortunate that pre-employment testing has trended towards convenience with little regards for quality. Avoid indigestion (i.e.: low performance, high turnover, poor morale) that "fast-food" selection tests can cause; choose simulation.

(Sunder works as a trainer with a leading global BPO on customer service, sales, communication and coaching & training skills. He is also a columnist for `Training & Management' ). If you have any questions, write to sunder.ramachandran

@gmail.com

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