Update:Indian Call Centre:Boom or Doom:Concern Over Showing Cracks
This is small video I found on youtube regarding the Indian call centre fraud which was aired here in UK by Channel four on 5th of October. It hard now a days to make people believe that a problem is with people (employees), not offshore/onshore. This sort of fraud and identity theft can happen anywhere and in fact it has happened in US and UK too. Its not a correct way to present whole BPO industry in India is corrupt or every Indian people working in call centre are greedy. Corruption is global problem!
technorati tags: India, UK, youtube, BPO,
15 Comments
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Ekawaaz - One Voice - Weblog of Winrock 
You shouldn’t post such video..It dosen’t represent indian BPO …and its not like that all call sentre services are currupted. When Infosys asked for this video from channel 4 to investigate in this matter, they just refused to give it…This shows how reliable this story is..
I agree that it is unfair to paint the entire BPO industry in India with the same brush. There are downsides to any organised activity of massive proportions. Nevertheless, there are lessons to be learnt. Where we need to prove a point is in having a credible and creditable crisis management system. Accidents are bound to happen, but individuals and organisations distinguish themselves in how well they recover and progress from thereon.
Hey this is completely unfair to INDIA and the call centres operating here.This phenomenon is widespread in almost all the countries where call centres function.Its just that some individuals want to earn some quick buck and find this way of fraud pretty easy to realise this.This is not confined to INDIA alone.The unfortunate part being that the UK media highlighted it in a way as if it happens only in INDIA mainly to bring back focus on the highly controversial “OUTSOURCING ISSUE” which has been an issue of tremendous heat in the US and UK.This is sheer hypocrisy on the part of UK media and should be thorougly rejected.Its just a one off case and i do agree that security is a big concern and it must be maintained at all costs as senstive data and records are at stake.So all in all stringent security measures should be put in place to curb this menace.
How is it unfair? See what ONE corrupt person can do to a whole industry. Imagine how many more not-caught-on-camera corrupt people exist out there. Also, lets face it… 7 out of 10 persons in India are corrupt, in one way or the other. Instead of whining about how unfair it is, it’d be better to think of a foolproof solution to stop all this nonsense.
Dear Shashi,
As I said earlier in my post and in even in my article about BPO industry It hard now a days to make people believe that a problem is with people (employees), not offshore/onshore. This sort of fraud and identity theft can happen anywhere and in fact it has happened in US and UK too.
Instead of complaining about the things, we should especially government should try to put more effort to tackle this problem. When you are famous few people will be happy and many will be jealous and this jealous people will try every thing to humiliate you some where some how, that’s what happening with Indian BPO industry it is famous India is hub for out sourcing, so some people and some countries are jealous about it and they are trying to find a way to humiliate these industry. But question what we are doing? Is our government is doing enough to tackle this sort of crime? It would good to see what punishment these middle guy will get?
About video sashi we need to see these and especially all BPO workers must see how these 2-3 greedy people spoiling the name of Indians and Indian Industry. I didn’t posted this video to humiliate our self but to learn some thing from it.
Dear Slim,
I am totally agree with your points, we shouldn’t waist our time in complaining about this. Better wake up now and start putting our action in tackling this sort of problem. Else forget about outsourcing.
Dear Chiku,
“The unfortunate part being that the UK media highlighted it in a way as if it happens only in INDIA mainly to bring back focus on the highly controversial “OUTSOURCING ISSUE” which has been an issue of tremendous heat in the US and UK.This is sheer hypocrisy on the part of UK media and should be thorougly rejected”
Its is unfortunate but complaining that it’s unfair not going to solve the problem or rejecting these issue. Chiku question is what our government is doing? What BPO industry is doing to tackle this? I do agree with this documentary does not represent India BPO industry, but we should also realize that there are few greedy people also working in this industry who can go to any extent to make money and spoil the name of India. Don’t complain, its too late, better our government put their heads down, leave the bloody politics and start acting now.
Buddy did you got my email?
Dear Pradeep,
I do agree with you
“There are downsides to any organised activity of massive proportions. Nevertheless, there are lessons to be learnt. Where we need to prove a point is in having a credible and creditable crisis management system.”
I am also hoping that government will do more to tackle this problem.
In my opinion companies should start doing proper security check of each employee before they employ, whether it’s for financial process are not. Like in US and in UK there are accepted standards for employment. A typical call-center worker will be going through a standardized background-check process, a drug-screen, and so forth. To protect BPO industry in India, government should make legislation for this.
I had seen many adverts about On-Spot Offer, well stop doing this, make proper standard of employment in BPO industry, and do proper background checks, education checks and so on….
Data security has become the top risk concern for many UK and US companies that are considering outsourcing operations. To keep our BPO industry government should bring strict laws for BPO industry and for BPO employees. We need to act on this and fast, as time is running out and world is watching us.
[…] Channel 4 exposes call center fraud in India Video Via Youtube […]
Well, at the moment it is, to use a buzzword, USP (unique selling point) to have their centres in the UK and customers react positively to it.
Part of the problem is the instinctual dislike that my personal information has crossed the boarders and I don’t know who has access to it. This would have happened wherever the out-sourcing would have gone … Schweiz and Lichtenstein excluded 🙂
Another problem is that the outsourced call centre staffs have not received enough training and I have to sit and explain the UK banking system or society to someone who should know this already. The scrip reading is so obvious and not at all helpful. And the phone line is usually bad and it is real difficult to understand all the accents.
Me, the consumer, is basically the one who get screwed over. I get charged the same, get worse service and my personal risk is on the increase.
Dear Lizze,
Problem is not outsourcing problem is greedy people. This sort of fraud and identity theft can happen anywhere and in fact it has happened in US and UK too. Its not a correct way to present whole BPO industry in India is corrupt or every Indian people working in call centre are greedy. Corruption is global problem!
Second I am agree with training thing, even I do feel call centre staff are not properly trained which big concerned. If companies really need outsource the work then they should make serious attempt to train the staff.
I am a UK consumer and that is my point of view. I have not seen the program yet, will download it, but I would say that id theft etc can happen and does anywhere not just in India. It seems like India is specialising in call centres & outsourcing so then it is real important to have the trust of all the parties involved.
It can’t be easy to be in a call centre, not fully trained and then deal with frustrated customers. I still think that the customers are the losers in all of this.
Surely, it can only get better.
Ekawaaz – you write an interesting blog … I found it through Slim’s blog 🙂
@Lizze
thank you for your lovely compliment, wow we both are same I also found your blog through Slim:)
Tell me anytime since this buying and selling started in this earth, when customer were not looser? Customer are always looser and will always be..because this big cats are just greedy and greedy 🙂 Call centre staff must be trained properly.
Hey ekawwaz.NIce to hear from you.Well my sole point was branding only INDIA in poor shape is unfortunate and uncalled for.I do agree that stringent verification procedures and security mechanism should be put in place to thwart such corrupt practices from happening again in future.BPO is a rising sector and a major revenue earner for our country.Therefore,it should be the top most priority for the BPO industry.
HEY YA I DID GET YOUR MAIL.I WOULD DO AS U HAVE RECOMMENDED.
REGARDS
CHIKU
Dear Chiku,
Thanks for sharing your views, even i want same thing better recruitment procedure, better secuirty check for all employees. We need some harsh laws, we need to put some more effort if we really worried about this data theft. Take action or dont cry in future..